Polyxena

A Story of Troy

**On the eve of her execution, Polyxena, youngest daughter of King Prim of Troy, seeks to understand how she arrived at this point by relating her thoughts to Aphrodite, the Goddess she holds responsible for having orchestrated her fate, hoping that through knowing this she will find the solace to overcome her fear of death. In flashback, she recounts how she was sent as an envoy to the Amazons to secure them as allies for Troy, and how she becomes a captive of Achilles after he defeats them and the two reluctantly fall in love with each other. After returning to Troy, she tries to keep their forbidden love secret but, through treachery, her brothers learn of it, leading to tragic consequences for them both. As she tries to make sense of it all, Polyxena’s introspection leads her to a surprising conclusion about the life she has lived.    **