Description

Eris Statue Gold Tone Holding Golden Apple of Discord Greek goddess of strife

Height: 9.84 inches (25 cm)
Width: 3.5 inches (8.9 cm)
Depth: 2.5 inches (6.3 cm)
Weight: 1.05 lbs (478 gr)
Medium: Alabaster

Eris (/ˈɪərɪs, ˈɛrɪs/; Greek: Ἔρις, “Strife”) is the Greek goddess of strife and discord. Her name is the equivalent of Latin Discordia, which means “discord”. Eris’ Greek opposite is Harmonia, whose Latin counterpart is Concordia. Homer equated her with the war-goddess Enyo, whose Roman counterpart is Bellona. The dwarf planet Eris is named after the goddess

The most famous tale of Eris recounts her initiating the Trojan War by causing the Judgement of Paris. The goddesses Hera, Athena and Aphrodite had been invited along with the rest of Olympus to the forced wedding of Peleus and Thetis, who would become the parents of Achilles, but Eris had been snubbed because of her trouble making inclinations.

She therefore (as mentioned at the Kypria according to Proclus as part of a plan hatched by Zeus and Themis) tossed into the party the Apple of Discord, a golden apple inscribed Ancient Greek: τῇ καλλίστῃ, translit. tē(i) kallistē(i) – “For the most beautiful one”, or “To the Fairest One” – provoking the goddesses to begin quarreling about the appropriate recipient. The hapless Paris, Prince of Troy, was appointed to select the fairest by Zeus. The goddesses stripped naked to try to win Paris’ decision, and also attempted to bribe him. Hera offered political power; Athena promised infinite wisdom; and Aphrodite tempted him with the most beautiful woman in the world: Helen, wife of Menelaus of Sparta. While Greek culture placed a greater emphasis on prowess and power, Paris chose to award the apple to Aphrodite, thereby dooming his city, which was destroyed in the war that ensued.

In Nonnus’ Dionysiaca, 2.356, when Typhon prepares to battle with Zeus:

Eris (“Strife”) was Typhon’s escort in the melée, Nike (“Victory”) led Zeus to battle.