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The most beautiful woman in the world at that time was Helen, a daughter of Tyndareus, king of Sparta. Her mother Leda had been seduced by Zeus that was transformed into a swan, so it is said that her divine beauty came from the fact that Zeus was her actual father. Because of Helen’s extraordinary beauty she had many suitors, but was reluctant to choose any of them because she feared the wrath of the rest. Eventually, one of the suitors, the wise Odysseus of Ithaca, proposed a way to resolve the issue. Originally he decided to ask to marriage Helen’s cousin, Penelope. Then he suggested that all suitors had to defend the marriage of Helen at all costs, regardless of whom she might choose. Finally suitors swore to abide by this condition as a prerequisite to be eligible husbands by Helen and her king father.
Tyndareus ultimately chose Menelaus. The choice was made for political reasons, because he had wealth and power. Indeed, his candidacy was made by his brother Agamemnon on his behalf. Menelaus succeeded by his marriage with Helen Tyndareus to the throne of Sparta, as the brothers of Helen, Castor and Pollux had been killed. This also strengthened the position of Agamemnon, who married another sister of Helen, Clytemnestra, and reoccupied the throne of Mycenae.
Later, when a diplomatic mission of Troy came to Sparta, led by Paris, who now assumed his position as a prince, Paris fell in love with Helen. Menelaus, who greeted him with values, as he should according to the custom of hospitality, had to travel to Crete to his grandfather Catreus’ burial. Paris requested the help of the goddess Aphrodite, in order to abduct Helen. He then sailed to Troy having grabbed the treasures of Menelaus.
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