---
title: "The Judgement of the Goddesses · Θεῶν Κρίσις"
author: "Lucian"
translator: "Austin Morris Harmon"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 1 of 1
url: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-the-judgement-of-the-goddesses/1/
cite: "Lucian, tr. Austin Morris Harmon, The Judgement of the Goddesses · Θεῶν Κρίσις, section 1. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-the-judgement-of-the-goddesses/1/"
---

# The Judgement of the Goddesses · Θεῶν Κρίσις

*Lucian, tr. Austin Morris Harmon*

Paris on Mount Ida judges Hera, Athena and Aphrodite.

> Greek: ed. Austin Morris Harmon, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0062.tlg032, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Austin Morris Harmon, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0062.tlg032.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 1. Sections 1–16

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-the-judgement-of-the-goddesses/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-the-judgement-of-the-goddesses/1/#p-N

[¶0] 1. ZEUS Hermes, take this apple; go to Phrygia, to Priam’s son, the herdsman—he is grazing his flock in the foothills of Ida, on Gargaron—and say to him: “Paris, as you are handsome yourself, and also well schooled in all that concerns love, Zeus bids you be judge for the goddesses, to decide which of them is the most beautiful. As the prize for the contest, let the victor take the apple.” (To the Gopprsses) You yourselves must now go and appear before your judge. I refuse to be umpire because I love you all alike and if it were possible, should be glad to see you all victorious. Moreover, it is sure that if I gave the guerdon of beauty to one, I should inevitably get into the bad graces of the majority. For those reasons I 4am not a proper judge for you, but the young Phrygian to whom you are going is of royal blood and near of kin to our Ganymede; besides, he is ingenuous and unsophisticated, and one cannot consider him unworthy of a spectacle such as this.

> Greek: 1. Ζεύς: Ἑρμῆ, λαβὼν τουτὶ τὸ μῆλον ἄπιθι εἰς τὴν Φρυγίαν παρὰ τὸν Πριάμου παῖδα τὸν βουκόλον — νέμει δὲ τῆς Ἴδης ἐν τῷ Γαργάρῳ — καὶ λέγε πρὸς αὐτόν, ὅτι σέ, ὦ Πάρι, κελεύει ὁ Ζεύς, ἐπειδὴ καλός τε αὐτὸς εἶ καὶ σοφὸς τὰ ἐρωτικά, δικάσαι ταῖς θεαῖς, ἥτις αὐτῶν ἡ καλλίστη ἐστίν· τοῦ δὲ ἀγῶνος τὸ ἆθλον ἡ νικῶσα λαβέτω τὸ μῆλον. ὥρα δὲ ἤδη καὶ ὑμῖν αὐταῖς ἀπιέναι παρὰ τὸν δικαστήν· ἐγὼ γὰρ ἀπωθοῦμαι τὴν δίαιταν ἐπʼ ἴσης τε ὑμᾶς ἀγαπῶν, καὶ εἴ γε οἷόν τε ἦν, ἡδέως ἂν ἁπάσας νενικηκυίας ἰδών. ἄλλως τε καὶ ἀνάγκη, μιᾷ τὸ καλλιστεῖον ἀποδόντα πάντως ἀπεχθάνεσθαι ταῖς πλείοσιν. διὰ ταῦτα αὐτὸς μὲν οὐκ ἐπιτήδειος ὑμῖν δικαστής, ὁ δὲ νεανίας οὗτος ὁ Φρὺξ ἐφʼ ὃν ἄπιτε βασιλικὸς μέν ἐστι καὶ Γανυμήδους τουτουὶ συγγενής, τὰ ἄλλα δὲ ἀφελὴς καὶ ὄρειος, κοὐκ ἄν τις αὐτὸν ἀπαξιώσειε τοιαύτης θέας.

[¶1] 2. APHRODITE For my part, Zeus, even if you should appoint Momus himself to be our judge, I would go and face the inspection confidently, for what could he carp at inme? The others, too, ought to be satisfied with the man.
HERA We are not afraid either, Aphrodite, not even if the arbitration is turned over to your own Ares. We accept this Paris, whoever he may be. ZEUS Is that your view too, daughter? What do you say? You turn away and blush? Of course, it is the way of a maid like you to be bashful in such matters, but you nod assent anyhow. Go, then, and do not get angry at your judge, those of you who are defeated, and do not inflict any harm on the lad. It is not possible for all of you to be equally beautiful.

> Greek: 2. Ἀφροδίτη: ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ Ζεῦ, εἰ καὶ τὸν Μῶμον αὐτὸν ἐπιστήσειας ἡμῖν δικαστήν, θαρροῦσα βαδιοῦμαι πρὸς τὴν ἐπίδειξιν· τί γὰρ ἂν καὶ μωμήσαιτό μου; χρὴ δὲ καὶ ταύταις ἀρέσκειν τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Ἥρα: οὐδʼ ἡμεῖς, ὦ Ἀφροδίτη, δέδιμεν, οὐδʼ ἂν ὁ Ἄρης ὁ σὸς ἐπιτραπῇ τὴν δίαιταν· ἀλλὰ δεχόμεθα καὶ τοῦτον, ὅστις ἂν ᾖ, τὸν Πάριν. Ζεύς: ἦ καὶ σοὶ ταῦτα, ὦ θύγατερ, συνδοκεῖ; τί φής; ἀποστρέφῃ καὶ ἐρυθριᾷς; ἔστι μὲν ἴδιον τὸ αἰδεῖσθαι τὰ τοιαῦτα ὑμῶν τῶν παρθένων· ἐπινεύεις δʼ ὅμως. ἄπιτε οὖν καὶ μὴ χαλεπήνητε τῷ δικαστῇ αἱ νενικημέναι μηδὲ κακὸν ἐντρίψησθε τῷ νεανίσκῳ· οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε ἐπʼ ἴσης πάσας εἶναι καλάς.

