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Apollodorus: Epitome 5
Conditions for the Fall of Troy
When the war had already lasted for ten years and the Greeks were losing heart, Calchas prophesied that Troy could not be taken unless they had the bow of Heracles to help them. On hearing this prohesy, Odysseus made his way to Lemnos with Diomedes to see Philoctetes, and gaining the possession of his bow by a trick, he persuaded him to sail to Troy. So Philoctetes arrived there, and after he had been cured by Podaleiros, killed Alexander with an arrow.
After the death of Alexander, Helenos and Deiphobus quarrelled over the hand of Helen; and because Deiphobus was preferred, Helenos left Troy and went to live on Mount Ida. But when Calchas declared that Helenos had knowledge of the oracles that protected the city, Odysseus captured him in an ambush and brought him to the camp and Helenos was forced to reveal how Ilion could be captured.
This could be achieved if, in the first place, the bones of Pelops were brought to the Greeks, and then if Neoptolemos fought as their ally, and thirdly, if the Palladion (which had fallen from heaven) was stolen from Troy - for while it remained inside the walls, the city was impregnable.
When they heard this, the Greeks had the bones of Pelops brought over, and sent Odysseus and Phoenix to Lycomedes on Scyros to persuade him to allow Neoptolemos to go to war. So Neoptolemos arrived in the camp, where he received his father's arms from Odysseus, who willingly surrendered them; and he killed a large number of the Trojans.
Odysseus went up to the city with Diomedes by night. Leaving Diomedes waiting outside, he assumed a mean appearance and put on shabby clothing, and entered the city undetected in the guise of a beggar. He was recognised, however, by Helen, and with her assistance he stole the Palladion, and then, after killing many of the guards, he took it to the ships with the aid of Diomedes. |
