THE ILIAD: BOOK ONE Aquila Theatre Company Welcome! 2
The State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ welcomes you to the school-day performance of The Iliad: Book One. The ancient Greek war story has been adapted for the stage by Aquila Theatre using Stanley Lombardo’s English translation of the original Greek text. These Keynotes provide information and activities to help you watch the play with a well-informed eye and ear. We hope that the materials in this guide will add to your understanding and enjoyment of the performance and help you make connections to your own personal experience.
CONTENTS Welcome/Acknowledgements ...... 2 A Tale of War ...... 3 The Story ...... 4 Character Profiles...... 5 The Trojan War ...... 6 The Greek Gods ...... 7 A Matter of Honor ...... 8 Production Notes ...... 9 Are You Ready for the Performance?...... 10
Keynotes are made possible by a generous grant from Bank of America Charitable Foundation. Keynotes are produced by the Education Department The State Theatre’s education program is funded in part by Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Brother International Corporation, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, of the State Theatre, New Brunswick, NJ. Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, J. Wesley Brustad, President Seward Johnson, Sr. 1963 Charitable Trust, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, McCrane Lian Farrer, Vice President for Education Foundation, MetLife Foundation, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, National Starch and Chemical Foundation, Inc., PNC Foundation, Provident Bank Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Keynotes for The Iliad written and designed by Lian Verizon, and Wachovia Foundation. Their support is gratefully acknowledged. Farrer. Edited by Katie Pyott and Jennifer Cunha. Aquila Theatre’s production of The Iliad: Book One has been made possible in part by a major grant © 2008 State Theatre from the National Endowment for the Humanities: great ideas brought to life. The State Theatre, a premier nonprofit venue for the Aquila Theatre’s production of The Iliad: Book One has also received an Access to Artistic Excellence performing arts and entertainment. award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Funding has been made possible in part by Continental Airlines The Heldrich the New Jersey State Council on the is the official airline is the official Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the State hotel of the of the National Endowment for the Arts. Theatre. State Theatre. A Tale of War 3
They say Achilles in the darkness stirred... And Priam and his fifty sons Wake all amazed, and hear the guns, And shake for Troy again. —Rupert Brooke, sailing for the Battle of Gallipoli, 1915
How would a Generations of troops, from staging of The fifth-century BC Athenian Iliad look if it were set during infantrymen to the soldier-poets of the Civil War? The the First World War and beyond, Ameri can Revolu- have found striking parallels tion? The Hundred Years’ between the poetry of The Iliad War? Choose a and their own responses to war from any waging war. Aquila Theatre Company highlights the idea that war is a time and place. universal and timeless experience by placing their production of The Find out what Want to kinds of uniforms Iliad: Book I in a World War II setting. Their inspiration was the cover hear how and weapons photograph (right) on Stanley Lombardo’s translation of The Iliad. The Iliad were used during might have Titled “Into the Jaws of Death,” this black-and-white photograph was this war and see sounded to if you can find taken by a member of the U.S. Coast Guard from a landing craft on the original descriptions of D-Day as the Americans landed on the beaches of Normandy, France. audience? the battles. Based Listen to Stanley Lombardo In the performance, the Greek soldiers—Achilles, Agamemnon, on your research, read the text in Ancient Greek. sketch designs for Odysseus, and their companions—wear the uniforms of Allied soldiers www.wiredforbooks.org/iliad scenery and in World War II. The audience hears the sounds of modern warfare: costumes of your special booming guns, exploding bombs, hissing smoke. The words of the play, production of The taken directly from Lombardo’s translation of Homer, remain true to the Iliad. original text, and refer to the life and beliefs of the ancient Greeks.
