The Trojan war Part 2

 

The Marriage of Peleus and Thetis is one of the most significant and richly detailed myths in Greek mythology, playing a crucial role in the events that eventually lead to the Trojan War. Thetis, a sea nymph and daughter of the sea god Nereus, was renowned for her beauty, wisdom, and powerful abilities. Many of the Olympian gods, including Zeus and Poseidon, sought to marry her. However, a prophecy warned that Thetis would bear a son greater than his father, which caused concern among the gods. Fearing the potential consequences, Zeus made the decision that Thetis should marry a mortal to prevent the prophecy from threatening the divine order.

 

The mortal chosen for this divine marriage was Peleus, a hero known for his bravery and strength. Peleus was the son of Aeacus, king of the island of Aegina, and had already earned a reputation as a great warrior, participating in the expedition of the Argonauts alongside heroes like Jason and Heracles. Peleus’ mortal lineage and honorable character made him a suitable candidate for Thetis, even though she was initially resistant to the idea of marrying a human.

 

Thetis, being a sea goddess with the power to change her shape at will, was not easily won over. She had no desire to marry a mortal, so when Peleus approached her, she transformed into various creatures and elements to escape his grasp. She turned into water, fire, wild animals, and even mythical creatures, in an attempt to evade him. However, Peleus, with the help of the gods, particularly Proteus, the shape-shifting old sea god, managed to hold onto her through each transformation, finally subduing her and securing her agreement to marry him.

 

The wedding of Peleus and Thetis was not just an ordinary marriage but a divine event that the gods themselves arranged and celebrated. It took place on Mount Pelion, a sacred location often associated with centaurs and heroes. The Olympian gods attended the event in full, and it was marked by grand celebrations and feasting. The gods bestowed lavish gifts upon the couple, each offering tokens of good fortune and power. Poseidon, the god of the sea, gifted them two immortal horses, Balius and Xanthus, which would later play a role in their son Achilles' heroic story.

 

The wedding feast was presided over by Hera, queen of the gods, who blessed the marriage. Hephaestus, the god of the forge, crafted an exquisite set of armor for the future son of Peleus and Thetis. The gods' involvement in the marriage underscored the importance of the union and its potential impact on the human and divine worlds. It symbolized the merging of mortal and divine bloodlines, a theme that would play out dramatically in the life of their son, Achilles.

 

However, the joyous celebration was marred by the actions of Eris, the goddess of discord, who had been deliberately excluded from the guest list. Angered by this slight, Eris arrived uninvited and threw a golden apple into the midst of the guests. The apple bore the inscription "To the Fairest," which immediately sparked a rivalry among three of the most powerful goddesses: Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Each goddess believed that she was the fairest and deserved the golden apple, leading to a heated dispute that none of the other gods dared to settle.

 

To resolve the conflict, the goddesses agreed to let a mortal, Paris, the prince of Troy, judge who was the fairest among them. This event became known as the Judgment of Paris. The three goddesses each attempted to bribe Paris with offers of power, wisdom, and love. Hera promised him kingship over all of Asia, Athena offered him unmatched wisdom and success in battle, and Aphrodite promised him the love of the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Sparta. Paris ultimately chose Aphrodite, setting in motion a chain of events that would lead to the Trojan War.

 

The direct consequence of Paris’ decision was the abduction (or seduction) of Helen, who was already married to Menelaus, the king of Sparta. This act triggered the outrage of the Greek kings, who united to launch an expedition against Troy to reclaim Helen. Thus, the simple act of Eris throwing the golden apple at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis became the catalyst for one of the greatest conflicts in Greek mythology.

 

The union of Peleus and Thetis also produced one of the most important figures in Greek myth: Achilles, the greatest Greek warrior of the Trojan War. Thetis, aware of the mortal dangers her son would face, attempted to make him invulnerable by dipping him in the River Styx, which would make his body impervious to harm. However, she held him by his heel, leaving that part of his body vulnerable. This vulnerability would eventually lead to Achilles' death, giving rise to the term “Achilles’ heel” as a symbol of weakness despite overall strength.

 

Despite the divine blessings on their marriage, the union of Peleus and Thetis was far from peaceful. After Achilles' birth, Thetis, still deeply connected to her divine nature, struggled with the limitations of mortal life and Peleus' human flaws. At one point, Thetis tried to make Achilles immortal by secretly burning away his mortal parts in a fire, a process that Peleus interrupted out of fear. This act further strained their marriage, leading Thetis to leave Peleus and return to the sea.

 

The marriage of Peleus and Thetis is significant not only for its role in Greek myth but also for its symbolic representation of the tension between the mortal and divine realms. Thetis' reluctance to marry a human and her eventual departure from Peleus highlight the difficulties of bridging these two worlds. Despite their love, the differences between immortals and mortals proved too great to overcome.

 

In the broader context of Greek mythology, this marriage is a crucial precursor to the Trojan War. The wedding’s pivotal moment—the arrival of Eris and the golden apple—serves as a reminder of the far-reaching consequences of seemingly minor events in mythological narratives. What began as a celebration of love and union ended up sparking a conflict that would involve gods and mortals alike, ultimately leading to the fall of Troy.

 

The myth of Peleus and Thetis also underscores the themes of fate and prophecy. Despite all the divine intervention and blessings, neither Peleus nor Thetis could escape their fates: Thetis was destined to marry a mortal, Achilles was destined to die young, and the events set in motion at their wedding would lead to the inevitable destruction of Troy. This myth, with its combination of divine drama, heroic legacy, and tragic consequences, remains one of the most important tales in the Greek mythological tradition.