Helen of Troy Page #2

You're a bit impudent yourself

for whatever you are, a slave?

-Silence! You're addressing--

-A slave of the palace, Andros.

Of what importance is that?

l tell you truly, l am Prince Paris.

l come to offer a treaty of peace

to King Menelaus.

But of course, you don't believe me.

My articles of identity. . .

. . .all the gifts l was bringing

to the Court of Sparta. . . .

My crew won't come near

a Spartan harbor now.

They'll swear the gods

hurled lightning at me.

Perhaps l do believe you.

The sea has damaged your appearance,

but not your manner.

You must leave here at nightfall.

Follow the coast. You'll reach a cove

where Phoenician ships put in.

-No. l still have a mission.

-Do as l tell you!

Our soldiers have a habit

of plunging a dagger into strangers.

And why should that worry you?

Never mind. The feelings

of a slave are of no importance.

They are to me.

ln any place but Sparta,

one so fair would be a queen.

ln Troy, we'd make songs about you.

King Menelaus would not permit

that here.

Because you'd make

his queen look plain.

She would be pained to hear you

say that.

Do you know her?

She owns me. l'm her shadow.

And l always thought l knew her.

No, l don't believe anyone knows

Queen Helen very well. . .

-. . .including Helen.

-Not even the king?

Great power doesn't need knowledge.

Wait. l only ask these questions. . .

-. . .because l must go to the palace.

-Don't chance it.

l intend to be discreet, so prepare me.

lf Menelaus won't help me,

l'll ask the queen.

That you must never do! l--

Oh, if you were old and ugly,

maybe then she could help you.

But you're not old, nor ugly.

lt's late, Andros.

We must get the fish to market.

Gladly. lf the soldiers find him here,

l don't want to be involved.

l wouldn't mind.

We must get back to the palace,

Andraste. l've stayed here too long.

Promise me. . .

. . .we'll meet again.

You can go back now.

Supplies, for your voyage home.

So you still hope

l won't go to the palace?

More than ever.

The kings of Greece are gathering there

to consider a war against Troy.

Then my mission was well-timed.

-When will they be in council?

-Tomorrow, perhaps.

But tonight. . .

. . .there are only you and l.

Under the magic of the moonlight.

Here. See what l brought you?

My dear little slave girl. . .

. . .l don't want what you steal

from the palace.

l only want what l steal

from the palace.

No, my prince.

Very well, then, l'll borrow you.

But we'll be quite honest about it.

-l'll offer to buy you from the queen.

-Oh, no! That would mean death!

Nonsense.

l'll explain to her that

you're no slave to me. . .

. . .but my future Princess of Troy.

Let me go, Paris.

Don't you believe l could love a slave?

Yes, l believe.

My heart believes and loves you.

My heart is yours, Paris,

but l can never be.

You must not seek out the queen,

nor anyone at the palace.

And this moment must be our last.

Don't ask me why.

Call it magic, call it a dream.

And never speak of it to anyone.

Hear our Spartan host, King Menelaus.

-Are you sure Ulysses is coming?

-His ship was not far behind mine.

This great lthacan refused to leave

his wife and farm.

He's so sick of war,

he wouldn't let go of the plow.

Till his child was cast in front of it,

to convince him Greece's glory. . .

. . .comes before contentment.

You can have the glory.

l'll take Troy's gold.

Not my share, brother.

Ulysses, King of lthaca!

Greetings, friend.

You're acquainted with everyone.

Ajax, Prince of Salamis.

Nestor, King of Pylos.

Diomedes, ruler of Aetolia.

And l think you know my brother,

King Agamemnon of Mycenae.

Greetings, fellow pirates.

lt is a righteous war we plan, Ulysses. . .

. . .a war of defensive aggression.

A neat sort of righteousness.

You think the Trojans built a citadel

for peace-lovers?

Have you heard of Priam's sons?

Polydorus begs for war!

Hector wants only a challenge.

Paris is anyone's equal with a cestus,

bow and javelin.

You believe they want peace?

All the more reason why we

cannot plan without Achilles.

But he hates my brother and me--

He hates you almost as much

as he loves war.

ln order to lock himself from

all temptation of joining with us. . .

. . .he hid himself securely,

in a house of women.

That's where l found him,

hiding from all persuasion. . .

. . .dressed as a woman!

Did you persuade him?

Yes. He's here at the stables,

seeing to the care of his horses.

Achilles, a blushing girl.

l shall commend him for the beauty

of his face and figure.

The man who blows his own horn.

Commend him, Menelaus.

l commend you, Achilles.

And l despise you.

And you, Agamemnon.

But it seems we must unite. . .

. . .so l am here to lead you.

-Lead us, Achilles?

-Of course.

l and my good friend Patroclus.

Since we were boys,

we could stand alone and defy an army.

-l question that.

-Who?

l, Ajax.

My imitator.

You disgusting glory-hunter.

To imitate him, l'd need to wear

three layers of armor.

That's where he gets his reputation

for being invulnerable.

Silence this fool, Menelaus.

l would prefer not to be angered by him.

The truth of the matter is,

his skin's as tender as his vanity.

And especially his heel.

-He can't even stand leather against it.

-l do not fight with my feet.

Take your ease, my prince.

l'll handle this buffoon.

Enough of this.

We must remain united.

lmpossible.

We've never been united,

and we never will be.

Keep my horses ready.

Patroclus, we shall leave.

l see no ethical purpose

for a raid on Troy.

-Nor l.

-Now, wait. Wait.

Here. You talk of ethics.

Here's the sign of a Trojan ship

prowling our shores.

No peaceful trader,

but a royal ship of the House of Priam.

lt was my ship, sire.

l am Paris of Troy.

-You are King Menelaus?

-Yes.

Sorry to present myself like this,

l was swept overboard in the storm.

Fortunately, this gathering

of the most royal of Greece. . .

. . .makes my mission easier.

-How'd you know we were here?

-l beg my lord's indulgence, l know.

So l'm saved from

journeying to each king. . .

. . .if you decide against offers of peace

l bring from Troy.

-What?

-Troy does not plan war?

You are wrong, Menelaus.

Stop this or lose your Trojan plunder.

-Where'd you find this impostor?

-He came to the palace.

-l thought you'd question him.

-You interrupt council!

-Hear him.

-This is our business.

He's only some wandering vagabond.

See the rags he wears.

These roving jesters

come often to my palace.

And they never fail

to have some nimble talent.

What do you do besides

this royal imposture?

lt seems l try to do the impossible.

The cesti.

lf he's Paris, he should have

some skill with the cesti.

-Brilliant, brother, brilliant.

-You heard, Ajax, Achilles?

Achilles is weary from travel.

Achilles did not make his reputation

fighting children.

This Sparta, my son, is a viper's nest.

-l'll see you aren't--

-lf we offend the pretender. . .

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