Troy - Stephen Fry

I really enjoyed Stephen Fry's Mythos, and I knew that much as I love mythology, I really didn't want to slog through any translation of the Iliad again...so I read Fry's Troy. It's 100% a retelling of the story of the Iliad, but with lots of the backstory and aftermath filled in.

For example, the Iliad begins with Achilles sulking in his tent and refusing to fight because Agammemnon has taken away beautiful Briseis, the girl that Achilles picked as his trophy. It ends with Hector's death and funeral. But, wow, there is so much more to the story than that! 

Fry explains why the Trojan War happened--basically a beauty contest between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite judged by an unwitting Paris and instigated by another god, the one of strife and mischief. He explains who Paris is--yes, a prince of Troy but also a foundling, abandoned by his parents because it was foretold that he would be the cause of Troy's downfall. 

He also gives us Achilles's backstory--not as good as in Madeline Miller's Song of Achilles--but still interesting and helpful to understanding who Achilles is. There are ample footnotes and asides and tangents to fill in most of the rest of the holes that Homer's tale assumes his readers already know--who the various gods are and why some have grudges or owe favors to others, why they protect certain cities, and why they seem hell-bent on destroying others.

Once again, I was firmly on the side of the Trojans and hoping against hope that Hector and Priam would survive and that somebody would finally listen to Cassandra and heed her many warnings. I cheered when Aeneas and his family escaped to found Rome--looking forward to reading Lauren Bear's Mother of Rome, which just came out.

Fry includes the story of the Trojan Horse--Odysseus's brainchild--and the horrific sacking of Troy, which Homer left out but which the Greek playwrights fully covered.

As with Medusa's Sisters, which I loved, the net-net is that humankind is better off when the gods stay on Olympus and stay out of human events. They can squabble all they want amongst themselves, but back off and leave the mortals alone!

Fry also has Odyssey, which I plan to read in the not-too-distant future, and I still need to read his Heroes.

I know that many high schoolers still tackle the Iliad and the Odyssey as part of the standard curriculum--I never did because except for Shakespeare, my high school was devoted to strictly American authors :(. 

While I think it is is important that kids learn the Greek and Roman myths and legends, as well as the history, I think Fry's funny, wry, and readable approach will give them a better experience than Homer's. That said, I'm glad that I did actually read the Homeric versions, in translation of course, but they are not for the faint of heart. I think Homer's versions are important to read if you want to understand the evolution of literature, but if you just want the story, Fry's retelling wins hands-down.

And, yes, I fully intend to rewatch the 2004 movie Troy with Brad Pitt as Achilles, Sean Bean as Odysseus, Eric Bana as Hector, and a really great cast overall. One of the things I love about this movie version of the story is that the gods are not depicted at all.