Spring, 1194 BC. Paris, the Trojan Prince, steals Helen, the wife of King Menelaus of Sparta. He takes Helen, and a large part of the Greek king’s wealth, back to the city of Troy. King Menelaus gathers the other great kings of the Acheans. They have sworn him an unwavering oath: Should Helen ever be taken from her king and rightful husband, they must unite and avenge this heinous act.

The divisive and oft-warring Achaeans sense opportunity – together, they can sack Troy and steal its vast wealth of treasures and slaves. From the far corners of the Aegean they gather, to unite under the banner of the elder brother of Menelaus, High King Agamemnon of Mycenae. With the Achaeans assembled in staggering numbers at Aulis, Agamemnon knows that this historic unification will make possible the Fall of Troy.

For six months, the gods refuse to grant the Greeks the winds that they need. The Greek multitude is in peril of eating itself alive. Finally, Agamemnon is called upon by the seer Calchas to sacrifice his own daughter. This he does, for the oath demands it. The winds begin to blow, and the combined might of the Achaeans crosses the Aegean, delivering battle upon the Trojans in the most glorious war the world will ever see.

The Acheans (also known as the Greeks) sail their thousand ships against Troy. They successfuly secure the beaches.

But it's a bit of a task to get all the soldiers from the 1,000 ships organized. That's a hecka lot of guys, and they're in a fighting mood. Finally, the Greeks gather themselves together and march across the plains, eager to lay waste to Troy and get rich quick.

But the Walls! The Walls of Troy! Why didn't somebody tell them there'd be walls?! Countless Greeks are slaughtered in front of the walls before retreat is finally called and the generals and kings reconsider their strategy.

The Trojans send out troops to attack the Greeks and drive them away. The Greeks fight the Trojans on the plains, in the marshes, across the rivers, and, over and over again, at the Walls. We're talking years of fighting, with no end in sight.

Famous names abound - Agammemnon, Odysseus, Helen, Paris, Ajax, Hector, Achilles. But we're talking tragedy. So many are killed, further enragiing the warring sides to further bloody conflict. Achilles kills Hector. Paris kills Achilles. Paris is killed, etc., etc. The years drag on. Over Ten years, in fact.

The greeks come up with a brilliant idea. They build a magnificent wooden horse and hide fifty warriors inside it. They leave it in front of the gates of Troy, and they make a big show of pretending to sail away. The Trojans are not fools, but, hey, this wooden horse thing is too cool to pass up. So they wheel it inside. Night falls, the fifty hot and sweaty soldiers silently leave the horse and open the gates, while the fleet of ships and the rest of the Greeks return to sack Troy.

The palace is stormed, Priam slain, and Troy left a smoldering ruin of its former glory. The streets are choked with the dead. The Achaean host strips the city bare of its once vast wealth and carries it to their black ships to depart upon the long journey home.

Menelaus and Helen are reunited and return home to Sparta where they live out their years peacefully with their many children.

For others, things aren't so rosy.

Agamemnon, High King of Mycenae and leader of the Argives returns home to betrayal. His wife, Clytemnestra, exacts vengeance for the sacrifice of their daughter by slaying Agamemnon.

Diomedes, celebrated warrior of the Achaeans returns home to Argus to find that his wife and his kingdom now belong to another man. Driven from Argus , he sails to southern Italy where he eventually founds a new city.

The prophecy spoke that it would be ten full years after the fall of Troy before Odysseus would see his home. That's a whole 'nother story...try googling "Homer's Odyssey" or check it out from your library.