Olympians
AphroditeApolloAresArtemisAthenaHadesHephaestusHeraHermesHestiaPoseidonZeusAll Olympians
Titans
AsteriaAstraeusAtlasClymeneCriusCronusDioneEosEpimetheusEurybiaEurynomeHyperionAll Titans
Greek Gods
AeolusAetherAmphitriteAnemoiApateAsclepiusAuraBiaChaosCirceDeimosDemeterAll Greek Gods
Myths
CreaturesElementsFiguresGigantesGreek MythsHeroesMonstersMortalsMoviesNorsePlacesPlanetsAll Myths
Plays
AeschylusAristophanesEuripidesSophoclesAll Plays
Ancient Sources
ApollodorusAeschylusAristophanesApolloniusAll Ancient Sources
Olympians
Olympians
AphroditeApolloAresArtemisAthenaHadesHephaestusHeraHermesHestiaPoseidonZeusAll Olympians
Titans
Titans
AsteriaAstraeusAtlasClymeneCriusCronusDioneEosEpimetheusEurybiaEurynomeHyperionAll Titans
Greek Gods
Greek Gods
AeolusAetherAmphitriteAnemoiApateAsclepiusAuraBiaChaosCirceDeimosDemeterAll Greek Gods
Myths
Myths
CreaturesElementsFiguresGigantesGreek MythsHeroesMonstersMortalsMoviesNorsePlacesPlanetsAll Myths
Plays
Plays
AeschylusAristophanesEuripidesSophoclesAll Plays
Ancient Sources
Ancient Sources
ApollodorusAeschylusAristophanesApolloniusAll Ancient Sources

Euripides · c. 480-406 BC

Helen

Ἑλένη
Ancient Sources / Euripides / Helen

Read our guide to Helen

Helen was staged in 412 BC. In this version of the story, the real Helen never went to Troy: Hera sent a phantom with Paris, and Hermes carried Helen to Egypt, where she waits under the protection of the tomb of King Proteus, pursued by his son Theoclymenus. The play is an escape comedy of intrigue and disguise, in which the shipwrecked Menelaus finds her after the war and the two trick the Egyptian king. The sections follow the play's own units (prologue, parodos, episodes, choral songs and exodos) and keep the standard line numbers of the Greek text.

Read from the start
Text
Greek original with English translation, 31 passages, about 15700 words in English.
Translator
Edward P. Coleridge (1891)
Edition
Greek text: Gilbert Murray (ed.), Euripidis Fabulae, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913, as digitised by Perseus. English: Edward P. Coleridge, The Plays of Euripides, London: George Bell and Sons, first published 1891 (Bohn's Classical Library; the Perseus header records a later printing)
Cite as
Euripides, Helen 1 (by line number)

Contents · 31 passages

  1. 1–67Prologue: Helen at the tomb of Proteus in Egypt632 words
  2. 68–141First episode: Teucer arrives and brings news of Troy and Leda795 words
  3. 142–178First episode: Teucer departs; Helen begins her lament304 words
  4. 179–254Parodos: the Greek maidens answer Helen's lament468 words
  5. 255–305Second episode: Helen laments her fame and her loneliness444 words
  6. 306–385Second episode: the Chorus tells Helen to ask Theonoe about Menelaus635 words
  7. 386–436Third episode: Menelaus, shipwrecked, comes to the palace gate479 words
  8. 437–475Third episode: the Old Woman turns Menelaus away437 words
  9. 476–514Third episode: Menelaus puzzles over two Helens and resolves to wait374 words
  10. 515–552Choral song on Theonoe's answer; Helen returns to the tomb325 words
  11. 553–596Fourth episode: Menelaus and Helen fail to recognize each other505 words
  12. 597–624Fourth episode: a Messenger reports the phantom's vanishing278 words
  13. 625–693Fourth episode: Helen and Menelaus are reunited610 words
  14. 694–760Fourth episode: the Messenger learns of the cloud and speaks against seers668 words
  15. 761–807Fourth episode: Menelaus' seven years at sea; Helen warns him of the king529 words
  16. 808–841Fourth episode: Helen and Menelaus plan to win over Theonoe410 words
  17. 842–893Fifth episode: Menelaus' resolve; Theonoe enters and speaks of the gods' dispute502 words
  18. 894–946Fifth episode: Helen's plea to Theonoe501 words
  19. 947–997Fifth episode: Menelaus' plea and threat499 words
  20. 998–1029Fifth episode: Theonoe decides to keep their secret296 words
  21. 1030–1084Fifth episode: Helen and Menelaus devise the false-death plan599 words
  22. 1085–1164Fifth episode: Helen's prayer; the Chorus sings to the nightingale609 words
  23. 1165–1229Sixth episode: Theoclymenus returns and is told that Menelaus is dead685 words
  24. 1230–1277Sixth episode: Helen asks for a funeral at sea557 words
  25. 1278–1368Theoclymenus agrees; choral song on the Mother of the gods623 words
  26. 1369–1428Seventh episode: Helen secures a Sidonian ship for the funeral627 words
  27. 1429–1511Theoclymenus plans the wedding; choral song on the ship of Sidon545 words
  28. 1512–1568Exodos: a Messenger tells Theoclymenus that Helen has gone505 words
  29. 1569–1618Exodos: the sacrifice, the fight and the escape by sea464 words
  30. 1619–1641Exodos: Theoclymenus' rage and the servant's defence of Theonoe312 words
  31. 1642–1692Exodos: the Dioscuri end Theoclymenus' quarrel and foretell the future486 words

More by Euripides

English translation by Edward P. Coleridge (1891). Original text: Greek text: Gilbert Murray (ed.), Euripidis Fabulae, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913, as digitised by Perseus. English: Edward P. Coleridge, The Plays of Euripides, London: George Bell and Sons, first published 1891 (Bohn's Classical Library; the Perseus header records a later printing).

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.