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[1]
The Egyptians' priests said this, and I myself believe their story about Helen, for I reason thus: had Helen been in +Troy [26.25,39.95] (deserted settlement), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Ilion , then with or without the will of Alexandrus she would have been given back to the Greeks.
The Egyptians' priests said this, and I myself believe their story about Helen, for I reason thus: had Helen been in +Troy [26.25,39.95] (deserted settlement), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Ilion , then with or without the will of Alexandrus she would have been given back to the Greeks.
[2] For surely
Priam was not so mad, or those nearest to him, as to consent to risk their own persons and their children and their city so that
Alexandrus might cohabit with
Helen.
[3] Even if it were conceded that they were so inclined in the first days, yet when not only many of the
Trojans were slain in fighting against the
Greeks, but
Priam himself lost to death two or three or even more of his sons in every battle (if the poets are to be believed), in this turn of events, had
Helen been
Priam's own wife, I cannot but think that he would have restored her to the
Greeks, if by so doing he could escape from the evils besetting him.
[4]
Alexandrus was not even heir to the throne, in which case matters might have been in his hands since
Priam was old, but
Hector, who was an older and a better man than
Alexandrus, was going to receive the royal power at
Priam's death, and ought not have acquiesced in his brother's wrongdoing, especially when that brother was the cause of great calamity to
Hector himself and all the rest of the
Trojans.
[5] But since they did not have
Helen there to give back, and since the
Greeks would not believe them although they spoke the truth—I am convinced and declare—the divine powers provided that the
Trojans, perishing in utter destruction, should make this clear to all mankind: that retribution from the gods for terrible wrongdoing is also terrible. This is what I think, and I state it.
Histories. Herodotus. ed. A.D. Godley. Cambridge. 1920-1925.
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