Fragment #23

#23

I was the object of desire by all Greek men

Auctioned, bartered, long ago with Menelaus when

I became his wife, for when I look at you then

                   Such as Hermione I see

Hermione and to yellowhaired Helen I liken you to

Unfortunate daughter left behind when I fled

Hark, among mortal women, know this I pled

                   I partook from every care

Paris, you could release me from my state of woe

To the far ends of the earth, I would follow, I would go

Till we came upon the dewy banks of the Trojan coast

                   A love to last all night long

Paris was different as he held me by my hips

I was the face who launched a thousand ships

Greek men would rather wage war than kiss enticing lips

                   As they strayed from their wives

I was the heroine of the greatest story ever told

I’ve heard it said after I was created, they threw away the mold

But it was a minor role I played to the feats of men so bold

                   Homer didn’t appreciate my beauty

I think it wasn’t fair the trick they pulled

With that gigantic, wooden horse, not like the story of the bull

They conquered and destroyed the Trojans but one with wool

                   Covered his head and his face

Aeneas escaped the burning city with his father on his back

The courage of Hector ran through his veins, the black

Night enveloped them as they fled from this beastly attack

                   Someday he’d avenge his people’s plight

I was taken back to Sparta by my husband, reunited

With my daughter, Hermione, who during my flight

Had married the son of Achilles but oh, no, what a night

Orestes, my nephew killed her husband

In order to be able to wed her, she had my beauty too

To him she bore Tisamenus who was a warrior true

Of the great Greeks, there remained sadly but a few

He gloriously became the ruler of Mycenae