Greek Classical Sculpture

Eros, Aphrodite, Helen, and statue of Athena

This metope depicts a key moment during the Sacking of Troy: when Menelaos sets out to find his wife Helen, whom he intends to murder in revenge for the loss of so many of his comrades. Meanwhile Eros and Aphrodite work their charms, causing Menelaos, in the adjacent North Metope 24, to drop his sword at the sight of his beautiful wife. In the next moment he will fall hopelessly in love with her again.

This version of the story shows Helen racing to the safety of a statue of Athena before harm can befall her. Importantly, this specific metope helped 19th-century scholars to decipher the entire thematic program of the north metopes.