導读：海伦是古希腊神话中第三代众神之王宙斯跟勒达所生的女儿，在她的继父斯巴达国王廷达瑞俄斯的宫里长大。她是世界上最漂亮的女人。

Helen was the most beautiful woman of the world. She was an infamous lady. She lighted the flames of the Trojan war and brought extreme destruction on the city of Troy. Helen was the daughter of Zeus. Helens matchless beauty and charms drew towards her many heroes from all parts of Greece. When still small she was carried off by Theseus， who wished to have a divine wife. But she was rescued later by her brother Castor， and brought back to her native land. Her stepfather married her to Menelaus， king of Sparta.

Nothing of importance had happened to her married life until Paris came to visit Sparta. Helen was attracted by Paris lovely face. They stole one anothers love in the absence of Menelausand then eloped on board a ship to Troy. Helen left her young daughter behind. To get Helen back， the Greek army sailed across and laid a long siege to the city of Troy.

Helen was quietly weaving her story into a web of golden carpet one day when she was called up the city walls of Troy to look at the fighting between Menelaus and Paris. Menelaus was determined to kill Paris in the battle. Sitting by the side of King Priam， she told the chiefs of the Greek side to him. Tears of love filled up her eyes when she saw her first husband down below. After Paris fled the field she had the feelings of love and scorn. She encouraged Hector and Paris to take the field again and sincerely mourned the death of the true hero Hector. But when Odysseus and Diomedes came in disguise to steal the Palladium， she helped them to do so as much as she could. After Paris died in battle she became the wife of another son of Priam.

In the meantime Menelaus was anxiously searching for Helen in the ruined palaces of Troy. Aphrodite had made Helen more beautiful， so that， when he finally found her trembling in a corner， Menelaus was most unwilling to bring his sword down on her charming face. Menelaus felt secretly overjoyed to have his wife back again. Following Menelaus through the ruins of the city， Helen felt ashamed of her impure behaviour. And she was truly scared at the terrible fate she was to have in the Greek Camp.

Once more her beauty saved her. No one could bring himself to thrust his sword into such a charming and graceful lady. In the tent of Menelaus she threw herself at the feet of the Spartan king， asking for forgiveness. Moved by the scene， Menelaus helped her up and let her forget the past. He held her in his arms while she had tears of grief and happiness. The pair loved each other like before and vanished in the far west.

海伦是世上最美丽的女人。她也是一个臭名昭著的女人。她点燃了特洛伊的战火，并给特洛伊城造成了巨大的破坏。海伦是宙斯的女儿。她无可匹敌的美丽和魅力使希腊各地的英雄们都迷恋于她。她小的时候被提修斯掳走，提修斯想有一个神性的妻子。但后来海伦被其兄卡斯特救出，带回了故土。海伦的继父将她嫁给了斯巴达的国王墨涅拉俄斯。

在帕里斯来访斯巴达之前，海伦的婚姻生活比较平静。海伦被帕里斯可爱的面容迷住。当墨涅拉俄斯国王不在时， 他们就偷情，之后一起乘船私奔到了特洛伊城。海伦将幼小的女儿留在了斯巴达。为了夺回海伦，希腊军队越过海峡，将特洛伊城紧紧包围。

一天，正当海伦静静地将自己的经历编织成一块金色地毯时，有人叫她在特洛伊城上观看墨涅拉俄斯和帕里斯的决斗。墨涅拉俄斯决心杀死帕里斯。她坐在普里亚姆国王旁边，将希腊一方的首领情况告诉了国王。当她看到城墙下前夫的身影时，爱的热泪涌出了眼帘。帕里斯战败逃离战场后， 她的感觉是既爱又鄙视。她鼓励赫克托尔和帕里斯再次走上战场，并真诚地为真正的英雄赫克托尔的死而哀痛。但当奥德修斯和狄俄墨德斯化装后来偷窃雅典娜神像时，她竭尽全力帮助了她们。帕里斯战死后，她成了普里亚姆国王另一个儿子的妻子。

与此同时墨涅拉俄斯焦急地在毁坏的特洛伊宫中寻找海伦。爱神阿芙罗狄蒂使海伦变得更美丽了。结果当墨涅拉俄斯终于发现躲在角落中发抖的海伦时，他极不情愿地将利剑刺向她那迷人的面孔。而他内心正为夺回自己的妻子暗自高兴，海伦跟随墨涅拉俄斯穿过特洛伊城的废墟，她深为自己的不洁行为感到耻辱。一想到自己将在希腊军营中遭受的命运，她就心惊胆战。

她的美麗再次拯救了她。没有人能忍心将剑刺向这个令人销魂而妩媚动人的女士。在墨涅拉俄斯的帐篷中，海伦跪在斯巴达国王的脚下，乞求饶恕。看到眼前的情形，墨涅拉俄斯深受感动， 他扶起海伦，让她忘掉过去的一切。墨涅拉俄斯将她抱起来时，海伦的两眼流出幸福与悲伤的泪水。他们俩像以前那样相爱，一同消失在遥远的西方。

Word Study

destruction / d?'str?k?n/ n. 破坏，毁灭

siege /si?d?/ n. 围攻，围城（期间）

scorn /sk??n/ n. 鄙视；轻蔑

He looked at me with scorn.

tremble /'trembl/ v. （因紧张、激动、惊慌等）颤抖，发抖；焦虑

graceful /'ɡre?sfl/ adj. 优美的，优雅的

He gave a graceful bow to the audience.