Helen of Troy Page #5

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And you bring her here...

with the entire Aegean fleet on your heels,

and you expect us to turn a blind eye|to your wanton frolics?

Father, please allow me to present my case.

You have presented us with a war!|That is case enough.

Agamemnon presents war, not I.

You sent me to Sparta to confirm it,

my king.

Elders of Troy,

the high king of Mycean|has fastened himself to Troy...

as gateway to the treasures of Byzantium.

The woman belongs to Sparta.

Where she's treated worse|than a Hittite whore?

Forced to walk naked|among Aegean kings who leer...

and spit obscenities.

I did not take her.

I saved her from a people|who find no worth in women,

place no value on beauty...

and seek their only honor|through glorious death in battle.

Father, do not listen.|The woman brings the end of Troy.

[Whispering] She must be returned to Sparta.

- Where is Helen?|- She's being prepared.

- For what?|- Her husband.

Does Troy so fear the Aegeans it turns|its face from mercy?

Are the gilded walls of Ilium so weak...

they cannot defend kindness and compassion?

Are you all blind?

The woman is a Spartan.

She must leave here.|She must go.

She will kill us all.

Good King,

your daughter speaks the truth.

I have no right to be here.

Helen.

I wish to return to my husband.

[Man] Row!

Row!

Your wife awaits you.

Menelaus, king of Sparta!

Odysseus, king of Ithaca!

Troy welcomes you.

Great King Priam,

we are... honored to stand before you.

We know you to be just...

and wise,

and therefore will see reason...

to return to Sparta...

what belongs to Sparta.

For what purpose?

Purpose?

You ask us to return to Sparta|that which belongs to Sparta.

is this your property,|your chattel or your evening's amusement?

Will you insult me?

I demand you return my wife!

Bold King of Sparta,

I ask the question again.

- For what purpose?|- Because she is mine!

Because she is my wife!

It is a simple question.

And I will make it painfully simple|if only for your benefit.

You will return Helen...

to me...

or the combined armies|of the Aegean will sack your city...

and raze it to the ground!

Good King Priam, if I may speak on the matter.

A man loses his wife to another.

Perhaps she's stolen.|Perhaps she goes of her own free will.

It makes no difference.

That man is so consumed...

with grief and passion,

he becomes rash,

even senseless at times.

It would be the same for any man here--

the farmer in the field,|the merchant in the street,

even a king.

King Menelaus pleads with you|to return his wife.

For what purpose, you ask.

For the only purpose|that can account for such fervor.

Love.

Only that.

King Odysseus, you've spoken well and wisely.

You shall have our answer...

before sunrise.

Leave us.

I asked to be returned.

is that what you want?

It is my duty.

I have two questions.

Do you love my son?

With all my heart.

If I send you back, will it stop this war?

Why not?

- I know him.|- Menelaus?

The other.

Bring me Achilles.

The main fleet lands here,|Agamemnon and I here.

We scale the cliffs to a plain that leads to|the marketplace below the city.

Up a staircase, through an arch|in front of the city gates.

The moment we attack,|the merchants will retreat to the city.

And the weakness of compassion|will keep the gates open.

Menelaus, take the beach.|We will pass through the market in disguise.

A short life full of glory.|Isn't that what you wished?

May the gods smile on our destiny.

[Priam] I agree with the elders,

who have no doubt|that the high king of Mycenae comes to Troy...

for the purpose of making war.

We are also aware of speculation that he|has sacrificed his daughter...

for the purpose of securing a favorable wind.

This is not the conduct of a man of peace.

We also agree that to sacrifice your honor,

or even your life,|will not appease his desire...

or make peace more likely.

For these reasons,

we invite you to consider this city|to be your home...

for as long as you shall live.

Furthermore, should you|choose to renounce...

any further affiliation with Sparta,

you shall henceforth be known...

as Helen of Troy.

Do you accept this offer?

I accept.

[Squawking]

It appears they will keep her.

To Troy!|[Men Cheering]

[All Shouting]

[Man] Move ahead!

[Grunting]

[Shouts]

We need to move the barriers now!

Drop and hold now!

[Panicked Chattering]

On to Troy!

[Screams]

[Woman] There is no time.

Move away!

Soldiers!|Alert the guards.

You brought all this upon us, Paris.

You and your golden Aphrodite!

[Man] They're coming!

Onward!

[All Shouting]

Fall before Achilles!

Archers!

Fire!

[Shouting, Sword Clashing Stops]

I fear for Agamemnon!|He should be here by now!

Spartans! Follow me!

Bring armors!

Ten of your best men.

[Ferocious Yell]

Back to Troy!

- [Screams]|- Agamemnon!

Unfortunate.

Paris!

Thank you, brother.

Retreat from the archers!

Head them off!

Now!

Fall back!

There!

[Groans]

Quickly!

Close the gates!

Well done, my boy.|Thank you, Father.

I owe you my life.

We are blood.

What say you now, sister?

Will Troy still burn?

Don't ask a question|if you don't want an answer.

Well, Cassandra, is there an answer?

For 10 years,|the Greeks will pillage our country,

attack our gates.

For 10 years, they will raid|the southern shores,

enslave our neighbors,

fatten themselves|on their butchered cattle,

become rich with spoils.

And our friends will flee here and flee here,

flee here...

until these walls are packed|with broken people...

and our city is filled with sorrow,|our streets flooded with tears,

until there will not be one of us...

with food to eat, water to drink|or air to breathe!

- Cassandra! Enough!|- The war will not be over until the curse is lifted.

You all know it. Why can you not understand?|Why do you not believe?

Because, child, we must not believe you.

We cannot believe you.

- Paris must die.|- [Hector] Stop her, Father!

I cannot stop.|I will not stop until you listen!

Cassandra, please.|You don't know what you're saying.

I say the truth, only the truth!

But none of you have seen...

what I see.|[Gasping]

- She's mad.|- [Screaming]

Enough!

This family, this city speaks with one voice!

There will be no dissent.

Guard! Take her away.|Put her in the dungeon.

[Screaming Continues]

A creature will come,|a creature that eats men!

He will eat you, Father!|And you!

and you! and you!

He will eat all of you!

[Screaming]

You all will die!

[Screaming]

[Narrator] And so 10 years passed|beneath the walls of Troy.

At home our own cities crumbled into ruin.

The men had lost all their dreams.

They'd forgotten what|their own wives looked like.

But I could not forget,|and Agamemnon would not forget,

and so we stayed...

and stayed.

Well, I'm glad that there is laughter in here.|Really.

There is none outside in the camp.

The men want to go home.

Menelaus is right.|My wife has suitors breaking down the door.

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