As the story goes
.....
Everyone knew that Zeus was
probably Aphrodite's father. Everyone knew that Zeus was probably Helen's
father as well. That made Helen her half sister. But Helen's
mother was only a mortal. Aphrodite's mother was probably a goddess.
There really was no comparison.
When Aphrodite heard that Paris, a
prince of Troy, had proclaimed her half sister Helen as the fairest
in the land, well, Aphrodite was not at all pleased.
A short time later, a wedding was
announced in the Greek god world. Eris,
the spirit of disagreement, had not been invited. Eris made a
surprise and most unwelcome visit to the wedding reception. She
threw a golden apple of discord on the feasting table. "This
apple is for whomever is the fairest," Eris proclaimed
haughtily, hoping to cause trouble. Which she did.
Hera, Aphrodite, and
Athena all grabbed for the apple. "It's mine," insisted
the three goddesses, Aphrodite loudest of all.
Zeus thundered, "Enough. Paris
will decide who is the fairest. Hermes,
go tell Paris he has a job to do."
"Paris!" Aphrodite
muttered. "Well, well."
Paris found himself facing three of
the most powerful goddesses in the world, all clamoring for his
attention. "Paris will decide! Which one of us is the
loveliest, Paris?" they demanded to know.
Paris could have said they were all the most
beautiful. But Paris was
as foolish as he was handsome. Paris told all three goddesses that
whomever offered him the best bribe would be declared the fairest.
"I'll show him a bribe,"
hissed Hera.
"Hera, Athena" Aphrodite
pleaded. "Let me be the one to teach him a lesson."
Aphrodite's bribe was the best. She
promised Paris that
she would make the king of Sparta's wife, the beautiful Helen, fall
instantly in love with
Paris, and wouldn't his
brothers be jealous!
Aphrodite kept her promise. That
very day Paris and Helen left Greece behind,
and traveled together to the city of Troy, where they expected to
live happily ever after.
When the king heard what had
happened, that his wife had been kidnapped by Paris, a prince of
Troy, the king of
Sparta went after his wife to rescue her. When the king of Sparta
called on the other kings of Greece to help, they rallied to his
side. A huge navy of Greek warriors set sail for Troy. That was the beginning of the
Trojan War. And the end of Troy.
Ever after, and for all time, Queen
Helen of Sparta, the women who caused the destruction of an entire
city-state, was no longer known as the half sister of Aphrodite. She
was known simply as Helen of Troy.
