Helen of Troy [30]
be taken as indicating
Homer's opinion that Helen was literally a victim, an unwilling
victim, of Aphrodite, and that she was carried away by force a
captive from Lacedaemon. These passages are in the Iliad, ii. 356,
590. In the former text Nestor says, "let none be eager to return
home ere he has couched with a Trojan's wife, and AVENGED THE
LONGINGS AND SORROWS OF HELEN"--[Greek text which cannot be
reproduced.] It is thus that Mr. Gladstone, a notable champion of
Helen's, would render this passage, and the same interpretation was
favoured by the ancient "Separatists" (Chorizontes), who wished to
prove that the Iliad and Odyssey were by different authors; but many
authorities prefer to translate "to avenge our labours and sorrows
for Helen's sake"--"to avenge all that we have endured in the attempt
to win back Helen." Thus the evidence of this passage is ambiguous.
The fairer way to seek for Homer's real view of Helen is to examine
all the passages in which she occurs. The result will be something
like this:- Homer sees in Helen a being of the rarest personal charm
and grace of character; a woman who imputes to herself guilt much
greater than the real measure of her offence. She is ever gentle
except with the Goddess who betrayed her, and the unworthy lover
whose lot she is compelled to share. Against them her helpless anger
breaks out in flashes of eloquent scorn. Homer was apparently
acquainted with the myth of Helen's capture by Theseus, a myth
illustrated in the decorations of the coffer of Cypselus. But we
first see Helen, the cause of the war, when Menelaus and Paris are
about to fight their duel for her sake, in the tenth year of the
Leaguer (Iliad, iii. 121). Iris is sent to summon Helen to the
walls. She finds Helen in her chamber, weaving at a mighty loom, and
embroidering on tapestry the adventures of the siege--the battles of
horse-taming Trojans and bronze-clad Achaeans. The message of Iris
renews in Helen's heart "a sweet desire for her lord and her own
city, and them that begat her;" so, draped in silvery white, Helen
goes with her three maidens to the walls. There, above the gate,
like some king in the Old Testament, Paris sits among his
counsellors, and they are all amazed at Helen's beauty; "no marvel is
it that Trojans and Achaeans suffer long and weary toils for such a
woman, so wondrous like to the immortal goddesses." Then Priam,
assuring Helen that he holds her blameless, bids her name to him her
kinsfolk and the other Achaean warriors. In her reply, Helen
displays that grace of penitence which is certainly not often found
in ancient literature:- "Would that evil death had been my choice,
when I followed thy son, and left my bridal bower and my kin, and my
daughter dear, and the maidens of like age with me." Agamemnon she
calls, "the husband's brother of me shameless; alas, that such an one
should be." She names many of the warriors, but misses her brothers
Castor and Polydeuces, "own brothers of mine, one mother bare us.
Either they followed not from pleasant Lacedaemon, or hither they
followed in swift ships, but now they have no heart to go down into
the battle for dread of the shame and many reproaches that are mine."
"So spake she, but already the life-giving earth did cover them,
there in Lacedaemon, in their own dear country."
Menelaus and Paris fought out their duel, the Trojan was discomfited,
but was rescued from death and carried to Helen's bower by Aphrodite.
Then the Goddess came in disguise to seek Helen on the wall, and
force her back into the arms of her defeated lover. Helen turned on
the Goddess with an abruptness and a force of sarcasm and invective
which seem quite foreign to her gentle nature. "Wilt thou take me
further yet to some city of Phrygia or pleasant Maeonia, if there any
man is dear to thee . . . Nay, go thyself and sit down by Paris, and
forswear the paths of the Gods, but ever lament for him and cherish
him, till he make thee his wife, yea, or perchance his slave, but to
him will I
Homer's opinion that Helen was literally a victim, an unwilling
victim, of Aphrodite, and that she was carried away by force a
captive from Lacedaemon. These passages are in the Iliad, ii. 356,
590. In the former text Nestor says, "let none be eager to return
home ere he has couched with a Trojan's wife, and AVENGED THE
LONGINGS AND SORROWS OF HELEN"--[Greek text which cannot be
reproduced.] It is thus that Mr. Gladstone, a notable champion of
Helen's, would render this passage, and the same interpretation was
favoured by the ancient "Separatists" (Chorizontes), who wished to
prove that the Iliad and Odyssey were by different authors; but many
authorities prefer to translate "to avenge our labours and sorrows
for Helen's sake"--"to avenge all that we have endured in the attempt
to win back Helen." Thus the evidence of this passage is ambiguous.
The fairer way to seek for Homer's real view of Helen is to examine
all the passages in which she occurs. The result will be something
like this:- Homer sees in Helen a being of the rarest personal charm
and grace of character; a woman who imputes to herself guilt much
greater than the real measure of her offence. She is ever gentle
except with the Goddess who betrayed her, and the unworthy lover
whose lot she is compelled to share. Against them her helpless anger
breaks out in flashes of eloquent scorn. Homer was apparently
acquainted with the myth of Helen's capture by Theseus, a myth
illustrated in the decorations of the coffer of Cypselus. But we
first see Helen, the cause of the war, when Menelaus and Paris are
about to fight their duel for her sake, in the tenth year of the
Leaguer (Iliad, iii. 121). Iris is sent to summon Helen to the
walls. She finds Helen in her chamber, weaving at a mighty loom, and
embroidering on tapestry the adventures of the siege--the battles of
horse-taming Trojans and bronze-clad Achaeans. The message of Iris
renews in Helen's heart "a sweet desire for her lord and her own
city, and them that begat her;" so, draped in silvery white, Helen
goes with her three maidens to the walls. There, above the gate,
like some king in the Old Testament, Paris sits among his
counsellors, and they are all amazed at Helen's beauty; "no marvel is
it that Trojans and Achaeans suffer long and weary toils for such a
woman, so wondrous like to the immortal goddesses." Then Priam,
assuring Helen that he holds her blameless, bids her name to him her
kinsfolk and the other Achaean warriors. In her reply, Helen
displays that grace of penitence which is certainly not often found
in ancient literature:- "Would that evil death had been my choice,
when I followed thy son, and left my bridal bower and my kin, and my
daughter dear, and the maidens of like age with me." Agamemnon she
calls, "the husband's brother of me shameless; alas, that such an one
should be." She names many of the warriors, but misses her brothers
Castor and Polydeuces, "own brothers of mine, one mother bare us.
Either they followed not from pleasant Lacedaemon, or hither they
followed in swift ships, but now they have no heart to go down into
the battle for dread of the shame and many reproaches that are mine."
"So spake she, but already the life-giving earth did cover them,
there in Lacedaemon, in their own dear country."
Menelaus and Paris fought out their duel, the Trojan was discomfited,
but was rescued from death and carried to Helen's bower by Aphrodite.
Then the Goddess came in disguise to seek Helen on the wall, and
force her back into the arms of her defeated lover. Helen turned on
the Goddess with an abruptness and a force of sarcasm and invective
which seem quite foreign to her gentle nature. "Wilt thou take me
further yet to some city of Phrygia or pleasant Maeonia, if there any
man is dear to thee . . . Nay, go thyself and sit down by Paris, and
forswear the paths of the Gods, but ever lament for him and cherish
him, till he make thee his wife, yea, or perchance his slave, but to
him will I