Helen

The Spartan king Tyndareos accepted Helen and her brother Polydeuces into his family as if they were his own. But Helen's beauty was known throughout the world, and she was kidnapped by the Athenian king Theseus when she was young. The brothers Castor and Polydeuces quickly freed her and brought her back home. Afterwards, a large number of suitors vied for her hand and quarrels arose between them. Odysseus therefore suggested to King Tyndareus that he let Helen herself choose a man according to her liking and affection. After his further suggestion, it was agreed that to the one whom Helena chose, all the other suitors would be faithful.

Helena chose Menelaus, who was the brother of the wealthy and influential Mycenaean king Agamemnon. Together they had a daughter, Hermione. After the death of King Tyndareus, Meneláos became his successor on the Spartan throne.

At that time, a dispute between the goddesses Hera, Aphrodite and Athena over which of them was the most beautiful flared up. This conflict arose over a golden apple, which the goddess of strife Eris created and gave to "the fairest of them all". Their dispute was to be decided by Paris. Each of the goddesses offered him great gifts, but only Aphrodite offered him the most precious gift, namely love. She promised him the heart of the beautiful Helen. Paris therefore chose Aphrodite as the most beautiful and soon afterwards met Helen, who fell in love with him and fled with him to Troy. This act greatly angered Menelaus and he, along with Agamemnon, decided to march an army against Troy and reclaim Helen.

The war between Greece and Troy lasted for ten years. Helen soon regretted her escape and came to hate Paris. Paris was handsome, but he was not brave and hated being compared to other men. After the conquest of Troy and the death of Paris, Helena did not even go to his funeral. This was because she was spending time with Paris' brother, Deiphobus, whom she even married for a few days. During the battle for the city, he was killed in his bedroom by Helen's first husband, Menelaus.

Meneláos never for a moment considered punishing Helen, convinced that Paris was behind everything. Helena then willingly returned to Sparta.