8 HISTORICAL TALES.

three goddesses, Venus, Juno, and Minerva, had a
contest as to which was the most beautiful, and left
the decision to Paris, then a shepherd on Mount
Ida, though really the son of King Priam of Troy.
The princely shepherd decided in favor of Venus,
who had promised him in reward the love of the
most beautiful of living women, the Spartan Helen,
daughter of the great deity Zeus (or Jupiter). Ac-
cordingly the handsome and favored youth set sail
for Sparta, bringing with him rich gifts for its beauti-
ful queen. Menelaus received his Trojan guest with
much hospitality, but, unluckily, was soon obliged to
make a journey to Crete, leaving Helen to entertain
the princely visitor, The result was as Venus had
foreseen. Love arose between the handsome youth
and the beautiful woman, and an elopement followed,
Paris stealing away with both the wife and the
money of his confiding host. He set sail, had a
prosperous voyage, and arrived safely at Troy with
his prize on the third day. This was a fortune very
different from that of Ulysses, who on his return
from Troy took ten years to accomplish a similar
voyage.

As might naturally be imagined, this elopement
excited indignation not only in the hearts of Mene-
laus and his brother Agamemnon, but among the
Greek chieftains generally, who sympathized with
the husband in his grief and shared his anger
against Troy. War was declared against that faith-
less city, and most of the chiefs pledged themselves
to take part in it, and to lend their aid until Helen
was recovered or restored. Had they known all