THE MYTHOLOGY OF TROJAN HORSE

THE MYTHOLOGY OF TROJAN HORSE. In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology and has been narrated through many works of Greek literature, most notably through Homer's Iliad. The Iliad relates a part of the last year of the siege of Troy; its sequel, the Odyssey describes Odysseus's journey home. After the events of the Iliad and the death of Hector, the Trojan War still wasn't over. Neither the Greeks nor the Trojans seemed to be able to win, until one of the Greek kings, Odysseus of Ithaca, had an idea. "Build a big wooden horse on wheels," he said, "big enough for a bunch of Greek soldiers to hide inside it." So the Greeks did. Then the Greeks all pretended to sail home (except the ones hiding inside the horse!). They acted like they had given up and left. But really they hid just around the corner.

Soon the Trojans found the horse. "What is it?" they asked each other. Nobody knew. (The Greek soldiers hiding inside kept very quiet). Then they found a Greek soldier hiding nearby. He said (though this was part of the trick) that the other Greeks hated him and they had left him behind. So the Trojans asked him what the horse was for. He said it was an offering to Athena.

Well, the Trojans didn't want to upset Athena either, so they rolled the big horse into the city of Troy. It was so big it wouldn't go through the gate, and they had to tear down a piece of the city wall to get it in. They left it at the temple of Athena, and then the Trojans had a big party to celebrate the end of the war. (Still the Greek soldiers inside the horse kept very quiet).

Finally everyone fell asleep, and NOW the Greek soldiers came out of the Trojan Horse and killed the guards on the walls. They signalled to the other Greeks to come attack Troy. They could get in now because the walls were torn down. There was a big battle and the Greeks won. All the Trojan men were killed, and all the women and children were taken back to Greece as slaves.

This story does not actually appear in the Iliad or the Odyssey, but it is told in Virgil's Aeneid and in other ancient sources.

Here's a video of some high school boys reenacting the Trojan Horse story. I think it's interesting to remember that the men who fought the war were only a year or two older than these boys, and actually the men fighting in Afghanistan now are also only a year or two older.[source : historyforkid.org]

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Pigeon Orchid used as a depurative for sores and ulcers

Pigeon Orchid used as a depurative for sores and ulcers. Pigeon Orchid is used as a depurative for sores and ulcers. The Malays poultice boils with the pounded leaves; the juice of the pseudobulbs is warmed and dropped into the ears to relieve earache. The same treatment as in the Malay Peninsula is used in Java, e.g. the use of the juice the decoction of the pseudobulbs against eardiseases. The pseudobulbs and leaves contain a trace of alkaloids.

Description
Commont white-flowered tree orchids, found in large quantities, flower at the same period.

Locality
Found in Indonesia, Malay Peninsula and Indo-China.

Latin :Dendrobiumcrumenatum
Indonesian : AnggrekMerpati/Anggrekbawang/BungaAngin
English : Pigeon Orchid

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THE HISTORY AND HIS RESOURCES

THE HISTORY AND HIS RESOURCES. Our word history comes from a Greek word meaning "inquiry." History is the inquiry into what has happened in the past and why it has happened. BuI how do we discover what has happened in earlier days? Historical researchers act much like detectives. They search for clues that will unlock the secrets of the past. Historians lind evidence from three basic resources: artifacts, tradition, and written records. These resources provide the raw material of historical study. By collectin, analyzing, anri interpreting this material, the historian can arrive at a knowledge of the Past.

ARTIFACTS

The historian studies artilacts to learn about the background and culture of a people. Artifacts are objects made by man. They may be small relics, towering monuments. or priceless works of art. Most artifacts are simple, everyday items. Polttery,tools, weapons, fumiture, clothing, coins, and jewelry unearthed by archaeologists (men who search for and study the artifacts of the past) give us valuable information about everyday life in past centuries.

The historian also derives information from architecture. He considers, for example, the pyramids in Egypt, the Acropolis in Athens, the Colosseum in Rome, the Great Wall in China, the Mayan temples in Central America. the soaring cathedrals in Europe, the Taj Mahal in India, or the towering skyscrapers of New York City. These impressive structures reflect the creative skill that God has given to men as well as the character of the people who built them.

Even works of art aid the historian in understanding the past. Statues, drawings, paintings, and tapestries-"pictures of the past" depict the customs, beliefs, hobbies, fashions, and way of life of past generations.

TRADITION
Think of your own family's history. You may be able to trace your heritage back many generations. How did you learn about your family's past? Most likely this information was passed down by parents or grandparents who talked of the "good old days." Such oral communication was the earliest method of transmitting histo:ical information. It is called tradition, which is simply the handing down of information by word of mouth from generation to generation. Over the centuries tradition has taken many forms. Legends, ballads, folk songs, and tales are but a f'ew of these forms. But tradition is more than just the mere reciting of songs and stories about the past. It includes the imparting of religious beliefs, family heritage, and social customs.

WRITTEN RECORDS

Because word-of-mouth information can easily be forgotten or distorted, men have written down the traditions of the past to preserve a more accurate record fbr future generations. In the past, men have lefl behind writings chiseled in stone, carved in wood, impressed on clay, penned on papyrus, or printed on paper. These written remains are abundant and diverse. Historians gather knowledge about an age from private letters, inventory lists, inscriptions, coins, diaries, and joumals. They rely on information preserved in family, in lists of kings and dynasties, and in political and legal documents. They gain insight into the thoughts, attitudes, and feelings ofpast generations by examining their works of literature. Earlier historical works-detailed accounts of people, places, and events-are also valuable tools in understanding the past.

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