Helen, much respected in Troy, has been invited to partake of an autumn ritual and also meet with King Priam and his allies about a larger coalition against Agamemnon.

Helen and Paris travel to Troy together, and begin a strong attachment neither can control. There are successful meetings in Troy. Agreements are reached and after the autumn rites Helen plans to return to Laconia and confer with her allies about the Troy agreement. Her aide had left before the celebration to deliver the good news to people at home. The ship and Captain and Helen's aide expect to come back for Helen before the bad weather commences. She is honored in the special rites that take place every ten years. People have come from many different places wearing strange garbs, including amazons who display incredible horsemanship. Helen becomes gravely ill on the last day of the festival. Autumn changes to winter and her aide does not return. Her recovery is slow. With hope all but given up for his return, he appears early one morning, defeated and depressed to tell them that he was too late, the armies had gathered and were even now waiting to cross the sea to attack Troy.

Helen's interpretation of the war that comes about is in keeping with the Iliad but has significant revelations not included. Her rendition also includes answers to many of the questions left unanswered in Trojan War research. For example, what was Lady Aethra doing in Troy at the end of the war? How was it possible that Agamemnon could offer lands in Messenia as gifts to Achilles?

[Prev page] [Next page]