Scene 1

Narrator 1: sing, goddess, of the wrath of Achilles (Uh-kill-eez)! The

story you are about to hear is one of the oldest soldiers’ tales. It is a
story of honor and identity, of devotion and betrayal, and of love and
war. It is a story of families and individuals and the tragic consequence
of a single act. Its themes are universal.

Narrator 2: Our story takes place in the ancient Greek Aegean (uh-
gee-un) around 1500 B.C.E. The gods and goddesses are celebrating
the wedding of the goddess Thetis (thay-tis) to the mortal Peleus (pay-
lee-us).unfortunately, the goddess Strife has been left off the guest list
and in anger, she spoils the wedding by throwing a golden apple into
the crowd. Engraved on the apple are the words “To the Fairest.” Of
course, all the goddesses claim it, and the task of deciding falls to
Zeus, who, unwilling to get into the middle of an argument, recalls a
story he heard of a mortal named Paris who lived on Mount Ida near
Troy and was the most fair-minded of all mortals. He sends for him.

Zeus: Now Paris, born of the king and queen of Troy, what is you
judgment? Before you stand Hera (hair-uh), queen of the gods, Athena
(uh-thene-uh), goddess of wisdom, and Aphrodite (afro-die-tee),
goddess of love.

Paris: All are fair. Never have I seen such beauty. It is too difficult to
decide.

Hera: Gentle Paris, behold the depth of my character, the fidelity to

my family my check is as a rose, delicate and fair-hued. Am I not the
fairest? Say yes and I will grant you a happy home.

Athena: Strong Paris, behold my strength and my grandeur. Behold

the curve of my sword arm. On my shoulder the owl, a symbol a divine
wisdom. Am I not the fairest? Say yes and I will grant you great power.

Aphrodite: Fair Paris, behold!

Narrator 1: Aphrodite (afro-die-tee) appears to Paris. Having just

washed her long hair in the River Scamander (suh-man-der), her
tresses are a halo of golden highlights. He is awestruck.

Aphrodite: Judge me the fairest, and I will give you the most beautiful
woman in the world.
Narrator 1: Paris bows before her and sets the golden apple at her
feet.

Paris: She, Aphrodite (afro-die-tee), is the fairest of the goddesses.

That is my judgment.

Narrator 2: Hera (hair-uh) and Athena (uh-thene-uh) are enraged and

storm out of the wedding.

Zeus: Whither you go, young man, beware, as you have angered the
goddesses. But for now, the fairest will lead you to your prize – the
most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Sparta.

Scene 2
Narrator 1: Paris is taken into the House of Sparta, where he is
treated with great hospitality by the king, Menelaus (men-allow-us),
and looked on with loving eyes by the queen, Helen. Late one night,
Paris and Helen flee from the kingdom and sail for Troy, infuriating
Menelaus (men-allow-us).

Narrator 2: Greek leaders from neighboring kingdoms assemble in

Mycenae (may-see-nee), the home of Menelaus (men-allow-us’s)
brother Agamemnon (Ag-uh-mem-non) and his wife Clytemnestra
(klay-tum-nes-truh). Their purpose: to sail to Troy and demand the
return of Helen. Many of the men had been Helen’s suitors before her
father chose Menelaus (men-allow-us) to be his daughter’s husband.
Fearing they will rise up against him, Menelaus (men-allow-us) makes
them swear to defend her from any harm. At Aulis (aw-liss) along the
coast, the Greek tried to sail for Troy, but because of the insult to the
goddess Artemis (Art-eh-mis), they lose a third of their fleet to raging
coastal storms sent by her in anger. A seer is consulted and the Greek
leaders learn that only the sacrifice of Agamemnon’s (ag-uh-mem-
non’s) daughter will appease the goddess.

Menelaus: Leaders of the allied kingdoms, you have come to honor

the oath given to my wife on her betrothal to me – that you would
defend her marriage vow. Because she has been stolen from my own
home, we must go to Troy to retrieve her. If it weren’t for these winds,
we would be there already. How many miles have we traveled? By
land? By sea? We’ve gotten nowhere.

Achilles: I would defend my oath, but the goddess’ wrath overpowers

us.
Odysseus: Perhaps we would best go no further. My wife, Penelope
(pen-el-lup-pee), yearns for her protector and my young son,
Telemachus (tuh-lem-uh-kuhs), his father.

