PARIS

In Greek mythology Paris was a handsome Trojan prince who eloped with Helen, wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta, and later married her.

He is often blamed for causing the Trojan War and instigating the fall of the great Phrygian city of Troy.

While Paris was still in the womb, his mother, Hecuba, queen of Troy and wife of Priam, dreamed that she gave birth to a firebrand. Paris’s sister, the seer Cassandra, told her parents that the child about to be born would bring ruin upon the city and that he would be a firebrand of destruction for Troy. Although Cassandra had been cursed by Apollo so that no one ever believed her predictions, Priam decided to avoid any danger his son might pose to the Trojans. He gave the baby to a servant to take him far away from Troy. The servant left the child on Mount Ida. Abandoning unwanted children to die in the wilderness or be found for adoption, known as exposure, was an accepted Greek practice, and not uncommon.

Like Oedipus in ancient Greek mythology and Moses in the Old Testament, Paris did not die in the wilderness. He was found by a shepherd who raised him and taught him to be a shepherd himself On Mount Ida Paris grew up to become an attractive young man and eventually married the nymph Oenone. The couple lived a peaceful rural existence until several of Priam’s servants seized one of Paris’s favorite bulls. The bull would serve as a prize in funeral games that were being held at Troy (some versions of the myth state that these games were being held in honor of Priam and Hecuba’s lost son, Paris). Paris went to Troy to reclaim his bull. According to different versions of the myth, when Paris won all the contests at these games, he was recognized by either Cassandra or Hecuba. The king and queen welcomed back their son, putting aside the firebrand dream and Cassandra’s prophecy.

Above: In this illustration by British illustrator H. J. Ford (1860—1941), Paris begs forgiveness from his former wife, Oenone. The Trojan prince left the nymph, who had magical healing powers, for Helen, wife of the king of Sparta. He returned to seek treatment for a fatal wound he received during the Trojan War.