Judgement of Paris

The Judgement of Paris is a story from Greek mythology, in which the legendary roots of the Trojan War can be found. As with many mythological tales, details vary depending on the source. The story originates in Kypria, a lost work of the Trojan War cycle, which only remain in fragments.

Related Topics:
Greek mythology - Trojan War - Kypria - Trojan War cycle

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Zeus (Jupiter) held a banquet in celebration of the marriage of Peleus and Thetis. Left off the guest list was Eris (goddess of discord), and upon turning up uninvited she threw or rolled a golden apple into the ceremony, with the inscription καλλίστῃ ("for the fairest one"; see below for more on this word). Three goddesses claimed the apple: Hera (Juno), Athena (Minerva) and Aphrodite (Venus). They asked Zeus to judge which of them was fairest, and eventually Zeus, reluctant to favor any claim himself, declared that Paris, a Phrygian mortal, would judge their cases.

Related Topics:
Zeus - Marriage - Peleus - Thetis - Eris - Golden - Apple - Goddess - Hera - Athena - Aphrodite - Paris

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All three of the candidates attempted to bribe Paris; Hera offered to make him king of Europe and Asia, Athena offered skill in wisdom and war, and Aphrodite offered the love of the world's most beautiful woman. This was Helen of Sparta, wife of the Greek king Menelaus. Paris accepted Aphrodite's gift and awarded the Apple to her, receiving Helen and the enmity of the Greeks. The Greeks' expedition to retrieve Helen from Paris in Troy is the borderline mythological basis of the Trojan War. (For a more complete treatment, see Paris.)

Related Topics:
King - Europe - Asia - Wisdom - War - Love - Beautiful - Woman - Helen - Sparta - Menelaus - Troy - Paris

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