Also, Hera as the Goddess of Marriage would see Menelaus as the injured party even if she weren‘t personally invested after the whole lost beauty contest to Aphrodite thing. But I note she doesn‘t do anything for him in any of the post Fall of Troy myths, either, i.e. after he has taken Helen back without vengeful reprisals. I do remember the retelling-for-kids version I first read as a child said that when Menelaus first saw Helen he intended to kill her but that Aphrodite (protecting Helen) then awoke the old love in his heart (and from thereon it was smooth sailing for Helen), but looking back now I have no idea which ancient source Gustav Schwab (the reteller) based this one - obviously not the Iliad which never got to this point. Euripides‘ The Trojan Women maybe, but Euripides makes the point without direct divine intervention.
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Date: 2025-04-01 01:54 am (UTC)