[¶2] 3. HERMES Let us make straight for Phrygia; I will lead the way, and you follow me without delaying. Be of good courage; I know Paris. He is young and handsome and in every way susceptible to love; just the sort to decide such questions. He would not judge amiss, not he. APHRODITE What you say is all to the good and in my favour, that our judge is just. Is he unmarried, or does some woman live with him? HERMES Not quite unmarried, Aphrodite. APHRODITE What do you mean by that? HERMES Apparently someone is living with him, a woman from Mount Ida, well enough, but countrified and terribly unsophisticated; however, he does not seem. to think much of her. But why do you ask?
APHRODITE It was just a casual question.

> Greek: 3. Ἑρμῆς: προΐωμεν εὐθὺ τῆς Φρυγίας, ἐγὼ μὲν ἡγούμενος, ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ βραδέως ἀκολουθεῖτέ μοι καὶ θαρρεῖτε. οἶδα ἐγὼ τὸν Πάριν. νεανίας ἐστὶ καλὸς καὶ τἄλλα ἐρωτικὸς καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα κρίνειν ἱκανώτατος. οὐκ ἂν ἐκεῖνος δικάσειεν κακῶς. Ἀφροδίτη: τοῦτο μὲν ἅπαν ἀγαθὸν καὶ πρὸς ἐμοῦ λέγεις, τὸ δίκαιον ἡμῖν εἶναι τὸν δικαστήν· πότερα δὲ ἄγαμός ἐστιν οὗτος ἢ καὶ γυνή τις αὐτῷ σύνεστιν; Ἑρμῆς: οὐ παντελῶς ἄγαμος, ὦ Ἀφροδίτη. Ἀφροδίτη: πῶς λέγεις; Ἑρμῆς: δοκεῖ τις αὐτῷ συνοικεῖν Ἰδαία γυνή, ἱκανὴ μέν, ἀγροῖκος δὲ καὶ δεινῶς ὄρειος, ἀλλʼ οὐ σφόδρα προσέχειν αὐτῇ ἔοικε. τίνος δʼ οὖν ἕνεκα ταῦτα ἐρωτᾷς; Ἀφροδίτη: ἄλλως ἠρόμην.

[¶3] 4. ATHENA I say, you are betraying your trust in talking to her privately all this while. HERMES It was nothing alarming, Athena, or against you and Hera; she asked me whether Paris is unmarried. ATHENA Why was she inquisitive about that? HERMES I don’t know; she says, however, that she asked because it came into her head casually, and not because she had anything definite in view. ATHENA Well, what about it? Is he unmarried? HERMES Apparently not. ATHENA Tell me, does he covet success in war and is he fond of glory, or nothing but a herdsman?. HERMES I can’t say for certain, but it is fair to suppose that, being young, he yearns to acquire all that too, and would like to be first in war. APHRODITE You see, I am not making any complaint or reproaching you with talking confidentially to her; that is the way of fault-finders, not of Aphrodite!
HERMES She herself asked me _ractically the same questions; so do not be ill-tempered or think you are getting the worst of it if I answered her as I did you, in a straightforward way.

> Greek: 4. Ἀθήνα: παραπρεσβεύεις, ὦ οὗτος, ἰδίᾳ πάλαι ταύτῃ κοινολογούμενος. Ἑρμῆς: οὐδέν, ὦ Ἀθηνᾶ, δεινὸν οὐδὲ καθʼ ὑμῶν, ἀλλʼ ἤρετό με εἰ ἄγαμος ὁ Πάρις ἐστίν. Ἀθήνα: ὡς δὴ τί τοῦτο πολυπραγμονοῦσα; Ἑρμῆς: οὐκ οἶδα· φησὶ δʼ οὖν ὅτι ἄλλως ἐπελθόν, οὐκ ἐξεπίτηδες ἤρετο. Ἀθήνα: τί οὖν; ἄγαμός ἐστιν; Ἑρμῆς: οὐ δοκεῖ. Ἀθήνα: τί δέ; τῶν πολεμικῶν ἐστιν αὐτῷ ἐπιθυμία καὶ φιλόδοξός τις, ἢ τὸ πᾶν βουκόλος; Ἑρμῆς: τὸ μὲν ἀληθὲς οὐκ ἔχω εἰπεῖν, εἰκάζειν δὲ χρὴ νέον ὄντα καὶ τούτων ὀρέγεσθαι τυχεῖν καὶ βούλεσθαι ἂν πρῶτον αὐτὸν εἶναι κατὰ τὰς μάχας. Ἀφροδίτη: ὁρᾷς, οὐδὲν ἐγὼ μέμφομαι οὐδὲ ἐγκαλῶ σοι τὸ πρὸς ταύτην ἰδίᾳ λαλεῖν· μεμψιμοίρων γὰρ καὶ οὐκ Ἀφροδίτης τὰ τοιαῦτα. Ἑρμῆς: καὶ αὕτη σχεδὸν τὰ αὐτά με ἤρετο· διὸ μὴ χαλεπῶς ἔχε μηδʼ οἴου μειονεκτεῖν, εἴ τι καὶ ταύτῃ κατὰ τὸ ἁπλοῦν ἀπεκρινάμην.

