Article: Historical information, myth clash in `Troy'

For an historian, the new film "Troy" presents a dilemma. The oldest and most detailed source about the Trojan War is Homer's "Iliad." That 2,600-year-old classic interweaves realistic (and gory) descriptions of Greeks and Trojans in deadly combat with scenes of the gods squabbling on Mount Olympus, intervening in the conflict and engaging in catfights with one another.

You see the problem. Sticking faithfully to Homer, then, doesn't necessarily ensure historical accuracy. And although devotees of Homer may be appalled, director Wolfgang Petersen clearly aimed more for the latter when he dumped the meddling gods from his tale. His "Troy" is a very human story with those basic themes from ...

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