More War Stories to Explore BATTLE OF AGINCOURT: WORLD WAR I: Saving Private Ryan, Henry V, by William Shakespeare (play) A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway directed by Steven FRENCH REVOLUTION: (novel) Spielberg (film) “Liberty Leading the People,” by Eugene “Anthem for Doomed Youth,” by Wilfred The Caine Mutiny, by Delacroix (painting) Owen (poem) Herman Wouk (novel) CRIMEAN WAR: All Quiet on the Western Front , by Erich VIETNAM WAR: “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” by Alfred Maria Remarque (novel) The Killing Fields, directed by Roland Joffé Lord Tennyson (poem) Gallipoli, directed by Peter Weir (film) (film) The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien AMERICAN CIVIL WAR: WORLD WAR II: (novel) The war photographs of Matthew Brady Catch-22, by Joseph Heller (novel) Platoon, directed by Oliver Stone (film) The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen The Thin Red Line, directed by Terrence Crane (novel) Malick (film) IRAQ WAR: Glory, directed by Edward Zwick (film) Generation Kill, by Evan Wright (memoir) The Story 4
The Iliad stretches back nearly three thousand Homer’s years to tell the story of the Greek invasion of poem, The Troy. When Paris, a prince of Troy, steals the From the Director: Iliad, is laid For our play, we decided to use book out in 24 beautiful Helen from her husband, King Menelaus one and part of book two, as it seemed books, or of Sparta, a thousand Greek ships set sail to chapters. the most logical place to begin our story. punish the Trojans. The Greek army, under the Aquila We hoped that the production would be Theatre’s command of King Agamemnon, lays siege to the exciting and accessible enough so the production city of Troy for ten years. As the story unfolds, audience would be left wanting more. Our focuses on Agamemnon comes into conflict with Achilles, the hope is that you will leave the theater book one, with and go read the entire poem! portions of bravest of all the Greek warriors; their conflict is the books two and central theme of The Iliad. nine also Before the action of The Iliad begins, the Greek forces had raided included. several cities near Troy and taken many prizes of war. The choicest Who Wrote prize by far was a beautiful young girl named Chryseis, daughter of Have you ever Chryses, an elderly and respected priest of the god Apollo. The girl The Iliad? felt that you were was awarded to Agamemnon. Since The Iliad was being treated created before The story opens in the Greek camp on the Trojan shore. When unfairly by written language was someone in a Agamemnon refuses to release Chryseis, her father Chryses calls upon in use, no one can really be position of Apollo to send a terrible plague to kill the Greek forces. The prophet said to have “written” it. Long authority, such as after the events of the actual a parent, teacher, Calchas warns that the only way to appease Apollo and end the plague Trojan War, different versions or coach? What is to give Chryseis back to Chryses. Agamemnon agrees to surrender of the story were created by kinds of feelings Chryseis only if he can take Briseis, a girl that Achilles won and now did you have oral poets, who recited The towards that loves. This enrages Achilles, who is restrained from killing Agamemnon— Iliad aloud in public. Although person? How did his commander-in-chief—by the goddess Athena. Achilles calls to his the poets used a formal you handle the mother, the sea goddess Thetis; on her advice decides to withdraw from structure that dictated the situation? rhythm and number of the battle. syllables in each line, they Thetis ascends Mt. Olympus to ask Zeus, the king of the gods, to turn were free to change details of the war against the Greeks in order to punish Agamemnon. Zeus’ wife, the story as they performed it Hera, catches her husband with Thetis and begins to scold him. Zeus to suit the interests of the audience. lashes out in anger, until Hephaestus, the lame god of the forge, lightens There is a lot of debate the gloomy atmosphere on Mt. Olympus with his comical behavior. about the origins of The Iliad Keeping his promise to Thetis, Zeus works out a plan to destroy the we read today. A poet known Greek army. He sends a as Homer is said to have authored it—but no one can false dream in the form of prove that such a person ever Nestor, Agamem non’s even existed. It is generally most trusted advisor, to believed that The Iliad was tell Agamemnon to composed sometime between launch an all-out attack 750 and 725 B.C. Modern translations of on Troy that very The Iliad are based on morning. Without medieval and Renaissance Achilles, though, the war manuscripts, which were will go very badly for the themselves copies of ancient manuscripts that were lost Greeks. countless years ago. The soothsayer Calchas addresses the Greek army. Character Profiles 5 Achilles Who’s Who in Achilles is the Greeks’ greatest warrior. When he was an infant, his the Play mother dipped him in the River Styx to make him immortal, ACHILLES (a-KILL-eez) - The son