The Trojan war part 3

 

The Wedding of Peleus and Thetis

The gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus were invited to celebrate the wedding of the mortal hero Peleus and the sea nymph Thetis, a divine couple destined to give birth to the great hero Achilles. The wedding was held with grand festivities, and all the gods and goddesses attended, bringing blessings and gifts. However, Eris, the goddess of strife and discord, was not invited. Known for causing trouble, her presence was deemed inappropriate at such a joyous event.

The Creation of the Golden Apple

Angered by her exclusion, Eris devised a plan to disrupt the celebration. She created a beautiful golden apple, inscribed with the words “Τῇ καλλίστῃ” (To the Fairest or For the Most Beautiful). At the height of the festivities, Eris threw the apple into the midst of the gathered goddesses, sparking confusion and immediate rivalry. Three goddesses in particular—Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite—claimed the apple as their own, each believing she was the fairest.

The Dispute Among the Goddesses

The sudden appearance of the apple led to an intense dispute. Hera, the queen of the gods, argued that as the wife of Zeus and the most powerful of the goddesses, she was entitled to the apple. Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, contended that her intelligence and strategic mind made her the most deserving. Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, believed her unparalleled physical beauty guaranteed her claim to the apple.

Unable to reach a decision among themselves, the three goddesses turned to Zeus, the king of the gods, to judge who should receive the golden apple. Zeus, however, was reluctant to make a decision that could upset any of the goddesses, all of whom were important to him and held significant sway over different aspects of life. To avoid the conflict, Zeus decided to delegate the decision to a mortal, Paris, a prince of Troy.

 

 

Paris, Prince of Troy

Paris, though a prince of the powerful city of Troy, had been raised as a shepherd, unaware of his royal heritage. His father, King Priam, had been warned by a prophecy that Paris would bring about the destruction of Troy, so Paris had been sent away as a child. Paris grew up handsome and fair, and he was known for his good judgment. This made him the perfect candidate for Zeus to entrust with the difficult decision of awarding the golden apple.

Hermes, the messenger god, was sent to Paris with the three goddesses. Each of them, eager to win the golden apple, sought to sway Paris by offering him enticing gifts and bribes. This moment became known as “The Judgment of Paris.”

The Bribes of the Goddesses

Each goddess approached Paris in turn, offering him a reward if he chose her as the fairest.

• Hera, the goddess of marriage and family, promised Paris vast power. She offered to make him the ruler of all Asia and Europe, ensuring him wealth and dominion over the known world. Hera’s bribe played on ambition, offering Paris political power and the ability to conquer.
• Athena, the goddess of wisdom, offered Paris unmatched intelligence, military prowess, and success in battle. She promised to make him an unbeatable warrior and a wise leader, who would gain glory through his tactical genius in war. Athena’s offer appealed to Paris’ desire for honor and greatness.
• Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, offered Paris the most tempting gift of all: the love of Helen, the most beautiful mortal woman in the world. Helen, however, was already married to King Menelaus of Sparta. Nevertheless, Aphrodite promised that Helen would leave her husband and fall deeply in love with Paris.