Week 3 Story: Homer's Iliad, as told by Yoda

Ah! Hello there young ones! Yoda, I am. A Grand Master of the Jedi I am... long ago, however, that was. A force ghost am I now. Learn about tragedy today, we will, about a story with great heroes. Mhmmm...

Long ago, before even I was born, a beautiful woman named Helen there was. So beautiful was she, that lust, men did after her. More so than any others, a young prince, Paris, did he lust after Helen. In the dead of night, took Helen away did Paris. Unknown to his older brother, Hector, did Paris do this. Angry! Hector was, to the point of murder, Hector was. Love Paris, did Hector. Take away Paris' prize, Hector could not. Mhmmm...

Lead to, the end of Troy this would. Months later, the allied Greeks landed at Troy, they did. Fought hard, both sides did. A great disturbance, many deaths there were. Leader of the Trojans, Hector was. Hero of the Greeks, Achilles was. But met in battle, they had not. Mhmmm...

Not for lack of trying, did Hector and Achilles battle. Keep them apart for their own safety, did the Greek gods do. The favorite son of Zeus, Achilles was, let him die at Troy, Zeus did not want. The honored patron of Apollo, Hector was, let him fall to Achilles, he would not let. Mhmmm...

Trained in sword fighting, by Achilles, Patroclus was. Arrogant and foolish, Patroclus was. Took the armor of Achilles, Patroclus did, to fight against Hector he did. Lost! Patroclus did. Enraged, Achilles became. Rallied the Greeks to take Troy, Achilles did. Mhmmm...

Slay many men, both Hector and Achilles did. To get to each other, their goals were. Reach each other, they finally did. Hard fought the battle was, but Zeus, the greater Greek god is he and defeat Hector, Achilles did. Revenge for Patroclus, Achilles got, but quenched, his anger, was not. Mhmmm...

Dragged Hector's body across the dirt, Achilles did. To satisfy his revenge, Achilles wanted to do. An emptiness did Achilles feel, for revenge, satisfy him, it did not. To get Hector's body back, King Priam wanted to do. Help him, messenger of the gods, Hermes did. Overcome with sympathy for King Priam, Achilles was. Give back Hector's body, Achilles did. Mhmmm...

A tale of loss and tragedy this was, young ones. Give into their emotions, Paris, Hector, and Achilles did. Fall to the dark side they did. Consumed by their hatred and anger they were. Guidance, they did not have, but learn from their mistakes, you can. Learn from this lesson, you must, or share the same fate, you will! Mhmmm...

Remember, young ones, there is no emotion, there is peace; there is no ignorance, there is knowledge; there is no passion, there is serenity; there is no chaos, there is harmony; there is no death, there is the force. The Jedi code this is, and follow it you must, always. Especially you, young Skywalker. May the force be with you. Mhmmm...







Author's Note: I got my inspiration to write this story from reading Homer's Iliad in the classical readings for week 3. I actually kept the original storyline of the Iliad the same, but I used Yoda as the storyteller. I did this because I was trying to figure out what kind of storytelling style that I wanted to tell this story in and I happened upon a Yoda webpage, which influenced me to tell it using Yoda. I wanted to use a part of history and have Yoda tell it in order to teach the new generation of Jedi. Although Yoda is a force ghost in this story and addresses Skywalker by name, there is no indication as to which Skywalker this is, since there were multiple Skywalkers, besides Anakin and Luke. This is relevant to the Star Wars universe because in Legends, both Luke and Jacen fall to the dark side, after the events of episode VI.


Bibliography: Based on Homer's Iliad by A.J., Church

Image: Original Yoda puppet, Flickr