To better ground you in the world of Greek mythology, here is a quick summary of the widely accepted series of events that led up to the Trojan War.
Zeus held a banquet to celebrate the marriage of Peleus and Thetis, the future parents of Achilles. Eris, the goddess of dischord, was not invited to the party because no one wants Dischord around. In true Maleficent-fashion, Eris made her presence known out of spite by throwing a golden apple into a room full of people. Normally, this would not seem catastrophic, but this was the Apple of Dischord, so you know it was special. Moreover, upon it was written, "for the fairest," so of course a major beauty queen smackdown had to ensue. The goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all claimed the apple. Instead of judging for himself who the apple belonged to, Zeus pawned off the responsibility on Paris, prince of Troy (also referred to as Alexander), leading to the event darkly referred to as the Judgment of Paris.
In exchange for the Apple O'Beauty, Hera promised to make Paris king of Europe and Asia. Athena offered him wisdom and skill in battle, and good ole Aphrodite promised him the most beautiful woman in the world--Helen of Sparta (who was incidentally already married to Menelaus). Like the shallow little cretin he was, Paris chose Aphrodite's gift. He gave her the Apple, thereby securing the hatred of Hera, Athena, and every other Greek who would spend the next ten years of their lives chasing after one man's object of pride.
The abduction of Helen has various portrayals in literature. The Iliad is deliberately vague about the manner of her arrival in Troy, but her contempt for Paris and guilt over the war is very clear. Most sources refer to the event as an abduction, implying some level of resistance on her part and easily explaining her hostility toward Paris. The poet Sappho, however, claims that Helen left her husband and daughter willingly, that the abduction was actually a seduction. This jives with the idea that it was with Aphrodite's help that Paris brought Helen to Troy, but complicates her negative attitude. Whatever mythological prelude the Iliad takes for granted, it certainly emphasizes the notion that Helen continues to be a slave to lust induced by Aphrodite, whether willingly or not.
The seduction or abduction of Helen by the Trojan prince Paris was a serious crime against Greek hospitality and pride. Also, Menelaus missed his wife. As the brother of King Agamemnon of Mycenae and king of Sparta himself, Menelaus possessed the wherewithal to pursue Helen. He persuaded Agamemnon to gather the Greek armies of which he was the ultimate ruler and launch a thousand ships for Troy. And the rest is history (sort of).
Zeus held a banquet to celebrate the marriage of Peleus and Thetis, the future parents of Achilles. Eris, the goddess of dischord, was not invited to the party because no one wants Dischord around. In true Maleficent-fashion, Eris made her presence known out of spite by throwing a golden apple into a room full of people. Normally, this would not seem catastrophic, but this was the Apple of Dischord, so you know it was special. Moreover, upon it was written, "for the fairest," so of course a major beauty queen smackdown had to ensue. The goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all claimed the apple. Instead of judging for himself who the apple belonged to, Zeus pawned off the responsibility on Paris, prince of Troy (also referred to as Alexander), leading to the event darkly referred to as the Judgment of Paris.
In exchange for the Apple O'Beauty, Hera promised to make Paris king of Europe and Asia. Athena offered him wisdom and skill in battle, and good ole Aphrodite promised him the most beautiful woman in the world--Helen of Sparta (who was incidentally already married to Menelaus). Like the shallow little cretin he was, Paris chose Aphrodite's gift. He gave her the Apple, thereby securing the hatred of Hera, Athena, and every other Greek who would spend the next ten years of their lives chasing after one man's object of pride.
The abduction of Helen has various portrayals in literature. The Iliad is deliberately vague about the manner of her arrival in Troy, but her contempt for Paris and guilt over the war is very clear. Most sources refer to the event as an abduction, implying some level of resistance on her part and easily explaining her hostility toward Paris. The poet Sappho, however, claims that Helen left her husband and daughter willingly, that the abduction was actually a seduction. This jives with the idea that it was with Aphrodite's help that Paris brought Helen to Troy, but complicates her negative attitude. Whatever mythological prelude the Iliad takes for granted, it certainly emphasizes the notion that Helen continues to be a slave to lust induced by Aphrodite, whether willingly or not.
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