Troy & mythology in general

For times immemorial, the world has fought over religion; they have all vouched the veracity of their myths and tried to impose them on others. The greats said, there is only one God, others said we are all child of the same Almighty; but none could resolve the dispute, which continues till date. Perhaps the shortcoming of the greats have been in the fact that they have not been able to prove their beliefs, and the big question is that how can one fetch an explanation for “myths”. I am not trying to compare to the greats nor am I claiming that I have an explanation for the fact that there is indeed a single God and that our ancestors’ struggle to prove the veracity of their religious myths have been a waste. All I am saying is that no matter what religion or what be our origin, almost all ethnographies have their myths revolving around the same concepts.
Since I am not a research scholar in history or mythology, I would like to amalgamate both to prove my point. And for this purpose I would want to draw an analogy between the history of Greek Trojan wars and the Indian mythology of Mahabharata. Many concepts may sound fledglings but when thought in deep does have a basis somewhere.

• Women is the apparent cause of war: though ulterior motives of the war vest in the greed of one of the parties of the war.
• Ulterior motives of greed for kingdom are exposed: Dhritarashtra’s settlement to distribute the kingdom between kauravas and pandavas is not accepted by kauravas - Menelaus urge to settle the war in a fight with Paris was rejected by his commander in chief - Agamemnon.
• The apparent immortality of Achilles vs. that of Duryodhana: In the end Achilles' weakness in the form of his heel( which his mother did not immerse in the holy river of immortality) is exposed and he perishes just like any normal human. On the other hand, Duryodhana whom Gandhari had viewed naked and hence made each part of his body anasthetic to pain had weakness lying in his theighs, which was ultimately used to persih him.
• Walled city of Hastinapur vs. kingdom of Troy behind walls: But I guess this is typical of most kingdoms defined by mythology & history, so it isnt after all that big a similarity.
• Cheating as a means of attaining victory: Chhal- hitting duryodhana on the theigh(which isnt allowed in the form of war that Bheem & Duryodhana were indulging in), when no other means of ousting him were left. Entry of Greek warriors in the city of troy by means of the Trojan horse, when all other means of fighting it out were eliminated.
• Dilemmas: Dhritarashtra’s limitation of visual impairment leading to the arguement of succession and heir to throne. While Dhritarastra was only being fair to his sons. Paris was only justifying the blessing having been granted to him - Paris’ dilemma of marrying the fairest woman(as granted by Venus) who is the wife of Menelaus.

I am sure there must be several other similarities and differences, these are the obvious oes which struck a layman like me.However, the end of both these odes are very different. While in mahabharata the pandavas- who are deemed to be the followers of dharma emerge victorious; In the battle of Troy the better side ultimately perishes. I guess that is the reason why Mahabharata is remembered and studies as an epic whileTroy is mere history!