Sack of Troy

Overview

The sack of Troy is a compound event of assault, killing, captivity and flight after the horse opens the gates. The Iliad ends with Hector’s funeral and does not narrate this destruction. This account relies chiefly on Pseudo-Apollodorus Epitome 5, with Odyssey Book 8 as an epic memory of the horse and sack. Pseudo-Apollodorus records Priam’s death at an altar, Aeneas carrying his father away, Menelaus leading Helen to the ships, the allocation of Andromache and Hecuba as captives, and a violation of Athena’s sanctuary. Reading these relations together lets readers see how “victory” becomes death, enslavement, return or exile for different people at the same time.

Relationships

• Wooden Horseopens the way to the sack

  The hidden force emerges and opens the gates to the returning army.

• Troydestroys

  After entering, the Achaeans kill, plunder and burn Troy.

• Priamkills at an altar

  Pseudo-Apollodorus says Neoptolemus kills Priam at Zeus’ altar.

• Aeneasescapes carrying his father

  Aeneas carries Anchises away and the Achaeans spare his piety.

• Andromacheis captured after

  Andromache is allocated to Neoptolemus among the captives.

• Hecubabecomes captive in

  Hecuba loses her status as queen in the allocation after the sack.

Story appearances

• The Trojan WarEvent splitting victory into death, captivity and flight

  Kills Priam, captures royal women, sends Aeneas into flight and begins separate Achaean returns.

Ancient sources

MythWeave distinguishes ancient-source evidence from later adaptations and modern interpretation.

• Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca, Epitome, E.5.21–23: Priam’s death, Aeneas’ flight, sanctuary violation and allocation of captives
• Homer, Odyssey, Book 8.492–520: Demodocus sings of the horse and sack
• Homer, Iliad, Book 24.468–804: Priam ransoms Hector and Troy mourns