Aphrodite

The beginning of the Trojan War all started with three goddesses: Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera and the Judgement of Paris. These three goddesses are very important in greek mythology. Aphrodite being the goddess of sexual love and beauty. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, courage, and law and Justice. Hera is the wife of Zeus and the goddess of marriage and woman. It all began at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. Eris, the goddess of discord, was not invited and was angered by this.

She arrived at he wedding anyway, bringing a golden apple that was labeled to the fairest one’. Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera all thought themselves to be the fairest one and all thought that they had claim to the apple. They asked Zeus to Judge who was fairest, but not wanting to declare a favorite, he sent them to Paris. Paris was a troJan mortal that had recently offered a golden crown to any bull that could beat his champion bull, so Ares had turned himself into a bull defeating the champion.

Paris gave the crown to Ares with no hesitation, and because of that honesty was why he was hosen by Zeus to Judge Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera. Escorted by Hermes, the three goddesses bathed in the spring of Ida and then met up with Paris on the Mount of Ida. After the goddesses undresses for Paris to reveal their beauty he could still not decide. The three candidates decided to use their powers and bribe him, each offering great things. Hera offered to make him leader of Europe and Asia, Athena offered to give him great skill in battle and wisdom, and Aphrodite offered the most beautiful woman in the world.

Paris chose Aphrodite and gave her the apple. Aphrodite gave Paris Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world. Helen was married to the Greek king Menelaus. The Greeks trying to get Helen back from Troy is the root cause of the Trojan War. Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera had major roles throughout the Trojan War. Aphrodite was on the Trojans side, but Athena and Hera were on the side of the Greeks. During the war Aphrodite is seen aiding and helping Paris and the Trojans while Athena and Hera helped the Greeks. There are many examples of Aphrodite helping the Trojans throughout the war.

One example is when Menelaus challenged Paris to a duel. Paris did not duel with him at first, but when his brother Hector makes fun of him for being a coward he decides to fight. In their duel, Menelaus gets Paris by him helmet and begins to drag him. Aphrodite, being an ally to the Trojan side, helps Paris by breaking the strap to his helmet so that he is released from Menelaus. Menelaus then tries to put his spear through Paris, but Aphrodite takes Paris away and puts him in his room. Aphrodite then disguised herself as an old man and brought Helen to Paris.

Another example of Aphrodite in he Trojan War is when she intervened in a battle to save her son, Aeneas. He was also an ally to the Trojans who was almost killed by Diomedes, a greek hero. When Aphrodite intervened Diomedes attacked her with his spear, hitting her wrist. Because of her wound she drops Aeneas, but he’s rescued by another ally god, Apollo. Aphrodite then goes to her brother Ares to borrow his chariot to take her to matters of war to Ares and Athena, the god and goddess of war. Since Athena was the goddess of war she was pretty involved in the Trojan War and was present at any battles.

In the war she was allies with the Greeks. She played a big role in the Trojan War when it came to the Trojan Horse. Odysseus came up with a plan, some say with the aid of Athena, to build a wooden horse to sneak into Troy. An inscription was on the horse that said ” For their return home, the Greeks dedicate this offering to Athena”. Athena also helped and protected the Greek warrior Diomedes a lot. Diomedes was the only one to wound an Olympian Immortal, which was Aphrodite. Throughout the war Athena helps him by blessing his armor and giving him orders.