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Plot

Place, Sparta and the shores of the sea.

Paris disguises himself as a shepherd, and wins three prizes at the competition of the stupid and weak Greek princes, whereupon he reveals his identity. All the world had known that he had awarded the apple to Venus, and Helena recognises him as her destiny. The Trojan prince is crowned victor by Helena, to the disgust of the rough AchillesFor other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). In Greek mythology, Achilles grandson of Aeacus (Αχιλλευς Αιακιδης, Akhilleus Aiakides, also transliterated as, and the two giants Ajax the Great and Ajax the LesserAjax ( Greek: Aias , a Greek hero, son of Oileus the king of Locris, called the "lesser" or Locrian Ajax, to distinguish him from Ajax, son of Telamon. He was the leader of the Locrian contingent during the Trojan War. He is a significant figure in the Il. Paris is invited to a banquet by the timid MenelausMenelaus (also transliterated as Menelaos , in Greek mythology, was a king of Sparta and son of Atreus and Aerope. Atreus was murdered by his nephew, Aegisthus, who took possession of the throne of Mycenae and ruled jointly with his father Thyestes. Durin, husband of Helena. Paris has bribed Calchas to have Philocomus rat­tle the thunder gong and to prophesy that Menelaus must at once proceed to CreteCrete sometimes spelled Krete (Greek Kappa;ρτ&eta / Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea. It is the Greek island closest to North Africa. Tourist attractions in Crete include archeological sites, in order to save the nation.

After parodies on the life of the Greek court, in which the honest Calchas appears as a gambling cheat, Paris comes to Helena at night. Although she knows her fate, she seemingly resists him, and he uses strategy. He departs, but returns when she has fallen asleep. He tells Helena that what will now occur is only a dream, and she is content to risk all with this understanding at this moment. Menelaus unexpectedly returns. Helena hardly has time to clothe herself, and Paris departs in haste, but, returning in the guise of a priest of Venus, carries Helena away. Menelaus is enraged, Achilles angry, but Calchas smiles contentedly, for he has made a good profit out of the transaction. AgamemnonAgamemnon ( Greek: ) ("very resolute"), one of the most distinguished of the Greek heroes, was the son of King Atreus of Mycenae (or Argos) and Queen Aerope, and brother of Menelaus. Another account makes him the son of Pleisthenes (the son or father of A shrugs his shoulders and re­signedly exclaims: "Well, nothing remains but to mobilise the army and prepare for the ten-year Trojan war."

References and external links: Plot taken from The Opera Goer's Complete Guide by Leo Melitz , 1921 version.