Helen In The Trojan War

Although Helen was a major contributing factor of the commencement of the Trojan war, I do not believe she was the lone cause of it. It was the judgement of a beauty contest between three goddesses Athena, Hera and Aphrodite, which had triggered a series of events, that eventually lead to the Trojan war. During this beauty contest, Paris of Troy was to judge the physical appearance of the three greek goddesses. In return of being the favoured beauty, each goddess promised Paris something he desired. The goddess Aphrodite who had made Paris the most appealing offer. She promised him the hand of ‘the most beautiful woman in the world’ if he pleased Aphrodite to be the most beautiful as opposed to Athena and Hera. Seeing that the latter would be the most flattering to Paris, he concluded Aphrodite to be the fairest of the three. Keeping her promise,

Aphrodite, disregarding the fact that Helen is already married, she sends Helen to Paris’ bed where he seduces her to abandon her former relationship permanently to be with him. This is the main event that prompts the War at Troy. Helen is not solely responsible for the series of unfortunate events that occur prior to and during the war, Aphrodite’s involvement in the beauty contest, and in bringing the two together, and Paris’ avidity towards having Helen becoming his fortune should also be held accountable.

In order to fulfill her promise, in Book 3 of the Iliad, 3.399-420, it is seen that Aphrodite induces Helen to accompany Paris.

Helen feels apprehensive about leaving Menelaus for Paris, she says “it would be too shameful.” (Iliad, 3.410) and in doing so, she would lose her well maintained reputation in the eyes of all Trojan women. Since Aphrodite is the goddess of love and since Paris fulfills her desire, she must return the favour and unite Helen and Paris. So she further arouses Helen by threatening to“forsake [her] and grow to hate [her] as much as now [she] terribly [loves her]”(Iliad, 3.414-415). This not only frightens Helen, but also instigates her to follow Aphrodite to the bed of Paris and in the process of doing she successfully leaves unseen by the Trojan women. Infuriated that his wife has deserted him for another man, Menelaus and his brother Agamemnon alongside many other greek warriors, decide to take action against all of Troy. The Trojan war between the Greeks and the citizens of Troy escalate quite rapidly, leading to the death of superior figures of Troy and great Greek

warriors.

The root of the Trojan War was the Judgement of Paris. Overlooking the potential downfall of Troy and disregarding the consequences that not only Paris, Helen and Menelaus would have to suffer but all those associated with Troy and the Greeks, Aphrodite unintentionally sparked a fire by by enticing Paris something he would not be able to resist. The delight that Aphrodite’s offer brings Paris, propels him to take the wife of another man. By carrying out this act, Paris causes Menelaus hubris. Therefore, in order to retrieve the queen of Sparta and to retaliate, the Greeks decide to initiate a war; The Trojan War. If one goes by the sequence of events portrayed in Iliad 3, it is evident that Helen goes to Paris against her will, and for the sake of escaping Aphrodite’s hatred. Helen’s decision of being obedient to Aphrodite’s commands hold’s her partially responsible for the war. However, taking into consideration the concatenation of events that, like a domino effect, led to the fall of the city, Helen can not be exclusively held responsible for the war at Troy, Paris’ lust for Helen and the actions of Aphrodite are just as culpable.