[¶4] 5. But in the course of our conversation we have already left the stars far behind as we pressed on, and we are almost over Phrygia. Indeed I can see Ida and the whole of Gargaron plainly, and unless I am mistaken, even Paris himself, your judge. HERA Where is he? I do not see him. HERMES Look in this direction, Hera, to the left; not near the mountain-top, but on the side, where the cavern is, near which you see the herd. HERA But I do not see the herd. HERMES What? Don’t you see tiny cattle over here in the direction of my finger, coming out from among the rocks, and someone running down from the cliff, holding a crook and trying to prevent the herd from scattering out ahead of him? HERA I see now—if that is really he. HERMES Yes, itis he. As we are near now, let us alight upon the earth and walk, if it is your pleasure, so that we may not alarm him by flying suddenly down from above.
HERA You are right: let us do so... Now that we have descended, it is in order, Aphrodite, for you to go in front and lead the way for us. You are probably acquainted with the countryside, since by common report you often came down to visit Anchises. APHRODITE These jokes do not vex me greatly, Hera.

> Greek: 5. Ἑρμῆς: ἀλλὰ μεταξὺ λόγων ἤδη πολὺ προϊόντες ἀπεσπάσαμεν τῶν ἀστέρων καὶ σχεδόν γε κατὰ τὴν Φρυγίαν ἐσμέν. ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ τὴν Ἴδην ὁρῶ καὶ τὸ Γάργαρον ὅλον ἀκριβῶς, εἰ δὲ μὴ ἐξαπατῶμαι, καὶ αὐτὸν ὑμῶν τὸν δικαστὴν τὸν Πάριν. Ἥρα: ποῦ δέ ἐστιν; οὐ γὰρ κἀμοὶ φαίνεται. Ἑρμῆς: ταύτῃ, ὦ Ἥρα, πρὸς τὰ λαιὰ περισκόπει, μὴ πρὸς ἄκρῳ τῷ ὄρει, παρὰ δὲ τὴν πλευράν, οὗ τὸ ἄντρον, ἔνθα καὶ τὴν ἀγέλην ὁρᾷς. Ἥρα: ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὁρῶ τὴν ἀγέλην. Ἑρμῆς: πῶς φής; οὐχ ὁρᾷς βοίδια κατὰ τὸν ἐμὸν οὑτωσὶ δάκτυλον ἐκ μέσων τῶν πετρῶν προερχόμενα καί τινα ἐκ τοῦ σκοπέλου καταθέοντα καλαύροπα ἔχοντα καὶ ἀνείργοντα μὴ πρόσω διασκίδνασθαι τὴν ἀγέλην; Ἥρα: ὁρῶ νῦν, εἴ γε ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν. Ἑρμῆς: ἀλλὰ ἐκεῖνος. ἐπειδὴ δὲ πλησίον ἤδη ἐσμέν, ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, εἰ δοκεῖ, καταστάντες βαδίζωμεν, ἵνα μὴ διαταράξωμεν αὐτὸν ἄνωθεν ἐξ ἀφανοῦς καθιπτάμενοι. Ἥρα: εὖ λέγεις, καὶ οὕτω ποιῶμεν. ἐπεὶ δὲ καταβεβήκαμεν, ὥρα σοι, ὦ Ἀφροδίτη, προϊέναι καὶ ἡγεῖσθαι ἡμῖν τῆς ὁδοῦ· σὺ γὰρ ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς ἔμπειρος εἶ τοῦ χωρίου πολλάκις, ὡς λόγος, κατελθοῦσα πρὸς Ἀγχίσην. Ἀφροδίτη: οὐ σφόδρα, ὦ Ἥρα, τούτοις ἄχθομαι τοῖς σκώμμασιν.

[¶5] 6. HERMES No matter: I will lead you, for I myself spent some time on Ida when Zeus was in love with his Phrygian lad, and I often came here when he sent me down to watch the boy. Indeed, when he was in the eagle, I flew beside him and helped him to lift the pretty fellow, and if my memory serves me, it — was from this rock just here that Zeus caught him up. You see, he chanced to be piping to his flock then, and Zeus, flying down behind him, grasped him very delicately in his talons, held in his beak the pointed cap which was on the boy’s head, and bore him on high, terrified and staring at him with his head turned backwards. So then I took the syrinx, for he had let it fall in his fright—but here is your umpire close by, so let us speak to him.

