Shedding Light on Helen

When the Greeks needed to appeal to an ultimate authority, it wasn't a sacred text but Homer that they went to. Greece was founded on the Iliad. The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony pg. 91. As those of you who have read chapter four know it is probably the longest chapter in the book, and for good reason. This chapter addresses the story of Helen and the god and goddesses that were in the background. Helen was the only daughter of Zeus and had two mothers. Zeus as always raped a women by the name of Nemesis and while Nemesis was sleeping Hermes took the egg and placed it in Leda's womb. Helen was pretty much the most beautiful women on the face of the earth and a bi-product of such beauty was an endless amount of suitors. Helen had five husbands including Achilles. They were however not married while still living but after both were spirits. These two met while the Greeks were attacking Troy to try and get Helen back form Paris. The ironic thing about this whole story that we have all heard before is that Helen was not even there it was only a specter of Helen. The real Helen was with an Egyptian king. This fact is commonly left out of the popular story because Homer thought that this fact would make his epic story not so epic.