The assemblage of paintings for the Troy triptych owes something to the illustrations for Morris's poems for The Earthy Paradise and Jason. Because of the failure to complete the illustrated project with his designs Burne-Jones transferred his idea into combining them into the large polyptych which was then, after its abandonment, the source for the large number of separate paintings. Burne-Jones was familiar with the manuscripts held in the British Museum, through continual visits to study them and although he was turning his mind towards more classical inspirations, he continued to develop ideas derived from his period medievalism. As the medieval mind was drawn to the subject of Fate, there are numerous illuminations depicting Fortune as a woman turning her wheel upon which men are tied such as Harley 4431 f. 129 Wheel of Fortune included here.