The Tragic Returns of Greek Heroes After the Trojan War

The Trojan War, a catastrophic event in Greek mythology, resulted in perilous returns termed 'nostoi,' as chronicled in the lost epic 'Nostoi,' credited to Agias of Troezen. Only a fragment of five and a half lines remains, alongside a summary by Proclus. This epic comprises five books detailing various adventures: Book One depicts a conflict between Agamemnon and Menelaus; Book Two follows Calchas and others to Colophon; Book Three features the ghost of Achilles and Ajax's demise; Book Four focuses on Neoptolemus; and Book Five recounts Orestes' revenge. Clytemnestra and Aegisthus murdered Agamemnon, while Menelaus located Helen and achieved immortality. Odysseus' return to Ithaca took ten years, influencing later literature such as Aeschylus' 'Agamemnon' and Joyce's 'Ulysses.'