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The Raid on Troy
The Greek raid on Troy is chronicled in the Iliad and the Odyssey. These poems are pillars of ancient literature and continue to be carefully studied. Homer, who lived in the 8th or 7th century BC, is credited as the author. The actual conflict has been dated from 1260-1180 BC or even earlier. The question is, how close is Homer’s account to real history?
In the Orfeo Saga volume seven there are some familiar characters from Homer. Their motivations, as well as their history, can be radically different. Memnon is a self-made man and a petty king who craves the fabled gold of Troy. His brother Menas is king of Sparta. They assemble a coalition to sack the city. Telemon, not eager to join the expedition, is moved to act after his daughter Elena is taken. He seizes the city of Mycenae and goes to Troy. Odysees might not be as clever or brave as the man described in Homer, but he joins the expedition out of greed. He soon meets Orfeo’s son, who is in search of his first real adventure. Orfeo is on the Trojan side, and has to face the assembled military might of Greece as well as Odysees cunning plans. The Greeks have Ajax, who they count on to defeat any foe in single combat. Can Telemon - now an old man - defeat the greatest Greek warrior and recover his daughter?
The Raid on Troy might not be any closer to real history than the ancient poems, but it does offer insights into what might form the basis of the stories.
About Murray Lee Eiland, Jr.
When I was younger I was a psychiatrist as well as a rug collector and dealer. I traveled to the East to learn more about carpets and the people who made them. I was exposed to cultures that preserved much from their past.I developed an interest in how and why states form. I wanted to write books that explored the characters of people who created civilizations. I wanted to come to grips with what makes leaders tick. I suppose this comes back to my training as a psychiatrist.
The Orfeo series is designed for audiences young adult and up. Unlike some modern books set in the "heroic age" they have little sex and violence. I hope they convey the spirit of the Bronze Age and not our age!
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