Achilles had to decide which of the girls he could grant the most beauty in the world too. I forgot some of the girls except Aphrodite. Aphrodite said if Achilles makes her the most beautiful woman in the world that she would give Achilles the most beautiful woman in the world. She decides to give her Helen (the most beautiful of them all).
This is the part I don't get. If Aphrodite is being granted the most beautiful woman in the world, shouldn't she give herself to Achilles? I mean if she becomes the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen no longer can hold that title right?
2007-10-05 11:41:15 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
As Jacob said, it was Paris that had to make the decision, what became known as the "Judgement of Paris".
I'll provide a summary of the story for you.
Zeus held this great banquet to celebrate the marriage of Thetis and Peleus (Achilles' parents), inviting all of the gods and goddesses to attend. All save one: Eris, the goddess of strife/discord. Who wants to invite someone that's only going to cause trouble, right? Eris, angered for not being invited, showed up anyway, carrying with her a golden apple (the Apple of Discord). On this apple was inscribed "to the fairest" and she threw the apple into the middle of the marriage ceremony.
This golden apple was very alluring, of course, and three goddesses stepped up to claim the apple: Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. They all believed themselves to be the fairest or most beautiful, so they asked Zeus to make the call of who was most deserving of the apple. Zeus, not wanting to anger his wife/sister or his daughters by choosing only one of the three, said that he could not make that decision so he placed that judgement on Paris.
Paris could not decide, as all three women were goddesses and he was just a mortal, so all three goddesses offered to provide him with an incentive to help make his decision "easier". Whichever goddess he chose, she would bestow upon him the gift(s) offered, but the gift(s) offered by those he didn't choose he would forsake.
Hera offered Paris power, to make him king of Europe and Asia, but he wanted to hear the other offers before making a decision. Athena offered him wisdom, skill and luck in war, but he wanted to hear the last offer. Aphrodite offered him the love of the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Sparta. Paris loved women so he accepted Aphrodite's offer, earning himself the spite of Hera and Athena, and as a result, the fall of Troy.
Paris choose Aphrodite as the fairest or most beautiful, but she was a goddess and he was only a mortal. And in being choosen, she had offered Paris the most beautiful woman in the world. The Olympian world was a far different world than the world of mortals.
2007-10-06 05:08:53 · answer #1 · answered by xx_villainess_xx 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When all of the male gods demurred, on being asked to choose who would get the Golden Apple as the most beautiful Goddesses, Paris was suckered into the job. Paris chose Aphrodite and received the love of Helen in return. Aphrodite had spelled Helen. Aphrodite helped the Trojans because it was her doing.....another Goddess, Athena I believe, was angry and supported the Greeks.
2007-10-05 20:36:12 · answer #2 · answered by Terry 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually it was Paris who made this decision. The instance is known as the "Judgement of Paris". The gift is the most beautiful woman in the world but Aphrodite is a goddess. So Paris had to decide which goddess was the most beautiful and was rewarded with the most beautiful mortal.
2007-10-05 18:52:07 · answer #3 · answered by jacob w 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Jacob is correct!
2007-10-05 19:12:49 · answer #4 · answered by LiberalLibrarian 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Bingo, you just answered your own question, lol.
2007-10-05 18:49:57 · answer #5 · answered by ~Angela~ 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