Ajax: I am ready to fight. I would defend my oath to the death. my

honor cannot be restored until Helen is returned to you, with my help.

Patroclus: I will follow my friend Achilles – to the death if need be.

Agamemnon: (looking at his wife): Gentlemen, my dear wife

cannot take the strain.
Clytemnestra: My daughter, Iphigenia (if-i-juh-nahy-uh), will not go
like a lamb to the slaughter. I understand the distress over the loss of
you wife, Menelaus (men-allow-us). That she is my sister make my
heart rage for vengeance also, but not by the Iphigenia sacrifice of my
daughter.

Agamemnon: Woman, the decision must be made by me in

consultation with the alliance. Your feeling cannot be taken into
account (she leaves).

Narrator 1: Although he doesn’t show it, because of his unsuccessful

attempts to launch the ships, Agamemnon’s (ag-uh-mem-non’s) mind
is made up. He has heard murmurings of discontent and talk of
installing Achilles (uh-kill-ees) as their leader.

Agamemnon: Guards, bring my daughter, Iphigenia (if-i-juh-nahy-uh).

(She is brought before the alliance). We have spoken.

Iphigenia: I understand the situation, father, and willingly go to my

death.

Agamemnon: We must have a fair wind for Troy. We sail tomorrow for
Aulis (aw-liss). (He leads Iphigenia to an alter and raises his sword).

Scene 3
Narrator 1: The Greek forces get their fair wind for Troy, but once on
the shores of Ilium (il-ee-uhm), they are faced with the great walls of
the city itself. For ten years the Greeks lay siege (see-juh), but they
cannot breach the walls of Troy.
Narrator 2: Their encampment on the beach is full of discontent.
Soldiers fan out into the countryside and up and down the coast,
burning and looting neighboring villages.

Achilles: Look at the gold we have pillaged. Divide it up, Ajax (ay-
jacks). Behold this fine slave, daughter of a priest of Apollo. (He holds
his hand out to Chryseis.)

Patroclus: (gesturing to another girls) She too is strong, and they are
cousins.

Odysseus: Speak, what are your names?

Briseis: I am Briseis (bri – say – us), daughter of Brises (bri-sees), a

priest from Lyrnessus (lur-ness-us).

Chryseis: I am Chyseis (chris-say-us), daughter of Chryses (Chris-ees),

priest of Apollo.

Achilles: Take her to Agamemnon (ag-uh-mem-non), Patroclus (pat-

row-clus). But he will pay for this. I will refuse to write, and when the
others learn (Agamemnon enters)

Agamemnon: I understand that you have been raiding the villages.

Apollo has been angered and is raining down plague-tipped arrows on
the soldiers. I have been forced to give up fair Chryseis (Chris-ees), in
the hopes that Apollo will spare us more misery. As leader, I command
you to give me this girl, Briseis (bri-sees), to make up for my loss.
Deliver her to my tent immediately. The rest of you get some sleep: at
down there will be a fresh assult on the walls of Troy. (He exits).

Achilles: I refuse to give up Briseis (bri-sees). I have grown fond of

her.

Odysseus: There are others.

Patroclus: Dear friend, you must obey your commanding officer.

Odysseus: Perhaps by some clever scheme we might win her back.

Ajax: We can take her by force!

Patroclus: No good can come of disobedience, and trickery can turn

deadly. Of it, they will not fight, and what chance will he have then?
 Scene 4
Narrator 1: Achilles’ (uh-kill-eez) refusal to fight fuels the discord of
the Greek forces and Agamemnon (ag-uh-mem-non) is unable to lead
them. The war is at a standstill.

Narrator 2: Atop the walls of Troy, King Priam (pry-am), Queen

Hecuba (heck-you-bah), and the royal family look with suspicion form
the palace battlements.

Priam: I can’t understand. It’s been days since the last attack. Perhaps
our defense is wearing them down at last. When will they next attack?

Hecuba: Many have lost sons, husbands, and fathers. Our people are
suffering. Perhaps the gods are merciful. Helen, do not look so pale.

Paris: Paleness does not affect her beauty. Our people are willing to
die just to be in her presence and possess her.

Narrator 1: Just then, Hector (heck-tor), prince of Tory, rushes up to

them. A look of concern flashes across Andromache’s (an-drom-ach-ee)
weary face.

