The Fate of Helen of Troy

The fate of Helen of Troy has always been unclear. According to Orestes, son of Agamemnon, Helen was taken to Mount Olympus soon after her arrival back to Argos with Menelaus. Herodotus, a great Greek historian, claimed Helen had never even made it to Troy in the first place. Supposedly, she was sold to the Egyptians when Paris, on his way back from Argos, had been confronted by them. Obviously, there are many stories pertaining to the fate of Helen after the Trojan War; however, there is one that is widely accepted.
When Paris was dying, he was confronted with the question of who would get Helen. As Deiphobus and Helenus, the brothers of Paris, were arguing this over, Paris, in the end, chooses Deiphobus since he had outperformed his brother during the war. Soon after, Deiphobus and Helen get married by force.
Soon after the marriage, the Achaeans prevail and beat down the city of Troy. During the attack, Menelaus and Odysseus catch Helen with Deiphobus. Menelaus then kills Deiphobus, perhaps with the help of Helen, and completely mutilates his body for revenge - cutting his ears, arms, nose, and other body parts entirely off.
When their battle at Troy was nearly over, the Achaeans divide the prisoners of royal blood among themselves, and Helen was returned to Menelaus. Menelaus, still furious at the woman, announces to all his intentions to kill Helen himself for being such an unfaithful wife and starting this disastrous war. However, as Menelaus raised his sword to kill his treacherous spouse, she unexpectedly drops her robe from her shoulders baring her body to him. The sight of Helen’s beauty causes Menelaus to drop the sword from his hands, and, once again, Helen’s beauty captivates Menelaus. He then puts her on the ship and declares his intentions to kill her later.
On their way back home, the Achaeans encounter heavy storms, preventing many, including Menelaus, from making it back safely. Menelaus remained lost at sea with Helen for close to 8 years, having the winds carry them from places such as Crete to Egypt. Finally, both Menelaus and Helen arrive to Argos safely, and Menelaus had practically forgotten about Helen’s deception.
In The Odyssey, Homer briefly states that Helen had, in the end, returned with Menelaus to Sparta, and the couple reigned happily together. Also, it is later written that Menelaus had heard from the sea-god, Proteus, of his and Helen’s fate. Proteus had prophesized that when the time comes, Helen and Menelaus would be sent to the Islands of the Blessed to live forever together, because Helen was a daughter of Zeus and Menelaus was the one she loved.
Although there are many accounts of Helen’s fate, no one knows for certain of what became of “the face that launched a thousand ships.” Of all the stories, only one thing seems certain, and that is who Helen is as a person. In every account, Helen seemed to have stirred up trouble unconsciously by her beauty. After the war, she never seemed to be too devastated about the fact that many had died for her presence. She actually seemed pretty unaffected and did virtually nothing to pay for her part in the calamity of war. So whatever the case, which ever story is true, we do acknowledge one fact for certain – whether a curse or a blessing, Helen was so magnificent in beauty and with that came much power.