A Shadow Over Helen

As night gathered, the treacherous brother of Cupid, Betrian, slunk his way through the glittering halls of proud Menelaus. Betrian of the devious mind, with his webbed appendages, forked tongue and sharp teeth, silently prised open the sturdy door to the bedchamber of the alluring Helen, swathed in bedsheets of silk stuffed with goose feathers. A candle, lone and flickering cast shadows for the silent Betrian to skulk between. Crawling up the bedpost, the gracious Queen of Sparta lay alone, for proud-hearted Menelaus had taken off to hunting with spear and hound accompanied by his companions. Betrian, close to sweet Helen’s ears, whispered his twisted words into her pleasant dreams.

“Helen, Queen of Sparta, daughter of the almighty Zeus, you sleep with sweet songs and glorious feasts within your mind, together with your King of a husband. But where is he now? Where is brave and faithful Menelaus to warm your bed, caress your hair and speak soft winged words of your beauty and grace. Secretly in the dark of the forest, he loathes you and spreads his woe to his dear companions. He cries that your hair is dishevelled and wild like vengeful Medusa, your skin cracked and rough like the hands of the savage Cyclopes. He believes that you can no longer fit into your garments, that your arms and legs become fatter after every feast. Fear not elegant and radiant Helen, for there is another who sees your profound beauty and wisdom. The dutiful Paris, son of King Priam and Prince of Troy, soon rides forth to the great palace of Menelaus. Do not miss the opportunity the Fates have provided.”

With Betrian’s malevolent words uttered, he crawled from peaceful Helen’s sleeping face and disappeared into the shadows of the golden palace.

When Dawn mounted her golden throne, Helen of the immortal beauty pushed her covers aside and rubbed her eyes awake. She glided on the purple carpet to the shutters and threw them open to admit the morning air. Gazing over the fertile fields of Sparta she awaited her new suitor’s arrival, not out of love for Paris, but for disdain of Menelaus.

Zeus the almighty summoner of clouds witnessed the transgressions of the deceitful Betrian and judged an example should be made of this wickedness. Zeus of the powerful thunderbolt ordered swift footed Hermes to snatch the cunning brother of Cupid while sleeping in a damp cave. As punishment the Almighty King commanded the master of metalworking, Hephaestus to encase the sneaky perpetrator in a cast of bronze so Betrian’s mischief never plagued the mortal world again.

When Aphrodite of the warm heart heard of what had befallen her son, she lay awake until her husband, skilled handed Hephaestus, had fallen into a Godly sleep. With much haste she took her bronze son, from Hephaestus’ workshop, and in her hands descended to the mortal world to hide her reckless son in a cave upon the island of Crete so he would be safe forever.