Helen of Troy

Helen of Troy - Biography

"Was this the face that launched a thousand ships 
And burnt the topless towers of Ilium?
Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss."
("Doctor Faustus”, a play by Christopher Marlowe)

Birth of Helen

Helen was the daughter of King Tyndareus of Sparta and his wife Leda. She was incubated in an egg because Zeus, in the guise of a swan, slept with Leda the same night as her husband. From this union were born Helen and Polydeuces, children of Zeus (and therefore immortal), and Castor and Clytemnestra (Pollox), offspring of Tyndareus.

Kidnapping of Helen

Princess Helen grew up enjoying vigorous physical activities such as hunting or wrestling. King Theseus of Athens took a fancy to the blossoming Helen, now of child-bearing age. His friend Pirithous had his eye on the wife of Hades, King of the Underworld. They decided to kidnap the two ladies. Helen was carried off and left for safekeeping with the mother of Theseus in Athens while the two kidnappers descended to the Underworld to capture Persephone, wife of Hades. Hades sensed that the young men were visiting with dishonorable intentions and at the welcoming feast snakes were ordered to coil around them and hold them fast. Meanwhile, Helen’s brothers rode with an army to Athens to rescue her, captured the city, and carried Helen safely back to Sparta. Helen gave birth to a daughter fathered by Theseus, which was given to her sister for safekeeping to maintain the illusion of Helen’s virginity.

Wedding Vows

By this time Helen needed a husband. Such was the renown of her beauty that 25 or more kings and princes from all over the Aegean turned up or sent in their CV’s, including Odysseus. It was he who suggested that in order not to cause friction between them, all the suitors should swear an oath to defend and protect the lucky guy who was chosen as Helen’s hubby against anyone who quarreled with him. They all swore the oath. Royal-blooded Menelaus was quickly named the groom and married Helen. After Tyndareus abdicated the throne, Menelaus and Helen became King and Queen of Sparta. Helen soon gave birth to a daughter, in fact, she had 4-5 children by Menelaus.

Helen and Paris

Nine years later, Prince Paris of Troy called into Sparta on a goodwill visit. Helen, reputed to be the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth, enraptured Paris. Helen was bowled over by the good looks and charm of the smoothie Paris. When Menelaus had to go to Crete for a family funeral, the pair ran off to Troy, at the same time borrowing most of the royal treasury of Sparta for travelling expenses. King Priam adjucated at the wedding of Paris and Helen in a grand ceremony. Now she is no longer “Helen of Sparta” but “Helen of Troy”. Meanwhile, on his return from Crete, Menelaus was furious to find that his trophy wife had flown the nest.

Menelaus demands return of wife

Polite requests in the form of emissaries had no success, so ten years later Menelaus turned up at the gates of Troy to demand Helen’s return, along with a vast army led by other Greek kings (remember the oath they swore?). The Trojans refused to restore Helen to her former husband Menelaus and the Trojan War began. Helen regretted the conflict she had brought about but was stuck with the spineless Paris, not quite the man she thought he was. Helen had several children by Paris but none survived infancy. After the death of Paris in the war’s ninth year, by a poison arrow, Helen was married off to his brother Deiphobus.

Rescue of Helen II

Unloved by both Trojans and Greeks, Helen led a lonely life in the city. Then, thanks to the ruse of the wooden horse, the Greeks managed to overcome the Trojan defences. With the Greek warriors rampaging through the city, Menelaus was adamant that he and only he would kill his faithless runaway wife. After ruthlessly disposing of Deiphobus, he found Helen hiding behind a column and was on the point of dispensing rough justice when Helen accidentally let her diaphanous robe slip from her shoulders. The sight was too much for Menelaus. He tossed away his sword, wrapped her in his arms, and carried her back to his ship. Then they set sail for home.

Helen’s final years

The journey to Sparta was not short. Helen and Menelaus spent eight years stranded in Egypt or thereabouts before they reached home. Menelaus eventually died and Helen was driven into exile. Caught up in even more intrigues on the island of Rhodes, she died there in suspicious circumstances. But since she was immortal, she was taken up to Mount Olympus to be with the other gods and goddesses. 

Such was the life of Helen of Troy, “the face that launched a thousand ships”, who bewitched with her beauty all who beheld her.