DeepSummary
The episode begins with a reading of W.B. Yeats' poem "Leda and the Swan", which describes the mythological conception of Helen of Troy by Zeus in the form of a swan raping Leda. Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook then delve into the life and myths surrounding Helen, widely regarded as the most beautiful woman in the ancient Greek world. They discuss her divine parentage from Zeus, her upbringing in Sparta, her abduction by the Trojan prince Paris that ignited the Trojan War, and her power to drive men mad with desire.
Sandbrook explains that Helen's story is told from various perspectives and sources beyond Homer's Iliad, including poets like Sappho and philosophers like Socrates. Her beauty and mythic status are explored, with some accounts portraying her as a mortal while others depict her as semi-divine or even a goddess worshipped by the Spartans. The episode also touches on the differing views of ancient historians like Herodotus and Thucydides regarding whether the Trojan War was truly fought over Helen.
Towards the end of the first part, the hosts discuss the enduring power of Helen as a mythological figure, representing both beauty and destruction. They hint at exploring potential historical origins behind the myths, such as Schliemann's famous archaeological quest to find evidence of Troy and Helen in the 19th century.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Helen of Troy is a central figure in ancient Greek mythology, renowned as the most beautiful woman in the world whose abduction sparked the Trojan War.
- According to the myths, Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, born from an egg after Zeus raped Leda in the form of a swan.
- Helen's immense beauty was seen as both desirable and fatal, driving men to madness and violence over her.
- Different Greek writers and philosophers had varying perspectives on Helen, with some portraying her as semi-divine and others as simply a mortal woman.
- The Spartans in particular revered Helen as a goddess and kept relics associated with her birth and life in shrines.
- Historians like Herodotus and Thucydides offered conflicting views on whether the Trojan War was truly fought over Helen or had more material and political causes.
- Helen's story transcended the ancient Greek world and has endured for centuries as a powerful symbol of beauty, desire, and destruction.
- The episode hints at exploring potential historical origins behind the Helen myths, such as Schliemann's 19th-century archaeological quest to find Troy and evidence of her existence.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Helen stands as the most beautiful of all. But there is this paradox in this sense of Helen as absolutely unique, which is that at the same time, she is actually only one of four children that Leda will give birth to.“ by Dominic Sandbrook
- “And philosophers have come up with this measure of beauty, which is a Milli Helen. And it's the amount of beauty that is sufficient to launch a ship so Helen has a thousand Milli Helens.“ by Dominic Sandbrook
- “And philosophers have come up with this measure of beauty, which is a Milli Helen. And it's the amount of beauty that is sufficient to launch a ship so Helen has a thousand Milli Helens.“ by Dominic Sandbrook
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Episode Information
The Rest Is History
Goalhanger Podcasts
6/2/24
The story of Helen of Troy, her remarkable birth and her infamous love affair with Paris, the Trojan prince, resounds across the centuries. A figure of condemnation, pity and tragedy, her beauty set in motion the most legendary literary conflict of all time: the Trojan Wars. Yet, Helen’s story reaches far beyond Homer and the Iliad. From her godly parentage and the egg from which she hatched, to her marriage to the king of Sparta and her abduction to Troy, Helen crossed paths with the greatest figures of Greek mythology. But in a story told almost entirely by men, what then is the truth of Helen? Was her fabled life one of abuse and oppression, or was she the mistress of her own fate? And could it be that she did in fact really exist?
Join Tom and Dominic as they journey through the life of Helen of Troy, into worlds of myth and legend, and explore the significance of this most iconic of women - both for the world of the Ancient Greeks, and our world today.
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*The Rest Is History LIVE in 2024*
Tom and Dominic are back onstage this summer, at Hampton Court Palace in London!
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Twitter:
@TheRestHistory
@holland_tom
@dcsandbrook
Producer: Theo Young-Smith
Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett
Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor
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