Helen of Troy Page #4

and it's lost if l let him go.

Silence!

Helen!

Helen! Helen!

-You lie. She's in there.

-No.

-She's in there. Break the locks!

-Break them.

Break.

lt's true.

The Trojan's taken Helen.

He's carried her away.

By force, against her will.

To think of her struggles,

her fruitless cries for help.

We had our differences,

but she was my wife.

lt goes deeper than that.

This is the assault of all women

in Greece.

Shame. Shame on every Greek nation.

Then man your ships.

Follow them.

Ulysses, why do you sit?

She must be restored to me.

-Not now, Menelaus. Later.

-Yes. Now, now, now!

Will you not stand with me?

Menelaus, we will reclaim her,

and with her, all the loot of Troy.

But only if you wait.

We'll send out a call

to every city in Greece.

All Greeks united in a war of honor.

Yes. That's what the future will call it.

l call it that now.

This Prince of Troy has asked for war,

not peace.

Ulysses.

l'm sure you'll agree with me that it is

my duty to become our leader.

Leader?

l'll see no one but Achilles as leader.

lt is my consecrated duty to become

our leader to avenge my dear brother.

Quite, quite, Agamemnon.

And l will follow you.

And tell you what to do, as usual.

And l will persuade

the sensitive Achilles. . .

. . .with certain fascinating facts. . .

. . .about the great store of gold

to be found in Troy.

l seek no treasure.

l will kill.

So shall we all, brother.

To defend your honor.

Who are they?

l don't know, but l know

the color of their gold.

Sparta is the past, Helen.

Troy is this way.

What will they call us there?

A woman who left her husband.

A prince turned thief.

What else can we ever be?

Two people in love.

Against the world, if need be.

lf l could make a bargain

with the gods. . .

. . .we would escape the world. . .

. . .never landing on any shore.

A lovely dream,

but somewhere we must land.

Paris, there's an island called Pelagos.

The sea can feed us.

And there are little houses

near the village well.

Let's go there.

l cannot. l was born to an obligation.

Paris, son of Priam, heir to responsibility.

l could leave the kingdoms of the world

and never miss them.

-But you--

-Helen. . .

. . .our life together will fade

if l run from this.

lt will become a slight thing

that any storm can tear apart.

No, Paris.

Forgive me.

l forget you are a woman,

not a goddess.

Captain.

-You know the island of Pelagos?

-lt's far southward. . .

-. . .through the Cytherean straits.

-Sail southward.

-Captain.

-Yes?

We have decided otherwise.

Sail north to Troy.

-What is it?

-You'll have to see, Lord Aeneas.

Wait.

Aeneas, call the queen.

Paris!

Paris.

Come and meet my brothers.

Hector, Polydorus.

l told you about them.

Lucky Paris. You could fall

in the black pit of Hades. . .

. . .and come out with arms

full of sunshine.

He's always had a fine flair

for surprises.

l'm happy to see that you

diverted your mission. . .

. . .to an enterprise more to your talents.

Come.

-Aeneas.

-Paris.

-Paris.

-l should have had faith.

The great god Zeus would never

let him die. . .

-. . .and with him our hopes of peace.

-lt's a miracle.

Tell us what happened, Paris.

Here is your miracle.

l would never have seen

Troy again but for her.

lt would have taken

a sea sprite to save you.

How could one so tender

have managed it?

Postpone your questions.

She suffered an ordeal that l

shan't relate in her presence.

lt's enough that our son has been

given back to us by you, my dear.

You are welcome, my child.

Paris, call the high steward.

See that she is made comfortable.

Later, you shall tell me

of your adventures.

At your command, Father.

My brother seems to have

forgotten his courtliness.

By what name, my lady,

shall we know you?

-My name is--

-Her name is death.

-Cassandra!

-Forgive her. She suffers an illness.

Wait.

You were going to say?

l am Helen, Queen of Sparta.

The wife of King Menelaus?

-His wife no more.

-The goddess of beauty, Aphrodite. . .

. . .come down to Earth in mortal form.

She will bring the disaster

l have prophesied.

Her name will be written

in letters of fire. Helen.

Helen of Troy.

And she saved my life again. . .

. . .but at such risk to herself

that l couldn't leave her. . .

. . .to the mercy of the Spartans.

l can see l've troubled you, sire.

But in your affection for me

and mine for you. . .

. . .l hope you will judge me fairly.

l would never have believed

that this could happen. . .

. . .not through this son of mine.

This son who shared my hope

of everlasting peace.

Who promised he would bring it.

And what have you brought?

Dishonor.

You have united the Greeks.

You have kindled a flame that will

weld them together against us.

This will bring them

to our very shores.

That should delight you.

You may have to answer

for the death of many a good Trojan.

You have presumed too much

upon our affection.

Paris. . .

. . .send her back to Sparta

and make your peace with Menelaus.

l'll never send her back.

-You reject every word of wisdom?

-My love has no logic.

lt could only choose

between Troy and Pelagos.

Helen wanted to go to Pelagos. . .

. . .but l had to bring you the warning.

And she had the courage

to come with me.

But she was right.

There is no heart in Troy.

We'll seek it elsewhere.

The coward's way to avoid the fight?

-You exceed the rights of a brother.

-And you. . . .

You scorn every Trojan duty.

The damage is done.

Go or stay. lt matters not.

-l shall not see you again.

-Priam.

Bring to the council chamber the armory

masters and the granary stewards.

Tell them l want an estimate

of Troy's ability to withstand a siege.

There were times when l almost forgot

that l had other children, Paris. . .

. . .others to die, perhaps.

Destiny, Paris. Destiny.

Every Trojan woman with son

or husband will curse you.

Well, don't worry, brother,

a war may clear the atmosphere.

War, the only thing

that could make you happy.

Keep out of my way,

or you'll never live to enjoy it.

-Lord Aeneas.

-You may go.

The ship that brought you to Troy

is still in the harbor.

My charioteer will take you there.

l see.

Or if my lady prefers,

l'll arrange for a royal escort.

No, l won't delay.

Wait for us.

My chariot will be in the courtyard.

Athena wields much power, it seems.

-lf l return to Menelaus--

-No.

Pelagos?

Yes, l'll take you to Pelagos.

You said our lives would fade

if you ran away.

l also said that you'd be happy in Troy.

Paris, the word has spread.

-They are not armed with flowers.

-Quick, before they overrun the courtyard.

They won't as long as they enjoy

their carnival.

-Take Helen to the harbor.

-Don't show yourself to them.

-See her aboard the ship.

-Paris!

Dog!

You expect us to fight a war

for your amusement?

My brave Trojans. . .

. . .will you show as much spirit against

the Spartan army. . .

. . .as against one Spartan woman?

Can you stand alone, each, in battle. . .

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