Aphrodite Brings Paris to Helen

Presented as part of

Dr. Bob's "Homer Tonight!"

Robert Russ

5 Pickwick Place

Greensboro, NC 27407

. . . Helen daughter of Zeus was frightened
and went shrouding herself about in the luminous spun robe,
silent, unseen by the Trojan women, and led by the goddess.
When they had come to Alexandros' splendidly wrought house,
the rest of them, the handmaidens went speedily to their own work,
but she, shining among women, went to the high-vaulted bedchamber.
Aphrodite the sweetly laughing drew up an armchair,
carrying it, she, a goddess, and set it before Alexandros,
and Helen, daughter of Zeus of the aegis, took her place there
turning her eyes away, and spoke to her lord in derision:
'So you came back from fighting. Oh, how I wish you had died there
beaten down by the stronger man, who was once my husband.
There was a time before now you boasted that you were better
than warlike Menelaos, in spear and hand and your own strength.
Go forth now and challenge warlike NMenelaos
once again to fight you in combat. But no: I advise you
rather to let it be, and fight no longer with fair-haired
Menelaos, strength against strength in single combat
recklessly. You might very well go down before his spear.'
Paris then in turn spoke to her thus and an swered her:
'Lady, censure my heart no more in bitter reprovals.
This time Menelaos with Athene's help has beaten me;
another time I shall beat him. We have gods on our side also.
Come, then, rather let us go to bed and turn to love-making.
Never before as now has passion enmeshed my senses,
not when I took you the first time from Lakedaimon the lovely
and caught you up and carried you away in seafaring vessels,
and lay with you in the bed jof love on the island Kranae,
not even then, as now, did I love you and sweet desire seize me.'
Speaking, he led the way to the bed; and his wife went with him.
So these two were laid in the carven bed.

Other scenes

The muses inspire the poet
Athena intervenes
The heralds lead Briseis away to Agamemnon
Odysseus returns Chryseis to her father
Thetis pleads with Zeus
Zeus grants Thetis' request
The gods feast on Olympos
The embassy to Achilleus (from Book IX)
The death of Hektor (from Book XXII)
Priam supplicates Achilleus for Hektor's body (from Book XXIV)

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