Act I - Sparta, before the Temple of Jupiter

The people of Sparta bring gifts to the God's shrine. Calchas, the high priest, is disgusted at the poverty of the offerings. Of all the gods, only Venus is doing well, having been awarded the prize as the most beautiful goddess by Paris, shepherd prince of Troy. She, in turn, has promised him the lost of the most beautiful mortal in the world.

Calchas just has time to reinstall his newly repaired thunder-sheet before Queen Helen and her attendants enter, mourning for Adonis. She is both alarmed and titillated by the reward, because she, herself, is known to be the most beautiful woman in the world.

There is a boisterous interlude caused by the prince-about-town, Orestes, and his companions, but Calchas manages to shoo them away.

Just then Paris himself enters, and when a dove arrives with a message direct from Venus herself, Calchas is persuaded to help him achieve his "prize." though not before Paris describes the famous contest in song. Helen sees him and is strangely drawn to this "simple shepherd," who tells her he has come to enter a festival contest to be held that day.

The five kings of Greece - the two Ajaxs, Achilles, Menelaus (Helen's husband) and Agamemnon the high king - now enter in splendid procession and introduce themselves. Agamemnon announces the contest - a charade-like guessing game. None of the kinds has the slightest clue, but Paris steps forward and solves the riddle. He is awarded the prize and reveals his name, much to Helen's confusion and delight.

To get rid of the inconvenient Menelaus, Paris enlists Calchas's help, and the high priest stages a Jovian oracle demanding that Menelaus leave immediately for Crete. The unsuspecting monarch agrees and departs with the shouts of the populace ringing in his ears.

Act II - Sparta, The Queen's Suite in the Palace

Helen is preparing to entertain the Grecian kings, and insists on putting on the least sexy dress she owns. She invokes Venus, begging that Paris be rewarded some other prize than herself. Paris is then admitted and by pretending to doubt that Helen is really the most beautiful woman of all, rouses her emotions.

The kings, Orestes, and Calchas come in all eager to play the Game of Goose, a very popular betting game played with dice. With much bickering the game begins, but ends in chaos when Clachas is caught cheating. Helen, much troubled, orders her guards doubled to prevent Paris coming in, and goes to sleep. Paris, however, managed to get past the guards by disguising himself as one of them. Helen, thinking she is having a dream, sings a passionate love duet with him. They are interrupted by her husband Menelaus, who has suddenly returned. He summons the kings and court to bear witness to his betrayal, and urges them on till they chase the defiant Paris away.

Act III - The Nauplia beach, outside Sparta

Angered by the rejection of Paris, Venus has sown seeds of passion and illicit love among the normally straight-laced Spartans. As Agamemnon and Calchas learn when they eavesdrop incognito on the cavorting throng, husbands and wives are breaking up, and there are affairs and infidelities everywhere.

Helen and Menelaus enter, quarreling bitterly. He accuses her of adultery, while she defends herself but threatens to make his accusation come true.

Agamemnon and Calchas, appalled by the dangerous social breakdown, appeal to Menelaus to make a supreme sacrifice and give Helen up, but he is most reluctant. He tells them that he has sent for the High Priest of Venus to give another oracle. Calchas's furious objections to such an incursion on his prerogatives are useless, and the Caravel of Venus arrives bearing the high priest - actually Paris in disguise.

Paris tells the assembly that Helen must accompany him to a nearby island to make sacrifice. Menelaus is much relieved. Helen enters and, learning who the "High Priest" really is, finally allows her honorable scruples to be overcome. As they sail away, Paris reveals his identity to the horrified Menelaus. The ensemble sings ecstatically, and the curtain falls.