I don't think that any of you recognize, friends, that the greatest wars occurred because of women: the Trojan War because of Helen, the plague because of Chryseis, the mênis of Achilles because of Briseis. (Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae 13.560)

 

A) Iliad 3.121-138: Meanwhile Iris went to Helen in the form of her sister-in-law, wife of the son of Antenor, for Helikaon, son of Antenor, had married Laodike, the fairest of Priam's daughters. She found her in her own room, working at a great web of purple linen, on which she was embroidering the struggles [athloi] between Trojans and Achaeans, that Ares had made them fight for her sake. Iris then came close up to her and said, "Come here, child, and see the strange doings of the Trojans and Achaeans till now they have been warring upon the plain, mad with lust of battle, but now they have left off fighting, and are leaning upon their shields, sitting still with their spears planted beside them. Alexander and Menelaos are going to fight about yourself, and you are to be the wife of him who is the victor."

B) Iliad 3.146-160: The two sages, Ucalegon and Antenor, elders of the people, were seated by the Scaean gates, with Priam, Panthoös, Thymoetes, Lampos, Clytius, and Hiketaon of the race of Ares. These were too old to fight, but they were fluent orators, and sat on the tower like cicadas that chirrup delicately from the boughs of some high tree in a wood. When they saw Helen coming towards the tower, [156] they said softly to one another, "There is no way to wish for retribution [nemesis] that Trojans and Achaeans should endure so much and so long, for the sake of a woman so marvelously and divinely lovely. Still, fair though she be, let them take her and go, or she will breed sorrow for us and for our children after us."

C) Iliad 6.342-358: Hektor made no answer, but Helen tried to soothe him. "Brother," said she, "to my abhorred and sinful self, would that a whirlwind had caught me up on the day my mother brought me forth, and had borne me to some mountain or [348] to the waves of the roaring sea that should have swept me away before this mischief had come about. But, since the gods have devised these evils, would, at any rate, that I had been wife to a better man - to one who could smart under dishonor [nemesis] and men's evil speeches. This man was never yet to be depended upon, nor never will be, and he will surely reap what he has sown. Still, brother, come in and rest upon this seat, for it is you who bear the brunt of that toil [ponos] that has been caused by my hateful self and by the derangement [atê] of Alexander - both of whom Zeus has doomed to be a theme of song among those that shall be born hereafter."

D) Iliad 13.616-627: And he, digging his heel into his chest, stripped his arms and boasting spoke a word: "In this way at least you will leave the ships of the Danaans with swift horses, arrogant Trojans insatiate of the terrible war cry, in no need of further outrage and disgrace, which you outraged me with, you evil dogs. Nor did you in any way fear the grievous wrath of Zeus the thunderer, protector of guests and hosts, who will some day destroy your lofty city. You went away leading back with you in vain my wedded wife and her many possessions, when you were treated kindly by her."

E) From Proclus' summary of the Cypria, attributed to Stasinus of Cyprus

[1] Zeus, together with Themis, plans the Trojan War. For Eris, while attending a feast of the gods at the wedding of Peleus, instigates a feud [neikos] among Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite about beauty. They, by order of Zeus, are led by Hermes to Mount Ida for judgment by Alexandros. Alexandros judges for Aphrodite, encouraged by a promise of Helen in marriage. [5] On the advice of Aphrodite, he has ships built. Helenos prophesies to him about what is going to happen. Aphrodite tells Aineias [Aeneas] to sail with him. Then Kassandra foretells the events of the future. When he gets to Lacedaemonia, Alexandros is entertained as a xenos by the sons of Tyndaros, [10] and afterwards by Menelaos at Sparta. Alexandros gives Helen gifts during the feast. Menelaos sails off to Crete, telling Helen to provide proper hospitality for their xenoi while he is away. Aphrodite brings Helen and Alexandros together. After their intercourse, they load up a great many valuables and sail away by night. [15] Hera sends a storm down upon them. Landing at Sidon, Alexandros captures the city. They sail to Ilion. Alexandros marries Helen.

F) Iliad 1.154-171: I came to make war here not because the Trojans are responsible [aitioi] for any wrong committed against me. I have no quarrel with them. They have not raided my cattle nor my horses, [155] nor cut down my harvests on the rich plains of Phthia; for between me and them there is a great space, both mountain and sounding sea. We have followed you, shameless one, for your pleasure, not ours &endash; to gain timê from the Trojans for you &endash; you with the looks of a dog &endash; and for Menelaos. [160] You forget this, and threaten to rob me of the prize [geras] for which I have toiled, and which the sons of the Achaeans have given me. Never when the Achaeans destroy any rich city of the Trojans do I receive so good a prize [geras] as you do, [165] though it is my hands that do the better part of the fighting. When the sharing comes, your share is far the largest, and I must go back to my ships, take what I can get and be thankful, when my labor of fighting is done. Now, therefore, I shall go back to Phthia; it will be much better [170] for me to return home with my ships, for I will not stay here dishonored (without timê) to gather gold and substance for you."

G) From Philostratus' Heroikos (translation by E. Aitken and J. Maclean)

[The island] was there, my guest, and [Protesilaos] tells the following sorts of stories about it… the trees growing on it are poplars and elms, some stand without order, but others already stand in good order around the sanctuary. The sanctuary is situated near the Sea of Maiôtis (which, equal in size to the Pontus, flows into it), and the statues in it, fashioned by the Fates, are Achilles and Helen. Indeed, since desiring lies in the eyes and from this poets celebrate desire in song, Achilles and Helen, although they had not even been seen by one another, because she was in Egypt and he in Ilion, first started to desire one another after they, by hearing a bodily description, found the beginning of their longing. Because no land under the sun had been fated for them as an abode for the immortal part of their life… Thetis beseeched Poseidon to send up from the sea an island where they could dwell. After Poseidon had pondered the length of the Pontus and that, because no island lay in it, it was sailed uninhabited, he made the White Island appear, of the size I have described, for Achilles and Helen to inhabit, but also for sailors to stay and set their anchor in the sea… There Achilles and Helen first saw and embraced one another, and Poseidon himself and Amphitritê hosted their wedding feast, along with all the Nereids and as many rivers and water-spirits as flow into the Sea of Maiôtis and the Pontus… Achilles and Helen are said to drink together and to be engaged in singing. They celebrate in song their desire for one another, Homer's epics on the Trojan war, and Homer himself. Achilles still praises the gift of poetry which came to him from Calliope, and he pursues it more seriously, since he has ceased from military activities.

 

Read all about the variations on the life and afterlife of Helen on Carlos Parada's Greek Mythology Link.

Several vases depicting myths involving Helen may be viewed on-line at the Perseus Project. Below are some thumbnails. Click on the images to link to the Perseus articles and images.

	Berlin F 2291, Attic Red Figure, kylix Interior: man and boy. Side A: Judgement of Paris. Side B: Paris leading Helen away.
	Berlin F 2536, Attic Red Figure, Cup Interior: warrior leaving home (youth and old man). Side A: Judgment of Paris. Side B: meeting of Paris and Helen.
	Boston 13.186, Attic Red Figure, Skyphos Side A: Alexandros abducting Helen. Side B: Menelaos attacking Helen.
	London 1899.2-19.1, Geometric, Krater Woman, man and ship with oarsmen