The Choice of Paris
Zeus prepared a grand banquet for the wedding of Peleus (a great war hero) and Thetis (a beautiful sea nymph).
All the goddesses were invited to the ceremony except Eris (the goddess of strife and discord). Nobody wanted that warpig troublemaker there. Spurned with contempt, Eris showed up anyway and tossed a Golden Apple toward Zeus. Inscribed on this Golden Apple are the words, "for the most beautiful."
Three goddesses step forward claiming to be the most beautiful, and thus the rightful owner of the Apple: Hera (the goddess of childbirth and marriage), Athena (the goddess of wisdom and warfare), and Aphrodite (the goddess of love and beauty).
Zeus (notorious player and master of harem management) knew better than to play favorites with his lovely goddesses, so he selected a mere 'nice guy' mortal named Paris to chose the most beautiful.
Immediately, the goddesses began their seductive bribes.
Hera was kinda the 'goddess next door.' Her beauty was uncomplicated and she emanated caring and warmth. She promised to make Paris a king over a vast dominion!
Athena, objectively the least physically attractive, was nonetheless striking by her authority and presence. She promised Paris unsurpassed knowledge and strategy, the wisdom and ability of a great warrior!
Then Aphrodite, a dazzling incarnation of desire, sashayed her way right up to Paris and confidently looked him in the eye conveying pleasure and danger. With her mesmerizing exotic voice, she offered Paris one thing: a single night with The Most Beautiful Woman in the World.
Of course she wasn't talking about herself, for she was a goddess. But everyone knew the most beautiful mortal in the world was Helen of Sparta, who was the wife of King Menelaus.
As if he needed any more convincing, Aphrodite pushed her cleavage together and blew Paris a kiss. So forgoing great prowess and power, the hapless Paris chose Aphrodite to receive the Golden Apple of Discord.
The choice Paris made was based on nothing but unreasoned and unrestrained sexual craving. His wish for a single night of lust and delight doomed his entire city. If you know anything about Greek mythology, then you know this decision led to the capture of Helen from King Menelaus which led to the Trojan War and the destruction of Troy.
The moral of the story?
When we chose one thing, it is a significant act. When we pick one goddess, we accept that we may leave the others angry with us. When we delay deciding, we anger them all.
When we pick a path, a life purpose, a mate, we agree to face the challenges of that decision head on. The challenges here mean not only the difficulties you face as consequences of your choice, but also the potentially painful awareness of the paths not taken.
Your decision marks that path - that god or goddess - as elevated above all others.
You control the outcome. Choose mindfully. Choose consciously. Choose wisely.
GoneSavage
All the goddesses were invited to the ceremony except Eris (the goddess of strife and discord). Nobody wanted that warpig troublemaker there. Spurned with contempt, Eris showed up anyway and tossed a Golden Apple toward Zeus. Inscribed on this Golden Apple are the words, "for the most beautiful."
Three goddesses step forward claiming to be the most beautiful, and thus the rightful owner of the Apple: Hera (the goddess of childbirth and marriage), Athena (the goddess of wisdom and warfare), and Aphrodite (the goddess of love and beauty).
Zeus (notorious player and master of harem management) knew better than to play favorites with his lovely goddesses, so he selected a mere 'nice guy' mortal named Paris to chose the most beautiful.
Immediately, the goddesses began their seductive bribes.
Hera was kinda the 'goddess next door.' Her beauty was uncomplicated and she emanated caring and warmth. She promised to make Paris a king over a vast dominion!
Athena, objectively the least physically attractive, was nonetheless striking by her authority and presence. She promised Paris unsurpassed knowledge and strategy, the wisdom and ability of a great warrior!
Then Aphrodite, a dazzling incarnation of desire, sashayed her way right up to Paris and confidently looked him in the eye conveying pleasure and danger. With her mesmerizing exotic voice, she offered Paris one thing: a single night with The Most Beautiful Woman in the World.
Of course she wasn't talking about herself, for she was a goddess. But everyone knew the most beautiful mortal in the world was Helen of Sparta, who was the wife of King Menelaus.
As if he needed any more convincing, Aphrodite pushed her cleavage together and blew Paris a kiss. So forgoing great prowess and power, the hapless Paris chose Aphrodite to receive the Golden Apple of Discord.
The choice Paris made was based on nothing but unreasoned and unrestrained sexual craving. His wish for a single night of lust and delight doomed his entire city. If you know anything about Greek mythology, then you know this decision led to the capture of Helen from King Menelaus which led to the Trojan War and the destruction of Troy.
The moral of the story?
When we chose one thing, it is a significant act. When we pick one goddess, we accept that we may leave the others angry with us. When we delay deciding, we anger them all.
When we pick a path, a life purpose, a mate, we agree to face the challenges of that decision head on. The challenges here mean not only the difficulties you face as consequences of your choice, but also the potentially painful awareness of the paths not taken.
Your decision marks that path - that god or goddess - as elevated above all others.
You control the outcome. Choose mindfully. Choose consciously. Choose wisely.
GoneSavage
posted by GoneSavage at Thursday, June 25, 2009
8 Comments:
I have a symbol of chaos, of discord, tattooed on the inside curve of my left hipbone.
That choice will never leave me.
Here is another interesting perspective from Indian mythology.
Draupadi had (in a previous birth) please Shiva with hard penances. When asked what she wanted, she said she wanted a perfect husband and went ahead to list a long list of qualities. Shiva replied that it is not humanly possible for any man, but she insisted. Shiva smiled and said, "then so be it".
Lo and behold, polyandry enters the picture, and she ended up marrying the five brothers, each unsurpassed for his unique qualities: The first was known for righteousness, the second for physical strength, the third for being a great warrior and skilled archer, and the youngest two for their beauty and skill with healing.
Check it out. Might reveal more insights to you.
PoF, hmmmm...
GS, true, but energy must come into full congruence before taking form. Decisions made hastily without full congruence can be as unsatisfying as not making a decision when one needs to be made.
When everything comes into alignment, a decision will spontaneously and organically come to fruition that is fully satisfying to everyone involved. I seen this happen for myself on a number of fronts this year ... it takes faith though.
p.s. Have you ever seen the Gary Craig EFT fork bending videos?
ooh! ooh! ooh! Can I be Aphrodite? Pleeeaase???? I'd love nothing more than to destroy Troy with nothing more than my cleavage and an air kiss! Pleeeaase???(*clasps hands together and jumps up and down with anticipation*)
oh, I like the polyandry possibility ;-)
Anon,
At first I did not know why would you try to relate polyandry (having more than one husband)to this fable. But I guess you are implying that Helen could have been married to Menelaus and Paris at the same time.
Mercedes,
Why would you want to destroy Troy? It concerns me that you'd be attracted to the feminine power of seduction to destroy the lives of men.
Erika,
Would you really want simultaneous marriage to multiple husbands?
Jason: Don't be concerned. It's because I'm mean. Sorry...I thought that was already clear when showed you I approved of woman on man violence...
I really like your analysis.
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