About the Trojan Prince Deiphobus

About the Trojan Prince Deiphobus Deipohbus was a prince of Troy and he became the leader of the Trojan army following the death of his brother Hector. He the son of Priam and Hecuba in ancient Greek mythology. He was the brother of Hector and Paris. Deipohbus is viewed as a Trojan hero, and one of the most important figures from the Trojan War. Along with his brother Paris, he is credited with slewing Achilles. After Paris death, he became  Helens husband and was betrayed by her to  Menelaus. Aeneas talks to him in the  Underworld in Book VI of the Aeneid. According to the  Iliad, during the Trojan War, Deiphobus led a group of soldiers in siege and successfully wounded Meriones, an Achaean hero. Hector’s Death During the Trojan War, as Hector was fleeing from Achilles, Athena took the form of Hector’s brother, Deiphobus, and told him to take a stand and fight against Achilles. Hector thought he was getting genuine advice from his brother and tried to spear Achilles. However, when his spear missed, he realized that he had been tricked, and was then in turn killed by Achilles. It was after Hector’s death that Deiphobus became the leader of the Trojan army. Deiphobus and his brother Paris are credited with eventually killing Achilles, and in turn avenging the death of Hector. As Hector was fleeing Achilles, Athena took the shape of Deiphobus and goaded Hector to make a stand and fight. Hector, thinking it was his brother, listened and threw his spear at Achilles. When the spear missed, Hector turned around to ask his brother for another spear, but Deiphobus had vanished. It was then Hector knew the gods had deceived and forsaken him, and he met his fate at the hand of Achilles. Marriage to Helen of Troy After the death of Paris, Deiphobus became married to Helen of Troy. Some accounts say that the marriage was by force​ and that Helen of Troy never truly loved Deiphobus.  This situation is described by the Encyclopedia Britannica: â€Å"Helen chose Menelaus, Agamemnon’s younger brother. During an absence of Menelaus, however, Helen fled to Troy with Paris, son of the Trojan king Priam; when Paris was slain, she married his brother  Deiphobus, whom she betrayed to Menelaus when Troy was subsequently captured. Menelaus and she then returned to Sparta, where they lived happily until their deaths.† Death Deiphobus was killed during the sack of Troy, by either Odysseus of Menelaus. His body was horribly mutilated. Some separate accounts say that it was actually his former wife, Helen of Troy, who killed Deiphobus.

