Ἤδη δὲ πεντήκοντα ἔτη γεγονώς , ὥς φησιν Ἑλλάνικος , ἔπραξε τὰ περὶ τὴν Ἑλένην , οὐ καθ᾿ ὥραν . ὅθεν ὡς δὴ μέγιστον ἐπανορθούμενοι τοῦτο τῶν ἐγκλημάτων , ἔνιοι λέγουσιν οὐκ αὐτὸν ἁρπάσαι τὴν Ἑλένην , ἀλλὰ Ἴδα καὶ Λυγκέως ἁρπασάντων παρακαταθήκην λαβόντα τηρεῖν καὶ μὴ προΐεσθαι τοῖς Διοσκούροις ἀπαιτοῦσιν · ἢ νὴ Δία Τυνδάρεω παραδόντος αὐτοῦ , φοβηθέντος Ἐναρσφόρον τὸν Ἱπποκόωντος ἔτι νηπίαν οὖσαν βιαζόμενον τὴν Ἑλένην λαβεῖν . τὰ δὲ εἰκότα καὶ πλείστους ἔχοντα μάρτυρας τοιαῦτά ἐστιν .

Ἦλθον μὲν εἰς Σπάρτην ἀμφότεροι καὶ τὴν κόρην ἐν ἱερῷ Ἀρτέμιδος Ὀρθίας χορεύουσαν ἁρπάσαντες ἔφυγον · τῶν δὲ πεμφθέντων ἐπὶ τὴν δίωξιν οὐ πορρωτέρω Τεγέας ἐπακολουθησάντων , ἐν ἀδείᾳ γενόμενοι καὶ διελθόντες τὴν Πελοπόννησον ἐποιήσαντο συνθήκας , τὸν μὲν λαχόντα κλήρῳ τὴν Ἑλένην ἔχειν γυναῖκα , συμπράττειν δὲ θατέρῳ γάμον ἄλλον . ἐπὶ ταύταις δὲ κληρουμένων ταῖς ὁμολογίαις ἔλαχε Θησεύς · καὶ παραλαβὼν τὴν παρθένον οὔπω γάμων ὥραν ἔχουσαν εἰς Ἀφίδνας ἐκόμισε · καὶ τὴν μητέρα καταστήσας μετ᾿ αὐτῆς Ἀφίδνῳ παρέδωκεν ὄντι φίλῳ , διακελευσάμενος φυλάττειν καὶ λανθάνειν τοὺς ἄλλους . αὐτὸς δὲ Πειρίθῳ τὴν ὑπουργίαν ἀποδιδούς , εἰς Ἤπειρον συναπεδήμησεν ἐπὶ τὴν Ἀϊδωνέως θυγατέρα τοῦ Μολοσσῶν βασιλέως ,

Theseus had just reached fifty years old , according to Hellanicus , when he carried out the rape of Helen , who was not yet old enough to marry . Some say , so as to alleviate him of this greatest accusation , that it was not he who seized Helen , but that after Idas and Lynceus seized her , Theseus received her as his ward and guarded her and would not release her to the Dioscuri when they demanded her back ; Or – by Zeus ! – even that Tyndareus himself surrendered her to Theseus , fearing Enarsphoros , son of Hippocoon , who attempted to seize Helen by force while she was still a child . However , the likely story and the one that boasts the most witnesses proceeds as follows .

Theseus and Peirithoüs came together to Sparta and , after seizing the girl while she was dancing in the temple of Artemis Orthia , they fled . Those who were sent in pursuit followed no further than Tegea and , having passed through the Peloponnese to safety , they made an agreement : the one who obtained Helen by lot should have her as his wife , but must assist the other in arranging another marriage . And under the agreement of those casting lots , Helen fell to Theseus ' lot . So , after taking the maiden – not yet of marriage-age – Theseus brought her to Aphidnae , settling his mother with her and entrusting them both to Aphidnus , who was a friend , instructing him to guard and conceal her from any others . He himself , in order to return the favor to Peirithoüs , journeyed abroad with him to Epirus , seeking the daughter of Aidoneus , King of the Molossians .

Theseus was already fifty years old , according to Hellanicus , when he took part in the rape of Helen , who was not of marriageable age . Wherefore some writers , thinking to correct this heaviest accusation against him , say that he did not carry off Helen himself , but that when Idas and Lynceus had carried her off , he received her in charge and watched over her and would not surrender her to the Dioscuri1 when they demanded her ; or , if you will believe it , that her own father , Tyndareüs , entrusted her to Theseus , for fear of Enarsphorus , the son of Hippocoön , who sought to take Helen by force while she was yet a child . But the most probable account , and that which has the most witnesses in its favour , is as follows .

Theseus and Peirithoüs went to Sparta in company , seized the girl as she was dancing in the temple of Artemis Orthia , and fled away with her . Their pursuers followed them no farther than Tegea , and so the two friends , when they had passed through Peloponnesus and were out of danger , made a compact with one another that the one on whom the lot fell should have Helen to wife , but should assist the other in getting another wife . With this mutual understanding they cast lots , and Theseus won , and taking the maiden , who was not yet ripe for marriage , conveyed her to Aphidnae . Here he made his mother a companion of the girl , and committed both to Aphidnus , a friend of his , with strict orders to guard them in complete secrecy . Then he himself , to return the service of Peirithoüs , journeyed with him to Epirus , in quest of the daughter of Aïdoneus the king of the Molossians .