The Trojan warThe Trojan warThe SparkThe Spark

The butterfly EffectThe butterfly Effect

• The story of the Trojan The story of the Trojan War exemplifies the War exemplifies the “butterfly effect” “butterfly effect”

• The Apple of Discord The Apple of Discord

• The Judgment of ParisThe Judgment of Paris

Nereids Nereids

• Sea Nymphs Sea Nymphs

• Thetis: most beautiful Thetis: most beautiful NereidNereid• Both Zeus and Poseidon Both Zeus and Poseidon

really wanted Thetis as really wanted Thetis as one of their conquests one of their conquests until…until…

• They both heard a They both heard a prophecy that Thetis prophecy that Thetis would bear a son who would bear a son who would be greater than would be greater than his father.his father.

• Didn’t go over well with Didn’t go over well with such egotistical gods. such egotistical gods.

A Request from HeraA Request from Hera

• Once he heard the Once he heard the prophecy, Zeus prophecy, Zeus appealed to Hera and appealed to Hera and asked her to set Thetis asked her to set Thetis up with a mortal up with a mortal • One with mortal blood One with mortal blood

couldn’t overtake an couldn’t overtake an Olympian Olympian

• Hera set Thetis up with Hera set Thetis up with a mortal man named a mortal man named Peleus Peleus

Wedding of Peleus and Wedding of Peleus and Thetis Thetis

• All of the big-shot All of the big-shot divinities were theredivinities were there• Centaurs, nymphs Centaurs, nymphs • Apollo and muses Apollo and muses

served as her wedding served as her wedding band band

• Even Hephaestus and Even Hephaestus and Ares were getting along Ares were getting along (crazy talk!)(crazy talk!)

• One goddess didn’t One goddess didn’t make the list… Eris, the make the list… Eris, the goddess of discord goddess of discord • Who would want discord Who would want discord

and strife at her and strife at her wedding?! wedding?!

Eris seeks revengeEris seeks revenge

• The fact that Eris wasnThe fact that Eris wasn’’t t invited to the party of the invited to the party of the century turned out to century turned out to have a maleficent have a maleficent domino effect domino effect

• Eris took an apple and Eris took an apple and wrote on it “To the Fairest wrote on it “To the Fairest One” and quietly placed One” and quietly placed it on the table with all of it on the table with all of the guests’ gifts the guests’ gifts

• After all of merrymaking, After all of merrymaking, the goddesses Hera, the goddesses Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena Aphrodite, and Athena saw the apple and began saw the apple and began to squabble to squabble

The FairestThe Fairest

• At a wedding, shouldnAt a wedding, shouldn’’t t the “Fairest” be the the “Fairest” be the bride?! These goddesses bride?! These goddesses didn’t think so… didn’t think so…

• They asked Zeus to They asked Zeus to intervene and determine intervene and determine who “the Fairest” waswho “the Fairest” was• Zeus wanted nothing to Zeus wanted nothing to

do with the decision do with the decision

• Zeus instructed Hermes Zeus instructed Hermes to give the apple to to give the apple to Paris, prince of Troy Paris, prince of Troy

The judgment of ParisThe judgment of Paris

• Hermes called together Hermes called together Paris, Hera, Aphrodite, and Paris, Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena to the mountain topAthena to the mountain top

• Paris initially couldn’t Paris initially couldn’t decide who was “the decide who was “the Fairest,” but the goddesses Fairest,” but the goddesses wouldn’t let him go until he wouldn’t let him go until he decided decided

• Each goddess bribed himEach goddess bribed him• Hera: rule of Europe and Hera: rule of Europe and

AsiaAsia• Athena: wisdom and great Athena: wisdom and great

combat skillscombat skills• Aphrodite: the most Aphrodite: the most

beautiful woman in the beautiful woman in the world world

The result of the The result of the DecisionDecision

• Aphrodite got the appleAphrodite got the apple

• He made enemies with He made enemies with 2 goddesses 2 goddesses

• Aphrodite consulted Aphrodite consulted with Eros about the with Eros about the most beautiful woman most beautiful woman in the world in the world • Result: Helen of Sparta, Result: Helen of Sparta,

who was already to who was already to married to Menelaus, married to Menelaus, king of Sparta and king of Sparta and brother of Agamemnon brother of Agamemnon

The MissionThe Mission

• Aphrodite and Paris Aphrodite and Paris plotted to get Helen plotted to get Helen away from Menelaus away from Menelaus and bring her to Troyand bring her to Troy

• A piece of apple caused A piece of apple caused one of the greatest one of the greatest wars of the Western wars of the Western World World