The Ancient Mayan City of Mayapan

The Ancient Mayan City of Mayapan Mayapan was a Maya city which thrived during the Postclassic Period. It’s located in the heart of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, not far to the southeast of the city of Merida. The ruined city is now an archaeological site, open to the public and popular with tourists. The ruins are known for the imposing circular tower of the Observatory and the Castle of Kukulcan, an impressive pyramid. History According to legend Mayapan, was founded by the great ruler Kukulcan in 1250 A.D. following the decline of the mighty city of Chichen Itza. The city rose to prominence in the northern section of the Maya lands after the great city-states in the south (such as Tikal and Calakmul) had gone into steep decline. During the late Postclassic Era (1250-1450 A.D.), Mayapan was the cultural and political center of the waning Maya civilization and had great influence upon the smaller city-states that surrounded it. During the height of its power, the city was home to approximately 12,000 inhabitants. The city was destroyed and abandoned in about 1450 A.D. The Ruins The ruin complex at Mayapan is a sprawling collection of buildings, temples, palaces, and ceremonial centers. There are about 4,000 buildings spread out over an area of about four square kilometers. The architectural influence of Chichen Itza is plainly evident in the impressive buildings and structures at Mayapan. The central plaza is of the greatest interest to historians and visitors: it is home to the Observatory, the Palace of Kukulcan and the Temple of the Painted Niches. The Observatory The most striking building at Mayapan is the circular tower of the observatory. The Maya were talented astronomers. They were particularly obsessed with the movements of Venus and other planets, as they believed they were Gods going back and forth from the Earth to the underworld and the celestial planes. The circular tower is built on a base which was divided into two semi-circular areas. During the citys heyday, these rooms were covered in stucco and painted. The Castle of Kukulcan Known to archaeologists simply as â€Å"structure Q162,† this impressive pyramid dominates Mayapan’s central plaza. It is likely an imitation of the very similar Temple of Kukulcan at Chichen Itza. It has nine tiers and stands about 15 meters (50 feet) tall. Part of the temple collapsed at some point in the past, revealing an older, smaller structure within. At the foot of the Castle is â€Å"Structure Q161,† also known as the Room of the Frescoes. There are several painted murals there: a precious collection, considering those very few examples of painted Mayan art remain. The Temple of Painted Niches Forming a triangle across the main plaza with the Observatory and Kukulcan’s Castle, the Temple of Painted Niches is home to more painted murals. The murals here show five temples, which are painted around five niches. The niches symbolize the entrance to each of the painted temples. Archaeology at Mayapan The first account of foreign visitors to the ruins was the 1841 expedition of John L. Stephens and Frederick Catherwood, who took a cursory look at many ruins including Mayapan. Other early visitors included noted Mayanist Sylvanus Morley. The Carnegie Institution launched an investigation of the site in the late 1930s which resulted in some mapping and excavations. Important work was done in the 1950s under the direction of Harry E.D. Pollock. Current Projects Much work is currently being done at the site: most of it is under the direction of the PEMY (Proyecto Economico de Mayapan) institution, supported by several organizations including the National Geographic Society and SUNY Albany. Mexico’s National Anthropology and History Institute has also done much work there, especially restoring some of the more important structures for tourism. Importance of Mayapan Mayapan was a very important city during the final centuries of the Maya civilization. Founded just as the great city-states of the Maya Classic Era were dying in the south, first Chichen Itza and then Mayapan stepped into the void and became the standard-bearers of the once-mighty Maya Empire. Mayapan was a political, economic and ceremonial hub for the Yucatan. The city of Mayapan is of particular importance to researchers, as it is believed that one or more of the four remaining Maya codices may well have originated there. Visiting the Ruins A visit to the city of Mayapan makes for a great day trip from Merida, which is less than an hour away. Its open daily and theres plenty of parking. A guide is recommended. Sources: Mayapan Archaeology, The University of Albanys Informative Website Mayapan, Yucatan. Arqueologia Mexicana, Edicion Especial 21 (September 2006). McKillop, Heather. The Ancient Maya: New Perspectives. New York: Norton, 2004.

Critical Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Issues - Essay Example This sorting out procedure will require following of five stipulated principles some of which include provision of funds to states with lowest capacity to raise their own revenue, consider the effects of fiscal responsibility and provision of clear separation of responsibility between the state and local government (Foundation Fiscal Partners, 1999). I was not aware that there is controversy of finances. I always assumed each state received its funding of basic projects such as education and health from the federal government and then they dealt exclusively with the delivery of the services. I also had no idea of the fat that these duties and responsibilities even though they intertwine have separation through the constitution. Smith, Greenblatt and Mariani, (2007) sheds more light by use of the constitution of the roles which should be performed by the two in regards to finances. The tenth amendment for example explains that the state carries out the most mandates in regards to the running of the state and federal government only comes in when it is mandated by the constitution. The main themes include the relationship between state and federal government and how the tenth amendment and the commerce act and even the constitution itself have tried to differentiate the duties and responsibility to no avail. There is also separation of duties of the state and local government which are slightly intertwined. The other theme discussed in the reading by Smith, Greenblatt and Mariani, (2007) is the division of labor in the state and the roles of some of the people such as governor. This also leads to the theme about the responsibilities that the state has towards the towns and counties. The controversy between the powers and laws of federal and state government have left me opting for the federal government to leave the states to run their own affairs as best as they can without interference from the federal