Helen Flashcards
Who was Helen of Sparta
A princess, a demi-god and the most beautiful woman in the world.
Daughter of Zeus and the Leda (wife of Tyndareus - King of Sparta)
What did Tyndareus do
To make sure none of the suitors sought revenge against Helen and her future husband, Tyndareus made all of the suitors swear an oath that they would go to war against anyone who threatened the marriage.
Which suitor did Helen choose?
Helen chose Menelaus (a prince of Mycenae) and they continued to live in Sparta and had a daughter Hermione. Tyndareus eventually bequeathed his kingdom to menelaus who therefore became the King of Sparta.
Which three Goddesses started to fight over the golden apple that was tossed in anger by Eris, the disagreeable goddess of discord since she was not invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis?
Hera, Athena, Aphrodite.
Zeus then ordered them to take their quarrel elsewhere and instructed Hermes to lead the goddesses to Troy.
What did Hera bribe Paris, a Trojan prince, with?
She promised him dominion over the whole world
What did Athena bribe Paris, a Trojan Prince, with?
She offered certain victory in every battle.
What did Aphrodite bribe Paris, a Trojan prince, with?
She merely offered the most beautiful woman in the world: Helen.
Who did Paris award the Golden Apple to?
He awarded it to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, without hesitation accepted the beauty, demonstrating his priorities.
When was Xenia shown in the story of Helen of Sparta?
When Helen’s husband and her brothers warmly welcomed the Trojan prince and entertained him for nine days, unaware of his motives.
What happened when Menelaus left home to attend his grandfather’s funeral?
Paris immediately carried off Helen and a good deal of treasure from the palace.
Helen may or may not have gone willingly. Some say she share my deserted her husband to join her handsome young lover whilst others argue that she was forcibly raped and abducted.
The face that launched a thousand ships
Discovering Helen’s disappearance, Menelaus asked his brother Agamemnon for help. Agamemnon rounded up the former suitors for help reminding them of their oath but only some of them were eager to fulfil their obligation after so many years. Then Odysseus left Penelope and Telemachus to join the Greek forces and more than 1000 ships from over 2 dozen different kingdoms were launched.
Context of Helen in Iliad (5)
- Greek
- Written by Homer
- Admired for her beauty “like an immortal goddess”
- Unwanted in Troy because her beauty is problematic
- Regrets leaving her family