> Greek: 6. Ἑρμῆς: ἀλλʼ οὖν ἐγὼ ὑμῖν ἡγήσομαι· καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐνδιέτριψα τῇ Ἴδῃ, ὁπότε δὴ ὁ Ζεὺς ἤρα τοῦ μειρακίου τοῦ Φρυγός, καὶ πολλάκις δεῦρο ἦλθον ὑπʼ ἐκείνου καταπεμφθεὶς εἰς ἐπισκοπὴν τοῦ παιδός. καὶ ὁπότε γε ἤδη ἐν τῷ ἀετῷ ἦν, συμπαριπτάμην αὐτῷ καὶ συνεκούφιζον τὸν καλόν, καὶ εἴ γε μέμνημαι, ἀπὸ ταυτησὶ τῆς πέτρας αὐτὸν ἀνήρπασεν. ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἔτυχε τότε συρίζων πρὸς τὸ ποίμνιον, καταπτάμενος δὲ ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ ὁ Ζεὺς κούφως μάλα τοῖς ὄνυξι περιβαλὼν καὶ τῷ στόματι τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ κεφαλῇ τιάραν ἔχων ἀνέφερε τὸν παῖδα τεταραγμένον καὶ τῷ τραχήλῳ ἀπεστραμμένῳ εἰς αὐτὸν ἀποβλέποντα. τότε οὖν ἐγὼ τὴν σύριγγα λαβών, ἀποβεβλήκει γὰρ αὐτὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ δέους — ἀλλὰ γὰρ ὁ διαιτητὴς οὑτοσὶ πλησίον, ὥστε προσείπωμεν αὐτόν.

[¶6] 7. Good day, herdsman. PARIS Good day to you also, young man. But who are you, to have come here to see me, and who are these women whom you have with you? They are not of a sort to roam the mountains, being so beautiful.
HERMES They are not women; it is Hera and Athena and Aphrodite whom you see, Paris, and I am Hermes, sent by Zeus—but why do you tremble and turn pale? Don't be afraid; it is nothing terrible. He bids you be judge of thelr beauty, saying that as you are handsome yourself and also well schooled in all that concerns love, he turns over the decision to you. You will find out the prize for the contest if you read the writing on the apple. PARIS Come, let me see what it says; “The fairest may have me.”—How could I, Lord Hermes, a mere mortal and a countryman, be judge of an extraordinary spectacle, too sublime for a herdsman? To decide such matters better befits dainty, city-bred folk. As for me, I could perhaps pass judgement as an expert between two she-goats, as to which is the more beautiful, or between two heifers;

> Greek: 7. Ἑρμῆς: χαῖρε, ὦ βουκόλε. Πάρις: νὴ καὶ σύ γε, ὦ νεανίσκε. τίς δὲ ὢν δεῦρο ἀφῖξαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς; ἢ τίνας ταύτας ἄγεις τὰς γυναῖκας; οὐ γὰρ ἐπιτήδειαι ὀρεοπολεῖν, οὕτως γε οὖσαι καλαί. Ἑρμῆς: ἀλλʼ οὐ γυναῖκές εἰσιν, Ἥραν δέ, ὦ Πάρι, καὶ Ἀθηνᾶν καὶ Ἀφροδίτην ὁρᾷς· κἀμὲ τὸν Ἑρμῆν ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Ζεύς — ἀλλὰ τί τρέμεις καὶ ὠχριᾷς; μὴ δέδιθι· χαλεπὸν γὰρ οὐδέν. κελεύει δέ σε δικαστὴν γενέσθαι τοῦ κάλλους αὐτῶν· ἐπεὶ γάρ, φησί, καλός τε αὐτὸς εἶ καὶ σοφὸς τὰ ἐρωτικά, σοὶ τὴν γνῶσιν ἐπιτρέπω. τοῦ δὲ ἀγῶνος τὸ ἆθλον εἴσῃ ἀναγνοὺς τὸ μῆλον. Πάρις: φέρʼ ἴδω τί καὶ βούλεται. ἡ καλή, φησίν, λαβέτω. πῶς ἂν οὖν, ὦ δέσποτα Ἑρμῆ, δυνηθείην ἐγὼ θνητὸς αὐτὸς καὶ ἀγροῖκος ὢν δικαστὴς γενέσθαι παραδόξου θέας καὶ μείζονος ἢ κατὰ βουκόλον; τὰ γὰρ τοιαῦτα κρίνειν τῶν ἁβρῶν μᾶλλον καὶ ἀστικῶν· τὸ δὲ ἐμόν, αἶγα μὲν αἰγὸς ὁποτέρα ἡ καλλίων καὶ δάμαλιν ἄλλης δαμάλεως, τάχʼ ἂν δικάσαιμι κατὰ τὴν τέχνην·

[¶7] 8. but these goddesses are all equally beautiful and I do not know ~ how a man could withdraw his eyes from one and transfer them to another. They are not inclined to come away readily, but wherever one directs them first, they take firm hold and commend what is before them; and if they pass over to something else, they see that this too is beautiful and linger upon it, mastered by what is near. In short, their beauty encompasses and completely enthralls me, and I am distressed that I cannot see with my whole body as Argus did. I think I should pass a becoming judgement if I should give the apple to them all.— Another thing: one of them is Zeus’ sister and wife, and the other two are his daughters! How, then, could the decision help being hazardous from that point of view also? HERMES I do not know; but it is impossible to escape carrying out what Zeus has commanded.

