Tyndareus knew that his daughter had a profound influence on men and that unless a way could be found to control the proud men who had assembled at his palace, there would be endless bickering and bloodshed when her husband was finally chosen. Tyndareus made all the suitors swear a solemn oath that they would accept whichever husband he chose for Helen and furthermore, they would avenge anyone who tried to take her from her chosen husband. Helen was allowed to marry a young Mycenaean prince named Menelaos. Her marriage to Menelaos would eventually lead to the Trojan War.
The Trojan War occurred circa 1250 BCE and was one of the final conflicts inflicted on the human race by the Immortals. The Immortals orchestrated the war and determined its outcome with years of subtle manipulation and direct interference. The first overtures to war took place at the wedding of Thetis and Peleus. Thetis was an Immortal daughter of the Ancient of the Sea, Nereus.
Thetis was given to Peleus (a mortal) because of his undying devotion to the gods on Mount Olympos (Olympus). The wedding of Thetis and Peleus was the setting for a defining event which set the stage for the Trojan War. This event has come to be known as The Judgment of Paris although at that time, it was just another demonstration of the rivalry between the Immortals.
In order to honor Thetis, Hera invited all the Immortals to the wedding. The goddess Eris (Discord) was in attendance but she did not come to celebrate ... she came to do what she does best ... cause trouble. Eris cast down a golden apple with the inscription, 'For the most beautiful one.' Hera, Athene (Athena) and Aphrodite all assumed that the prize was for them and when the intended conflict arose, the Trojan prince Paris (Alexandros) was asked to make the final decision as to which goddess deserved the golden apple. Aphrodite promised Paris the hand of the most desirable mortal woman in Greece ... Helen. Paris could not refuse such a prize ... he chose Aphrodite as the most beautiful goddess ... Hera and Athene never forgave the insult. The walls of Troy toppled and all of Paris's family paid with their lives for his unbridled desire.
Helen at Troy
Helen and Alexandros (Paris)
Menelaos went to his brother Agamemnon for help in retrieving Helen from the Trojans. Agamemnon was king of Mycenae, which was the most powerful kingdom in Greece. Agamemnon called on the kings and princes who had sworn to protect Helen and an army was assembled to attack Troy.
The Iliad is the story of the last year of the ten year siege of Troy. Helen lived with Alexandros as his wife for almost ten years before Troy was conquered. King Priam of Troy was unable to surrender Helen to Menelaos because every attempt to find a peaceful solution was thwarted by the Immortals. War was decreed from Mount Olympos and there was nothing Priam or Agamemnon could do to change that divine fate.
When the Trojan elders met to decide Helen's fate, several men urged King Priam to surrender Helen and her dowry to end the war. Several other men accepted bribes from Alexandros and urged Priam to keep fighting. The majority of Priam's elders and advisors saw Helen as the incarnation of divine beauty and thought that no price was too high to pay for her continued presence at Troy. King Priam decided to support his son's claim to Helen and the war continued.
After almost ten years of carnage, Alexandros thought that he could end the suffering of the besieged Trojans by fighting one-on-one with Helen's ex-husband, Menelaos. The two armies called a truce and took solemn oaths that if Alexandros defeated Menelaos, the Greeks would return to their homes and leave Troy unmolested ... likewise, if Menelaos defeated Alexandros, the Trojans would surrender Helen and their city without further fighting.
Helen/HeH Len/Ελεν/The Beautiful Daughter of Zeus
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