For Greek myth fans, those who can’t get enough of the D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths , and readers who have aged out of Rick Riordan, this classroom staple and mythology classic is perfect for learning about the ancient myths !       As the gods and goddesses of Olympus scheme, the ancient world is thrown into turmoil when Helen, the most beautiful woman in all of Greece, is stolen away by her Trojan love. Inflamed by jealousy, the Greek king seeks lethal vengeance and sends his black war ships to descend on the city of Troy.     In the siege that follows, history’s greatest heroes, from Ajax to Achilles to Odysseus, are forged in combat, and the brutal costs of passion, pride, and revenge must be paid. In the end, the whims of the gods, the cunning of the warriors, and a great wooden horse will decide who emerges victorious.     Homer's epic poem, The Iliad , is one of the greatest adventure stories of all time and Rosemary Sutcliff's retelling of the classic saga embodies all of the astonishing drama, romance, and intrigue of ancient Greece.   Don’t miss The Wanderings of Odysseus , the companion to Black Ships Before Troy , and follow Odysseus on his adventure home. This book has been selected as a Common Core State Standards Text Exemplar (Grades 6-8, Stories) in Appendix B. Praise for Black Ships Before Troy : An ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults   “ A splendid offering, bringing the ancient tale to new and vibrant life.”—Kirkus Reviews, Pointer   " Amazingly told, taut with cunning and terror. ”— Booklist "[ Sutcliff] brings into vivid focus the mythic story of the Trojan War, with all of its visually dramatic elements …[and] leaves many of the epic’s powerful metaphors intact."— Publishers Weekly   Praise for The Wanderings of Odysseus : "[Sutcliff] retells Homer's Odyssey with thrilling drama ...The story of the hero's long years of wandering...has the mythic power of everyone's search for home...[and she] fuses epic grandeur with a direct simplicity that will bring the universal story home."— Booklist "Rosemary Sutcliff has done a great service ...by warmly and carefully abridging two classics that many people find difficult to tackle in their original form. Not only has she broken the long tales into tolerable and interesting chapters, she has smoothed out the language while keeping true to all of the original drama and excitement. "— Parent Express " An intimate portrait of a man....Readers will enjoy this classic adventure."— SLJ "The Story of the Iliad Homer's epic poem, The Illiad, is one of the greatest adventure stories of all time. In it, the abduction of the legendary beauty, Helen of Troy, leads to a conflict in which even the gods and goddesses take sides and intervene. It is in the Trojan War that the most valiant heroes of the ancient world are pitted against one another. Here Hectore, Ajax, Achilles, and Odysseus meet their most formidable challenges and in some casas their tragic ends. Rosemary Sutcliff makes such extraordinary stories as those of those Trojan horse, of Aphrodite and the golden apple, and of the fearsome warrior women Amazons, accessible to contemporary young people. "From the Hardcover edition. Rosemary Sutcliff wrote more than 40 historical novels for young adults, including The Wanderings of Odysseus and Black Ships Before Troy , as well as five adult novels, and several books of nonfiction.  The GOLDEN APPLE In the high and far-off days when men were heroes and walked with the gods, Peleus, king of the Myrmidons, took for his wife a sea nymph called Thetis, Thetis of the Silver Feet. Many guests came to their wedding feast, and among the mortal guests came all the gods of high Olympus. But as they sat feasting, one who had not been invited was suddenly in their midst: Eris, the goddess of discord, had been left out because wherever she went she took trouble with her; yet here she was, all the same, and in her blackest mood, to avenge the insult. All she did--it seemed a small thing--was to toss down on the table a golden apple. Then she breathed upon the guests once, and vanished. The apple lay gleaming among the piled fruits and the brimming wine cups; and bending close to look at it, everyone could see the words "To the fairest" traced on its side. Then the three greatest of the goddesses each claimed that it was hers. Hera claimed it as wife to Zeus, the All-father, and queen of all the gods. Athene claimed that she had the better right, for the beauty of wisdom such as hers surpassed all else. Aphrodite only smiled, and asked who had a better claim to beauty's prize than the goddess of beauty herself. They fell to arguing among themselves; the argument became a quarrel, and the quarrel grew more and more bitter, and each called upon the assembled guests to judge between them. But the other guests refused, for they knew well enough that, whichever goddess they chose to receive the golden apple, they