Once upon a time, the goddess of discord, Eris, was disgruntled because she wasn't invited to a wedding party. Therefore, she inscribed "Kallisti" [Καλλίστη], meaning "For the most beautiful one", on a golden apple, and tossed it into the middle of the wedding party.
Hera (goddess of monogamy and the home, and Zeus' wife), Athena (goddess of wisdom and battle), and Aphrodite (goddess of love) began to fight over the apple, unable to agree which of them was the most beautiful. Zeus tired of their bickering and asked Paris of Troy to judge the contest. Hera bribed him with wealth and fame; Athena offered him wisdom and success in battle; and Aphrodite offered him the love of the beautiful Helen. Paris was captivated by Helen's loveliness and gave the apple to Aphrodite, who sent her son Eros to charm Helen away from her elderly husband. Thus the Trojan war was indirectly sparked by Eris' golden apple!
Comments