Known as an infamous[1] lady who lighted the flames of the Trojan War, Helen was the most beautiful woman in the world. She was the daughter of Zeus and was married to Menelaus, king of Sparta, by her stepfather. They were leading a happy life[2] when one day Paris came to visit Sparta.Quikly, Helen and Paris fell in love and fled together to Troy.When Menelaus learnt it, he was very angry and decided to lay a siege to[3] the city of Troy and get Helen back. The battle continued for a very long time, Helen felt she still loved Menelaus, and she helped Odysseus and Diomedes when they came in disguise to steal the Palladium. Finally, Paris was defeated and killed in the battle.When Menelaus entered the city of Troy, he began searching anxiously for Helen and found her trembling in the ruins[4]. Facing her charming face again, Menelaus felt it difficult to thrust his sword into her body. Then Helen, feeling guity and ashamed, asked Menelaus for forgiveness. Menelaus forgave her and brought her back to Sparta.They loved each other like before and lived happilly from then on.

海伦，因为挑起了特洛伊战争而臭名昭著。她是世界上最漂亮的女人。她是宙斯的女儿，她的继父把她嫁给了斯巴达国王梅纳雷阿斯。他们一直过着幸福的生活，直到有一天，帕里斯访问斯巴达，很快，他便与海伦坠入爱河并一起私奔，逃到了特洛伊。 梅纳雷阿斯得知此事后非常生气，他决定攻打特洛伊城，并把海伦找回来。战争持续了很长时间，海伦发现自己还爱着曼纽拉斯，于是当俄底修斯和戴奥米底斯化妆进城来窃取帕拉斯（守护特洛伊城的神像）神像时，她帮助了他们。最后，帕里斯战败并被杀死。 曼纽拉斯进入特洛伊城并急切地寻找海伦，后来在废墟中发现了她。再一次面对着海伦美丽的脸庞，曼纽拉斯怎么也不忍心把剑刺入她的身体。海伦有一种负罪感，并且非常羞愧，她请求曼纽拉斯宽恕。曼纽拉斯原谅了她并把她带回斯巴达。他们象从前一样相爱，从此过着幸福的生活。

注释：

1. infamous：这是一个贬义词，表示“声名狼藉”、“臭名昭著”等。用这个词形容Helen这么漂亮的姑娘，似乎太严厉了。可是谁让她挑起特洛伊战争呢！总之，infamous是用来形容坏人的，如an infamous criminal表示“一个臭名昭著的杀人犯”。

2. lead a... life：表示“过……生活”，例如：lead a happy life（过幸福的生活）。还有一个词组live a... life与其同义，也表示“过……生活”。

3. lay a siege to：表示“攻打”、“发动战争”，后面跟名词。

4. ruin：是“毁灭”、“毁坏之物”等意思，加复数后常表示“废墟”，如the ruins of a castle (一座城堡的废墟)。