Eris: The Uninvited Wedding Guest

Eris, the Greek goddess of discord, strife, contention and rivalry, was the only goddess not invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. Infuriated by the snub, she turned up at the wedding uninvited and threw a golden apple inscribed to the fairest into the crowd, sparking a heated dispute between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, and setting in motion the events that led to the Trojan War.

Eris was the goddess of discord, strife, contention and rivalry

Eris, the goddess of discord, strife, contention and rivalry, was not invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. This was because of her disagreeable nature. However, she turned up anyway and, when refused admittance, wreaked havoc by throwing a golden apple inscribed "to the fairest" into the crowd.

Three goddesses—Hera, Aphrodite and Athena—laid claim to the apple, and in their rivalry brought about the events leading up to the Trojan War. Eris was closely identified with the war-goddess Enyo, and was known as the Lady of Sorrow. She was said to wander about, at first small and insignificant, but soon raising her head up to heaven. She was insatiable in her desire for bloodshed, and after all the other gods had withdrawn from the battlefield, she still remained, rejoicing over the havoc that had been made.

Eris was enraged at not being invited to the wedding of King Peleus and Thetis

Eris, the goddess of discord, strife, contention, and rivalry, was enraged when she wasn't invited to the wedding of King Peleus and the sea nymph Thetis. The event was the talk of the town and nearly all the gods and goddesses were invited. When Eris found out that she wasn't invited, she decided to sneak into the wedding and cause trouble.

Eris was known for haunting the battlefield and delighting in human bloodshed. She was closely identified with the war goddess, Enyo, and was often portrayed as the goddess of the strife of war. Even after all the other gods had withdrawn from battle, she remained, rejoicing over the slaughter.

Eris' disagreeable nature was the reason she was not invited to the wedding. However, this only served to anger her further, and she was determined to cause chaos at the celebration. As a means of revenge, she threw a golden apple inscribed "to the fairest" into the crowd of goddesses, causing Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena to fight over it. This incident ultimately led to the Trojan War.

She threw a golden apple into the wedding, causing a dispute between Hera, Athena and Aphrodite

Eris, the goddess of discord, strife, contention and rivalry, was enraged when she wasn't invited to the wedding of King Peleus and the sea nymph Thetis. In Greek mythology, nearly all the gods and goddesses were invited to the wedding, except Eris. When she found out, she decided to sneak into the wedding and cause trouble.

Eris threw a golden apple into the wedding, causing a dispute between Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. The apple was inscribed with the words "To the fairest", and the three goddesses laid claim to it. Hera, the extremely beautiful wife of Zeus, believed she was the fairest. Athena, the virgin goddess of wisdom, also went after the apple. Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, reached for the apple as well.

Zeus was called upon to decide who should receive the apple, but he did not want to get involved in the argument. Instead, he handed the responsibility to Paris, the Trojan prince. The three goddesses then started to bribe Paris, offering him wealth, victory in battle, and the love of Helen, considered the most beautiful mortal in the world. Paris accepted Aphrodite's offer and gave her the apple, which enraged Hera and Athena, who became enemies of Paris and Troy.

Aphrodite's promise came with a problem—Helen was already married to King Menelaus. Paris, however, did not seem to care and sailed to Greece to kidnap her and make her his wife. This sparked the Trojan War, as King Menelaus declared war on Troy, gathering an army of a thousand ships to bring Helen back.

Zeus was called upon to decide who should receive the apple, but he passed the responsibility to Paris, the Trojan prince

Zeus, the ruler of Mount Olympus and king of the gods, was indeed called upon to decide who should receive the apple. However, being wise and not wanting to get involved in the goddesses' dispute, he passed the responsibility to Paris, the Trojan prince.

The goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all believed they were the fairest and most beautiful. They started fighting over the apple, and Zeus knew that he did not want to get caught in the middle of their argument. So, he handed the decision over to Paris. With the responsibility now resting on Paris' shoulders, the goddesses began to offer him bribes. Hera promised that he would rule Asia, Athena offered victory in battle, and Aphrodite promised Helen, considered the most beautiful mortal in the world, as his bride. Paris eagerly accepted Aphrodite's offer and gave her the apple.

Aphrodite's promise, however, came with a complication. Helen was already married to King Menelaus, but Paris did not seem to care. He sailed across the Aegean Sea to Greece, kidnapped Helen, and took her as his wife. This enraged King Menelaus, who declared war on Troy. Thus, the Trojan War began.

Zeus, as the chief deity, was regarded as the sender of thunder and lightning, rain, and winds. He was considered the father and protector of both gods and humans. In art, Zeus was often depicted as a bearded, dignified, and mature man, and his most prominent symbols were the thunderbolt and the eagle.

Paris' decision to give the apple to Aphrodite led to the Trojan War

Eris, the goddess of discord, was not invited to the wedding of King Peleus and the sea nymph Thetis. This enraged her, so she decided to crash the wedding and cause trouble. She threw a golden apple inscribed "to the fairest" into the crowd, sparking a dispute between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, three goddesses who believed they were the fairest or the most beautiful. Zeus was called upon to decide who should receive the apple, but he wisely refused to get involved. Instead, he passed the responsibility to Paris, the Trojan prince.

With the responsibility now resting on Paris' shoulders, the three goddesses began to bribe him. Hera promised to make him ruler of Asia, Athena pledged to grant him victory in battle, and Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, offered him Helen, considered the most beautiful mortal woman in the world. Paris chose Aphrodite, accepting her bribe of Helen's love. However, Helen was already married to King Menelaus. Paris sailed across the Aegean Sea to Greece, kidnapped Helen, and took her as his wife. This infuriated King Menelaus, who declared war on Troy. Agamemnon, King Menelaus' brother, was appointed leader of the Greek army, and they sailed to Troy with one thousand ships to bring Helen back. The Trojans refused to return Helen, and the bloody ten-year war began.

Odysseus ultimately devised a cunning plan to get inside the Trojan walls. He had the Greeks build a large, hollow wooden horse, hide Greek soldiers inside, and pretend to sail away, signaling that the war was over. The Trojans were tricked and believed the wooden horse was a gift, pulling it inside their walls in celebration. Once the Trojans were asleep, Odysseus and the Greek army opened the gate, allowing the hidden Greek soldiers to attack and quickly defeat the sleeping Trojans. Helen was returned to King Menelaus, and the Trojan War was finally over.

Thus, Paris' decision to give the apple to Aphrodite set off a chain of events that led to the Trojan War. His acceptance of Aphrodite's bribe and his abduction of Helen enraged Hera and Athena, turning them against Paris and his city of Troy. The Greeks invaded Troy to retrieve Helen, leading to the infamous and prolonged conflict.

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