THE ABDUCTION OF HELLEN

By:

Mary Karapsiadi Evaggelia Beligianni Iliana Kourmouta Konstadina Varlamou Athanasia Athineou

Our story begins many many years ago with the marriage of King Pileas with the sea-fairy, Thetida. In the marriages feast all Gods from Olympus were invited except Herida, the Goddess of Hate. And while all were having fun, Herida was angry and was trying to find a way to make them all sad.

Finally she took a golden apple and wrote on it To the prettiest. Then, she put it on the table.

The gods surprised, took the apple and read it, but they couldnt decide which Goddess was the prettiest and give it to her.

So, they started fighting between HeraZeus wife, Athena-the goddess of intelligence and war and Aphrodite-the goddess of beauty and love. Finally, they asked Zeus, the father of all Gods, to decide who is the prettiest and must take the apple.

Zeus didnt decide and told Hermes (another god) to take the three Goddesses to the city of Troy, and let PARIS-the son of King Priam-to decide which Goddess is the most beautiful.

Hermes took the apple and with the three Goddesses arrived quickly at the mountain where PARIS was feeding his sheep.

At first he got scared and started running. But Hermes told him: Take this apple and give it to the prettiest. PARIS couldnt decide.
All the Goddesses were trying to persuade him to give each one the apple by giving him presents.

He finally decided: Aphrodite, who was giving him as a present the prettiest woman in the world, HELLEN.

After a few days Aphrodite helped him make a ship to go and get Helen from Greece. PARIS prepared to leave for Sparta, where HELLEN lived with her husband Menelaus.

In the coast his parents said goodbye to him, but his sister, Cassandra, with her magical abilities, had seen the bad things that would happen in the future.

When PARIS arrived at Sparta he went to the palace of Menelaus. The King welcomed him and prepared a rich meal for him.

While they were eating, PARIS saw the Pretty HELLEN for the first time and admired her beauty. She was also enchanted by his beauty.

A few days later, Menelaus went to Crete and Paris found the chance and with Aphrodites help convinced the Pretty HELLEN to go with him to Troy.

Helen said ''Yes'' and PARIS took her secretly to the boat together with many treasures from the palace.