(I never read the Iliad but there's a summary of it at the beginning of most copies of the odyssey) The Iliad takes place over the course of a 10 year war between most of all of Greece, and the city of Troy. The war started because the prince of Troy married a Greek kings daughter who was already spoken for, she became known as Helen of Troy. One of the mighty Greek warriors is called Achilles, he is the protagonist. After a very long and pointless siege of the city, the Greeks destroy some of their own boats to make a large wooden horse. Some Greeks hide inside the horse, and the Trojans bring it inside the gate thinking the war is over, and it is a gift. At night the Greeks jump out and let all of the other Greeks into the city. During the intense fighting Achilles is shot in the heal and dies. The city falls and thousands die, then the Greeks leave. The Odyssey takes place over the next 10 years and follows a different king named Odysseus (or Ulysses depending on what version you read) What should've been a 6 week voyage home turned into a 10 year chaotic adventure bringing his three ships the many different islands, home to giant cyclops, evil witches, ship wrecking tides, etc. Upon Odysseus return home, he finds that his kingdom thinks he is long dead, and his wife is taking on new suitors, but is trying to hold off for as long as possible. She challenges all of the suitors to take her husbands bow and shoot an arrow through the rings of 12 axes. None of the other men were able to even string the Bow, however Odysseus did it with ease, and resumed his place on the throne.
A pep talk that can be given to a group of firefighters or a scout troop who have experienced a failure goes thus:
Failure is a path to success. Every successful person has failed. Failure is part of everyone's life and the main thing is how you react to it.
Do not let failure weigh you down. It is how you react that matters. Do not be afraid to try again. Failures are mistakes and you should try to be better and wiser the next time.
It is time to rebound from your mistakes and achieve your goals. Believe in yourselves, you can do it. Do not let failure stop you.
