Helen at the Scaean Gate
Helen's second appearance in the Iliad is with the old men at the Scaean Gate. Here Helen actually speaks, but only in response to Trojan King Priam's addressing her. Although the war has been waged for 9 years and the leaders are presumably well known, Priam asks Helen to identify men who turn out to be Agamemnon, Odysseus, and Ajax. Roisman believes this was a conversational gambit rather than a reflection of Priam's ignorance. Helen responds politely and with flattery, addressing Priam as "'Dear father-in-law, you arouse in me both respect and awe,' 3.172." She then adds that she regrets ever having left her homeland and daughter, and, continuing the theme of her responsibility, she is sorry that she has caused the death of those slain in war. She says she wishes she had not followed Priam's son, thereby deflecting some of the blame from herself, and possibly laying it at Priam's feet as guilty by virtue of having helped create such a son.
They soon reached the Scaean Gates.
Oucalegaon and Antenor, both prudent men,
elder statesmen, sat at the Scaean Gates, 160
with Priam and his entourage—Panthous, Thymoetes,
Lampus, Clytius, and warlike Hicataeon. Old men now,
their fighting days were finished, but they all spoke well.
They sat there, on the tower, these Trojan elders,
like cicadas perched up on a forest branch, chirping
their soft, delicate sounds. Seeing Helen approach the tower,
they commented softly to each other—their words had wings:
"There's nothing shameful about the fact
that Trojans and well-armed Achaeans
have endured great suffering a long time 170
over such a woman—just like a goddess,
immortal, awe-inspiring. She's beautiful.
But nonetheless let her go back with the ships.
Let her not stay here, a blight on us, our children."
So they talked. Priam then called out to Helen.
"Come here, dear child. Sit down in front of me,
so you can see your first husband, your friends,
your relatives. As far as I'm concerned,
you bear no blame. For I blame the gods.
They drove me to wage this wretched war 180
against Achaeans. Tell me, who's that large man,
over there, that impressive, strong Achaean?
Others may be taller by a head than him,
but I've never seen with my own eyes
such a striking man, so noble, so like a king."
Then Helen, goddess among women, said to Priam:
"My dear father-in-law, whom I respect and honour,
how I wish I'd chosen evil death
when I came here with your son, leaving behind
my married home, companions, darling child, 190
and friends my age. But things didn't work that way.
So I weep all the time. But to answer you,
that man is wide-ruling Agamemnon,
son of Atreus, a good king, fine fighter,
and once he was my brother-in-law,
if that life was ever real. I'm such a whore."
Priam gazed in wonder at Agamemnon, saying:
"Son of Atreus, blessed by the gods, fortune's child,
divinely favoured, many long-haired Achaeans
serve under you. Once I went to Phrygia, 200
that vine-rich land, where I saw Phrygian troops
with all their horses, thousands of them,
soldiers of Otreus, godlike Mygdon,
camped by the banks of the Sangarius river.
I was their ally, part of their army,
the day the Amazons, men's peers in war,
came on against them. But those forces then
were fewer than these bright-eyed Achaeans."
The old man then spied Odysseus and asked:
"Dear child, come tell me who this man is, 210
shorter by a head than Agamemnon,
son of Atreus. But he looks broader
in his shoulders and his chest. His armour's stacked
there on the fertile earth, but he strides on,
marching through men's ranks just like a ram
moving through large white multitudes of sheep.
Yes, a woolly ram, that's what he seems to me."
Helen, child of Zeus, then answered Priam:
"That man is Laertes' son, crafty Odysseus,
raised in rocky Ithaca. He's well versed 220
in all sorts of tricks, deceptive strategies."
At that point, wise Antenor said to Helen:
"Lady, what you say is true. Once lord Odysseus
came here with war-loving Menelaus,
as an ambassador in your affairs.
I received them both in my residence
and entertained them. I got to know them—
from their appearance and their wise advice.
First Appearance of Helen | Second | 3d, 4th, and 5th | Final Appearance
