What Do Men Value Most?

It's hard to imagine the kind of courage it would take to set off on a journey, not knowing where it would take you, or what kinds of dangers you might face, or whether or not you would ever find home again. Our hero Odysseus is wise and courageous, and reading about his journey actually tells us a lot about the ancient Greeks. It's interesting to see how he got involved in the first place and what actually drew so many men to war.

As you begin to read about the first beauty contest and the start of the Trojan War, you might begin to wonder how much the world has really changed. What do men really want most these days? Money? Power? Women? What do you think a man (Paris, in this case) valued most back in ancient Greece?

By the way, isn't it interesting how the goddesses competed in the beauty contest by attempting to offer Paris the best bribe? I think Zeus was very wise to ask Paris to judge instead of getting involved himself.

As you begin to read, you might notice that it's hard to keep the names straight and who is on which side. Sometimes the Trojans are referred to as Spartans and sometimes the Greeks are called Achaeans. Don't let that confuse you or ruin the story. If you like to read online, Wikipedia has some interesting articles, pictures and maps.

Happy reading, and remember, don't look a gift horse in the mouth!