but since she held him by the heel, this one spot of the mortal King Peleus and was left unprotected. The prophets warned that the sea goddess Thetis. The mightiest of the Greeks who the Greeks could not conquer Troy without fought in the Trojan War. Achilles. The prophecy also re vealed, however, AGAMEMNON (a-guh-MEM- that if he fought against Troy he would be killed. non) - King of Mycenae and Throughout The Iliad, Achilles bemoans the fate that commander-in-chief of the Greek coalition that attacked the gods have ordained for him: to die young, but to die a hero. Troy. Agamemnon ATHENA (uh-THEE-nuh) - The Leader of the Greek forces at Troy, King Greek goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, and justice. In The Agamemnon of Mycenae lived a life full of Iliad, she is on the side of the conflict. He married his wife, Clytemnestra after Greeks. killing her first husband. Later, when the Greek BRISEIS (bry-SEE-us) - A young army tried to set sail for Troy, Agamemnon was woman from a city near Troy. Do you think the CALCHAS (KAL-kas) - A Greek concept of what forced to sacrifice his daughter, Iphegenia, to soothsayer, or prophet. makes a great appease the goddess Artemis. During the Trojan CHRYSEIS (kry-SEE-iss) - The leader or hero War, he insulted the Greeks’ best warrior, Achilles. has changed over daughter of Chryses. Agamemnon’s offenses caught up with him when he the past 3,000 CHRYSES (KRY-seez) - A priest years? returned home from the Trojan War; he was of Apol lo from Chryse, a city Write down some murdered in his bath by Clytemnestra and her lover, Agamemnon and near Troy. Briseis of the special Aegisthus. HEPHAESTUS (heh-FESS-tus) - traits or qualities The god of blacksmiths and that you associate Hephaestus fire. Son of Zeus and Hera, he with the main Thrown by angry Jove was born lame. characters from Sheer o’er the crystal battlements; from morn The Iliad. Then list HERA (HEE-ra) - Queen of the To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve, some of the Greek gods, wife of Zeus, and A summer’s day, and with the setting of the sun people you goddess of marriage and birth. regard as your Dropt from the zenith like a falling star, In The Iliad, she takes the side personal heroes On Lemnos, the Aegean isle. of the Greeks. and note their —John Milton NESTOR (NESS-tor) - The oldest special qualities. Hephaestus, the god of fire, blacksmithing, and volcanoes, was of the Greek heroes battling In comparing the born ugly and lame. His mother, Hera, was Troy, valued for his wisdom two sets of and bravery. heroes, what so disgusted by the sight of him that she ODYSSEUS (oh-DISS-yuss) - King conclusions threw him off of Mount Olympus. (Later, might you make of Ithaca and a commander in Zeus gave him the same punishment for about the the war against Troy. two taking Hera’s side in a quarrel.) A great THETIS (THEE-tiss) - A sea cultures? craftsman, Hephaestus made wonderful goddess, mother of Achilles. objects from metal, such as the thunder- ZEUS (ZYOOS)- King of the bolts for Zeus, weapons and armor for Greek gods. In The Iliad, he usually takes a neutral position, the gods and heroes (including Achilles), unless influenced by special and arrows for Eros, the god of love. requests for help.
Hephaestus gives Thetis armor for her son, Achilles. The Trojan War 6
I. The Golden Apple Can you think of any other stories According to Greek legend, the Trojan War started Phrases we use today that are in which a lot of with an apple! When Eris, the goddess of discord, was not derived from the Trojan War: troubles are invited to a wedding on Mt. Olympus, she decided to get • Trojan horse associated with • Achilles heel an apple? revenge by tossing a golden apple inscribed "for the most • The face that launched a thousand ships beautiful" among the wedding guests. The goddesses Hera, • Beware of Greeks bearing Athena, and Aphrodite began to argue over which one of them gifts. deserved the apple—and with it, the title of most beautiful. II. The Judgment of Paris Was There a Real The decision was left to Paris, son of King Priam of Troy, Trojan War? who awarded the apple to Aphrodite, the goddess of love. As Until the 19th century it was a reward, Aphrodite gave Paris the love of the beautiful Helen, generally believed that Troy and the Trojan War were imaginary. the wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta. Helen left her husband Then, in 1871, an American and ran off with Paris to Troy. Helen of Troy named Heinrich Schliemann began excavating an ancient city III. The Oath of Tyndareus in Turkey, which he identified Before Helen married Menelaus, many suitors came from all over through clues he found in The The people Iliad. To the world’s amazement, Greece hoping to win her. To ensure that the losers would not try to who fought this retired businessman had against Troy take revenge, Helen's stepfather, King Tyndareus, made all of the discovered the lost city of Troy. came from a suitors take an oath that they would defend the winning bridegroom Nine cities have been found at