Helen of Troy

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You may have heard the story of Helen,

a woman whose beauty|launched a thousand ships

and started the most famous|war in history.

You may have heard|of that valiant struggle...

that took place beneath|the golden walls of Troy.

Ten years,|the best of our lives.

Ten thousand men,

the best the gods and dreams|of glory could have fashioned.

All led by my brother|Agamemnon,

the mightiest of the Greeks.

And Achilles, who could|strike down 10 warriors|with one blow.

You may even have heard|of Paris,

who they say betrayed|his country and crown...

for love.

But that is not|the way it happened.

Let me tell you the real story.|I know. I was there.

[Girl]|Kill him.!

Kill him!

[Woman Groaning]|Kill him! Kill him!

Kill him! Kill him!|Kill him!

[Baby Crying]

[Woman]|It's a boy, Your Highness.|A boy.!

[Crying Continues]

You said,|"Kill him. Kill him."

Before any of us knew|that it was a boy.

Cassandra, have you just had|one of your visions, hmm?|Tell me!

Priam, come see your son.

Cassandra, come see|your brother Alexandros.

Look, Cassandra,|Cassandra...

I know that you see things,|and I know that people|don't believe you, but I do.

You-You saw that|it was a baby boy, right?

Hmm?|What else did you see?|[Panting]

What else?

If he lives, Troy will burn.

[Crying Continues]

Take my son to the mountain.

No!

Throw him|from the highest peak.

No!|Do it now!

No! No!|No, no, no, no!

No! No! Please!

No.! Please.! My son.!

No.!

Gods, do your will.

[Baby Crying]

Why would they?|What was it, child?

Some foul prophet|jealous of your beauty?

Never mind. With me|you shall be loved and honored.

I shall name you... Paris.

[Man]|Paris.! Paris,|where are you?

Paris, come.!|Time to eat.!

[Laughing]

[Grunting]

- Ohhh!|- [Laughs]

I've got goats|who fight better than you.

Hey, too bad you can't|watch your goats|as well as your flank.

Look!|What?

- [Goat Bleating]|- Watch my herd!

Stubos.!

[Bleating]

[Bell Clanking]

Stubos!

[Bell Ringing]

[Goat Bleating]

Stubos?

[Water Flowing]

Stubos?

[Sighs]

[Indistinct Whispering]

Who's there?

Beauty is all:
All is beauty.

Victory goes|to the strong.

Gold rules men.|Wealth is power.

Paris must choose.

You must judge|who of us is fairest.

Who are you?

Choose me, Paris.|I am Hera.

I can give you wealth|beyond your dreams.

Athena brings victory|and glory forever.

Look into its face, Paris.|See what Aphrodite gives.

The most beautiful|woman in the world...

Helen.

[Horse Whinnies]

[Horse Whinnies]

- Pollux!|- You know you can't go|outside the city walls.

Father is furious.

Come on. Let's get you|bathed and dressed.

You can't go to a wedding|looking like that.|That big one in front.

Is that Agamem... the one|who's to marry our sister?

No. That's his father,|King Atreus.

See that one there|with the beard?

That's Agamemnon.|They say that one day|he will rule the entire Aegean.

Now come on. Let's go.|Who's the other one,|the young one?

[Pollux]|That's his brother, Menelaus.|Younger by two years.

And not too fond ofliving|in his brother's shadow,|so I hear.

Come on.|Let's get you dressed.

Where are they from?|Mycenae.

Where's that?|Never you mind.

Theseus, my king, this is|bad timing, don't you think?

The greater the challenge.

Don't get me wrong.|I love a challenge.

But I just hate|to be missing Athens|in the springtime.

You know how|beautiful that is.

If you want beauty,|you'll find it right here|beyond those walls.

The most beautiful girl|in the world is here in Sparta.

She's just a child!

I'll ripen her like grapes.|I'll age her like wine.

When she ages just enough,|I'll taste her.

Well and fine, but not when|the greatest warriors in Mycenae|are just behind those walls.

Don't be such a bore.|Let's have some fun.

Fun? This is not fun.|Fishing is fun.

Playing the lute is fun.

Swimming in shark-infested|waters is fun.

Committing suicide|is not fun!

[Blowing Horn]

High King Atreus,|Prince Agamemnon,|Prince Menelaus.

We welcome you to Sparta.

Great Tyndareus,|made greater by his kindness.

Made greater|only by his most dutiful|and obedient daughter.

May I present|the lovely Clytemnestra.

Clytemnestra...

I hereby claim you|as my wife.

And who is this?

My youngest.|Still a child.

An untamed|and disrespectful child,|I might add.

Her name, my lord?

She is Helen.

Helen.

Father, I will take her|to her room.

Yes, indeed you shall.

As punishment for her disrespect,|she will miss the wedding feast.

Father-In-Law,

I see my bride is distressed.

You're quite right.

Clytemnestra's little sister|is but a child...

a child who meant no harm.

Why not invite her|tojoin us?

Well, that sounds fair.

I would be honored|to be Helen's escort,

should the king's|legendary kindness permit.

Pollux, see that|she's properly dressed.

Yes, Father.

Have you ever seen|anything like it?|So much trouble.

[Helen]|What's all the fuss about?

Don't you understand|anything about anything?

You're not a little girl.|You're...

You're almost a woman.|What are you doing?

I'm no such thing.|You are. Listen.|Listen to me.

Get off for a second.|Listen!|No! I won't!

Helen!

Helen, I love you|more than life.

I know it's hard to accept,

but someday soon|you will marry.

I already know who to.

You do?|I saw him.

Where?|In the water.

You'll marry a fish?|A shepherd.

Oh, that's likely.|Helen!

I will. I will, Pollux.|I had a vision.

I saw his face and...|And what?

He saw mine.

And one day he'll find me.

I know it.

I just... I know it.|[Laughs]

Good. Good.

Meanwhile, you must be ready|for kings and princes|to seek your hand.

Why?|Your beauty,|your spirit.

It makes men weak.

Helen, you have no idea|what madness lies in men.

All men, every one.

Even you?

[Middle Eastern]

There she is.|Ah, yes, I see her.

[Woman Laughing]

[Chattering]

[Gasps, Screams]

[Muffled Screaming]

- Halt there!|- Would you hold this, please?

Thank you.|[Grunting]

[Screaming Continues]

[Helen]|Why are you doing that?

Doing what?

Casting lots.|And I know what for too.

You've no right.|I'm not some sort of a prize...

Well done, my friend.

So you get the girl,|and I get the horse.

Well, I'll just have to find meself|another stunningly beautiful princess.

- Persephone, perhaps.|- She's sweet on pomegranates,|I heard.

I hate pomegranates.

Farewell, my friend.

May the gods be kind.

Who are you?

Theseus, King of Athens.

You don't look|like a king.

[Spits]

You'd better get used to me.|I'm going to marry you.

I think you've got me|confused with my sister.

I'm not the daughter|ofTyndareus who does|what anybody says.

You're not the daughter|of Tyndareus at all.

Of course I am.

You think my mother found me|under a cabbage leaf?

Some say that.

I don't.

You're Queen Leda's daughter,|all right.

There's no mistaking|that face.

I'm my father's|daughter too.

[Laughs]|You'd have to be.|That's the way it works.

Tyndareus is my father.

They never told you|anything at all, did they?

Told me what?

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