> Greek: 8. Πάρις: αὗται δὲ πᾶσαί τε ὁμοίως καλαὶ καὶ οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως ἄν τις ἀπὸ τῆς ἑτέρας ἐπὶ τὴν ἑτέραν μεταγάγοι τὴν ὄψιν ἀποσπάσας· οὐ γὰρ ἐθέλει ἀφίστασθαι ῥᾳδίως, ἀλλʼ ἔνθα ἂν ἀπερείσῃ τὸ πρῶτον, τούτου ἔχεται καὶ τὸ παρὸν ἐπαινεῖ· κἂν ἐπʼ ἄλλο μεταβῇ, κἀκεῖνο καλὸν ὁρᾷ καὶ παραμένει, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν πλησίον παραλαμβάνεται. καὶ ὅλως περικέχυταί μοι τὸ κάλλος αὐτῶν καὶ ὅλον περιείληφέ με καὶ ἄχθομαι, ὅτι μὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ὥσπερ ὁ Ἄργος ὅλῳ βλέπειν δύναμαι τῷ σώματι. δοκῶ δʼ ἄν μοι καλῶς δικάσαι πάσαις ἀποδοὺς τὸ μῆλον. καὶ γὰρ αὖ καὶ τόδε, ταύτην μὲν εἶναι συμβέβηκεν τοῦ Διὸς ἀδελφὴν καὶ γυναῖκα, ταύτας δὲ θυγατέρας· πῶς οὖν οὐ χαλεπὴ καὶ οὕτως ἡ κρίσις; Ἑρμῆς: οὐκ οἶδα· πλὴν οὐχ οἷόν τε ἀναδῦναι πρὸς τοῦ Διὸς κεκελευσμένον.

[¶8] 9. PARIS Do me this one favour, Hermes: persuade them not to be angry with me, the two that are defeated, but to think that only my sight is at fault. HERMES They say they will do so, and now it is high time for you to get your judging done. PARIS I shall try; what else can one do? But first I want to know whether it will satisfy the requirements to look them over just as they are, or must I have them undress for a thorough examination? HERMES That is your affair, as you are the judge. Give your orders as you will. PARIS As I will? I want to see them naked. HERMES Undress, goddesses. Make your inspection, Paris. I have turned my back.

> Greek: 9. Πάρις: ἓν τοῦτο, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, πεῖσον αὐτάς, μὴ χαλεπῶς ἔχειν μοι τὰς δύο τὰς νενικημένας, ἀλλὰ μόνων τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν διαμαρτίαν. Ἑρμῆς: οὕτω φασὶ ποιήσειν· ὥρα δέ σοι ἤδη περαίνειν τὴν κρίσιν. Πάρις: πειρασόμεθα· τί γὰρ ἂν καὶ πάθοι τις; ἐκεῖνο δὲ πρότερον εἰδέναι βούλομαι, πότερʼ ἐξαρκέσει σκοπεῖν αὐτὰς ὡς ἔχουσιν, ἢ καὶ ἀποδῦσαι δεήσει πρὸς τὸ ἀκριβὲς τῆς ἐξετάσεως; Ἑρμῆς: τοῦτο μὲν σὸν ἂν εἴη τοῦ δικαστοῦ, καὶ πρόσταττε ὅπη καὶ θέλεις. Πάρις: ὅπη καὶ θέλω; γυμνὰς ἰδεῖν βούλομαι. Ἑρμῆς: ἀπόδυτε, ὦ αὗται· σὺ δʼ ἐπισκόπει· ἐγὼ δὲ ἀπεστράφην.

[¶9] 10. APHRODITE Very well, Paris. I shall undress first, so that you may discover that I am not just “white-armed” and vain of “ox-eyes,” but that I am equally and uniformly beautiful all over.
ATHENA Do not let her undress, Paris, until she puts aside her girdle, for she is an enchantress; otherwise she may bewitch you with it. And indeed she ought not to appear before you made up to that extent and bedaubed with all those colours, as if she were a courtesan in earnest: she ought to show her beauty unadorned. PARIS They are right about the girdle, so lay it aside. APHRODITE Then why do not you take off your helmet, Athena, and show your head bare, instead of tossing your plumes at the judge and frightening him? Are you afraid that you may be criticized for the green glare of your eyes if it is seen without trappings that inspire terror?
ATHENA There is the helmet for.you: I have taken it off. APHRODITE There is the girdle for you.
HERA Come, let us undress.

> Greek: 10. Ἀφροδίτη: καλῶς, ὦ Πάρι· καὶ πρώτη γε ἀποδύσομαι, ὅπως μάθῃς ὅτι μὴ μόνας ἔχω τὰς ὠλένας λευκὰς μηδὲ τῷ βοῶπις εἶναι μέγα φρονῶ, ἐπʼ ἴσης δέ εἰμι πᾶσα καὶ ὁμοίως καλή. Ἀθήνα: μὴ πρότερον ἀποδύσῃς αὐτήν, ὦ Πάρι, πρὶν ἂν τὸν κεστὸν ἀπόθηται — φαρμακὶς γάρ ἐστιν — μή σε καταγοητεύσῃ διʼ αὐτοῦ. καίτοι γε ἐχρῆν μηδὲ οὕτω κεκαλλωπισμένην παρεῖναι μηδὲ τοσαῦτα ἐντετριμμένην χρώματα καθάπερ ὡς ἀληθῶς ἑταίραν τινά, ἀλλὰ γυμνὸν τὸ κάλλος ἐπιδεικνύειν. Πάρις: Εὖ λέγουσι τὸ περὶ τοῦ κεστοῦ, καὶ ἀπόθου. Ἀφροδίτη: τί οὖν οὐχὶ καὶ σύ, ὦ Ἀθηνᾶ, τὴν κόρυν ἀφελοῦσα ψιλὴν τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐπιδεικνύεις, ἀλλʼ ἐπισείεις τὸν λόφον καὶ τὸν δικαστὴν φοβεῖς; ἢ δέδιας μή σοι ἐλέγχηται τὸ γλαυκὸν τῶν ὀμμάτων ἄνευ τοῦ φοβεροῦ βλεπόμενον; Ἀθήνα: ἰδού σοι ἡ κόρυς αὕτη ἀφῄρηται. Ἀφροδίτη: ἰδοὺ καί σοι ὁ κεστός. Ἥρα: ἀλλὰ ἀποδυσώμεθα.

