Paris - Revision history

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'''Paris''' (Greek: Πάρις; also known as '''Alexander''' or '''Alexandros'''), son of [[Priam]], king of [[Troy]], appears in a number of [[Greek mythology|Greek]] legends. Probably the most well known was his abduction of, or elopement with, [[Helen]], queen of [[Sparta]], this being one of the immediate causes of the [[Trojan war]]. Later in the war, he fatally wounds [[Achilles]] in the heel with an arrow, as foretold by the dying [[Hector]].

When Paris was born, an [[oracle]] claimed he would be the downfall of Troy. His parents had one of their henchmen take him to [[Mount Ida]], hoping he would stay out of trouble there.

The goddesses [[Hera]], [[Athena]] and [[Aphrodite]] had been invited along with the rest of [[Mount Olympus]] to the forced wedding of [[Peleus]] and [[Thetis]], who would become the parents of [[Achilles]], but [[Eris]] (the goddess of strife) had been snubbed because of her troublemaking inclinations. [[Eris]] therefore tossed into the party a golden apple inscribed with the word "Kallistei" -- "For the most beautiful one" -- provoking the goddesses to begin quarreling about the appropriate recipient. Paris was appointed to select the most beautiful. Greek mythological morality being what it was, each of the three goddesses immediately attempted to bribe Paris to choose her. Hera offered political power and control of all of [[Asia]], Athena skill in battle, wisdom and the abilities of the greatest warriors, and Aphrodite the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, wife of [[Menelaus]] of Sparta. Paris awarded the apple to Aphrodite, which sparked the Trojan War.

Since Helen was the most beautiful woman in the world, she had had many suitors. To keep the peace between them, her father [[Tyndareus]] made them all promise to defend the marriage of Helen and whomever she chose. She chose Menelaus, and when Paris kidnapped her, arriving on a boat built by [[Phereclus]] (according to some, she fell in love with Paris and left willingly), all of [[Greece]] attacked Troy in the [[Trojan War]]. (See also [[Judgment of Paris]]).

Paris is portrayed throughout the [[Iliad]] as a cowardly character; in a duel between him and Menelaus, he is narrowly saved by Aphrodite. His only claim to glory is killing [[Achilles]] with a poisoned bolt, which is guided to Achilles' vulnerable heel by the god [[Apollo]].

Late in the [[Trojan War]], Paris was killed by [[Philoctetes]], an incident not recounted by Homer. After Paris died, his brother, [[Deiphobus]], married [[Helen]] until he was killed by [[Menelaus]], who then took his wife back to Sparta.

[[Oenone]], Paris' first wife, was a [[nymph]] from Mount Ida in [[Phrygia]]. Her father was [[Cebren]], a river-god. Paris kidnapped her and they were wed; Oenone gave birth to [[Corythus]]. When Paris abandoned her for Helen, she predicted the disastrous results of Paris' attempt at Helen (the Trojan War, and Paris' death).

Alternatively, when Paris was mortally wounded he asked for her to heal him since she was known as a healer. Oenone refused and Paris died; she threw herself onto his burning funeral pyre.

A third possibility sometimes cited was her attempts at breaking up Paris and Helen. She sent Corythus to drive a wedge between Paris and Helen but Paris did not recognize his son and killed him.

There is an icon showing Paris presenting an apple to (one of) the goddesses [[Athena]], [[Aphrodite]], and [[Hera]]. This icon is most commonly interpreted as the "[[Judgment of Paris]]," the assumption being that he is deciding which of the three is the most beautiful. An alternative interpretation is that Paris is shown receiving the gift of life from the trio of goddesses. This interpretation is supported by the contention that the three goddesses represent a single goddess in her three aspects of nymph, mother and crone and that to choose the most beautiful makes no sense in this context.

Ovid presents us with a seductive letter from Paris to Helen [http://www.calliope.free-online.co.uk/abduct/abduct1.htm].

==External link==
* [http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/picture-of-month/displaypicture.asp?venue=7&id=136 'The Judgement of Paris' by William Etty] at the [http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ladylever/index.asp Lady Lever Art Gallery]

[[Category:People who fought in the Trojan War]]

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 When Paris was born, an [[oracle]] claimed he would be the downfall of Troy. His parents had one of their henchmen take him to [[Mount Ida]], hoping he would stay out of trouble there.
-The goddesses [[Hera]], [[Athena]] and [[Aphrodite]] had been invited along with the rest of [[Mount Olympus]] to the forced wedding of [[Peleus]] and [[Thetis]], who would become the parents of [[Achilles]], but [[Eris]] (the goddess of strife) had been snubbed because of her troublemaking inclinations. [[Eris]] therefore tossed into the party a golden apple inscribed with the word "Kallistei" -- "For the most beautiful one" -- provoking the goddesses to begin quarreling about the appropriate recipient. Paris was appointed to select the most beautiful. Greek mythological morality being what it was, each of the three goddesses immediately attempted to bribe Paris to choose her. Hera offered political power and control of all of [[Asia]], Athena skill in battle, wisdom and the abilities of the greatest warriors, and Aphrodite the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, wife of [[Menelaus]] of Sparta. Paris awarded the apple to Aphrodite, which sparked the Trojan War.
+The goddesses [[Hera]], [[Athena]] and [[Aphrodite]] had been invited along with the rest of [[Mount Olympus]] to the forced wedding of [[Peleus]] and [[Thetis]], who would become the parents of [[Achilles]], but [[Eris]] (the goddess of strife) had been snubbed because of her troublemaking inclinations. [[Eris]] therefore tossed into the party a golden apple inscribed with the word "Kallistei" -- "For the most beautiful one" -- provoking the goddesses to begin quarreling about the appropriate recipient. Paris was appointed to select the most beautiful. Greek mythological morality being what it was, each of the three goddesses immediately attempted to bribe Paris to choose her. Hera offered political power and control of all of Asia, Athena skill in battle, wisdom and the abilities of the greatest warriors, and Aphrodite the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, wife of [[Menelaus]] of Sparta. Paris awarded the apple to Aphrodite, which sparked the Trojan War.
 Since Helen was the most beautiful woman in the world, she had had many suitors. To keep the peace between them, her father [[Tyndareus]] made them all promise to defend the marriage of Helen and whomever she chose. She chose Menelaus, and when Paris kidnapped her, arriving on a boat built by [[Phereclus]] (according to some, she fell in love with Paris and left willingly), all of [[Greece]] attacked Troy in the [[Trojan War]]. (See also [[Judgment of Paris]]).