Did Troy start the Trojan War?

What started the Trojan War? According to the ancient Greek epic poet Homer, the Trojan War was caused by Paris, son of the Trojan king, and Helen, wife of the Greek king Menelaus, when they went off together to Troy.

What was Helen of Troy role in the Trojan War?

Helen of Troy is a pivotal character in the Greek myth of the Trojan War. Helen was the wife of Menelaus, the king of Sparta, but she was abducted by the Trojan prince Paris and taken to Troy. In some versions of the story, she may have gone willingly.

Is Helen guilty in the Trojan War?

In the Iliad, yes, she is. Even Helen herself admits her guilt, calling herself ‘shameless’ (literally ‘dog-faced’) in 3.180.

Why was Helen of Troy hated?

The ancients thought Helen’s crime was the crime of a god, or rather a goddess, Aphrodite (in that Helen’s excessive sexual charisma was a gift of Aphrodite) – but through the medieval and Early Modern periods – in fact up until the 21st century, her affair was judged a sin against God himself.

Who started Trojan War?

prince Paris
According to classical sources, the war began after the abduction (or elopement) of Queen Helen of Sparta by the Trojan prince Paris. Helen’s jilted husband Menelaus convinced his brother Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, to lead an expedition to retrieve her.

What happened to Helen of Troy after the Trojan War?

The poet Stesichorus has Helen and Paris drive ashore the coast of Egypt, where King Protus detained Helen. It is believed that Helen of Troy (The Helen that actually went to Troy with Paris) was thus a phantom. The real Helen resided in Egypt and her husband found her after the Trojan War.

Why did Helen betray Troy?

Helen’s suitors—including Odysseus—came from all parts of Greece, and from among them she chose Menelaus, Agamemnon’s younger brother. During an absence of Menelaus, however, Helen fled to Troy with Paris, son of the Trojan king Priam, an act that ultimately led to the Trojan War.

Why is Helen of Troy important?

In Greek mythology , Helen of Troy was the most beautiful woman in the world. A daughter of the god Zeus (pronounced ZOOS), she is best known for the part she played in causing the Trojan War, a story told by Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey.

Was Helen of Troy evil?

Greek, Athens, 420-400 B.C. The ancient Greeks believed that female beauty was linked intrinsically to bad character, starting with the first woman, Pandora, created by Zeus as a “beautiful evil.” Therefore Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman in the world, was in her very nature the most destructive.

Was Helen raped in the Iliad?

She is raped by both: the best she can say of Achilles is that he is quick, and she suffers extreme violence at the hands of Agamemnon. Surprisingly, Helen, a friend of Briseis, and also a friend of King Priam, does have a voice.

Was Helen of Troy a victim or villain?

Now, at the end of ten years of battle, the other characters, Hecuba and Menelaus especially, blame her for all the lives lost and the destruction wrought. In her own words, Helen was merely a victim of fortune, first bewitched by Aphrodite who brought Paris to her, and then held in Troy by force.

How did the Greek gods start the Trojan War?

Trojan War, in Greek mythology, war between the Greeks and the people of Troy. The strife began after the Trojan prince Paris abducted Helen, wife of Menelaus of Sparta. When Menelaus demanded her return, the Trojans refused. Menelaus then persuaded his brother Agamemnon to lead an army against Troy.

What sparked the Trojan War?

According to classical sources, the war began after the abduction (or elopement) of Queen Helen of Sparta by the Trojan prince Paris. Helen’s jilted husband Menelaus convinced his brother Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, to lead an expedition to retrieve her.

Was Helen of Troy a hero?

In Greek mythology, Helen was the most beautiful woman from the age of the heroes. She was the wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta (one of several Greek kingdoms). After Helen ran away with Paris, prince of Troy, the Greek armies fought a ten year long war against Troy to win her back.

Is Helen of Troy a victim?

In her poem, Helen is neither a victim nor a whore, instead she is given her own voice and it is one which acknowledges the consequences of her actions but still chooses love above all else.

Do you think Helen was to blame for the war?

Now, Helen is usually blamed the most for the Trojan war, however it is not known whether Helen went with Paris freely or if he and Aphrodite kidnapped her.

Did Helen of Troy betray the Trojans?

During an absence of Menelaus, however, Helen fled to Troy with Paris, son of the Trojan king Priam, an act that ultimately led to the Trojan War. When Paris was slain, Helen married his brother Deiphobus, whom she betrayed to Menelaus once Troy was captured.

Which goddess started the Trojan War?

The war originated as a quarrel between three goddesses (Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera) over a golden apple, sometimes referred to as the Apple of Discord. It all happened at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, when Eris, goddess of strife and discord, was not invited.

Was Helen of Troy guilty of starting the Trojan War?

“Helen” was probably ordinary female Greeks, taken as slaves to Troy, which was known to have “captive” women working in textiles. That Paris/Alexander “stole” Helen means he engaged in slaving raids on the Greek cities, killing men and taking the women. So no, Helen was not guilty of starting the war. She/they were victims. The Trojans started it.

What happens to Helen of Troy after the Trojan War?

Paris returned to Troy without a new bride, but the Greeks refused to believe that Helen was in Egypt and not within Troy’s walls. Thus, Helen waited in Memphis for ten years, while the Greeks and the Trojans fought. Following the conclusion of the Trojan War, Menelaus sailed to Memphis, where Proteus reunited him with Helen.

Is Helen of Troy a real person?

The most beautiful woman in the world and wife of the greek king Menelaus (Jonas Armstrong) of Sparta, Helen elopes with the Trojan prince Paris (Louis Hunter) sparking a war that lasts 10 years. However, there is no solid evidence to suggest that Helen was a real person.

Was Helen a true cause of the Trojan War?

What Was the True Cause of the Trojan War? According to the Greek legend, the Trojan War was fought between the Greeks and the citizens of Troy. The direct cause of this war was the beauty of Helen of Troy. She was the daughter of the Greek god Zeus and Leda, the Queen of Sparta.