Fairest One, a Fraud!

By Jim Joseph Kharl

Aphrodite claims to be the ‘fairest’ after bribing Paris. Paris upon hearing that he will be given the most beautiful woman in the world chose the goddess. She admitted: “I did it because I was desperate to win!”

It was a solemn celebration yesterday as Zeus held a banquet to honor the marriage of Thetis, a sea nymph, and king Peleus, the banquet was grand and star studded as most of the gods and goddesses graced the event with their presence but the goddess of discord, Eris was crossed out in the invitation list, in her rage she threw behind a golden apple in the hall with the inscription... kallistē or “to the fairest one”. The banquet was stirred with the entry of the apple as Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite argued to whom among them does the apple rightfully belongs to and so to prevent the uprising conflict between them, they consulted Zeus on the matter and the son of Cronos suggested that Hermes should take them to Paris who is an excellent judge of beauty.

Paris handing the apple to Aphrodite: Athena and Hera left behind

Paris was naturally awestruck as the 3 goddesses appeared before his very eyes, and then they started bidding for the mortal’s decision. The three goddesses then said: “consider what we offer to you...” Hera, the wife of Almighty Zeus, told him: “A lord of Europe and Asia you will be!” Athena, the daughter of the Cloud-Gatherer alone, then tried to bribe him by saying: “Great wisdom and skill in battle will be yours if you choose me” and finally the Goddess of Beauty, Aphrodite spoke: “choose me and the most beautiful mortal shall be yours!” Paris being inclined to things of beauty naturally chose the last goddess and with that they journeyed to Sparta were Helen, the most beautiful mortal lived...as queen to Menelaus. Naturally the queen was hospitable to their guest, while he and Aphrodite convinced her to come with him to Troy, and she did so what now happens to the king and Sparta?


* output on the Lit Activity, "The Daily Greek"