DEAR SOPHIA,

FIRST, AN UPDATE. I WILL KNOW BY WEDNESDAY IF THE JUDGE WILL CHOOSE SELF-PRESERVATION OR PROFESSIONAL IMMOLATION. IF HE CHOOSES THE LATTER, I AM NOT CONCERNED BECAUSE I AM CONFIDENT THE SUPERIORS WILL DO WHAT IS JUST AND CORRECT.

SO, THE OLYMPICS ARE ON AGAIN. EVERY FOUR YEARS. IN THE ANCIENT TIMES, THE OLYMPICS WERE HELD IN OLYMPIA, GREECE. EVERY FOUR YEARS. THIS WENT ON FOR CENTURIES. IF NATIONS WERE AT WAR, THEY PAUSED THE WAR AND ALL THE NATIONS CAME TO OLYMPIA TO COMPETE IN THE GAMES. PAGAN ROME ENDED THE GAMES. I GUESS THE colosseum WITH THE GLADIATORS WAS MORE ENTERTAINING (AFTER ALL, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS MUCH MORE FUN TO FEED CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS). THE OLYMPICS WERE REBORN IN 1896 IN ATHENS. WE HAVE DRIVEN MANY, MANY TIMES PAST THE OLYMPICS STADIUM CONSTRUCTED FOR 1896.

IN THE MODERN GAMES, EVERY FOUR YEARS, A NEW CITY HOSTS THE GAMES. THIS YEAR, IT IS IN PARIS, FRANCE. HERE IS YOUR HISTORY LESSON NOW. YOU THINK PARIS IS A FRENCH NAME. THAT’S WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK. AND WHY NOT? IT IS THE CAPITAL OF FRANCE. BUT THE NAME PARIS IS A VERY HISTORIC NAME AND, YES, YOU GUESSED IT. PARIS IS A GREEK NAME.

PARIS IS THE NAME OF THE YOUNGER PRINCE OF TROY WHO STOLE HELEN FROM SPARTA (WHICH IS WHY SHE IS NOW NAMED HELEN OF TROY – THE FACE THAT LAUNCHED 1,000 SHIPS). THE OLDER BROTHER OF PARIS WAS THE WARRIOR, HECTOR. HECTOR KILLED THE KING OF SPARTA WHO WANTED HELEN BACK. BUT THAT DID NOT END THE WAR. ACHILLES KILLED HECTOR. ACHILLES IS THE WARRIOR WHO WAS MYTHICALLY DIPPED IN THE RIVER OF INVINCIBILITY BY HIS MOTHER WHEN HE WAS A BABY. SHE HELD HIM BY THE HEEL AND SUPPOSEDLY HE WAS INVINCIBLE EVERY PLACE OF HIS BODY EXCEPT WHERE SHE HELD HIM BY HIS HEEL. PARIS, WHO WAS KNOWN TO BE A ROMANCER OF WOMEN FELL IN LOVE WITH HELEN AND WOULD FIGHT FOR HER. WHEN ACHILLES WENT TO CLAIM HELEN FOR THE GREEKS AND THE SPARTANS, PARIS SHOT HIS ARROW AND HIT ACHILLES IN HIS HEEL – THE ONE SPOT WHERE HE WAS NOT INVINCIBLE. THAT IS WHY TODAY IT IS CALLED AN ACHILLES’ HEEL AND TENDON – WHEN SOMEONE HAS A SINGLE VULNERABILITY, WE NOW CALL IT THEIR ACHILLES’ HEEL. FROM THIS BATTLE OVER HELEN AND THE DESTRUCTION OF TROY, CAME THE MYTHOS OF AGAMEMNON AND ODYSSEUS. THE CITY OF PARIS, FRANCE IS THE NAME OF PARIS OF TROY.

THAT’S ENOUGH HISTORY FOR YOU, YOU NEED TO BE VERY PROUD OF YOUR HERITAGE BECAUSE YOU ARE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THIS HISTORY BECAUSE THE ISLAND OF TENEDOS IS PART OF THE HISTORY OF TROY.

AS ALWAYS, I LOVE YOU. I AM ALWAYS PROUD OF YOU AND I WILL SEE YOU SOON.

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LOVE,

DAD