Andromache: Hector my dear husband, why do you put on your

helmet? It makes our son look upon you in horror! Take it off.

Hector: Father, you have spoken too soon. The arms of Achilles (uh-
kill-eez) are leading forces to our gates. Andromache (an-drom-ach-ee),
I will do as you ask, but only to say farewell. I will meet Achilles (uh-kill-
eez) and stop this raid on our homeland.

Narrator 2: Hector removes his helmet and embraces his son and
wife.

Narrator 1: From the battlements they watch.

Narrator 2: A short time later, Hector returns carrying Achilles’ (uh-

kill-eez) armor.

Hector: Father, behold the arms of Achilles (uh-kill-eez). But the man I
killed was not Achilles. What could this mean?

Scene 5
Narrator 1: Achilles, who had been brooding in his tent, discovers his
armor missing.

Narrator 2: Just then, Ajax and Odysseus run in, bloody and
disheveled.

Odysseus: We all thought you were leading us to gates!

Ajax: And we followed you and saw you struck dead!

Odysseus: But it wasn’t you! Beneath your armor was Patroclus (pat-
row-clus)!

Achilles: What? My best friend? Slain? Who is responsible?

Ajax: Prince Hector, the son of King Priam, and Paris’s brother.

Narrator 1: Achilles (uh-kill-eez) runs out of his tent, not to the gates
of Troy but to the shore where he calls his mother, the sea goddess
Thetis (thay-tis) for help.

Narrator 2: Thetis (thay-tis) commands that new armor be made for

her son by Hephaestus (hu-fay-stus), the god of fire and metal.
Achilles’ (uh-kill-eez) new armor is impervious (im-per-vee-us) to
weapons of any kind. With it, he runs out onto the battlefield.

Narrator 1: Hector sees the new armor and hears Achilles (uh-kill-eez)
call to him. He kisses his wife and baby and meets Achilles at the
gates.
Achilles: You must pay for the murder of my best friend, Patroclus
(pat-row-clus). He was honest and good, and you must die!

Hector: My eyes were deceived.

Achilles: Prepare yourself.

Narrator 2: They fight.

Narrator 1: And Hector is overcome. He falls. And from the ramparts

comes a wailing from the women of Troy.
 Scene 6
Narrator 1: For days Achilles (uh-kill-eez) drags the body of Hector
around the walls of Troy.

Narrator 2: Never have the Trojans seen such brutality. But finally,
after a proper ceremony for Patroclus (pat-row-clus), Achilles (uh-kill-
eez) retires to his tent with the body of the skain Hector.

Priam: Achilles (uh-kill-eez), I have come to retrieve the body of my

son, heir to the royal house of Troy.

Achilles: His body is a war prize and retribution.

Priam: I have brought gold in exchange for my son. I understrand that

25 ducats (duck-ets) is appropriate.

Achilles: Put the gold on the scale.

Narrator 1: Priam and his daughter, Polyxena (poly-zee-nuh) set the

gold onto the scale.

Achilles: The gold you brought does not meet the conditions.

Narrator 2: Polyxena (poly-zee-nuh), with his tears in her eyes, steps

forward and removes a heavy gold chain from around her neck. She
puts it on a scale with the gold coins. The scale tips.

Narrator 1: Achilles (uh-kill-eez), his heart overcome by her sorrow

and loveliness, finds that he has softened.

Achilles: Please sit down, King Priam (pry-um), and tell me how things
have come to this.

Narrator 2: They talk of their sorrows until late in the evening. All the
while, Achilles (uh-kill-eez) grows more and more fond of Polyxena
(poly-zee-nuh).

Narrator 1: Finally, Priam (pry-am), noticing his daughter’s effect on

the Greek warrior, offers her hand in marriage.

Priam: If her marriage will mean an end to the misery of my people, I

give her to.
Achilles: I accept your offer, but this must remain secret at present, as
I am not the commanding officer and will need to discuss the union
with Agamemnon (ag-uh-mem-non).

Narrator 2: Achilles (uh-kill-eez) embraces Polyxena (poly-zee-nuh)

and takes her hand.

Achilles: Dear lady, forgive me the misery I have brought to you and
your family.

Scene 7
Narrator 1: Meanwhile, allies to the house of Troy have arrived, and
as their numbers are great and their warriors fresh, the Greeks take a
beating.

