Black Ships Before Troy Character Traits

In the novel, Black Ships Before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff, the majority of the characters are brave, and selfless heroes, except for Paris. Character traits are the aspects of a person's behavior and attitudes that make up that person's personality. Paris is a selfish coward who expects everyone to fight his war for him.
One trait that stands out multiple times in this story is Paris’ selfishness. One example of his selfishness is when Paris goes to Sparta and takes Helen away from her husband and baby. This is selfish because even though Helen goes willingly, Paris knows Menelaus will be angry, but he chooses to take her back to Troy anyways. This is also selfish because the people of Sparta were upset about Helen leaving,“…With the maidens

One example that proves Paris is a coward is when he runs away from the fight with Menelaus. This shows Paris is a coward because he started the fight with Menelaus then ran away like a scared puppy. It was Hector who finally convinced Paris to fight the Greek warrior, “But Paris, seeing who came against him, felt his heart shrink within him, from shame as much as fear, and fell back into the ranks of the Trojan host behind him.” (P. 26). A second example of his cowardliness is the countless times Paris is seen on the outskirts of the war. The only time Paris helped in the war is when he wounded some Greek warriors by shooting them with an arrow from the safety of the Trojan walls. Paris will sit and watch and never fight upfront like his brave brother Hector “…Paris, keeping as usual to the fringe of the battle…” (P. 59). Paris is too scared to fight in the war; he’s like a child running away from a clown.
It is Paris’ selfishness and cowardliness that caused the downfall of Troy. Whether he is too scared to fight in the war or taking people's wives, he knows he is causing the death of many fellow soldiers and his family. Hecuba and Priam should listen to the soothsayer when he says Paris will cause the downfall of