n of the union. All the gods and goddesses were invited save one: Eris, the goddess of discord. Eris placed a golden apple into the hall where the banquet was taking place, labeled for the fairest. Of course, some infighting began over who the apple was for, Hera, Athena, or Aphrodite. Zeus refused to make a judgement, so they entreated Paris, prince of Troy, to decide. Each offered him a bribe: Hera, that he would be a powerful ruler; Athena, that he would achieve great military fame; and Aphrodite, that he should have the fairest woman in the world. Paris selected Aphrodite as the fairest and chose as his prize Helen of Troy, the wife of the Greek king Menelaus. Paris's abduction of Helen led to the Trojan War. Aphrodite was worshipped throughout Greece in many ways, with common elements being dove sacrifices and incense: [also] temple prostitution in Corinth, [and] solemn rites in Athens (Garriso, 2000). In Sparta, she was worshipped as a battle goddess. Many of the rites were secret and performed far away from men. In stark contrast to Aphrodite is Demeter. Described by Hesiod as venerable and pure, she is an agrarian goddess, but is also associated with fertility. Demeter was the daughter of Kronos and Rhea, making her a sister to Zeus. Along with Dionysus, she is one of the few immortals to have known true grief and suffering. Demeter had a daughter, Persephone, from a union with Zeus. One day, Persephone was out picking flowers with some other girls, when the wide-pathed earth yawned there in the plain of Nysa, and the lord, Host of Many, with his immortal horses sprang out upon her the Son of Kronos, he who has many names. Persephone screamed for help as Hades dragged her away on his chariot, but Zeus did not heed, in his temple where many pray, and receiving sweet offerings from mortal men (Homer). Demeter did, in fact, hear her daughter, but when she rushed to find her, it was too late and she was gone. No o...
