“English” Notes Chapter 3.2 The Fall of Troy Class 9 Maharashtra Board

Notes For All Chapters – English Class 9

Part I

1. Introduction to Troy

• Troy was a rich and powerful city located in Asia Minor, near the Aegean Sea.
• The city was known for trade, agriculture, and strong defense.
• Mount Ida stood behind Troy, providing fresh water and fertile land for farming.
• The Trojans built high walls around the city to protect it from enemies.

2. The Cause of the War

• The war started because of Helen, the most beautiful woman in Greece.
• Helen was married to Menelaus, the king of Sparta.
• Paris, the prince of Troy, took Helen to Troy, which made Menelaus very angry.
• The Greeks saw this as an insult and gathered their best warriors and kings to attack Troy.
• The Greek army was led by King Agamemnon, Menelaus’ brother.
• This war, known as the Trojan War, lasted for ten years.

3. The Long and Bloody War

• The Greeks sailed to Troy and surrounded the city, preventing supplies from entering.
• The war lasted for ten years, with daily battles between Greek and Trojan warriors.
• Many brave warriors died, including:
  • Hector (Trojan) – He was Troy’s greatest hero and protected the city for nine years.
  • Achilles (Greek) – He was Greece’s strongest warrior and killed Hector, but later died from a poisoned arrow in his heel.
  • Paris (Trojan) – He was later killed by a poisoned arrow.
• Despite the heavy losses on both sides, the war continued because neither side gave up.
• The Trojans were tired of being locked inside their city, and the Greeks wanted to return home, but no one won the war.

Part II

1. Odysseus’ Clever Plan

• The Greeks realized that they could not win by force and needed a clever trick.
• Odysseus, a smart Greek warrior, came up with a plan to deceive the Trojans.
• He suggested building a huge wooden horse and hiding Greek soldiers inside it.
• The Greeks then burned their tents and pretended to leave Troy in their ships.
• Only one Greek soldier stayed behind to mislead the Trojans.

2. The Trojan Mistake

• The next morning, the Trojans saw the empty Greek camp and thought they had won the war.
• They also saw the huge wooden horse left outside their city.
• A Greek prisoner (who was left behind on purpose) told the Trojans a lie.
• He said the horse was a gift to the sea-god Poseidon and would bring good luck to Troy.
• The Trojans believed him and decided to bring the horse inside the city.
• Their wise priest warned them that it might be a trick, but they ignored him.
• To bring the horse inside, they broke part of their own city wall.

3. The Fall of Troy

• That night, the Trojans celebrated their “victory” and drank and feasted.
• They thought they had won the war and went to sleep peacefully.
• While the city was asleep, the Greek ships returned in the dark and waited outside Troy.
• The Greek soldiers hidden inside the horse came out and opened the city gates.
• The entire Greek army entered Troy and started burning houses, temples, and palaces.
• The Trojans were completely unprepared and many were killed in their sleep.
• King Priam (the king of Troy) and his sons were killed.
• The women, including Hector’s wife and mother, were taken as slaves.
• Helen, who had started the war, was found by her husband Menelaus.
• Menelaus forgave Helen, and she was taken back to Greece.
• By morning, Troy was completely destroyed.

Important Lessons from the Story

1. Overconfidence Leads to Disaster

• The Trojans made a big mistake by believing the Greek prisoner’s lie.
• They ignored their priest’s warning and brought the horse inside their city.
• This cost them everything, including their kingdom and lives.

2. Clever Thinking is More Powerful than Strength

• The Greeks could not win by fighting, so they used intelligence instead.
• Odysseus’ trick helped them defeat a stronger enemy without a direct battle.

3. War Brings Great Suffering

• The war lasted ten years, but in the end, both sides suffered heavy losses.
• Thousands of soldiers died, and the beautiful city of Troy was burned.

4. Always Be Cautious of Enemies’ Tricks

• If the Trojans had been more careful, they could have avoided destruction.
• They should have investigated the wooden horse properly instead of celebrating too early.

📌 Summary in One Sentence:

The Greeks won the Trojan War not by strength, but by tricking the Trojans into bringing a wooden horse into their city, which led to Troy’s destruction.