Eris
conceptThe goddess of strife and discord who threw the golden apple that started the chain of events leading to the Trojan War.
The Myth
Eris was the goddess of strife, discord, and rivalry. Daughter of Nyx, she delighted in conflict and was unwelcome among the gods. When she was not invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis — precisely because her presence would cause trouble — she took revenge.
Eris threw a golden apple among the wedding guests, inscribed with the words "For the Fairest." Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite each claimed it, and their quarrel could not be resolved even by Zeus. He sent the three goddesses to Paris, a Trojan prince, to judge.
Each goddess offered Paris a bribe: Hera offered power, Athena offered wisdom and victory in battle, and Aphrodite offered the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris chose Aphrodite, who gave him Helen of Sparta. His abduction of Helen triggered the Trojan War — all from a single golden apple thrown by the goddess of discord.
Parents
Symbols
Fun Fact
The dwarf planet Eris, discovered in 2005, was named after the goddess of discord because its discovery caused a controversy that led to Pluto's reclassification.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth:
Explore Further
Nyx
conceptThe primordial goddess of night, one of the first beings to emerge from Chaos. So powerful that...
Paris
heroParis was the Trojan prince whose judgement of three goddesses and abduction of Helen ignited the...
Thetis
nymphThetis was a sea nymph so powerful that both Zeus and Poseidon desired her — until a prophecy...
Peleus
heroKing of Phthia, Argonaut, and father of Achilles who wrestled the shape-shifting sea goddess Thetis...
Peleus (Father of Achilles)
heroThe king of Phthia who wrestled and won the sea-nymph Thetis, fathering Achilles — the greatest...
Apple of Discord
conceptGolden apple thrown by Eris inscribed "for the fairest" that triggered the divine beauty contest...
Judgement of Paris (Detail)
conceptThe beauty contest between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite judged by Paris of Troy, whose choice of...
Trojan Horse
conceptThe hollow wooden horse used by the Greeks to infiltrate and destroy Troy. Devised by Odysseus, it...
Trojan War
conceptThe Trojan War was the central event of Greek mythology — a ten-year siege of Troy by a Greek...
Helen
heroThe most beautiful woman in the world, daughter of Zeus. Her elopement with Paris of Troy triggered...
Judgment of Paris
conceptThe beauty contest between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite judged by Paris of Troy that caused the...
Aphrodite
godGoddess of love and beauty, born from the sea foam. Aphrodite's power to inspire desire was so...