[¶10] 11. PARIS O Zeus, god of miracles! What a spectacle! What beauty! What rapture! How fair the maiden is! How royal and majestic and truly worthy of Zeus is the matron’s splendour! How sweet and delicious is the other’s gaze, and how seductively she smiled! But I have more than enough of bliss already; and if you please, I should like to examine each of you separately, for at present I am all at sea and do not know what to look at; my eyes are ravished in every direction. APHRODITE Let us do that. PARIS Then you two go away, and you, Hera, stay here. HERA Very well, and when you have examined me thoroughly, you must further consider whether the rewards of a vote in my favour are also beautiful in your eyes. If you judge me to be beautiful, Paris, you shall be lord of all Asia. PARIS My decisions are not to be influenced by rewards.

> Greek: 11. Πάρις: ὦ Ζεῦ τεράστιε τῆς θέας, τοῦ κάλλους, τῆς ἡδονῆς. οἵα μὲν ἡ παρθένος, ὡς δὲ βασιλικὸν αὕτη καὶ σεμνὸν ἀπολάμπει καὶ ἀληθῶς ἄξιον τοῦ Διός, ἥδε δὲ ὁρᾷ ἡδύ τι καὶ γλαφυρόν, καὶ προσαγωγὸν ἐμειδίασεν — ἀλλʼ ἤδη μὲν ἅλις ἔχω τῆς εὐδαιμονίας· εἰ δοκεῖ δέ, καὶ ἰδίᾳ καθʼ ἑκάστην ἐπιδεῖν βούλομαι, ὡς νῦν γε ἀμφίβολός εἰμι καὶ οὐκ οἶδα πρὸς ὅ τι ἀποβλέψω, πάντῃ τὰς ὄψεις περισπώμενος. Ἀφροδίτη: οὕτω ποιῶμεν. Πάρις: ἄπιτε οὖν αἱ δύο· σὺ δέ, ὦ Ἥρα, περίμενε. Ἥρα: περιμενῶ, κἀπειδάν με ἀκριβῶς ἴδῃς, ὥρα σοι καὶ τἄλλα ἤδη σκοπεῖν εἰ καλά σοι, τὰ δῶρα τῆς ψήφου τῆς ἐμῆς. ἢν γάρ με, ὦ Πάρι, δικάσῃς εἶναι καλήν, ἁπάσης ἔσῃ τῆς Ἀσίας δεσπότης. Πάρις: οὐκ ἐπὶ δώροις μὲν τὰ ἡμέτερα. πλὴν ἄπιθι· πεπράξεται γὰρ ἅπερ ἂν δοκῇ.

[¶11] 12. But go; I shall do whatever seems best. Come, Athena. ATHENA I am at your side, and if you judge me beautiful, Paris, you shall never leave the-field of battle defeated, but always victorious, for I shall make you a warrior and a conqueror. PARIS I have no use, Athena, for war and battle. As you see, peace reigns at present over Phrygia and Lydia, and my father’s realm is free from wars. But have no fear; you shall not be treated unfairly, even if my judgement is not to be influenced by gifts. Dress yourself now, and put on your helmet, for I have seen enough. It is time for Aphrodite to appear.

> Greek: 12. Πάρις: σὺ δὲ πρόσιθι ἡ Ἀθηνᾶ. Ἀθήνα: παρέστηκά σοι, καὶ ἤν με, ὦ Πάρι, δικάσῃς καλήν, οὔποτε ἥττων ἄπει ἐκ μάχης, ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ κρατῶν· πολεμιστὴν γάρ σε καὶ νικηφόρον ἀπεργάσομαι. Πάρις: οὐδέν, ὦ Ἀθηνᾶ, δεῖ μοι πολέμου καὶ μάχης· εἰρήνη γάρ, ὡς ὁρᾷς, τὰ νῦν ἐπέχει τὴν Φρυγίαν τε καὶ Λυδίαν καὶ ἀπολέμητος ἡμῖν ἡ τοῦ πατρὸς ἀρχή. θάρρει δέ· οὐ μειονεκτήσεις γάρ, κἂν μὴ ἐπὶ δώροις δικάζωμεν. ἀλλʼ ἔνδυθι ἤδη καὶ ἐπίθου τὴν κόρυν· ἱκανῶς γὰρ εἶδον. τὴν Ἀφροδίτην παρεῖναι καιρός.

[¶12] 13. APHRODITE Here I am close by; examine me thoroughly, part by part, slighting none, but lingering upon each. And if you will be so good, my handsome lad, let me tell you this. I have long seen that you are young and more handsome than perhaps anyone else whom Phrygia nurtures. While I congratulate you upon your beauty, I find’ fault with you because, instead of abandoning these crags and cliffs and living in town, you are letting your beauty go to waste in the solitude. What joy can you get of the mountains? What good can your beauty do the kine? Moreover, you ought to have married by this time— not a country girl, however, a peasant, like the women about Ida, but someone from Greece, either from Argos or Corinth or a Spartan like Helen, who is young and beautiful and not a bit inferior to me, and above all, susceptible to love. If she but saw you, I know very well that, abandoning everything and surrendering without conditions, she would follow you and make her home with you. No doubt you yourself have heard something of her.
PARIS Nothing, Aphrodite, but I should be glad to hear you tell all about her now.

