Study Questions
1. How do the Trojans feel about Paris, and why?

2. What incident in this chapter shows us this feeling?

3. Who reprimands Paris for his behavior?

4. What does Paris eventually agree to do?

5. Where is the duel fought?

6. Who has the upper hand in the fighting?

7. How does the duel end?

8. Who is declared the winner?

9. Is Helen happy to see Paris returned to his room?

10. What does the duel between Paris and Menelaos
symbolize?

Answers
1. The Trojans despise Paris because he is directly responsible for the war with the Achaians. He is also a coward who refuses to do his share of the fighting.

2. Paris challenges the best of the Achaian men to a duel, but then backs away in fear when Menelaos accepts it. Also, after he disappears we are told that no one among the Trojans would hide him.

3. Paris’ brother Hektor chides him for his behavior.

4. Paris agrees to fight a duel with Hektor to decide the fate of Helen, leaving the rest of the armies out of it.

5. The duel is fought in a large clearing between the two armies.

6. Menelaos is the better fighter.

7. The duel ends when Menelaos has clearly established the upper hand, but before he can finish Paris off, Aphrodite spirits the Trojan away.

8. Agamemnon declares Menelaos the winner, since he was clearly the better fighter.

9. Helen is not happy to see Paris alive, and goes to him only when forced by Aphrodite to do so.

10. The duel is a symbol of the larger conflict between the Achaians and the Trojans.