Helen of Troy had "the face that launched one thousand ships." The myth that led up to the Trojan War (aka the war over Helen) began when the gods had a party. The goddess of discord, Eris, was angry that she wasn't invited. She threw a gloden apple into the party that said, "For the Fairest" on it. Obviously, this brought about some problems, especially between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. They asked Zeus to tell them who deserved the apple, but making the smart decision, he refused. If he had picked, he would have two very angry goddesses on his hands, and he didn't want to possibly lose his power over a petty argument. He decided that a mortal man named Paris would make the decision on who would get the apple. The godessess, never being role models, bribed him. Athena bribed him with wisdom and the power to win any battle. Hera wanted to give him great wealth. But Aphrodite knew exactly what a young man would pick... the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris awarded the apple to Aphrodite, and she gave him Helen of Troy as his wife. They neglected to think of a problem; Helen was married to the king of Sparta. TBC...
Information from the novel Juliet Dove, Queen of Love by Bruce Coville
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