THE JUDGEMENT OF PARIS was a contest between the three most beautiful goddesses of Olympos - Aphrodite, Hera and Athena - for the prize of a golden apple addressed to "the fairest".

The story begins at the Wedding of Peleus and Thetis to which all of the gods were invited, except for one, Eris the goddess of discord. When she appeared at the festivities, she was turned away, and in wrath cast a golden apple amongst the assembled goddesses addressed 'To the Fairest'. Three goddesses laid claim to the apple - Aphrodite, Hera and Athena. Zeus was asked to mediate and he commanded Hermes to lead the three goddesses to Prince Paris of Troy, to decide the issue. The three goddesses appearing before Paris, each offering him gifts of her favour. He chose Aphrodite, swayed by her promise to bestow upon him, Helene the most beautiful woman alive as his wife. The subsequent abduction of Helene from Greece led directly to the Trojan War and the eventual fall of Troy (led by the wrathful goddesses Hera and Athena).