Paris was tasked with judging which goddess was most beautiful after Eris sparked conflict at a wedding. The goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite each offered Paris a bribe for his vote. Paris chose Aphrodite, who promised him Helen, the most beautiful woman. Paris then kidnapped Helen from her husband Menelaus, sparking the Trojan War when Menelaus demanded she be returned.

1. PARIS
By Zaida and Marta – Spanish e-twinning team 2012

2. This is the mosaic with the picture of Paris’ life in the villa of
Noheda.
On the left side we can see (or guess) a sitting figure under a tree.
It must be Paris. The three women close to him are the three
godesses who were involved in the famous judgement.
The next picture, in the middle, represents the kidnap of Helen.
And in the last scene, on the right, the couple is, at last, opposite
Troia’s walls.

3. THE JUDGEMENT OF PARIS
It all started at the wedding of Thetis and Peleus,
which all the gods were invited to, except the
goddess of discord, Eris.
During the celebration, she brought a golden apple
dedicated to the most beautiful goddess.

4. Hera, Athena and
Aphrodite, Zeus’ HERA
wife and daughters,
competed for the ATHENA
apple.
To decide which of APHRODITE
them was the most
beautiful and give
her the apple, Zeus
asked Paris the
compromising task.

5. Athena, goddess of war,
represented (in the mosaic) by
the helmet, spear and
shield and the breastplate
with the Gorgon Medusa,
promised him victory in
all his battles.
Hera, goddess of wisdom,
represented with and a
high crown, offered him
to take always wise
decisions.
Aphrodite, goddess of
beauty and love,
represented with a nude
breast, promised him the
most beautiful woman:
Helen, queen of Sparta So, Paris chose Aphrodite to
and wife of Menelaus. give her the apple.

6. The kidnap of Helen
Helena, Zeus and Leda’s
daughter, Menelao’s wife
and Queen of Sparta, was
the most beautiful woman
in Greece.
One day Paris, a handsome
young man, came and she
fell in love with him.

7. Menelaus did not
suspect anything.
Few days after, Paris
escaped to Troy with
Helena.
When Menelaus
realized, flew into a
rage, and went to
Troia to demand of
King Priam giving
back his wife
but the Trojans refused,
so the war of Troy
took place.