World Mythology - Monday, April 21st - 2nd Period

[atreideslioness]

"I do not believe in final exams," Ghanima said bluntly, skipping over the nicites she usually opened class with.  "I think standardized tests are absurd, and no measure of what you have learned.  That said, I do expect you to show me that you have walked away with something from this class."

"In Greek mythology, Helen, in Greek, Ἑλένη – Helénē, better known as Helen of Sparta or Helen of Troy, was daughter of Zeus and Leda, wife of king Menelaus of Sparta and sister of Castor, Polydeuces and Clytemnestra. Her abduction by Paris brought about the Trojan War. Helen was described by Christopher Marlowe as having "the face that launched a thousand ships."  She is, quite possibly, one of the most famous humans to ever live."

"Helen was a tantalizing enigma from the very first. She was flesh and blood certainly, and yes, she was quite real," Ghanima said seriously, "at least in my timeline.  Her mother was the beautiful Leda, queen of Sparta, who was ravished by Zeus in the form of a swan. Leda's husband was Tyndarecus, who later the same night, unaware of his feathered predecessor, also impregnated his wife. She produced two eggs, one of which yielded Helen and Polydeuces and the other of which contained Castor and Clytemnestra."

"When it was time for Helen to marry, many kings and princes from around the world came to seek her hand or sent emissaries to do so on their behalf. Among the contenders were Odysseus, Menestheus, Ajax the Great, Patroclus, Idomeneus, and Menelaus and Agamemnon of House Atreus, the latter two of whom were in exile, having fled Thyestes. All but Odysseus brought many rich gifts with them.  Her father, Tyndareus, would not choose a suitor, or send any of the suitors away, for fear of offending them and giving grounds for a quarrel. Odysseus promised to solve the problem if Tyndareus would support him in his courting of Penelope, the daughter of Icarius. Tyndareus readily agreed and Odysseus proposed that, before the decision was made, all the suitors should swear a most solemn oath to defend the chosen husband against whoever should quarrel with him. This stratagem succeeded and Helen and Menelaus were married. Following Tyndareus' death, Menelaus became king of Sparta because the only male heirs, Castor and Pollux, had died and ascended to Olympus."

"Some years later, Paris, a Trojan prince, came to Sparta to marry Helen, whom he had been promised by Aphrodite after he had chosen her as the most beautiful of the goddesses, earning the wrath of Athena and Hera. Some sources say that Helen willingly left behind her husband Menelaus and Hermione, their nine-year-old daughter, to be with Paris, but, since Aphrodite promised Helen to Paris, there is some ambiguity about whether or not Helen went willingly. Some scholars have argued that Helen's abduction by Paris was in fact a rape, and was termed an abduction at the time, as per the ancient understanding of raptus.  Ancient vases depict both the shameless Helen who went willingly to Troy and abduction stories in which Helen is taken by force." 

"Helen's relationship with Paris varies depending on the source of the story. In some, she loved him dearly, perhaps caused by Aphrodite, who was filling her promise to Pairs.  In others, she was portrayed as his unwilling captive in Troy, or as a cruel, selfish woman who brought disaster to everyone around her, and she hated him."

"Today, you are putting Helen of Sparta on trial."  Hopping off the desk, Ghanima began distributing packets to the class.  "I have divided you up into three groups; jury, prosecution, and defense.  You may use anything as evidence, provided you can tie it to the case.  Any myth you may know, things we have talked about, even personal experiences.  So long as you can sway the jury, it's fair game." 

"Our groups are as follows," she said clearly.  "For the jury, Mr. Bolton, Mr.Halpert, Miss Katara, Mr. Kessler, Miss Levine, Mr. Park, Mr. Valentine.  Prosecution team; Miss Emmagan, Miss Evans, Miss Namine, Miss Sato, and Miss Summers.  Lastly, on the defense, Mr. Altman, Mr. Anders, Mr. Casablancas, Mr. Guerin, and Mr. Halliwell."

"Jury members, it is your duty to reach a verdict.  There must be a clear majority before a verdict can be reached, so no more than two dissenting votes.  In the case of a hung jury, I will be allowed to cast the deciding vote."

"After all, as we saw when the Furies were denied the death of Orestes, it doesn't matter if you're right or wrong, it's whether or not the bigger gods are on your side.  So start praying, and begin."

[Please wait for the (massive) OCD to go up!  Start arguing!  This is not my fault, I blame watching too much L&O.   Miss Levine, as the first juror in, is now the foreman.  ETA2:  Your teacher has been called into work on an emergency, and shall return later this evening.  SP = Love, as always.]

Comments

Re: Team Assignments: Prosecution

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"Like, if she really wanted a different husband, she should have divorced the first one before taking off?" suggested Hoshi.

Re: Team Assignments: Prosecution

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"That's a very good point," Naminé said, nodding. "And how was she kidnapped? Paris was one person, and human. I ..."

She blushed, but this was relevant, and hopefully the other members wouldn't mind her discussing something personal. "I have been taken, twice. Both times by beings who could teleport. Abduction is far easier when you can appear in one location and disappear a few short seconds later, clutching your hostage. Menelaus was a king, and Helen his wife. Wouldn't their castle have guards? How did one human break into the castle and whisk her away, in the dead of night?"

Re: Team Assignments: Prosecution

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"Well, you don't have a lot of options when he's working in cahoots with a god," added Hoshi.

Re: Team Assignments: Prosecution

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"Was he?" Naminé asked. "Helena was promised to him, but I don't see that she lifted a finger to procure her, for him. Perhaps she did, at that. If that's so, then why fight a war to get her back at all? Why not invoke another god or goddess to overrule Aphrodite?"

Re: Team Assignments: Prosecution

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"Well, most of the Trojan War involved each side trying to invoke a more powerful so-called 'god,'" pointed out Hoshi. "But back to Helen. Even if Paris kidnapped her while under the influence of Aphrodite, she could have fought back."

Re: Team Assignments: Prosecution

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"She could have," Naminé said. "And if he loved her - didn't just take her for his own trophy, but truly loved her - then she could have told him that she was an unwilling captive, and that she wished to go home."