Why were all the Greek generals obligated to defend Helen?

Question

Why were all the Greek generals obligated to defend Helen?

Answer 1

King Tyndareus of Sparta feared that all of the rejected suitors would be likely to try to start war or abduct his daughter Helen, as Theseus of Athens did when she was 10 years old. Wily Odysseus had a plan to avoid that. He told Tyndareus to make all the suitors swear to fight to recover Helen if anyone abducted her. That was a good plan, as later events proved. Prince Paris of Troy believed he'd only have to face Menelaus and his Spartan army if he eloped with Helen, but all of Greece made war upon Troy.

Answer 2

They WANTED to defend Helen; she had "the face that launched a thousand ships" so her looks played a big part in her influence over men in general.

Answer 3

The wanted to. In the legend She was the MOST beautiful woman on earth. And Aphradite offered Helens love to Paris ( a shepord boy ) If he said she was the most beautiful goddess

Answer 4

When Helen's father had to choose her suitor he feared the suitors turned down would ally against him. So he made them sign a pact that they would not bear a grudge or attack Helen's father or suitor or their countries, and if a person broke the pact the others would all join forces to defeat the traitor. All the suitors signed in the hopes they would be chosen.

Answer 5

When it was time for Helen to marry, many kings and princes from around the world came to seek her hand or sent emissaries to do so on their behalf. Among the contenders were Odysseus, Menestheus, Ajax the Great, Patroclus, Idomeneus, Menelaus and Agamemnon, the latter two of whom were in exile, having fled Thyestes.

Helen's father, Tyndareus, would not choose a suitor, or send any of the suitors away, for fear of offending them and giving grounds for a quarrel.  

Odysseus proposed that, before the decision was made, all the suitors should swear a most solemn oath to defend the chosen husband against whoever should quarrel with him.

This suitors all did so  and Helen and Menelaus were married.    When Helen (& most of Menelaus's treasure) was taken By Paris  Menelaus made all the Greeks honor the vow they had made and take his side in the war.