Helen of Troy
- proper noun
- Literature
:
Helena de Troya
- Many poets describe Helen of Troy as the face that launched a thousand ships.
Examples
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The story of Helen of Troy is central to the epic poem the Iliad.
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The legend of Helen of Troy has inspired countless works of literature and art.
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Helen of Troy was beautiful.
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Don't forget Helen of Troy!
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Many poets describe Helen of Troy as the face that launched a thousand ships.
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The legend of Helen of Troy has inspired countless works of literature and art.
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The story of Helen of Troy is central to the epic poem the Iliad.
Synonyms
883
5.1
A very beautiful woman in Greek stories who is taken to Troy by a prince, causing the Trojan War
Surface Forms
Morphology
The structure 'Helen of Troy' transparently indicates a person named Helen associated with Troy (the 'of' construction signals origin/association), so a learner who knows the constituents can infer it refers to Helen connected to Troy. However, the specific mythological identity and cultural implications (her beauty and role in the Trojan War) are not derivable from the words alone and require background knowledge, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Helen of Troy comes from a Greek story about a very beautiful woman who was taken by Paris and whose loss started the Trojan War; poets even called her 'the face that launched a thousand ships'. That is why calling someone a 'Helen of Troy' often means they are 'very beautiful' or may 'cause big problems'.