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The Paris of Myth ...
Paris was the
youngest son of Priam and Hecuba. When he was born, it was foretold
that he would be the cause of the downfall of Troy, as told in a
dream of Hecuba. He was sent out of Troy in hopes that the message
would be false. He went to Mount Ida in order to be a shepherd.
Eris, the goddess
of strife, was not invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis.
She came anyway, and she threw a golden apple into the middle of
the wedding. Inscribed on the apple was a message. It read "To
the fairest." Immediately, the apple was claimed by Hera, Athena
and Aphrodite. They all asked Zeus to decide on who should receive
the apple. Zeus knew how much trouble he would be in if he decided
on one, because the other two would have grave revenge. So Zeus
descended to Mount Ida where Paris was farming and asked him to
be the Judge.
Paris, being
a mortal, could not decide. However, each of the three goddesses
decided to make it easier for him. They would each offer him gifts,
and he would get the gifts form the goddess he chose.
Hera offered
Paris power. She offered to give him all of Asia, and great power.
He thought this offer was great, but he decided to hear the other
offers first before deciding.
Athena offered
him great wisdom, and great luck in battle. He would be the best
strategist in the world. He loved this idea, but he waited to hear
Aphrodite's offer.
Aphrodite offered
him two things. The first was his body, and the second was the love
of the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen. Since Paris's first
love was women, he decided to pick Aphrodite's offer. Hera and Athena
vowed vengeance.
Paris soon went
home to Troy after that, and with Aphrodite's help, he managed to
send a fleet of ships, break into Menelaus's palace in Greece and
kidnap Helen. He also took a lot of treasure with him.
As Helen was
the most beautiful woman in the world, all of her suitors were the
most powerful people in Greece. In order for peace to be kept when
Helen chose a suitor, all other suitors must vow to keep Helen as
the wife of whom she chose. So when Helen chose Menelaus, all of
the other suitors had to agree that if anyone tried to kidnap her,
they would try to get her back. So, when Paris kidnapped her, all
of Greece declared war on the city of Troy.
These actions
of Paris and Aphrodite started the Trojan war. Paris fights, but
he is mostly out of legend until Hector is killed by Achilles. While
Achilles and his allies bring Hector's body back into Troy for a
funeral, Paris take a bow and arrows and shoots it at Achilles.
Apollo guides his arrow so that it hits Achilles's foot, in the
famous Achilles tendon. Achilles dies. Paris is soon killed afterwards
in the war.
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