part of the the site, one on top of the other. world today in the future. So when Paris took Helen from her husband Menelaus, The seventh city was destroyed known as the former suitors were obliged to help get her back. Commanded around 1250 B.C. and appears to Greece. At the by Menelaus’ brother Agamemnon, the army included many famous be the Troy of legend. You can time of the events Greek heroes, most notably Achilles, Patroclus, the two Ajaxes, still see the ruins of its towers and depicted in Nestor, and Odysseus. its walls, which were 16 feet thick. The Iliad What really started the Trojan (around 1200 War? One theory suggest that the B.C.), Greece IV. The Greek Army Sails to Troy; War Begins Greeks may have been fighting to did not yet The Greek forces gathered at the Bay of Aulis and sailed to Troy gain control of the Dardanelles, a exist as a in a thousand ships. They sent ambassadors to the Trojan leaders water passage between the country. The demanding the return of Helen, but the Trojans refused. Outraged, Mediterranean and Black seas, region was near Troy. Or perhaps the war broken up into the Greek armies landed on Trojan soil and began a ten-year siege truly was fought over a woman city-kingdoms, of the walled city. The first nine years of the conflict were fairly named Helen. The truth is lost in each with its uneventful, but in the tenth year the mighty Achilles, the Greeks’ the past. own ruler. best warrior, withdrew from the battle over a dispute with Agamemnon, his commander. This is where the story of Homer’s Iliad begins.
What else was going on in the world at the time 1193 c.750 1870 of the Trojan An Iliad War? When The B.C. A.D. The Homer’s Heinrich Iliad was written? Timeline Trojan Iliad? Schliemann War excavates Troy A Matter of Honor 8
During the performance, Honor through the Ages listen for the “Mother, since you bore me for a short life only, "If you must choose between two words “honor,” Olympian Zeus was supposed to grant me honor. paths, either of which will bring death “dishonor,” and and defeat, then choose the path “unhonored.” Well, he hasn’t given me any at all. Agamemnon wherein you die fighting for honor and Which characters Has taken away my prize and dishonored me.” justice." spend the most time talking —Achilles —Ban Gu (32–92 A.D.) about honor? What do they say "A woman of honor should not expect Gaining, maintaining, and defending one’s honor is at the about it? of others things she would not do center of a lot of what goes on in The Iliad. The reason that the herself." Based on her Greeks have launched their attack —Marguerite de Valois (1553-1615) beauty, wealth, The Greek word timê and position, a on Troy in the first place is to (pronounced tee-MAY) female in the avenge the insult done to their means “respect” or Mine honor is my life; both grow in one; ancient world King, Menelaus, when his wife “honor.” A person’s timê is bestowed honor determined by his rank Take honor from me, and my life is and status on the Helen was stolen by the Trojan and position and by his done: man who prince, Paris. In the world of these accomplishments in —Shakespeare (1564-1616), possessed her. Do Greek heroes, nothing is more battle, athletic King Richard II you see any competition, or politics. evidence in our important than honor—not even "Our own heart, and not other men's own time of life itself. For Achilles, the promise of attaining great honor opinion, form our true honor." women still being makes up for the fact that he is destined to die young. regarded as —Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) “prizes”? Give In ancient times, the main way for a hero to gain honor was specific examples. by displaying courage and skill on the battlefield. As a lasting “The louder he talked of his honor, the symbol of his victory, the hero tried faster we counted our spoons.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) to capture war prizes, such as the armor of his vanquished enemy, "It is the dissimilarities and inequalities valuables, and captives. The among men which give rise to the argument between Achilles and notion of honor; as such differences become less, it grows feeble; and when Agamemnon over the captive girl they disappear, it will vanish too." Briseis is largely about honor and —Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-59) constitutes the main conflict in the play. "All honor's wounds are self-inflicted." —Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919)
"It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them." Which of the quotes on —Mark Twain (1835-1910) the right sounds most like it could have come "When there is a lack of honor in from The Iliad? Which government, the morals of the whole one most closely people are poisoned." mirrors your own beliefs? Looking at all —Herbert Hoover (1874-1964) the quotes, can you discern any changes The girl Briseis is a point of contention between over time in the way Achilles and Agamemnon. people defined honor? The Greek Gods 7
