Beauty's Daughter: The Story of Hermione and Helen of Troy Read Online Free PDF
Author: Carolyn Meyer
Tags: Historical fiction, Ancient Greece
offered to make him a great warrior; that didn’t tempt him either, because he dislikes fighting. But Aphrodite knew his weakness: he loves women. She promised him the most beautiful woman on earth as his bride.
“And so,” Zethus continued, “Paris picked Aphrodite, and Hera and Athena vowed to get even. It complicated matters that the most beautiful woman on earth—Helen—was already married. But Aphrodite didn’t care. She arranged to bring Paris here to Sparta, where he met your mother. It was love at first sight. He was determined to have her. You see what happened next. Aphrodite cast her spell and allowed Paris and Helen to escape.”
I listened to Zethus’s story with growing alarm. “All of my mother’s former suitors have sworn to join with King Menelaus against anyone who tries to take her away,” I told him.
“I know,” he said. “I’ve heard the story.”
“When Father comes home and discovers that his wife, his son, and his treasure have been stolen, he’ll call for those men who pledged to support him. I’m sure they’ll bring her back,” I said, hoping I was right.
“They will sail to Troy, and there will be much bloodshed,” Zethus predicted. He drummed on the table. “One thing more—Thetis and Peleus, at whose wedding the problem began, now have a son, Achilles. He’s known to be a mighty warrior. Menelaus will certainly want him to fight to get Helen back. As for the goddesses, Hera and Athena will be on the side of the Greeks, but Aphrodite will help Paris as much as she can. The war is likely to last for a long time.”
I wanted to ask more questions, but activity along the riverbank drew our attention. Boats were arriving from downriver. I ran toward the boatmen, who were leaving the slaves to tie up the craft.
“Where is Queen Helen? Where is my brother?” I shouted.
The boatmen stared uneasily at their feet. “They’re with the Trojan prince. At Kranai they boarded the ship with the figure of Aphrodite and Eros on the prow. They sailed eastward.”
“And the king’s treasure?” I demanded. “Where is that?”
One of the boatmen stammered, “We were ordered to load it into the holds of the ships.”
I glared at him. “Why didn’t you refuse to do it?”
“I beg your pardon, my princess, but it was not possible to refuse. A mist came upon us, and we were powerless to resist what Prince Paris and Queen Helen ordered. It was Aphrodite’s doing.”
I stamped my foot in frustration. “You!” I shouted at Zethus. “You’re a Trojan! You’re one of them! Why didn’t you stop it? You must have known what was happening.” I began to pummel him, pounding his chest hard.
Zethus looked startled at my outburst. “I take it you’ve not had much to do with the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus!” he exclaimed, seizing my wrists. “Or you’d know that you can’t oppose them. They always have their way. Always!”
Zethus let go of my wrists, and I sat down on the beach and cried. When I was finished weeping I stood up, brushed off my chiton, and stalked up the stone path to the palace. “I have a lot to do before Father returns,” I said to Zethus, who was still hovering. “You can stay here, but you may not find a warm welcome from him when he learns what your countryman has done.”
“If it is your will, Princess Hermione, I shall stay to help you however I can.”
“All right, then,” I said, suddenly overcome with exhaustion. I left him and lay down to rest and didn’t awaken until Helios, the sun, had nearly completed his blazing journey across the heavens in his fiery four-horse chariot.
5
The King’s Return
WE WAITED, HARDLY DARING to breathe, for the return of King Menelaus. I wanted to get it over with, and at the same time I dreaded his anger and his disappointment. I knew the servants must have been gossiping among themselves, whispering about the handsome Trojan prince who had come as a guest and left as a thief, taking his
“And so,” Zethus continued, “Paris picked Aphrodite, and Hera and Athena vowed to get even. It complicated matters that the most beautiful woman on earth—Helen—was already married. But Aphrodite didn’t care. She arranged to bring Paris here to Sparta, where he met your mother. It was love at first sight. He was determined to have her. You see what happened next. Aphrodite cast her spell and allowed Paris and Helen to escape.”
I listened to Zethus’s story with growing alarm. “All of my mother’s former suitors have sworn to join with King Menelaus against anyone who tries to take her away,” I told him.
“I know,” he said. “I’ve heard the story.”
“When Father comes home and discovers that his wife, his son, and his treasure have been stolen, he’ll call for those men who pledged to support him. I’m sure they’ll bring her back,” I said, hoping I was right.
“They will sail to Troy, and there will be much bloodshed,” Zethus predicted. He drummed on the table. “One thing more—Thetis and Peleus, at whose wedding the problem began, now have a son, Achilles. He’s known to be a mighty warrior. Menelaus will certainly want him to fight to get Helen back. As for the goddesses, Hera and Athena will be on the side of the Greeks, but Aphrodite will help Paris as much as she can. The war is likely to last for a long time.”
I wanted to ask more questions, but activity along the riverbank drew our attention. Boats were arriving from downriver. I ran toward the boatmen, who were leaving the slaves to tie up the craft.
“Where is Queen Helen? Where is my brother?” I shouted.
The boatmen stared uneasily at their feet. “They’re with the Trojan prince. At Kranai they boarded the ship with the figure of Aphrodite and Eros on the prow. They sailed eastward.”
“And the king’s treasure?” I demanded. “Where is that?”
One of the boatmen stammered, “We were ordered to load it into the holds of the ships.”
I glared at him. “Why didn’t you refuse to do it?”
“I beg your pardon, my princess, but it was not possible to refuse. A mist came upon us, and we were powerless to resist what Prince Paris and Queen Helen ordered. It was Aphrodite’s doing.”
I stamped my foot in frustration. “You!” I shouted at Zethus. “You’re a Trojan! You’re one of them! Why didn’t you stop it? You must have known what was happening.” I began to pummel him, pounding his chest hard.
Zethus looked startled at my outburst. “I take it you’ve not had much to do with the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus!” he exclaimed, seizing my wrists. “Or you’d know that you can’t oppose them. They always have their way. Always!”
Zethus let go of my wrists, and I sat down on the beach and cried. When I was finished weeping I stood up, brushed off my chiton, and stalked up the stone path to the palace. “I have a lot to do before Father returns,” I said to Zethus, who was still hovering. “You can stay here, but you may not find a warm welcome from him when he learns what your countryman has done.”
“If it is your will, Princess Hermione, I shall stay to help you however I can.”
“All right, then,” I said, suddenly overcome with exhaustion. I left him and lay down to rest and didn’t awaken until Helios, the sun, had nearly completed his blazing journey across the heavens in his fiery four-horse chariot.
5
The King’s Return
WE WAITED, HARDLY DARING to breathe, for the return of King Menelaus. I wanted to get it over with, and at the same time I dreaded his anger and his disappointment. I knew the servants must have been gossiping among themselves, whispering about the handsome Trojan prince who had come as a guest and left as a thief, taking his