> Greek: 13. Ἀφροδίτη: αὕτη σοι ἐγὼ πλησίον, καὶ σκόπει καθʼ ἓν ἀκριβῶς μηδὲν παρατρέχων, ἀλλʼ ἐνδιατρίβων ἑκάστῳ τῶν μερῶν. εἰ δʼ ἐθέλεις, ὦ καλέ, καὶ τάδε μου ἄκουσον. ἐγὼ γὰρ πάλαι ὁρῶσά σε νέον ὄντα καὶ καλὸν ὁποῖον οὐκ οἶδα εἴ τινα ἕτερον ἡ Φρυγία τρέφει, μακαρίζω μὲν τοῦ κάλλους, αἰτιῶμαι δὲ τὸ μὴ ἀπολιπόντα τοὺς σκοπέλους καὶ ταυτασὶ τὰς πέτρας κατʼ ἄστυ ζῆν, ἀλλὰ διαφθείρειν τὸ κάλλος ἐν ἐρημίᾳ. τί μὲν γὰρ ἂν σὺ ἀπολαύσειας τῶν ὀρῶν; τί δʼ ἂν ἀπόναιντο τοῦ σοῦ κάλλους αἱ βόες; ἔπρεπεν δὲ ἤδη σοι καὶ γεγαμηκέναι, μὴ μέντοι ἀγροῖκόν τινα καὶ χωρῖτιν, οἷαι κατὰ τὴν Ἴδην αἱ γυναῖκες, ἀλλά τινα ἐκ τῆς Ἑλλάδος, ἢ Ἀργόθεν ἢ ἐκ Κορίνθου ἢ Λάκαιναν οἵαπερ ἡ Ἑλένη ἐστίν, νέα τε καὶ καλὴ καὶ κατʼ οὐδὲν ἐλάττων ἐμοῦ, καὶ τὸ δὴ μέγιστον, ἐρωτική. ἐκείνη γὰρ εἰ καὶ μόνον θεάσαιτό σε, εὖ οἶδα ἐγὼ ὡς ἅπαντα ἀπολιποῦσα καὶ παρασχοῦσα ἑαυτὴν ἔκδοτον ἕψεται καὶ συνοικήσει. πάντως δὲ καὶ σὺ ἀκήκοάς τι περὶ αὐτῆς. Πάρις: οὐδέν, ὦ Ἀφροδίτη· νῦν δὲ ἡδέως ἂν ἀκούσαιμί σου τὰ πάντα διηγουμένης.

[¶13] 14. APHRODITE In the first place, she is the daughter of that lovely Leda to whom Zeus flew down in the form of a swan. PARIS What is her appearance? APHRODITE She is white, as is natural in the daughter of a swan, and delicate, since she was nurtured in an eggshell, much given to exercise and athletics, and so very much sought for that a war actually broke out over her because Theseus carried her off while she was still a young girl. Moreover, when she came to maturity, all the noblest of the Achaeans assembled to woo her, and Menelaus, of the line of Pelops, was given the preferenee. If you like, I will arrange the marriage for you. PARIS What do you mean? With a married woman? APHRODITE You are young and countrified, but I know how such things are to be managed. PARIS How? I too want to know.

> Greek: 14. Ἀφροδίτη: αὕτη θυγάτηρ μέν ἐστι Λήδας ἐκείνης τῆς καλῆς ἐφʼ ἣν ὁ Ζεὺς κατέπτη κύκνος γενόμενος. Πάρις: ποία δὲ τὴν ὄψιν ἐστί; Ἀφροδίτη: λευκὴ μέν, οἵαν εἰκὸς ἐκ κύκνου γεγενημένην, ἁπαλὴ δέ, ὡς ἐν ᾠῷ τραφεῖσα, γυμνὰς τὰ πολλὰ καὶ παλαιστική, καὶ οὕτω δή τι περισπούδαστος ὥστε καὶ πόλεμον ἀμφʼ αὐτῇ γενέσθαι, τοῦ Θησέως ἄωρον ἔτι ἁρπάσαντος. οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ ἐπειδήπερ εἰς ἀκμὴν κατέστη, πάντες οἱ ἄριστοι τῶν Ἀχαιῶν ἐπὶ τὴν μνηστείαν ἀπήντησαν, προεκρίθη δὲ Μενέλεως τοῦ Πελοπιδῶν γένους. εἰ δὴ θέλοις, ἐγώ σοι καταπράξομαι τὸν γάμον. Πάρις: πῶς φής; τὸν τῆς γεγαμημένης; Ἀφροδίτη: νέος εἶ σὺ καὶ ἀγροῖκος, ἐγὼ δὲ οἶδα ὡς χρὴ τὰ τοιαῦτα δρᾶν. Πάρις: πῶς; ἐθέλω γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς εἰδέναι.