At the performance, pay attention to From the Director: how often the One of the surprising elements of mortal characters this production of The Iliad is just look to the gods: asking them for how human the gods appear. The help, blaming humor that pervades the section on them when things Olympus provides the audience with go wrong, or the chance to enjoy the domestic making sacrifices rivalry of the gods. The inclusion of to appease them. humor into an otherwise serious tale Based on your observations, shows just how skillful Homer was. what conclusions can you draw about the ancient Greeks’ attitudes By Homer’s lifetime (8th century B.C.), the Greeks had a fully- The Muses concerning: developed belief system, with mythological gods who were said to In Greek mythology, the muses were nine goddesses who gave • fate? live on Mt. Olympus, an actual mountain in Greece. The Greeks • self-reliance? inspiration to artists, poets, believed that the gods controlled all aspects of human existence, • justice? philosophers, and musicians. Aquila including emotions, actions, and the forces of nature. Generally, Theatre Company’s production of “Rage: Sing the gods treated people kindly, but they would punish any mortal The Iliad Goddess, INVOCATION - a who offended them. Humans sought the favor and forgiveness of invokes the Achilles’ rage.” muse to prayer or appeal the gods by offering prayers and gifts, often in the form of animal These words relate this to a higher power begin The Iliad, sacrifices. tale of and anger Though the gods were immortal, they looked and acted very human conflict and present Homer’s continues to be much like humans. In addition to displaying human weaknesses work as it was originally intended— an important as a live performance. The Greek such as jealousy, anger, and vanity, the Greek gods frequently theme lyrics heard in this production, which throughout the involved themselves in the affairs of humans. Their actions started have been set to music by a modern story. If you were the Trojan War, and throughout The Iliad they play a very active composer, are the first seven lines of directing The the Ancient Greek text that make up Iliad, what are part, each god helping out whichever side he or she happened to the invocation to the Muse: some of the favor. things you could Rage: Sing, Goddess, Achilles’ rage, do to emphasize Black and murderous, that cost the the idea of rage? Greeks What kinds of Incalculable pain, pitched countless ideas would you souls suggest to the designers and the Of heroes into Hades’ dark, actors? And left their bodies to rot as feasts For dogs and birds, as Zeus’ will was done. Begin with the clash between Agamemnon— The Greek warlord—and godlike Achilles.
A muse with a cithara (an ancient harp) Production Notes 9
How would The Iliad look if it The Casting were set during Some of the actors in The Iliad play more than one role, the Ameri can taking on two, three, or more parts and also acting as Civil War? The narrator. In some cases, women even play men! In this Aquila is a New York-based Hundred Years’ War? Choose a way, every cast member is onstage contributing to the theater company that performs war from any performance at almost every moment of the play. all over the world. They are time and place. known for innovative It is very important that the actors make each Find out what productions of classical kinds of uniforms person they play very different from the others, or else drama. Their mission is to and weapons the audience might get confused about which bring the greatest works of were used and character was speaking. Because of the fast pace of drama to the greatest number look for of people in as many the performance, the actors do not have enough descriptions of communities as possible. Aquila the battles. Based time to make major changes in wardrobe and (pronounced uh-KWILL-uh) is on your research, makeup as they switch from one role to another. the Latin word for eagle. sketch designs for scenery and They rely on changes in voice, posture, and small CAST costumes for costume pieces to achieve their transformations. Chryses/Nestor/Zeus ..Richard Willis your special When you are watching the performance, try to production of The Athena ...... Vaishnavi Sharma Iliad. observe the ways in which the actors playing Hera...... Michele Vazquez multiple roles create distinctly different characters. Agamemnon ...... Brian Silliman What role does Calchas/Thetis...... Natasha Piletich music play in Achilles ...... James Knight drama? Working The Visual Design in a small group, The visual elements of this production evoke a black-and- Hephaestus ...... John Buxton choreograph a white movie from the 1940s. The set is minimal, inviting audience brief (1 minute) members to use their imaginations. Four large metal trunks are Director ...... Peter Meineck battle scene from Production Design ...... Peter Meineck The Iliad. After used in a variety of ways throughout the performance to create you’ve rehearsed different settings: storm-tossed ships, Mt. Olympus, the altar of a Movement ...... Desiree Sanchez your scene