Narrator 2: Soldiers come from as far away as Ethiopia, and with

them, ther leader, Memnon (mem-non), son of the goddess Aurora (uh-
roar-uh). Ajax (a-jacks) rushes in to Achilles (uh-kill-eez) to urge him on
to the battlefield.

Ajax: Achilles (uh-kill-eez), the fierce Amazon warrior women have

come to fight. And Memnon (mem-non), son of goddess. We need you.

Achilles: I weary of the fight, but I can’t refuse you. Get my armor.

Narrator 1: They join the melee (may-lee) on the plains of Troy.

Narrator 2: Achilles (uh-kill-eez) is rushed from all sides, but sides,

but a strong Amazon tests his strength. They fight at length... until
Achilles (uh-kill-eez) strikes a deadly blow. As she falls, Achilles (uh-kill-
eez) strikes a deadly blow. As she falls, Achilles (uh-kill-eez) tears off
her helmet. They recognize each other as soulmates.

Achilles: Penthesilea (pen-thuh-si-lay-uh), Queen of the Amazons!

Penthesilea: Great warrior Achilles (uh-kill-eez). You have slain one

who has always loved you.

Narrator 1: She dies in his arms. In a rage, he lashes out and spots
the king of the Ethiopians. Achilles (uh-kill-eez) rushes him.

Achilles: Memnon (mem-non), son of Aurora (uh-roar-uh)!

Narrator 2: Memnon (mem-non) turns but is struck down
immediately. He falls. Achilles (uh-kill-eez) walks off in disgust.

Narrator 1: Aurora’s (uh-roar-uh’s) grief at the loss of her son is so

great that each morning at dawn before Apollo’s chariot pulls up the
sun, her tears rain down on the land and appear to mortals as
dewdrops on flower petals and the green blades of grass.

Scene 8
Narrator 2: The next day, Achilles (uh-kill-eez) sneeks out of camp
and meets Polyxena (polly-zee-nuh) at the temple of Apollo. This is not
the first of their meetings. They have spent much time together talking
about their families and their future.

Narrator 1: Polyxena (polly-zee-nuh), seated beside him on a bench,

tells of her childhood chasing dragonflies along the reed-choked Trojan
River Scamander (skuh-man-derr). Achilles (uh-kill-eez) tells her of
being dipped in the River Styx (sticks) as an infant so that he would be
immortal, and except the fact that his heel is vulnerable, he is as
immortal as mortals get.

Narrator 2: And as they talk, Achilles (uh-kill-eez) grows to love her

and looks forward to an end of the war.

Achilles: Tell me once more about your trip to the oracle (oar-uh-cull)
at Delphi (dell-fay).

Paris: (form behind a column): There will be no more tales to tell,

save for the tale of your death.

Narrator 1: Polyxena (polly-zee-nuh) calmly stands and steps aside.

Achilles (uh-kill-eez) realizes he has been betrayed. He draws his
sword.

Achilles: Polyxena (polly-zee-nuh), could you have so willingly thrown

away your future?

Polyxena: My future was destroyed when you killed my brother

Hector. I despise you and take pleasure in avenging my brother’s
death!
Narrator 2: Paris lets fly a single arrow. It hits Achilles (uh-kill-eez) in
his heel – a perfect aim. Achilles (uh-kill-eez) cries out in pain. He falls.
Polyxena (polly-zee-nuh) and Paris hear voices. They leave the temple.

Odysseus: He went in here. It’s a good thing we followed him. I knew

he was up to something.

Ajax: What has happened? He is slain! Oh, what will become of us?

Narrator 1: Ajax (a-jacks) carries the body Achilles (uh-kill-eez) back

to the Greek encampment on the beach.

Scene 9
Narrator 2: From the sea, a great wailing beings and foamy froth at
the shoreline begins to churn. The sea is disturbed.

Narrator 1: Out of the depths comes Thetis (thay-tis). With her come
a dozen sea sisters. They prepare the body of Achilles (uh-kill-eez) for
the funeral pyre (pie-er). His ashes will be mixed with those of his
friend, Patroclus (pat-row-clus).

Thetis: Great is my woe! My son Achilles (uh-kill-eez), taken form me,

after I have worked so hard to keep him out of harms way!

Sea Sister 1: Great Zeus, release her from her pain!

