Hubris and justice in the fall of Troy

IT is true what they say of the Greeks—after them, nothing is original. In this forever-quest for the most interesting film, this week, I practically stumbled upon them, the Greeks, in this intriguing work called Troy: Fall of a City. The story is epic; this is history or super-history writ large. Gods are involved in human affairs as these divinities mirror the flaws and weaknesses of mortals. The story has not changed; it is the retelling, the visualization of the Trojan War and the narratives that follow that are the sites of changes and alternative versions.

The characters are all here: Nestor, Priam, Agamemnon, Iphigenia, Achilles, Hector, Aeneas, Odysseus, and then all the gods: Zeuz, Helena (for Hera?), Athena, and Aphorodite. And many other immortals.

The film opens to Alexander who will turn out to be Paris, the Prince of Troy. At that moment, he is shown as a lecherous boy out chasing women as he shepherds a herd of cows. He chases one of the calves and enters a space full of eerie sounds. He is there among the gods and goddesses: Zeus who has silently and powerfully summoned the young man is now asking Hermes, the God-messenger, to proceed with the event.

Somewhere in the woods, three majestic beauties are contending for the question as to who is the fairest, an act that seems to be the precursor to beauty pageants having a past.

To decide on this competition, Zeus has decided to employ the handsome shepherd. A golden apple is to decide the winner (which, in some accounts, has been called “The Apple of Discord.” The three goddesses are each given a chance to convince Paris who shall receive the Apple. Helena (or Hera), Athena, and Aphrodite are in for the contest. Each goddess is given a moment to offer Paris what he would receive if she is selected to be the fairest. One offers fame; another power. Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, precisely offered the same, beauty and love. Aphrodite wins to the terror and hysteria of the other two goddesses.

What follows is epic.

First, there is the revelation that the shepherd was no ordinary mortal. Then there is the problem of how to claim the prize. As Aphrodite promises, Paris will win the most beautiful woman on earth. She turns out to be Helen, the Queen of Sparta. The search is on, bringing the young man to the place where Helen is. They escape and the next scene is how to bring the young queen back to her King.

Fate and Fury are not only figures in Greek mythology; they are also notions. And in this series, fate appears to determine the movements of individuals and the actions of each and everyone of us. Fury stands not only for anger but also for the strongest emotion called love. And overseeing these canvases of gestures, decisions and judgment are the gods, each impertinent, self-absorbed and amused at how human beings live.

There is a compelling and engaging retelling in this epic plot. Where love and adventure seem to be the classic theme of a young man abducting a beautiful queen, here in The Fall of a City we are shown a woman who comes out fiercely to announce that she is not and cannot be a helpless and hopeless pawn in this geopolitical game played by men. When beseeched by her people, Helen comes out brave and resolute: she alone acted out of love and no one can force her to go back to Sparta.

But when men are hopelessly dying on the battlefield for this woman who left her marriage for a young man whose premium is both male and sexual allure, then the question if all this tragedy has been worth it becomes of cosmic importance.

The tales of Homer and Hesiod are really allegorical devices to picture to us notions of divinity and transcendence. Puzzled by the seas not favoring nd their sailing for war, the Greeks consult an oracle. In the ritual, it is most fascinating how the Greek gods in this series have become of darker skin color, more African than Caucasian. Artemis, for example, is a Nubian girl with blonde hair and her squirming makes us uncomfortable (Zeus is also a black muscle man). But her demands are something much more, reminding us that in Greek cosmology the business of consulting gods is serious business.

Artemis demands no less than a human sacrifice to her changing literally the tides of war. Iphigenia becomes one of the most important modes of sacrifice, instilling in us the lessons of how rituals to gods are both appeasement and displacement. The young daughter is killed on the day she thought she is going to be married to Achilles.

But this is where the notion of sacrifice is one of the most enduring of human practices: the Greeks know they would not lose the war because the gods are most pleased with their offering: the life of one of the great Greek warriors. Nothing could match that and when the Trojans see that, their hearts are besieged by fear of defeat. What sacrifice can they make to their own gods?

Troy: The Fall of a City is a British miniseries created by David Farr and Nancy Harris for BBC and Netflix.