PARIS, in Homeric mythology, the seducer of Helen, and the cause of the Trojan War; a younger son of Priam, King of Troy, by Hecuba, his queen. His mother, before the birth of Paris, having dreamed that she had brought forth a firebrand that would destroy both the palace and the city, consulted the oracle, and the priests advised the killing of the child as soon as born. Paris was, accordingly, intrusted to a slave, who was bound to execute the decree; and carried the child to the side of Mount Ida, where, touched with pity, the man left him; and where he was found by shepherds, taken home, and reared. As Paris grew up he showed such nobility of soul and daring, as to obtain the title of "The Defender," or Alexander. At the marriage of Peleus, King of Thessaly, and Thetis, the god less of Discord—out of envy at being left out of the list of invited guests —secretly entered the nuptial hall and flung down a golden apple, on which was inscribed "The Prize of the Fairest." All the females claimed the apple as their own; and the angry feeling was only partially appeased by appointing an um pire, and allowing Minerva, Juno, and Venus to stand as candidates before the judge. So general had the reputation of the shepherd Paris become that he was unanimously selected for that re sponsible office. His decision fell to Venus. This judgment of Paris so en raged Minerva and Juno that they vowed eternal enmity against both Paris and his family. Priam, having been subse quently informed of the preservation of his son, and finding him so noble in appearance and heroic in his bearing, at once acknowledged him as his son.
Some time after his restoration his father dispatched him to Greece on some political mission, when, remembering the promise made to him by Venus, that he should possess the most beautiful woman in the world for his wife, and having heard the report of the surpassing at tractions of the Spartan Helen, he steered his fleet for Lacedmmon, and visit ing the court of Menelaus, King of Sparta, where he found the lovely Helen, who had become the wife of the Spartan king, far exceeded all the accounts he had received of her fascination and beauty. While the monarch was away Paris persuaded Helen to elope with him to Troy, where they were welcomed by Priam and installed in Ilium.
This violation of good faith, and the breach of hospitality committed by the Trojan, so enraged the Spartan king, that he called upon the other states of Greece to make a common cause of the indignity he had suffered, and declare a war of extermination against Troy. Every state and kingdom in Greece re sponded and Troy was besieged for 10 years. Paris, abashed by the injury he had inflicted on Menelaus, avoided on all occasions meeting the Spartan king in the frequent battles that ensued. Once, however, according to Homer, they met, when Paris would have fallen but for the interposition of Venus. It was a javelin, hurled by Paris, that found the vulnerable spot in Achilles, and brought that hero down. The death of Paris is variously told; he fell at or previous to the sack of Troy, Helen returned, as a prize, with her husband to Greece.