Helen of Troy Page #3

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No.

I want to love.|Well, you will someday.

I'm ready now.

You're young.

I'm a woman.

Someday, someplace|you'll find someone better.

Someone worthier.

When you do,|neither the gods' will|nor the earth's turning...

will keep you from him.

That's how I feel|about you.

But, Helen, this has just been...|well, a kind of practice.

Someday|you'll know the difference.

You always said|that we'd marry.

Helen.

Hey.

[Gasps]

Pollux!|Shh. Quiet.

Why are you here?|We finally found you.

You're safe now.

[Murmuring]

[Shouting]

[Gasps]

Aah!

[Grunting]

Leave him!

Let me go!

Let me go!|Pollux, make them stop!

Get her out of here!|Don't let her see this!

It will warm her heart!

No, Pollux!|You don't understand!

Get off me.!|[Grunts]

Aah!

[Grunting Continues]

Pollux, if you love me,|hear me.!

Let me go!

No!|It's all right, Helen.!

It's a fair price,|and I gladly pay it.

- [Groans]|- No!

[Whimpering]|No!

- [Grunts]|- Pollux!

- No!|- [Helen Screaming]

[No Audio]

[Narrator]|With the death of Pollux,|Tyndareus had no heir.

The great kings|of the Aegean...

were drawn to Sparta|like moths to the flame.

Odysseus, king of Ithaca,|remembers the fallen Pollux...

and offers his heart|to the great king|Tyndareus.

Achilles brings greetings|from the Myrmidons...

who stand shoulder to shoulder|with the people of Sparta...

to defend the honor of Sparta...

and to revenge the blood|of the great king Tyndareus.

To die for a woman...|it's hard to imagine|such weakness.

You cannot comment.|You have not seen her.

- I don't need to.|- [Scoffs]

- You afraid to try?|- I'm afraid of nothing.

There.

You shed no tears.

By your actions,|you have left me|without love or hope...

and Sparta without|its future king,

and you show no grief.

[Tyndareus]|It should have been you|who died.

Is there any among you|who will take|this cursed woman?

Is there|any among you...

who wishes their home devastated,

his country brought to ruin,

his heart broken beyond repair?

I leave her to you.

Leave her!

Tyndareus is right.

She'll bring her husband|more trouble|than he could ever imagine.

[Odysseus]|The path to her bed|is strewn with ash and death.

And yet is there not one man|'round this table|who does not want her?

Do you suggest that|every king here draw his sword|against the other?

No. Of course not.|That would be...

What he wants is to|have her all to himself.

Isn't that right,|little brother?|[Kings Laughing]

In truth, if we raise|our swords at all,

it should be together|and pointed|in the same direction.

Toward riches|in Byzantium.

Or Perseus.

If we unite,|we can conquer|anything at all.

Any creature,|any nation.

Well spoken, Agamemnon,|but you control no army.

Perhaps I should|tell you, brothers,|that as we speak...

our father,|the clear-eyed Atreus,|lies alone,

speaking only|with the gods.

In a matter of days they|will take him, and I will return|to the citadel at Mycenae.

[Achilles]|Then let us greet you now|as our new high king...

mighty Agamemnon|of Mycenae.

Agamemnon!|[All]|Agamemnon!

Can we agree to unite|in time of war?

What do you say,|Odysseus?|I have a family.

I'd rather plow a field|and sow it with salt|than go to war.

[Sighs]|And you, Achilles?

Some of us may prefer|a long and quiet life|at home.

I, for one,|would live it short...

if I knew I could die|with a taste of glory|on my lips.

You will have it short|if one of us takes Helen.

[Scoffs, Chuckles]

And yet,

perhaps this is the way|that we can unite|as Agamemnon wishes.

Good Odysseus,|the wisest of us all.

[Scoffs]|Tell us, O wise one,|what do you propose?

Two things.

First,|we swear an oath.

What sort|of oath?

Whoever takes Helen...

can trust that we will defend|that man's sole right to her|with our lives.

The rest must be content|to admire her from afar.

And second?

We cast lots.|The winner takes the bride.

Never!

Who...

What gives you the right|to agree on such a thing?

The right of one man|to one vote.

Who in the world|has ever heard of that?|There is no such thing.

Then we begin here.

Who swears the oath?

Agamemnon, as we two|are the only ones|who are married,

how do you suggest|we cast the lots?

Given this noble|assemblage,

I would say our seals.

Closest to the jar...

may claim his bride.

Menelaus.

What say you, my brother?

I say|the gods have spoken.

And each man here|would be wise|to keep his oath...

or face the everlasting wrath|of Mount Olympus.

[Giggling]

Your daughter|is so lovely.

[Chuckles]

She reminds me of you.

[Giggling Continues]

So long ago.

Iphigenia, come.

Say good night|to your aunt.

Have you|been bouncing?

Ohh!

Give your aunt a kiss.

[Chuckles]

Go to bed.|Quickly.

Making a child so sweet|might be reason enough to live.

You have many reasons,|Helen.

Tomorrow you will marry|my husband's brother.

We'll be sisters|and sisters-in-law both.

Yes.

They are hard men.

But it is possible|to love them.

Paris?

Father asked|to see you.

Hmph.

He's sending you|to Sparta.

Why?

Because he wants you|to take a message|to the new king Menelaus,

younger brother|of High King Agamemnon|of Mycenae.

High king?|Some sort of|supreme ruler, is he?

That's right.

And now he's talking more|against Troy.

Why?

Because we control access|to the silks and spices|of Byzantium.

[Scoffs]

What?

I just can't believe|people go to war|over nutmeg.

Well, they do, Paris,|and you'd better|get used to it.

Where is he now,|this high king of theirs?

Don't know.

Agamemnon's in Sparta|for the funeral ofTyndareus|and the crowning of Menelaus,

and when I get there|it will appear that I've been|sent to drive a wedge...

between the brothers,

who will then kill me|and put my head on a spike.

Then Troy will be rid of me,|Cassandra will be redeemed...

and you can get back to being|the sole heir to the throne.

Am I close?

You're being a fool.

Look me in the eye|and say that.

Look me in the eye.

Brother, if the gods|have divined it, so be it.

[Winds Whistling]

Such strong winds,|my lord.

The gods must have|hurried us here.

Yes, it would seem.

They must favor|your mission.

I wouldn't|count on it.

Oh.

Helen,|I'm the obedient wife,

but even I will tell you...

he's taken this oath|too far.

When you were a child|and Father punished you,

you would always|come back fighting.

Why aren't you|fighting now?

I've caused such grief|and destruction.

Helen, you did not ask|to be kidnapped.

Nor rescued,|for that matter.

It's not your fault.

[Whispers]|It's Paris ofTroy.

Bring him here.

You don't know.

Why do you|have to do this?

Menelaus commands it.|I don't do it|for Agamemnon.

Ten thousand men|have sworn their lives...

to defend|the right of Menelaus|to have me.

Agamemnon believes|the king...

should seek proof|of my worth.

How can you let them|treat you like this?

They can look|all they want,

but they'll|never see me.

[Crowd Chattering,|Murmuring]

[Men Shouting Approval]

Truly magnificent.

Breathtaking.

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