What did Theseus do to Helen Troy?

Abduction by Theseus Theseus, the legendary Athenian hero and early king of that city, captured Helen when she was a child and gave her to his mother to look after until she reached womanhood. The girl, who we are told was fond of wrestling and hunting, was then rescued by her brothers, the Dioscuri.

Why did Paris of Troy take Helen?

Rejecting bribes of kingly power from Hera and military might from Athena, he chose Aphrodite and accepted her bribe to help him win the most beautiful woman alive. His seduction of Helen (the wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta) and refusal to return her was the cause of the Trojan War.

When did Theseus kidnap Helen of Troy?

got the notion that each should marry a daughter of Zeus. Now middle-aged, Theseus chose young Helen, the adopted daughter of King Tyndareus of Sparta and sister of Castor and Polydeuces. The two friends had little trouble abducting Helen, who was just 10 or 11, from Sparta.

Was Helen of Troy abducted?

When the Trojan prince Paris abducted Helen–the beautiful wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta–and carried her off to the city of Troy, the Greeks responded by mounting an attack on the city, thus beginning the Trojan War.

How old was Helen When Theseus abducted her?

twelve years old
In some variations of this legend, Helen and Pollux were the children of Zeus, but Clytemnestra and Castor were actually the children of Tyndareus. When Helen was only twelve years old, the Greek hero Theseus (pronounced THEE-see-uhs) kidnapped her and planned to make her his wife.

Who rescued Helen from Theseus?

By the time Theseus was in the prison of the Underworld, Helen’s brothers Castor and Pollux, also known as Dioscuri (dios kouroi), meaning the “Sons of Zeus” , invaded Aphidnae, rescued Helen and brought her back to Sparta.

What’s the story of Helen of Troy?

Helen of Troy, Greek Helene, in Greek legend, the most beautiful woman of Greece and the indirect cause of the Trojan War. She was daughter of Zeus, either by Leda or by Nemesis, and sister of the Dioscuri. When Paris was slain, Helen married his brother Deiphobus, whom she betrayed to Menelaus once Troy was captured.

Why were the Greek generals obligated to defend Helen?

Why were all the Greek generals obligated to defend Helen? The suitors were sworn by the King, and took oath to defend her. Plus Odysseus promised to protect her as long as the King got him Penelope’s hand in marriage, which he did.

How did Helen of Troy become involved in this myth?

How did Helen of Troy become involved in this myth? Since she was the fairest lady, Paris stole her from Sparta. Menelaus called upon all Greece to help him get her back. Basically, she is the reason for the Trojan War.

Who did Theseus kidnap?

Helen of Sparta
Punishment in the Underworld Thus, Pirithous and Theseus pledged to carry off daughters of Zeus; Theseus chose Helen of Sparta and together they kidnapped her when she was 13 years of age and decided to hold on to her until she was old enough to marry. Pirithous chose a more dangerous prize: Persephone herself.

Why was Helen abducted?

In her youth, she was abducted by Theseus. A competition between her suitors for her hand in marriage saw Menelaus emerge victorious. All of her suitors were required to swear an oath (known as the Oath of Tyndareus) promising to provide military assistance to the winning suitor, if Helen were ever stolen from him.

Who was Helen abducted by?

Theseus
Two Athenians, Theseus and Pirithous, pledged to wed daughters of Zeus. Theseus chose Helen, and Pirithous vowed to marry Persephone, the wife of Hades. Theseus and Pirithous kidnapped Helen and left her with Theseus’ mother, Aethra, while they travelled to the underworld, the domain of Hades, to kidnap Persephone.

Why did Theseus kidnap Helen of Sparta?

When Theseus started becoming of age, he desired to marry with a daughter of Zeus before he died. His choice fell on Helen of Sparta who, although still very young, was of exceptional beauty. So Theseus, together with Pirithous, the king of Larissa, went out in Sparta and kidnapped Helen.

How did Helen’s abduction lead to the Trojan War?

Greek poet Homer, who tells the tale in the “Iliad,” according to Ducksters, writes how the abduction of Helen, wife of Spartan King Menelaus, and the battle to bring her home causes the decade-long Trojan War. For Helen, her beauty always led to temptation with some men, like the Athenian hero Theseus who killed the Minotaur, abducting her.

Why did Theseus leave Helen with Peirithous?

The two friends had little trouble abducting Helen, who was just 10 or 11, from Sparta. Theseus was then obliged to leave Helen with his mother Aethra in the town of Aphidnae in order to help Peirithous achieve his end of the bargain. Peirithous made an even more foolish choice than Theseus had.

What happened to Helen of Athens in the Odyssey?

Initially she was abducted by the hero Theseus, who left her in the protection of his mother Aethra while he was away adventuring. During that time, Athens was invaded by the Spartan army led by Castor and Pollux, taking Helen back and capturing Aethra instead.