Thetis: As a babe, I held him by his heel and dipped him into the
immortal waters of the River Styx (sticks), which give everlasting life.
Achilles’ (uh-kill-eez) heel was his only weakness!

Sea Sister 2: Great Zeus, show your mercy!

Thetis: As a youngster, I gave him the best tutor a boy could have –
Chiron (ki-ron), the centaur, (cent-tour), master of arms and learning.

Sea Sister 3: Great Zeus, her misery is endless!

Thetis: As a man, I hid him on the island of Scyros (sky-rows),

determined to keep him from war. Poseidon, god of the sea, will join
me in an end to the royal house of Troy!

Scene 10
Narrator 1: Athena, protector of Achilles (uh-kill-eez), proposes a vote
for the arms of Achilles (uh-kill-eez). His armor to the best soldier of
the Greek forces.

Narrator 2: The warrior must choose between Odysseus (oh-dis-eee-

us) and Ajax (a-jacks). Agamemnon (ag-uh-mem-non) broods over not
being nominated.

Athena: And here are two jars. One jar full of clay marbles represents
votes for Ajax (a-jacks) and one jar for Odysseus (oh-di-eee-us). Let the
vote be counted.

Narrator 1: Athena, fond of Odysseus (oh-dis-eee-us) for his clever

strategies, sees to it that he has the most votes. Agamemnon (ag-uh-
mem-non) peers into the jar, then whispers to Athena.

Athena: It has been decided by the soldiers of the Greek forces that
Odysseus (oh-diss-ee-us) will receive the arms of Achilles (uh-kill-eez).
(soldiers cheers).

Narrator 2: Stunned and silent, Ajax (a-jacks) looks off into the
distance. He does not notice when the rest of the soldiers leave. (All
leave).

Narrator 1: In a rage, he leaves his tent to track down Agamemnon

(ag-uh-mem-non) and Odysseus (oh-dis-eee-us).

Narrator 2: But the goddess Athena sends madness into his body,
and instead of slaying men, he smotes down swine used to feed is
fellow soldiers.

Narrator 1: When the madness leaves him, he is bloodied.

Ajax: What have I done? I am ashamed. I have slaughtered not men

but swine. I am a soldier. It is my purpose to bring down men. My
powers have been wasted. I cannot live with such shame.

Narrator 2: And Ajax (a-jacks) falls on his sword.

Scene 11
Narrator 1: Days later, Priam (pry-um) watches as the Greeks burn
their encampment, load everything onto their ships and sail off.
Narrator 2: Puzzled, he assembles a group, which includes his
daughter Cassandra (cuh-sand-dra) and Laocoon (lay-ow-cuh-wan),
priest of Apollo, and his two sons. They investigate down at the beach.

Priam: What is this? A giant wooden horse?

Narrator 1: Before them, in the sand, was mired a wooden horse, as

tall as a house. And it was on wheels, as if transported there.

Narrator 2: The group stands mystified at the bizarre creation.

Trojan Soldier: Perhaps it is a gift to a god or goddess...

Cassandra: Beware, the blood of the citizens of Troy!

Narrator 1: Priam (pry-um) puts his arm around his daughter. As a

girls, the god Apollo had given her the gift of prophesy (proff-es-sea) in
exchange for her promise of love.

Narrator 2: But she broke her promise and he punished her by

preventing her words from being believed. And her gift became a
curse.

Priam: Dear girl, you know not what you say. It is a majestic structure.

Trojan Soldier: Let us take it into the city. Surely it is meant as an

offering. Perhaps to Athena for the Greek violation of her temple.

Laocoon: Take not this strange gift, which is an omen, and the end of
us all!

Priam: Laocoon (lay-ow-cuh-wan), priest of Apollo, you speak too

hastily. Let us examine it further.

Cassandra: Heed our warning. The end is near!

Narrator 1: suddenly, two sea serpents slither up the beach, wrap

themselves around a struggling Laocoon (lay-ow-cuh-wan) and his two
sons. Screaming in agony, they are dragged into the sea.

Priam: Horrifying! His words must be false! Let us bring the horse
through the gates and into the city.

Scene 12
Narrator 2: Priam (pry-um) directs the gates to be opened and the
great structure is wheeled into the city.

Narrator 1: There is much singing and dancing, celebrating the

retreat of the Greek forces. Children put flower wreath around the
horse’s neck and toss blossoms at its feet.

