Eris Threw the Apple at the Wedding of Peleus and Thetis
At the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, a goddess named Eris threw an apple into the gathering. This event is known as the Judgement of Paris, and it was a pivotal moment in Greek mythology. According to legend, Eris was not invited to the wedding, so she decided to crash it and cause chaos. She threw an apple inscribed with the words “for the fairest” into the crowd. This sparked a dispute between three goddesses—Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera—over who should receive the apple.
The Judgement of Paris
In order to settle the dispute, Zeus ordered that a mortal man named Paris be chosen to judge which goddess deserved the apple. Each goddess offered Paris a bribe in exchange for his vote. Aphrodite promised him Helen of Troy, Athena promised him wisdom and skill in battle, and Hera promised him power and wealth. In the end, Paris chose Aphrodite’s bribe and awarded her the apple.
This decision ultimately led to the Trojan War when Helen was taken from her husband Menelaus by Paris. Thus, Eris’s actions at Peleus and Thetis’s wedding had far-reaching consequences that changed the course of history.