Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, over whom the largest war in the ancient world was fought, appears to be unable to truthfully declare where her allegiances lie. Forced by Aphrodite to love Paris, she clearly supports the Trojans before and during the war. Unfortunately for her, the Greeks, thanks to Odysseus no less, completely obliterate the Trojans. She attempts to wake the Trojans and betray the Greek's attack from inside the horse, this ploy alone was a direct attempt by her on the lives of many Greeks including Odysseus and Agamemnon . Yet suddenly she tells stories of how clever Odysseus tricked those nasty Trojans by disguising himself as a beggar. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to left field, may I introduce Helen of Troy.
Although Paris has died, nowhere is it stated that her love for Paris has passed as well. Yet she remains Menelaus's false wife. Clearly it speaks little for the men of the time period, and in all honesty, the men of today, for they are easily swayed by beauty. Also she attempts to dull the guest's pain by slipping a potion to stop tears in their wine. This may be an omission of the bard or the translator, but a loss of tears to me, does not mean a loss of remorse, only a lack of evidence for it. It simply further exemplifies Helen's masking nature. Clearly, Helen remains the "whore of troy" as Aeschylus so aptly brands her. Never will she be able to overcome her god given love for a fallen people and lover, just as she never will be able to fully embrace her new life as a Greek. .
It must be said that Helen's waning loyalties may not be entirely her own fault. She was already married to Menelaus when she was swept away by Paris not on her own will. She was simply given to him as a gift for judging a vanity contest between goddesses. We shall never know if left to her own devices whether she would have remained loyal to the Greeks or if the Trojan war would have ever happened.
