The Trojan War: The Achaeans
Chair : Serene Tarabishi / tarabise@mail.uc.edu
Dear delegates, welcome to hell.
It has been approximately nine years since the reprobate Paris of Troy ran off with Helen, wife of the Spartan king Menelaus, and it has been nine years since you’ve known any semblance of peace. The war between the Achaens (led by Menelaus) and the Trojans (led by Paris) shows no signs of ending anytime soon, and the siege of Troy over the past eight years has begun to wear on the nerves of everyone involved. Soldiers, kings, and gods alike have become restless, desperate to exact justice for the lives already taken in this bloody war, and even more desperate to see a fitting and dramatic end to this angst-filled conflict. On the side of the Achaens, Menelaus must maintain his troops’ morale, especially given that many of the men present are only oath-bound to be there, and they are growing unhappier by the day about that. The heroes Odysseus and Achilles are also fighting on the side of the Achaens, and while their combined brains and brawn have won their side many a victory, their momentum is often hampered by interference from the gods or their own personal drama. On the side of the Trojans, an almost decade-long siege has worn at the patience of the citizenry and the soldiers, and Paris’ popularity is nosediving. Paris’s brother Hector has taken up military command, but he is trapped on all sides and up against the ridiculously powerful Achean heroes. And at the center of it all, Helen, the beautiful—if not mysterious—woman who supposedly sparked this conflict remains seemingly ambivalent to her situation and quite secretive and closed-off. Whatever could she be thinking?
The one thing everyone can agree on is this: this war has gone on too long, and it must end. Delegates, help us see an end to this brutal war, and even more importantly, win glory and honor for whichever side you are loyal to. History, and the gods, are watching. Good luck.
Background Guide:
Meet your Chair:
Serene Tarabishi
Serene Tarabishi is a third-year double major in Arabic and Law & Society with minors in French and Middle Eastern Studies. She has been an active member of the university’s Model UN Club since the beginning of her sophomore year and participated in MUN throughout high school. Besides her role in the UC Model UN Club, Serene is a Cincinnatus Scholar, a Portman Fellow within the School for Public and International Affairs, and she is currently pursuing research in the field of International Law. In her free time, she likes to cook, draw, paint, learn languages, and play with her cat.
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