Start of the Trojan War:
1. Abduction of Helen: The root cause of the war was the abduction of Helen, the wife of the Greek king Menelaus, by Paris, a prince of Troy. Paris escaped to Troy with Helen, sparking a desire for vengeance among the Greeks.
2. Assembly of the Greek Forces: Agamemnon, Menelaus' brother, rallied a coalition of Greek warriors, including renowned heroes like Achilles, Odysseus, and Ajax, to launch an expedition against Troy to reclaim Helen.
End of the Trojan War:
1. Ten Years of War: The Greek forces besieged Troy for ten long years, enduring fierce battles, conflicts within the Greek camp, and interventions by various gods and goddesses who favored different sides.
2. The Trojan Horse Stratagem: After many setbacks, the Greek hero Odysseus devised a clever plan to breach Troy's defenses. The Greeks constructed a large wooden horse, concealing soldiers within it, and left it as an offering to the Trojans, who took it as a sign of surrender and pulled it inside their city.
3. Fall of Troy: Under cover of darkness, the soldiers concealed in the Trojan Horse emerged and opened Troy's gates, allowing the Greek army to enter and plunder the city. The story often refers to this event as "The Fall of Troy."
4. Sack of Troy: The Greeks looted and destroyed the city, taking precious treasures and many Trojan women captive. Several Trojan warriors, including Hector and Priam (the ruler of Troy), met their fate during the sack of Troy.
5. Odysseus' Journey: Following Troy's fall, the Greek heroes embarked on their journeys back to their homelands. Odysseus' journey home, filled with trials and tribulations, is recounted in the Odyssey, where he spent ten more years before finally reuniting with his family.
6. Aftermath: The Trojan War deeply impacted the lives and fates of numerous individuals, gods, and nations involved in the conflict. The war's aftermath inspired future Greek myths, tragedies, and artworks that continued to shape the collective memory and cultural identity of ancient Greece.