The Face That Launch'd A Thousand Ships Poem by Christopher Marlowe

The Face That Launch'd A Thousand Ships

Rating: 3.6


Was this the face that launch'd a thousand ships,
And burnt the topless towers of Ilium?
Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss.
Her lips suck forth my soul: see where it flies!
Come, Helen, come, give me my soul again.
Here will I dwell, for heaven is in these lips,
And all is dross that is not Helena.
I will be Paris, and for love of thee,
Instead of Troy, shall Wittenberg be sack'd;
And I will combat with weak Menelaus,
And wear thy colours on my plumed crest;
Yea, I will wound Achilles in the heel,
And then return to Helen for a kiss.
O, thou art fairer than the evening air
Clad in the beauty of a thousand stars;
Brighter art thou than flaming Jupiter
When he appear'd to hapless Semele;
More lovely than the monarch of the sky
In wanton Arethusa's azur'd arms;
And none but thou shalt be my paramour!

The Face That Launch'd A Thousand Ships
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Ross Mackay 26 August 2012

Two people have got this wrong so I'll say it. It isn't Paris talking, it's Faustus. This is an extract from the play 'Doctor Faustus', one of the most famous plays of the Elizabethan era which wasn't written by Shakespeare.

10 4 Reply
Kay Staley 26 August 2014

I don't really get this one because of the old English. The line Come, Helen, come, give me my soul again is nice and memorable. I like how it shows Helen's power because she is in ownership of his soul.

5 6 Reply
Shahzia Batool 26 August 2012

Much celebrated apostrophe to the gorgeous Helen! Ramesh T A has rightly remarked about the great Marlowe. At a critical moment he makes mephistophilis conjure the spirit of Helen for Faustus' pleasure(in order to dissuade him from repentance) ...the spell is so much powerful that even in the approaching snares of death, his sensuality reaches its heights.The paragon of beauty is the only remedy available for his anguished soul.thank u PH for sharing this piece... :)

4 6 Reply
Ramesh T A 26 August 2011

Beautifully written wonderful poem in support of love by great Christopher Marlowe! It is a classic immortal for all to read and enjoy till the end of time! Long live Paris and Helen in literature to enlighten the readers about the value of love, beauty and truth in the world all have to cherish for the upliftment of humanity forever!

3 5 Reply
Amber Smith 26 August 2006

The story of helen of troy....wow i like it alot.. this is also my favorite story about the iiresitable helen and her lover paris! ! This poem really captures the essance of how helen was so irresitable!

4 4 Reply
Dr Dillip K Swain 23 November 2022

Moreover, this poem provides some clues of his taking black magic.

0 0 Reply
* Sunprincess * 30 August 2015

............beautiful lines ★ O, thou art fairer than the evening air Clad in the beauty of a thousand stars;

4 3 Reply
Rajesh Thankappan 01 January 2015

Was this the face that launch'd a thousand ships, And burnt the topless towers of Ilium? Unparalleled lines of sheer grandeur and splendor and a poem of unparalleled beauty. Great! Great! Great!

5 3 Reply
Frank Avon 03 September 2014

Compare this to Edgar Allan Poe's To Helen. Here is the voice of a genuine poet. Poe's Helen is one of his best creations, but is light years away from this in the quality of language and the height of achievement.

4 6 Reply

In a way i think he is smitten by the Helen of Troy legend but then i think he is comparing his own paramour who he feels is much more beautiful than Helen.. I have no idea if there are any Greek vases with Helen's picture on it but to love someone as much as this poet does well alright it's his torment..

3 4 Reply
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