Helen, the beautiful queen of Sparta in Greek mythology, is often remembered as the woman whose face launched a thousand ships. She was married to King Menelaus of Sparta, but her heart was captivated by Paris, the prince of Troy.
The story of Helen and Paris is one of the most famous love stories in Greek mythology. But did Helen really love Paris
The Story of Helen and Paris
The story goes that Paris was chosen by Zeus to decide which goddess was the most beautiful – Hera, Athena or Aphrodite. Each goddess offered him a gift in exchange for being chosen as the fairest.
Paris chose Aphrodite’s gift which was the love of the most beautiful woman in the world – Helen.
Paris then traveled to Sparta where he met Helen and they fell in love. He took her back to Troy with him, which led to a war between Troy and Sparta that lasted for ten years.
Did Helen Love Paris
It’s difficult to say for sure whether Helen loved Paris or not. In some versions of the myth, she is portrayed as being deeply in love with him and even willing to leave her husband and daughter behind for him.
However, other versions suggest that she may have been under a spell cast by Aphrodite that made her fall in love with Paris against her will.
Evidence Against Her Loving Paris
One argument against Helen truly loving Paris is that she never seems completely happy or content while living with him. She constantly longs for her home in Sparta and regrets leaving her husband behind.
Furthermore, when Hector – Paris’ brother – asks her whether she loves him, she responds by saying that she wishes she had died before coming to Troy. This suggests that her feelings for Paris were not as strong as they may have seemed.
Evidence in Favor of Her Loving Paris
On the other hand, some versions of the myth suggest that Helen was truly in love with Paris and was willing to do anything for him.
In Euripides’ play “Helen”, Helen is portrayed as being kidnapped by Theseus instead of going to Troy with Paris. This version of the myth suggests that Helen never actually went to Troy and that the woman who did go was actually a phantom created by the gods.
In this version, Helen is still deeply in love with Paris and is overjoyed when he eventually comes to rescue her.
The Bottom Line
So did Helen really love Paris The truth is, we may never know for sure.
The story has been retold so many times over the centuries that it’s difficult to separate fact from fiction. What we do know is that their story has captured people’s imaginations for centuries and continues to be retold in books, movies, and plays today.