so Company Stage temple, and the beach outside of Troy. that it looks really Manager ...... Stephenie Moser The are from the World War II era—the early good, make a costumes Rehearsal Stage video recording 1940s. Instead of wearing the short tunic and carrying the sword Manager ...... Andrea Wales of it. Then select and spear of the ancient Greek warrior, the soldiers wear battle Technical Director...... Kevin Shaw at least three contrasting fatigues and metal helmets, and use machine guns and gas masks. Production pieces of music— Lighting plays an important role in creating the mood and Manager...... Nate Terracio make sure each suggesting the different settings. Combined with other effects, piece is very different from the such as slow-motion movement and smoke, the lighting others in style, brings together all of the other aspects of the visual design. The music Aquila has chosen to tempo, underscore their production of The Iliad is instruments, etc. by classical composer Krzysztof Penderecki Play your video The Sound Design (KSISH-toff pen-der-RET-skee), who was for the rest of the Music and sound effects are used in the play to create born in Poland in 1933. You’ll hear excerpts class using a a soundscape—an atmosphere in sound. Some of the sounds from these works: different used in The Iliad include: • Symphony No. 3 soundtrack each • Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima for time. Did the • machine-gun fire and the roar of fighter planes 52 string instruments music affect how • music for the dancing and singing in the temple of Apollo • Fluorescences for orchestra your battle scene • music that helps make the transition between scenes • De Natura Sonoris No. 2 played to the audience? • music that underscores and heightens a dramatic moment • The Dream of Jacob Are You Ready for the Performance? 10
Learn Your Part. Do Your Homework. While you’re One essential collaborator needed to create a live BOOKS inside the State performance is the audience. The weeks and months of Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and Theatre, take a thought and preparation that go into a play are directed the Undoing of Character, by Jonathan moment to look toward creating a performance that will inspire and entertain Shay. Simon & Schuster, 1995. A around you. The you and the other people who are watching and listening. psychiatrist relates the experiences of building is a Vietnam veterans with post-traumatic Your role in this artistic collaboration is very important to the piece of living stress syndrome to Homer's portrait of success of the performance. Make sure you know your part: history, reflecting Achilles in The Iliad. the social and • When you arrive at the theater, follow cultural changes Images of the Greek Theatre, by Richard an usher to your seat. that have taken Green and Eric Handley. University of Texas Press, 1995 place in our • Before the show begins, make community over sure to turn off and put away all Who's Who in Classical Mythology, by the past 87 years. Michael Grant and John Hazel. electronic devices, including cell Built in 1921 as a Routledge, 2001 phones, portable games and home for silent WEBSITES movies and music, cameras, and recording vaudeville (a type equipment. Keep them off for Aquila Theatre Company www.aquilatheatre.com of live variety the entire performance. show), it was later Encyclopedia Mythica adapted for first- • Once the house lights (the Online encyclopedia of mythology, run sound films. lights in the part of the theater Turn it off. folklore, and religion Since 1988, the where the audience is sitting) www.pantheon.org/mythica State Theatre has go down, focus all your attention The Perseus Digital Library been a showcase on the stage. Watch and listen Primary and secondary source for live theater: carefully to the performance. material relating to ancient Greece music, dance, and Rome drama, comedy, • Attending a play in the www.perseus.tufts.edu musicals, kids theater is not the same as The Theoi Project shows, and more. watching television at Information, images, charts, and more home. At the theater, exploring Greek mythology and the talking, eating, and moving gods in classical literature and art around disturbs the performers and www.theoi.com other members of the audience. And The UnMuseum’s Treasure of Troy please—no texting or checking An account of how archaeologist No photos. Heinrich Schliemann used clues in the messages during the show! text of The Iliad to find the site of the • If something in the play is meant to ancient city of Troy be funny, go ahead and laugh. And www.unmuseum.org/troy.htm
of course—feel free to applaud at VIDEO the end of the performance if you In Search of the Trojan War (1985) liked what you saw. A documentary about the search for • After the performers are the legendary city of Troy finished taking their bows, stay Troy (2004) in your seat until your group Brad Pitt is Achilles and Brian Cox is Agamemnon in this R-rated gets the signal to leave the Hollywood version of The Iliad theater. Quiet, please!