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In “Troy” (2004) Helen of Sparta was portrayed by Diane Kruger, a German actress ( Diane Heidkrüger )
Helen of Troy (also known as Helen of Sparta) was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, the queen of Sparta and the wife of Tyndareus. Zeus disguised himself as a swan to seduce Leda, and Helen was the result of their amorous engagement. In another version of the myth, Helen’s mother is the goddess Nemesis, the personification of retribution. Whoever is the mother, in both versions, Helen is born from an egg in Sparta.
Her abduction by Paris, the prince of Troy, sparked the Trojan War. Helen was originally married to Menelaus, the king of Sparta.
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Helen was widely considered the most beautiful of all mortal women. In his Works and Days, Hesiod describes her as “fair-haired Helen”. Homer repeatedly describes her in his works as “Helen of the lovely hair” (Odyssey), “white-armed Helen” (Iliad) and “Helen, queen among women” (Iliad). Homer also describes her as “hateful Helen” (Iliad). [ from an article by Mark Cartwright ]
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