Helen+of+Troy

Leinaala Medeiros __**Helen of Troy **__ Helen of Sparta more commonly known as Helen of Troy was very considered the most beautiful woman in the world. Everyone loved her, until she did the unthinkable, the worst thing a person could do at that time. I will now tell you the story of her early life, her betrayal, and how she was the cause of the horrible Trojan War.

Helen was born of the sky god Zeus, and the mortal queen Leda. Leda then made an egg, from it, Helen emerged. Her mother also created another egg, which had Castro and Pollux. Theseus and [|Pirithous] thought that because they were both demi-gods, both should have the most beautiful wives. They promised to help each other abduct two daughters of Zeus. Theseus chose Helen for his wife, and Pirithous wanted Persephone, who was the wife of Hades. Theseus took Helen and left her with his mother [|Aethra] . Theseus and Pirithous traveled to the underworld to kidnap Persephone. Helen's abduction caused an invasion of Athens by Castor and Pollux (who are her brothers), who captured Theseus’ mother Aethra in revenge, and took her sister back to Sparta.

When Helen was getting old enough to marry, many important people such as kings and princes from around the world came to seek her marriage. They brought gifts with them, or sent emissaries to bring gifts to her. During the contest, her brothers Castor and Pollux had the job in dealing with the suitors, although the final decision Tyndareus’. Menelaus did not come to see her, but he sent his brother, [|Agamemnon] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">, to represent him and give her a gift. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Odysseus was also a suitor, but he did not bring any gifts, but he said that he could fix a problem for Tyndareus if he helped him to marry <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt; text-decoration: none;">[|Penelope] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">, the daughter of <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt; text-decoration: none;">[|Icarius.] <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Odysseus said that, before the decision by Tyndareus was made; all the suitors <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">should promise to defend the chosen husband against whoever should quarrel with him. All of the suitors agreed to that. (They all secretly knew it would come in handy if they were chosen! Shh!) After a long time of evaluating, Tyndareus picked Menelaus the King of Sparta. Helen had no say in the engagement. <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"> Menelaus was the most political choice for her father. <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">He had wealth and power, but he did not offer the good looks and glamour that Helen wanted, like some of the other fine suitors. <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Paris was the son of <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">King <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt; text-decoration: none;">[|Priam] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"> and <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt; text-decoration: none;">[|Hecuba] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"> of Troy. His mother had a dream that Paris would cause the downfall of Troy. So his parents gave him to their herdsman to kill. But he could not kill the baby, so he kept him as his own, and named him Paris. Paris was always smart but he was especially handsome. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Zeus held a party up in Olympus; everyone was invited, except Eris who was the goddess of strife. She was so angry that she tossed a golden apple into the party that said “for the fairest”. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all thought it was for them. So Paris was in charge of choosing who was “the fairest”. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Aphrodite said that if he picked her, he would give her the most beautiful woman in the world. He picked Aphodite. Hera and Athena both swore revenge on the innocent Paris.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">The most beautiful woman was conveniently Helen of Sparta. So he went to stay at Menelaus’ palace in order to try and win Helen’s heart. She fell in love with him, and when Menelaus went on a diplomatic mission, they ran away to live in Troy. Menelaus got back and found that Helen had left with Paris, so he called all of the suitors that promised him they would help, to go and retrieve Helen. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Menelaus, Achilles, and Odysseus and their army landed in Troy, and built a giant horse out of wood and climbed into it. The Trojans thought that it was a sign of surrender, so they took it inside their gates, and celebrated. At night, they climbed out and attacked Troy. Many many people died including Paris.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">She returned to Sparta with Menelaus and that’s where she lived until Menelaus died. After he died her stepson <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Nicostratus. At first she lived in Rhodes by Polyxo, the widow of Tlepolemus, who was one of the people who fought with Menelaus who had died in the Trojan War. Polyxo eventually got revenge on Helen by hanging her.

**__ Bibliography __**
 * 1) Helen of Troy." // Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia // . Web. 15 Dec. 2011. []
 * 2) "About Helen of Troy." // Welcome to English « Department of English, College of LAS, University of Illinois // . Web. 15 Dec. 2011. []
 * 3) "About Helen of Troy." // Welcome to English « Department of English, College of LAS, University of Illinois // . Web. 15 Dec. 2011. []