[¶14] 15. APHRODITE You will go abroad on the pretext of seeing Greece, and when you come to Sparta, Helen will see you. From that time on it will be my look-out that she falls in love with you and follows you.
PARIS That is just the thing that seems downright incredible to me, that she should be willing to abandon her husband and sail away with a foreigner and a stranger. APHRODITE Be easy on that score; I have two beautiful pages, Desire and Love; these I shall give you to be your guides on the journey. Love will enter wholly into her heart and compel the woman to love you, while Desire will encompass you and make you what he is himself, desirable and charming. I myself shall be there too, and I shall ask the Graces to go with me; and in this way, by united effort, we shall prevail upon her. PARIS How this affair will turn out is uncertain, Aphrodite; but, anyhow, I am in love with Helen already; somehow or other I think I see her; I am sailing direct to Greece, visiting Sparta, coming back again with the woman—and it irks me not to be doing all this now!

> Greek: 15. Ἀφροδίτη: σὺ μὲν ἀποδημήσεις ὡς ἐπὶ θέαν τῆς Ἑλλάδος, κἀπειδὰν ἀφίκῃ εἰς τὴν Λακεδαίμονα, ὄψεταί σε ἡ Ἑλένη. τοὐντεῦθεν δὲ ἐμὸν ἂν εἴη τὸ ἔργον, ὅπως ἐρασθήσεταί σου καὶ ἀκολουθήσει. Πάρις: τοῦτο αὐτὸ καὶ ἄπιστον εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ, τὸ ἀπολιποῦσαν τὸν ἄνδρα ἐθελῆσαι βαρβάρῳ καὶ ξένῳ συνεκπλεῦσαι. Ἀφροδίτη: θάρρει τούτου γε ἕνεκα. παῖδε γάρ μοι ἐστὸν δύο καλώ, Ἵμερος καὶ Ἔρως, τούτω σοι παραδώσω ἡγεμόνε τῆς ὁδοῦ γενησομένω· καὶ ὁ μὲν Ἔρως ὅλος παρελθὼν εἰς αὐτὴν ἀναγκάσει τὴν γυναῖκα ἐρᾶν, ὁ δʼ Ἵμερος αὐτῷ σοι περιχυθεὶς τοῦθʼ ὅπερ ἐστίν, ἱμερτόν τε θήσει καὶ ἐράσμιον. καὶ αὐτὴ δὲ συμπαροῦσα δεήσομαι καὶ τῶν Χαρίτων ἀκολουθεῖν· καὶ οὕτως ἅπαντες αὐτὴν ἀναπείσομεν. Πάρις: ὅπως μὲν ταῦτα χωρήσει, ἄδηλον, ὦ Ἀφροδίτη· πλὴν ἐρῶ γε ἤδη τῆς Ἑλένης καὶ οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως καὶ ὁρᾶν αὐτὴν οἴομαι καὶ πλέω εὐθὺ τῆς Ἑλλάδος καὶ τῇ Σπάρτῃ ἐπιδημῶ καὶ ἐπάνειμι ἔχων τὴν γυναῖκα — καὶ ἄχθομαι ὅτι μὴ ταῦτα ἤδη πάντα ποιῶ.

[¶15] 16. APHRODITE Do not fall in love, Paris, until you have requited me, your match-maker and maid of honour, with the decision. It would be only fitting that when I am there with you, I too should be triumphant, and that we should celebrate at the same time your marriage and my victory. It is in your power to buy everything—her love, her beauty, and her hand—at the price of this apple. PARIS I am afraid you may dismiss me from your mind after the decision.
APHRODITE Do you want me to take an oath? PARIS Not at all; but promise once again. APHRODITE I do promise that I will give you Helen to wife, and that she shall follow you and come to your © people in Troy; and I myself will be there and help in arranging it all. PARIS And shall you bring Love and Desire and the Graces? APHRODITE Have no fear; I shall take with me Longing and Wedlock as well. PARIS Then on these conditions I award you the apple: take it on these conditions.

> Greek: 16. Ἀφροδίτη: μὴ πρότερον ἐρασθῇς, ὦ Πάρι, πρὶν ἐμὲ τὴν προμνήστριαν καὶ νυμφαγωγὸν ἀμείψασθαι τῇ κρίσει· πρέποι γὰρ ἂν κἀμὲ νικηφόρον ὑμῖν συμπαρεῖναι καὶ ἑορτάζειν ἅμα καὶ τοὺς γάμους καὶ τὰ ἐπινίκια. πάντα γὰρ ἔνεστί σοι — τὸν ἔρωτα, τὸ κάλλος, τὸν γάμον — τουτουὶ τοῦ μήλου πρίασθαι. Πάρις: δέδοικα μή μου ἀμελήσῃς μετὰ τὴν κρίσιν. Ἀφροδίτη: βούλει οὖν ἐπομόσομαι; Πάρις: μηδαμῶς, ἀλλʼ ὑπόσχου πάλιν. Ἀφροδίτη: ὑπισχνοῦμαι δή σοι τὴν Ἑλένην παραδώσειν γυναῖκα, καὶ ἀκολουθήσειν γέ σοι αὐτὴν καὶ ἀφίξεσθαι παρʼ ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν Ἴλιον· καὶ αὐτὴ παρέσομαι καὶ συμπράξω τὰ πάντα. Πάρις: καὶ τὸν Ἔρωτα καὶ τὸν Ἵμερον καὶ τὰς Χάριτας ἄξεις; Ἀφροδίτη: θάρρει, καὶ τὸν Πόθον καὶ τὸν Ὑμέναιον ἔτι πρὸς τούτοις παραλήψομαι. Πάρις: οὐκοῦν ἐπὶ τούτοις δίδωμι τὸ μῆλον· ἐπὶ τούτοις λάμβανε.