Paris and the Golden Apple

"Helen the face that launched a thousand ships"

The history of the "apple" - fruit of temptation which linked woman to the fall of man is known in many different cutlures and has its parrallels in Greek mythology.

The wedding of Peleus and Thetis, the hero and sea-goddess, was celebrated on Mount Pelion. All of the Gods and Goddesses were invited, with the noted exception of Eris, the Goddess of Discord and Strife. Angered at being left out of the nuptuals she strode into the middle of the wedding feast and threw a golden apple in the assembled company. It landed between the three most powerful goddesses, Hera, Athene and Aphrodite. Picking it up, Zeus found it was inscribed ‘For the Fairest’. Wisely deciding not to judge between the three deities himself, Zeus nominated the handsome Paris as arbiter, Paris agreed and so a time was set for the three goddesses to appear to him on Mount Ida.

Hera appeared to him first, radiant with glory, she promised Paris great wealth and power if he was to award the apple to her. Hera tapped into Paris' weakness of ambition.

Next Athena appeared to him, and promised him victory in all battles, together with glory and wisdom - the three most precious gifts a man could have. She had catered to his weakness of power.

Finally Aphrodite appeared and offered Paris the gift of Love. You will possess the most beautiful woman in the land, a woman equal to me in perfection of form. Paris, overpowered by the intoxication of her words and her beauty, found himself handing her the apple without even pausing to reflect on his decision, guided only by the strength of his desire. Which Aphrodite, had realised was his biggest weakness.

So it was that Paris awarded the Apple of Discord to Aphrodite, and Hera and Athene became his implacable enemies. True to her promise, Aphrodite gave him Helen, the most beautiful woman living on the earth.

But their union catalysed one of the biggest wars of time, between the Trojans and the Greeks, lasting ten years. Paris himself lost his life in that war.