Helen of Troy, widely known as Beautiful Helen, was the most beautiful woman in the ancient world. She was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, wife to King Menelaus of Sparta. When Menelaus left Sparta to attend a funeral in Crete, Paris of Troy seduced and abducted her, causing indirectly the start of the Trojan War. The war lasted for 10 years and ended when the Greeks pretended to withdraw, leaving behind a large wooden horse with hidden warriors inside. As Trojans considered horses to be sacred, they allowed it in and the Greeks opened the city gates to their comrades, at night. After the fall of Troy, Menelaus brought Helen back to Sparta.