Explore the origins of the Trojan War, from Eris's golden apple to the Judgment of Paris. Learn how a divine rivalry led to the legendary ten-year siege.

The Trojan War was the ultimate 'butterfly effect' moment where a single piece of fruit led to the total destruction of a legendary civilization, proving that even being a demigod doesn't save you from a random bit of bad luck.
Summary of the Trojan War and the journey of Odysseus (The Odyssey)

The Trojan War began with a chaotic wedding dispute caused by Eris, the goddess of discord, who was not invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. In retaliation, she threw a golden apple inscribed 'to the fairest' among the guests. This sparked a fierce rivalry between the goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, eventually leading to the Judgment of Paris and the eventual destruction of Troy.
The Judgment of Paris was a pivotal moment where a Trojan prince, living as a shepherd, was forced to choose the most beautiful goddess among Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Each goddess offered an unhinged bribe, but Paris chose Aphrodite’s offer of the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen. This decision directly triggered the military alliance that led to the ten-year siege of Troy.
Helen of Sparta was the wife of King Menelaus and the woman promised to Paris by the goddess Aphrodite. When Paris took Helen back to Troy, it activated a massive military oath sworn by her former suitors to defend her marriage. This 'butterfly effect' moment transformed a domestic dispute into a global conflict that depopulated the earth and destroyed a legendary civilization.
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