The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1956-02-25

Of Gay Paris and the Trojan
Horse Set have been sweet
talked by nearly all the
great writer's, from Greece's
nodding Homer to Holly
woods perennial Joe Blows.
BY most historic reckoning,
the Lady was a Tramp. She
thoroughly enjoyed wallow-
ing in Trojan infamy, like
a pig in garbage. For sugar
coated, economy-size SHINING.
her Movie may get the Col
den Oscar!
Why do writers dish up
the junk they do? Well, why
do people act the way they
are? Why must Classics be
"sin" to be appreciated? My
own theory is that Homer
and the others wanted to
eat regularly. There may
have been other reasons.
Great artists have always
been ham strung by the
quaint nonsense that royalty
can do no wrong. It may
have been a case of misery
loving company, or politics,
or satire.
The fact that Helen
became the eager con-
sort of a Trojan Play
Boy and IoUed of-linsits
HUNG GwGy from Papa,
is in1material. She iDds O
Queen, incapable of in
discretion. Vice became a
virtuOus By her doing.
HGlf-DGy RoyaIiSt Ed
nsund Burke excused Ma
RE Antoinette on these
grounds, saying "Vice
lost halt its euil BIZ los
ing al its groSseaeSs"
Her last Neckinp Party,
you mey recall, pnS with
the Gutllottne.
Shakespeare is a bit holder
in Measure For Measure. He
says, THAT in the Captains
but a choleric word which in
the Soldier is fiat blasphe-
my" In short, the more rank
the less evil
Writers have always gone
to ridiculous lengths to sane
tify their Sovereigns. The So
called Virgin Queen of Eli
zabethan England is a elas-
sic fraud. She and her court
were cesspools of debauchery.
To make Liz look good, all
Britain was made to seem
corrupt, and especially writ
ers. Poetic Marlowe became
a profligate drunk, gentle
Shakespeare, a Usurer! ALI
was evil, save the evil Queen!
In Elizabethan England,
and probably in Homeric
Greece, learning lived dan
gerouSly. Losing ones head
was generally for keeps. Only
the suspected fool was safe
from a Government playing
Chop Chop.
Writers ltUed constant
Fy Nth the thought of
Someday aDdIking about
Juggling their head under
their arm. Split persona
Rties mere rare; split
persons iDere common.
You either 90 the point.
or you got the Arei
Royalty lUGS Extremely
SenStttpe In those days,
and had a militant in
ternattoRaI Union. Under
such a set-up, it a6as Dery
unhealthy to tell the
truth about Helen, the
Trojan War, or anything
else.
Homer probably groan-
ed ,ohen he a0rote the
Tliad. While the Cracks
and Troians did fight a
bloody tOar, Helen ,Das
not the cause, but the
excuse. The Old Bon
played smart and con-
5Tonted to the Party Line,
More important than
haUtng the face, fortune,
chassis to launch a thou
sand ships, Helen ,oas a
Queen. When the Dirtu-
ous lady decided to lone
her abductorS, outraoino
outraged Uirtue, her rank
made it right.
Had Helen been a Com
Iaoner, she would have been
called Trash. Both sides
would have stopped fighting
long enough to dream 10
better reasons for mutual
slaughter Sly Homer drag
ged religion into the squab-
BILE.
With the various Heavenly
Factions taking sides, disho-
nor was honored, and the !
war given new legitimacy. |
Both countries were spared |
the discord of peace. Helen |
was indicated; so was sin.
hail Homer!
There have been many ver-
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