Evening star., 1926-05-22
THE LIBRARY TABLE
By the BookLorer.

What did Helen Of Troy look like?
What was the type OF that beauty
which was it's own excuse for being
and for so many other things? Did
she resemble that archaic Spartan re-
lief Of Clytemnestra, her sister, IN
the act Of being murdered by her un-
filisl son Orestes? II so, she was
rather short. thick.set matron. with
hair In scallops about her brow, not
at all the kind Of woman to cause a
modern man 10 violate the laws of
hospitality and bring about great
war. Oh was she like BenOZzO Coz
zoli's idea of her in his painting, The
Rape Of Helen" in the London Ma
tional Gallery--a miniature blond
doll? This seems more probable.
| John Erskine in his novel, The
Private Life OF Helen of Troy" does
not attempt to settle the question OF
the type of Helen's beauty. He sim
ply tells us, as all the ancient story
tellers have done, from Homer down
that she was wOndrously and danger
ously beautiful. Her beauty, so
Orestes tells her in Mr.. Erskines
story. has been the cause not only of
the Trojan War. but also of Agamem-
| mons sacrifice Of his daughter Iphi-
genia. and OF the murders Of Agamem.
| non, Clytemnestra. Aesisthus. Cassan.
| dra and Pyrrhus. I'VE can never
be very good friends" he says; ~
| couldn't bring myself to enjoy the
sight OF your loveliness while J knew
the evil effects it had produced" But
her beauty has also served the useful
purpose OF saving her own life, after
the Trojan War. when the aggrieved
Menelaos went looking for Helen
| with a sword in his hand He was
! undecided whether 10 thrust the blade
through her aliuring bosom or TO cut
her swanllke throat, He hadn't seen
| her for some time. She was waiting.
| as though they had appointed the
hour. With q simple gesture she
J barred her heart for his vengeance. and
| looked at him. He looked at her. The
sword embarra ssed him." SO he takes
her home TO Sparta instead Of killing
her. There she settles down to the
humdrum life Of being gossiped about
| by her neighbors. pickering with
Menelaos. Just as If he hadn't been
| magnanfmous. and matchmaking foi'
her daughter Hermione. Though she
IL now middle-a ged and thinks she
has had enough of men. she cannot
| help fascinating them. Even after all
he has, been through on her account
| the face OF Menelaos takes on an ex.
preston Of satisfaction when she
! comes into the roonl The ofd gate
| keeper, Eteoneus. worn out by the
! Vicissitudes In the household Of the
| Spartan king, resigns: but Helen talks
| with him few moments and he de-
| cldes TO stay. 'Menelaos. said
Eteoneus. I think I've done your wife
some injustice, and I'd like to retract
several things | said of her.we
needn't recall them. I've been talk
! ing with her. You mean you've been
looking al her.. said Menelaos.'' Ores
| ties. after accomplishing his various
duty-murders, comes counting Hermi
i one. contrary to the wishes of both
her parents Helen. whose expert.
, ences have made her philosopher
decides that II is always best to ac
lcept the inevitable and graciously in
| vites Orestes TO call. with the resui,
| that on their wedding journey Orestes
annoys Hermione by talking contin
ualiy of the beauty of her mother
The young Telemachus. wearied oi
staying about Ithaca. which is swarm
ing with his mothers suitors, comes
to Sparta in the hope Of hearing news
| OF his father. He meets Helena nd
| forgets all about his father.
This romance of Mr.. F,rskine is a
| very clever satire which shows. if il
shows anything. that human beings
and human society are much the same
! in all periods, whether in the Ho
merle age OF. the twentieth century
\ Hermione, speaking for herself and
fOrestes, says to her father: too
late iHs.h he day to lead us by the hand.
Our .flders hs veaSrnade a mess OF
4 ,, aryN.
She is openly scornfuI of her mother
and Helen, on her side. considers her
daughter a bore. II am confused.
must confess says Hermiose, he
tween what you have done and what
you advise." Dear child" said Helen
I there's no connection between
them. Hermoine is Mortified by the
human sacrifices of Pyrrhus. but
! Helen suggests that the Offering OF
! human sacrifices to the gods is real II,
no worse than brutality killing one s
enemies in war. The murder of Aga.
memnon. on his return from the war
; by Clytemnestra is the ccasion OF
| some good satire. Helen comments on
her sisters action: when Agamem
non came back. to pretend an affec.
tionate welcome. get him off his guard
and then stab him-well, that's ely
| temnestra.' Clytemnestras own ac.
count of the affair Is brought To Spar.
ta bv messenger. She has killed her
| husba nd. so he saws. not because she
wishes TO marry her lover. but he.
cause Agamemnon has offered her
daughter tphigenia as sacrifice. In
a fit Of jealousy she has also murdered
| his captive. Cassa ndra. but rather
] regrets this act. 1T was clear now
she said. that this second murder wa
unnecessary. but it's hard to think
Of everything at the time" As q
thriller the story Of Helen of Troy
handled by Mir. Erskine. in no way
fails tn meet modern requirements.
RioSra phy.and social history of the
| early years or orr republic are com
hined in Meade MinniSerode's Some
I American Ladies'" The ladies are
| Martha Washington. Abigail Adams
Dolly Madison Elizabeth Monroe
Louisa Adams. Rachael Jackson AMI
Peggy Eaton. All of these ladies. ex-
| Cept Rachael Jackson, We're presi-
Dental hosteSses aRd each excelled
In some particular quality. The
essay on Rachael Jackson. when il
first appeared in q magazine. caused
| denunciation Of Mr.. Minnigerode al
a public meeting in Nashville. Tenn
because he had frankly given the
| facts about her lack Of education
and social knowledge, as we'll as the
sad story of her marriage with An
drew Jackson. Two years after her
! marriage 10 jackson it was discov-
! cred that her supposed divorce from
her first husband was not valid
When she learned. shortly after
Jackson's election as President. that
she was cause Of scandal and
handicap to her beloved generals
success. she was heart broken and
soon after died.
The dynamic power of faith anC
its rela ton to success is the theme