[ 3 ] Δευτέρῃ δὲ λέγουσι γενεῇ μετὰ ταῦτα Ἀλέξανδρον τὸν Πριάμου , ἀκηκοότα ταῦτα , ἐθελῆσαί οἱ ἐκ τῆς Ἑλλάδος δι᾿ ἁρπαγῆς γενέσθαι γυναῖκα , ἐπιστάμενον πάντως ὅτι οὐ δώσει δίκας · οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκείνους διδόναι . οὕτω δὴ ἁρπάσαντος αὐτοῦ Ἑλένην , τοῖσι Ἕλλησι δόξαι πρῶτὸν πέμψαντας ἀγγέλους ἀπαιτέειν τε Ἑλένην καὶ δίκας τῆς ἁρπαγῆς αἰτέειν . τοὺς δέ , προϊσχομένων ταῦτα , προφέρειν σφι Μηδείης τὴν ἁρπαγήν , ὡς οὐ δόντες αὐτοὶ δίκας οὐδὲ ἐκδόντες ἀπαιτεόντων βουλοίατό σφι παρ᾿ ἄλλων δίκας γίνεσθαι .
[ 4 ] Μέχρι μὲν ὦν τούτου ἁρπαγὰς μούνας εἶναι παρ᾿ ἀλλήλων , τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ τούτου Ἕλληνας δὴ μεγάλως αἰτίους γενέσθαι · προτέρους γὰρ ἄρξαι στρατεύεσθαι ἐς τὴν Ἀσίην ἢ σφέας ἐς τὴν Εὐρώπην . τὸ μέν νυν ἁρπάζειν γυναῖκας ἀνδρῶν ἀδίκων νομίζειν ἔργον εἶναι , τὸ δὲ ἁρπασθεισέων σπουδὴν ποιήσασθαι τιμωρέειν ἀνοήτων , τὸ δὲ μηδεμίαν ὤρην ἔχειν ἁρπασθεισέων σωφρόνων · δῆλα γὰρ δὴ ὅτι , εἰ μὴ αὐταὶ ἐβούλοντο , οὐκ ἂν ἡρπάζοντο . σφέας μὲν δὴ τοὺς ἐκ τῆς Ἀσίης λέγουσι Πέρσαι ἁρπαζομενέων τῶν γυναικῶν λόγον οὐδένα ποιήσασθαι , Ἕλληνας δὲ Λακεδαιμονίης εἵνεκεν γυναικὸς στόλον μέγαν συναγεῖραι καὶ ἔπειτα ἐλθόντας ἐς τὴν Ἀσίην τὴν Πριάμου δύναμιν κατελεῖν . ἀπὸ τούτου αἰεὶ ἡγήσασθαι τὸ Ἑλληνικὸν σφίσι εἶναι πολέμιον . τὴν γὰρ Ἀσίην καὶ τὰ ἐνοικέοντα ἔθνεα βάρβαρα1 οἰκηιεῦνται οἱ Πέρσαι , τὴν δὲ Εὐρώπην καὶ τὸ Ἑλληνικὸν ἥγηνται κεχωρίσθαι .
[ 5 ] Οὕτω μὲν Πέρσαι λέγουσι γενέσθαι , καὶ διὰ τὴν Ἰλίου ἅλωσιν εὑρίσκουσι σφίσι ἐοῦσαν τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς ἔχθρης τῆς ἐς τοὺς Ἕλληνας .

[ 3 ] And they say in the second generation after this , Alexander , son of Priam , having heard this , wished to get himself a wife from Hellas , through capture , knowing at any rate that he will not be punished , for they did not punish those men ( who previously captured women ) . After Helen was captured by him , the Greeks first thought to send messengers to both demand Helen back and demand reparations for the seizure . And the Persians , being informed of this , brought up the capture of Medea , as they were not given repayment and had not given up demanding her back , they wished repayment be made to them for the other women
[ 4 ] Until this matter , it was mere seizure from one another , but after this event , the Greeks became very much to blame : For they were the first to bring an army to Asia before the Persians brought an army into Europe . On the one hand , now the Persians thought the taking of women to be a deed of unjust men , and on the other hand to make haste to to avenge the capture is foolish , and nobody of sound mind would have care for such a capture : for indeed it is clear that if the women had not wanted , they would not have been taken . For the Persians say they made no complaint about their women being taken from Asia , but the Greeks , on account of one Spartan woman , put together a great campaign and then came to Asia to destroy the kingdom of Priam . From this event , they forever considered the Greeks to be their enemy . The Persians , claiming Asia and the foreign people dwelling in it to be their own , consider Europe and the Greeks to be separate from themselves .
[ 5 ] So Persians claim it happened in this way , and they find the destruction of Troy as the beginning of their hatred towards the Greeks .

[ 3 ] Then ( so the story runs ) in the second generation after this Alexandrus son of Priam , having heard this tale , was minded to win himself a wife out of Hellas by ravishment ; for he was well persuaded that , as the Greeks had made no reparation , so neither would he . So he carried off Helen . The Greeks first resolved to send messengers demandingthat Helen should be restored and atonement made for the rape ; but when this proposal was made , the Trojans pleaded the rape of Medea , and reminded the Greeks that they asked reparation of others , yet had made none themselves , nor given up the plunder at request .
[ 4 ] Thus far it was a matter of mere robbery on both sides . But after this ( the Persians say ) the Greeks were greatly to blame ; for they invaded Asia before the Persians attacked Europe . " We think , " say they , " that it is wrong to carry women off : but to be zealous to avenge the rape is foolish : wise men take no account of such things : for plainly the women would never have been carried away , had not they themselves wished it . We of Asia regarded the rape of our women not at all ; but the Greeks , all for the sake of a Lacedaemonian woman , mustered a great host , came to Asia , and destroyed the power of Priam . Ever since then we have regarded Greeks as our enemies . " The Persians claim Asia for their own , and the foreign nations that dwell in it ; Europe and the Greek race they hold to be separate from them .
[ 5 ] Such is the Persian account of the matter : in their opinion , it was the taking of Troy which began their feud with the Greeks .