Mythology when a god or hero had to make a major choice...?

Question

I need a myth (could be from Norse, Chinese, Greek...) where the hero or god (preferred god) had to make a huge choice (preferably between three things). Provide a description for your explanation please. Thank you!

Answer 1

hercules had to decide wether to pick a life of adventure and hardships to be a god one day or pick a life of luxury

Answer 2

I have read an old myth from the Isle of Mann, in which a god is living out his last life as a thief. (The old religion is dying so the gods have lost most of their power to Christianity) He is caught shackled by the judges and sent adrift in a boat. (the key is tossed into the ocean as well.) Eventually he finds a shore and some Christian monks who tell him about the new god. He laughs at principals like "turn the other cheek" and "blessed are the weak of spirit". He says "I am a thief and this is great for I can steal and people will look th other way,.and I can dominate with my strong spirit, so he leaves the monks. He is drawn to the ocean where he find the old god living under the sea. They are still powerful here but cannot not break his shackles as they are of the other god. He leaves and decides to change his ways and chose mortality rather than a eternity shackled. He rejoins the monks to learn more and one day they catch a fish who swallowed the key to his chains.

Answer 3

Norse mythology - Beowulf had a choice between doing what was right and becoming more famous and rich.

Greek:
I think we're all aware of Pandora and her choice of opening the box or not.

Odysseus, who had a choice of staying with the Sirens or going home to Penelope

there are SO many...

Answer 4

How about this:
The Trojan prince Paris had to choose between 3 goddesses, who had an informal beauty contest among them: Athena, Aphrodite and Artemis. He chose Aphrodite, naturally, and gave her the golden apple that was the trophy. Aphrodite gave him the love of Helen in return, which led to teh Trojan war, because Paris took Helen from her husband, the king Menelaos. The other 2 goddesses were angry and took the part of the Greeks in the Trojan war, against Paris.

And another one: Hercules had to choose between 2 paths: one was narrow and uphill at the beginning, but it became beautiful later on. The other was wide and easy, but it led to a dead end on a cliff. Hercules chose the first path, which was teh path of Virtue, whereas the second was the path of malice.

Answer 5

hercules honoring his 12 labors to save his family