Part Two - The Trojan Master Plan and Greek Debate

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Author's Note:

This part will be a slow build up to the epic finale of the story. Part Two of The Story of Troy will ultimately break away from the original content offered by Homer's Iliad. Finishing up Part One was tricky. I didn't know if I should have made the Greeks flee the continent entirely or keep them on the beaches. I ultimately decided to just make them retreat to the beaches because the Trojans would not risk more casualties since the primary objective of not letting the Greeks into the city and pushing them back was completed with maximum efficiency and minimal casualties.

Throughout the course of this story you may have noticed that Deipohbus become flamboyant and careless with his words and actions. Without revealing much, these actions will play a key role in the act of the story and completing both the character and story arc that will be completely different from Homer's Iliad. I also dropped any and all consideration for expanding the number of characters from the list that is provided to us in Homer's Iliad. Finally, in this part of the story there will be an introduction of three vital characters to the plot that will ultimately tilt the scales of battle one way or the other.

Part Two

With the Greeks retreating back to the beaches the Trojan leaders of Priam, Glaucus, Hector, Deipohbus, and other high priests discuss what their next move will be.

King Priam: I am not entirely confident that we should attack them on the beach. We had great fortune today here in the city. We should not tempt fate or the gods.

General Glaucus: While I understand your reluctance, we should hit them hard again. They will run and sail back to Greece if we inflict enough damage.

Deipohbus: We broke them once already. We can do it again. I am with Glaucus, we should attack!

King Priam: Hector, what say you?

Hector: With Menelaus dead the Greek army has no purpose being here. Achilles did not fight today so there must be division among them. I would urge caution in attacking them at the beaches.

Deipohbus: He is right! The Greek army has no purpose and their morale is battered. Now is the time to attack.

Hector: Deipohbus, your actions today were reckless. Do not let your hunger for dead Greeks cost the lives of more Trojans.

Deipohbus: I did not bring the Spartan Queen to our shores. There is no blood on my hands.

Archeptolemus: Deipohbus is correct. There are Sons of Troy that will never return home because she is here.

Hector: And now she is a Princess of Troy.

King Priam: Enough. I have made my decision. We will not attack them tonight. Instead we shall devise and conjure a grand plan that shall be the decisive blow in this war. This council shall reconvene in the morning.

With the council adjourned until morning King Priam, General Glaucus, and Prince Hector talk among themselves and construct a draft of their plan. It is a very ambitious plan that would require days and maybe even weeks to prepare for.

Hector: Father, what do you have in mind?

King Priam: The Greeks have never seen us at full strength. I think it is time that they see it.

General Glaucus: Meaning?

King Priam: Have Agenor and Polydamas set sail with the armada. We will trap the Greeks on the beaches with a blockade of ships.

Hector: That is very ambitious, the Greeks will likely have an ample amount of time to react to minimize their casualties.

King Priam: Which is why we will engage the Greeks in hand to hand combat. The first barrage of flame arrows will signal the fleet to move in and begin sinking the Greek navy.

General Glaucus: I would suggest only sending Polydamas. Agenor and Deipohbus trained together and both can be hot headed.

King Priam: Very well.

The following morning the full council meets to agree on the final version plan.

Archeptolemus: The plan is ambitious and will likely claim the lives of nearly the entire Greek army if they do not surrender.

Deipohbus: That would not bother any man who served in any war against the Greeks. They are animals and it is time that we returned the favor.

King Priam: It is settled. Polydamas shall set sail with a fleet to blockade the Greeks. Agenor, Glaucus, Hector, and Deipohbus shall lead the infantry and cavalry units to beaches. Finally Paris shall command the archers from the hills to provide cover fire for the advancing units.

The following morning Polydamas sets sail from the Trojan Southern Shore to begin the flanking and blockading maneuvers.

On the beaches Agamemnon and his generals are contemplating what to do next after the Trojans cut through them like paper.

Agamemnon: We are not leaving. We are not cowards.

Odysseus: Cowards survive.

Ajax: And get mocked in the afterlife.

Nestor: Whatever our next move is we need Achilles to be on board with it. The men’s morale is weak and nearly broken. They need him and his Myrmidons to lead.

Agamemnon: I am not going to beg for him to forgive me. I am a King. Achilles is a –.

Ajax: Achilles is a god in human form. We can turn the tide if you were back in his good graces.

Odysseus: I will speak with him.

After the meeting Odysseus goes to Achilles’s ship and asks him to rejoin to the fight.

Achilles: You are not Agamemnon.

Odysseus: I am not.

Achilles: Then I have nothing to say.

Odysseus: You saw what the Trojans did to us today.

Achilles: And all of that could have been prevented had the great King Agamemnon just swallowed his pride and given me the honor and glory that I rightfully deserve.

Odysseus: I am begging you.

Achilles: I will stay for the week. Agamemnon has one week to come make amends or we set sail back to Greece. That is my first and final offer to your king.

The stage is set for The Final Battle to begin. Timing and positioning must be perfect for the Trojans. Polydamas has a week to sail around the coastline or risk the Greek army sailing away.

Bibliography:

Adapted from Homer's Iliad
Images from Warner Brother's Troy (2004)