In the miniseries, Helen learns of her being the daughter of Zeus from Theseus. However, was it possible that Helen invented that myth herself, to increase her value to possible suitors? I'm thinking that Helen was much more clever and resourceful than she's usually given credit for.
just me,
Ishiagara
As Hector said, honor your gods, love your women, defend your country.
Um... the myth of her being the daughter of zeus was invented by whoever invented her!
“If I'm such a genius, how come I'm drunk and lost in the desert with a bullet in my ass?”
That's not what you told me! You said the daughter of Zeus thing was a later myth, written after Homer. But, I'm wondering where it actually came from in the story, since it's not in the Iliad. By the way, nice to see my daughter over on this board!
just me,
Ishiagara
As Hector said, honor your gods, love your women, defend your country.
I agree. Helen in the mini-series seemed to know what was going on around her. Remember when she questioned her sister about what Aggie intended to do about Paris?
shareYes...Helen was definitely no dummy. She may have been a naive girl when Theseus first kidnapped her, but by the time Paris entered her life, she was about 25, had been queen for around nine years and definitely knew what was happening around her.
just me,
Ishiagara
As Hector said, honor your gods, love your women, defend your country.
Try this 'un for info - I've included some of the key references - its about Helen and Clytemnestras brothers.
hesiod seems to know them as sons of Zeus - Hyginus sounds like Roman or late period so less useful
http://www.theoi.com/Kronos/Dioskouroi.html
(1) ZEUS & LEDA (both Kastor & Polydeukes) (Catalogues of Women Frag 66, Homeric Hymn XXXII, Alcaeus Frag 34, Terpander Frag 5, Hyginus Fabulae 14, and other sources)
(2) ZEUS & LEDA (for Polydeukes), TYNDAREUS & LEDA (for Kastor) (Pindar Nemean 10, Hyginus Fabulae 77 & 80, and other sources)
"Hesiod in giving their descent makes them [Kastor and Polydeukes] both sons of Zeus."-Catalogues of Women Frag 66 (from Scholiast on Pindar Nem. x.150)
“Jupiter [Zeus], changed into a swan, had intercourse with Leda near the river Eurotas, and from that embrace she bore Pollux [Polydeukes] and Helen; to Tyndareus she bore Castor and Clytemnestra.” –Hyginus Fabulae 77
Thanks Graeme, and welcome to the board! Seems like the other one is getting rather dead too, but nothing to stop a few of us from still having discussions here.
just me,
Ishiagara
As Hector said, honor your gods, love your women, defend your country.
The story of Helen comes from various sources, not just the Iliad. So with every telling, with every story-teller, the story of Helen accretes more detail. It does add a certain dimension to Helen to think that she created the story as being a descendant of Zeus--making her into a pretty clever girl. (But an important point of myth is that the myth be accepted as literally true; so if the story teller says she was descendant of Zeus, then she was descendant of Zeus.)
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