Note 125 — BOOK III THE DAWN OF HISTORY
Reading edition
This is, I think, too dogmatic about Helen. True, raids on women were a real cause of war, but they were also a very favourite ficelle of fiction. A war with Troy might easily arise by the carrying off of a woman. But why was Troy destroyed six several times? It looks to me as if there was some strong motive for building just there, and an equally strong motive for great confederacies destroying the city when built.—G. M.
Walter Leaf in his Homer and History is in agreement with G. M. on this point.—G. Wh.