Paris.
The judge of a divine rivalry
Paris of Troy: Greek Myth, the Golden Apple and Helenis the Trojan prince appointed to judge a beauty dispute among three goddesses. His choice of and her promise of connects a private reward with a war that engulfs his city.
More than a myth.
The judgment of Paris
’s apple provokes a dispute among , , and . leads the goddesses to , and each offers an inducement. He awards the prize to Aphrodite after her promise involving . The judgment is therefore more than a detached comparison of appearance: his own desired future becomes part of the decision.
Paris and Helen at Troy
brings from ’s household to . In the , reproaches him for the danger his actions have brought on others. Paris fights Menelaus in a duel intended to settle the conflict, but removes him before the encounter can produce that result. Divine favor preserves him while prolonging the problem facing the wider armies.
Paris and the death of Achilles
The wider Trojan tradition gives a role in ’s death with ’s assistance. That event comes after the ’s ending. Paris’s use of a bow and divine support make him different from the poem’s dominant image of close combat between and Achilles, but they remain part of the war’s larger narrative.
Questions about Paris
Which goddess did Paris choose?
, whose reward concerned . and offered other forms of advantage in the judgment tradition.
Are Paris and Hector brothers?
Yes. Both are sons of and Hecuba, but the gives them contrasting relationships to ’s danger and military duty.
It’s a family affair.
Paris
The golden apple, Helen & the Trojan WarNo children represented in this edition.
The stories of Paris.
Ancient voices.
Enduring stories.
Myths have many tellings. These are the ancient works behind this profile, linked to freely available English translations.
Library · Epitome
Epitome 3.2–4, 5.3
Iliad
Book 3 · the duel with Menelaus