The scene is taken from Homer’s Iliad, Book 6, verses 318- 369. We are in Troy, which is being besieged by the Greeks. The reason for the siege is that Prince Paris has abducted King Menelaos’ beautiful wife Helen. But now Paris is very reluctant to take the consequences of his act and enter the war of which he himself has been the cause. His brother Hector, seen here in full armour, thinks this too bad, and it is precisely to persuade him to take part in the war that Hector here goes to visit Paris and Helen.
