Information ☽¤☾ Depth ☽¤☾ Texts ☽¤☾ Miscellania ☽¤☾ Site

The Rape of Helen

An epic poet, Coluthus, though of Lycopolis in the Egyptian Thebaid, wrote in Greek. His only existing poem is The Rape of Helen.

The poem relates the history of Paris and Helen. It starts off during the wedding between Peleus and Thetis, right before Eris throws a golden apple of the Hesperides, the very fruit that foreshadows the coming war. It leads on to journey Paris takes to meet his future bride who is taken by him the moment he arrives with Aphrodite...

As Helen pledges herself to Paris and readies to leave with him for Troy, Nyx is mentioned to give clue to time.

"And Nyx, respite from labour after the journey of the sun, lightened sleep and brought the beginning of wandering morn; and opened the two gates of Dreams: one the gate of truth it shone with the sheen of horn whence leap forth the unerring messages of the gods; the other the gate of deceit, nurse of empty dreams."

Internet sources:
Elfinspell: Colluthus, The Rape of Helen

☽¤☾ Back