Narrator 2: The festivities last until the early hours of the morning.
And when the last soldier on guard has fallen asleep, the belly of the
horse opens up.

Odysseus: I told you my plan would work. They are ours for the
taking!

Narrator 1: And a band of Greek soldiers begins cutting a path of

destruction across the city.

Agamemnon: Round up the royal family. Burn the city so that nothing
left standing is high than my knee (he gestures to his knee).

Narrator 2: While another group runs to open the gates, on the other
side of which waits the entire allied Greek forces, who had been hiding
off the coast. The ancient city falls.

Scene 13
Narrator 1: The next morning, the women of Troy are brought before
the Greek warriors.

Narrator 2: Their men killed, they are at the mercy of the victors.

Hecuba: As the Queen of Troy, I beg mercy for my family.

Agamemnon: As the Queen of Troy, you have no voice. As the leader

of Greek forces, I desire Cassandra (cuh-sand-dra), your lovely
daughter. (wailing is heard among the women.)

Odysseus: For her part in the death of brave Achilles (uh-kill-eez),

your other daughter, Polyxena (polly-zee-nuh), will be sacrificed on his
tomb. (Women wails.) And I will take you, Hecuba (heck-you-buh),
home to Ithaka (ith-ah-ka), to help my wife with my son, Telemachus
(tel-uh-mock-us).
Narrator 1: Menelaus (men-allow-us) approaches Helen and puts his
hand on his sword.

Narrator 2: His wish is to strike her down for the suffering of so many.

Narrator 1: But when she turns to look at him, his love is new, and he
takes her back as his wife.

Agamemnon: Andromache (andro-mock-ee), wife of Hector, step

forward. you will be given to Neoptolemus (knee-oh-tull-uh-mus), son
of Achilles (uh-kill-eez). Why do you hide? Who tugs at your gown?

Narrator 2: A soldier pushes Andromache (andro-mock-ee) aside to

reveal Astyanax (uh-stay-uh-nacks), the last son of the Royal House of
Troy.

Agamemnon: Take the child from her!

Hecuba: You’ve taken my son, my husband, and now my grandson!

Have mercy!

Agamemnon: The heir (air) to the Royal House of Troy shall not live.
Throw him from the walls. (Women wails.) Gather the gold and load the
ships. After ten long years, we have returned Helen to her husband and
can go home.

Scene 14
Narrator 1: But home they go not.

Narrator 2: Many adventures and tragedies befall the Greeks after

the Trojan War, and no one can finish a tale better than Homer himself.

Homer: The hero Odysseus (oh-diss-eee-us) has many adventures.

Between Troy and his island home of Ithaka (ith-uh-ka), near Sicily, he
encounters a Cyclops, a sorceress, beautiful but deadly sirens, and a
host of supernatural horrors. It will take him ten more years to reach
his wife, Penelope (puh-nell-uh-pee), and he loses all his men before
his journey ends.

Menelaus (men-allow-us) and Helen are dogged by the gods.

They are blown all the way to Egypt, and they don’t reach their home
of Sparta for eight years.
 Agamemnon (ag-uh-mem-non) has the worst fate of all. Upon his
arrival home to Mycenae (may-see-nee), his wife, Clytemnestra (klay-
tum-nes-truh), harboring rage over the sacrifice of Iphigenia (if-i-juh-
nahy-uh), has long awaited his return. She prepares a great feast for
him. After his meal, she prepares a bath. While lowering himself into
the bath, he is attacked by a new husband Clytemnestra (klay-tum-
nes-truh) has taken. Agamemnon (ag-uh-mem-non) is slain with a
battle axe, and as he lies dying, his wife declares that the sacrifice of
Iphegnia (if-i-juh-nahy-uh) has been avenged. Whereupon, she goes to
the next room and murders Cassandra, the prophetess slave, and
princess of Troy.

For the house of Mycenae (may-see-nee), the misery does not

end there, for Clytemnestra’s (klay-tum-nes-truh’s) daughter, Electra,
avenges Agamemnon’s (ag-uh-mem-non’s) death by slaying her
mother.

As for the other Greek warriors, many return home to find their
wives have taken new husbands. The lucky ones are banished, but
some are murdered along with their queens.

And as for the story of all wars since, the devastation of battle
knows no end, for the effects of violence are felt for generations. And
such are the tales of the ancients.