Continuity mistake: Aboard the ship going back to Troy, when Paris walks over to Hector he places his hands on the rail of the ship, and the collar on Paris' left side hangs off his shoulder, yet in the next close-up it's properly on by his neck. (00:14:45)
Continuity mistake: When Menelaus bursts into Helen's room, as he confronts the handmaiden about her whereabouts, Menelaus' hair curl is in front of his shoulder when the shot faces the woman, but not when the shot faces Menelaus. The same thing happens with Paris when he is with Helen, with Glaucus when he says goodbye to Hector, when Hector speaks with Lysander at the armory and so forth. Throughout the film all the men's hair in front and back - its position, neat or not, curls or not, etc., noticeably changes between shots. (00:15:50 - 01:54:45)
Continuity mistake: When Menelaus goes to see Agamemnon, as he walks toward his brother in the shot facing Agamemnon people stand aside and bow. In the next shot facing Menelaus some people appear or disappear from where they stood in the previous shot. The shadows differ as well. (00:18:05)
Continuity mistake: When Menelaus travels to his brother, Agamemnon, their positions differ when they speak and embrace, e.g., in the shots facing Menelaus two of his brother's fingers are on the cloak at his shoulder, yet in the shots facing Agamemnon his entire left hand lies on Menelaus' cloak. (00:18:25 - 00:19:20)
Continuity mistake: When Agamemnon says, "I always thought my brother's wife was a foolish woman," he is holding a whip in his hand that faces away from his right side. However, in the next shot the whip is closer to his chest, facing forward. Only visible on VHS and fullscreen DVD. (00:18:55)
Continuity mistake: In Phtia, as Achilles and Patroclus sword play, their positions as the duel with the wooden swords in relation to each other, and/or where they stand, change between shots. (00:21:20)
Continuity mistake: As Achilles and Patroclus sword play in Phtia, at the bottom of a particular area with stairs, in the first shot after the first close-up of the horses' hooves, there are large clumps of greenery at the corners of these individual stairs. However, when Odysseus speaks with them and says, "My wife will feel much better if she knows you're by my side..." now some of the clumps of greenery are gone from the stairs, and there is a water 'canteen' on the third step, which Achilles drinks from. There are a number of significant differences among surrounding shrubbery and small rocks, including from the opening aerial shot, and the sun's shadow changes drastically during this entire scene. (00:21:35 - 00:23:25)
Continuity mistake: In Phtia, Achilles throws the spear into the tree beside Odysseus as he rides near. When Odysseus removes the spear from the tree, the area of tree around the spear tip is different. (00:22:00)
Revealing mistake: Odysseus normally has wavy/curly hair that reaches the base of his neck, yet just before Hector cuts Patroclus' throat, when Odysseus' helmet slips forward as he fights and the white cap is visible, his hair is very short and straight in back. It's also apparent earlier, when he visits Achilles in Phtia. (00:22:05 - 01:42:25)
Continuity mistake: While in Phtia after Odysseus says, "My wife will feel much better...I'll feel much better," Achilles takes the sword out of Patroclus' hand and then pats him on the bottom with his own sword. As he does this in the shot from behind Achilles, the ground area in front of the bushes is sword free. However, as Odysseus says, "A thousand ships," there is a sword lying on the ground in front of the bush. This is either a continuity error or simply the lack of sound of a sword being thrown to the ground, since it's likely to be Patroclus' sword that Achilles threw. (00:23:30)
Continuity mistake: When Thetis says, "Like the ones I used to make you when you were a boy. Remember?" she puts her hand in the water to pick up the sea shell and the bottom of her right sleeve gets soaked in the close-up. However, in the next shot as she turns to face Achilles, that sleeve is dry. Her clothing material darkens greatly when wet, note the bottom of her clothing as she stands in the water when Achilles first walks over. (More noticeable on VHS.) (00:24:40)
Continuity mistake: When Achilles goes to see his mother, Thetis, as they speak the position of her long hair differs repeatedly, e.g., behind her shoulder then in front, depending on the camera angle. (00:25:30)
Revealing mistake: When Hector and Paris return to Troy with Helen, in the first shot they pass through the gate and head down the long path through the city. Then later, when the soldiers head for the armory and when Hector walks through the gate for the face off with Achilles, the path is substantially different. The statue and actual buildings' positions, the curve of the road, etc., are completely different. (This has nothing to do with camera angle.) (00:27:40 - 01:57:00)
Revealing mistake: When Paris and Hector ride back into Troy with Helen (in the chariot), Paris's cloak is held on the armor with blue laces complete with little plastic ends. Similar laces, in various colors, on others' cloaks are also visible in the film. Plastic was not invented until the 20th century. (00:28:00)
Continuity mistake: When Hector and Paris return to Troy with Helen, in the last wide shot as they ride in the chariot the camera pans toward the palace, high up in the distance over particular buildings. Later, just after Odysseus sets fire to the pyre with Achilles' body, when Odysseus' voiceover says, "...I walked with giants. Men rise and fall like the winter wheat," the entire palace is actually GONE in this shot, though it should be visible over the very same buildings as the earlier shot, since the angle of the camera is similar. Composite people simply neglected to add the palace in this pyre shot. (00:28:20 - 02:32:15)
Continuity mistake: After Priam kisses and welcomes Helen to Troy, they all walk inside. In the next wide shot, when Andromache (Hector's wife) steps forward to greet Hector, there is nobody to her left in front of the large column. However, in the next close-up there are two people who stand beside her, directly in front of that column. (00:29:30)
Continuity mistake: After Hector, Paris and Helen arrive home, when Hector hugs Priam and Andromache, there are at least six small gold clasps at the back of Hector's hair, yet when Hector kisses Briseis, the large one differs and all the small clasps are gone. (00:29:35)
Revealing mistake: Just before Priam and Hector speak about Paris and Helen, the camera pans the exterior of the palace at the start of the shot. Later, when the camera pans up after Achilles dies, the same structures are visible, yet part of the stone buildings (beyond the statues that stand beside the grass) and a piece of the wall around the palace, are completely different. (This has nothing to do with camera angles.) (00:30:15 - 02:31:10)
Revealing mistake: When Priam and Hector speak about Paris and Helen, there is a shot from behind them where the city below is clearly visible, as they stand on the balcony. Later, when Priam sees the devastating fires he stands on the same balcony (the statues are visible behind him in the close-up), and the city's buildings, etc., are entirely different than the earlier shot. (00:31:10)
Continuity mistake: As Helen says, "They're coming for me. The wind is bringing them closer..." she leans on the large pillar, even as Paris walks over she stands beside it when they embrace. In the following wide shot, as Paris lets go of her, they are not standing in the same location as the previous close-ups. (00:32:00)
Answer: He was warning the other soldiers that Achilles was coming.