s\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 \cf7 were celebrating their marriage, to which all the gods of \b \cf4 \ATXht11507 Olympus\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 \cf7 had been invited, \b \cf4 \ATXht10512 Eris\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 , the goddess of discord, became infuriated at being the only o
ne to have been omitted from the guest list. The revenge that she took was to have devastating consequences for the whole of the Hellenic world. Furtive and cunning, she tossed a golden apple bearing the words "for the fairest" into the middle of the hal
l, immediately causing an argument.\cf0 \b \cf4 \ATXht6 Athena\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 ,\cf0 \b \cf4 \ATXht3 Hera\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 , and\cf0 \b \cf4 \ATXht2 Aphrodite\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 \cf7 each claimed the precious trifle for herself, but none of the gods wish
ed to take on the dangerous task of deciding which of them deserved it. The question was difficult, and\cf0 \b \cf4 \ATXht8 Zeus\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 , in his wisdom, declared that the choice should be made by a mortal. He ordered\cf0 \b \cf4 \ATXht12 Herme
s\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 to accompany the three beauties of Olympus to\cf0 \b \cf4 \ATXht10903 Mount Ida\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 in Troas, where\cf0 \b \cf4 \ATXht11606 Paris\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 , still unaware that he was the son of King\cf0 \b \cf4 \ATXht11633 Priam
\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 , was tending his flocks.\par
On the appearance of the deities, the young man was seized with dread, but Hermes, the arch-deceiver, persuaded him that he had nothing to fear: he looked at and listened to the goddesses and awarded the tr
ophy according to his own judgment. In addition to the arguments of their beauty, each of the immortals tempted the young man with seductive promises: Hera offered him sovereignty over the whole of Asia; Athena, wisdom and success on the battlefield; Aph
rodite, who knew men, promised him the love of\cf0 \b \cf4 \ATXht10808 Helen\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 , considered the most beautiful of mortal women. Without reflecting, Paris handed the apple and the victory to Aphrodite, who assured him of her benevolence. At
hena and Hera retired with wounded pride, swearing their undying hatred of the judge and all his people.