Paris
Greek · mortal · heroic age · Recorded classification
Mortal prince of Troy, second son of Priam and Hecuba; the Judgment-of-Paris choice of Aphrodite over Hera and Athena triggered the Trojan War. Homer presents him as physically beautiful and skilled with the bow, but timid in close combat — "wife-stealer, slick-haired, lover-boy" in Hector's reproach (Iliad 3.39-57). The post-Homeric tradition expanded his role: killer of Achilles via the Apollo-guided arrow, and finally killed himself by the Philoctetes-arrow in the war's final stages. Father by Oenone of Corythus (the elder); by Helen of Bunomus, Aganus, Idaeus, the Helen-fathered Corythus, and Helen the Younger — all of whom died at the fall of Troy.
Children
Domains
- archery
Powers
- Strike enemies from afar as a deadly archer
- Judge which goddess is fairest, awarding the golden apple
- Kill Achilles with a bow-shot to the heel
Epithets
- Ἀλέξανδρος defender of men, his shepherd-nameHomer, Iliad 3.16 (named Alexandros throughout the epic); Apollodorus 3.12.5 (primary)
- Δύσπαρις evil Paris, Paris of ill omenHomer, Iliad 3.39 (Hector's reproach); 13.769 (primary)
Relations
- sibling: HectorReciprocal of the Atreid/Trojan-cluster genealogy.
- sibling: CassandraReciprocal of the Atreid/Trojan-cluster genealogy.
- sibling: HelenusReciprocal of the Atreid/Trojan-cluster genealogy.
- sibling: DeiphobusReciprocal of the Atreid/Trojan-cluster genealogy.
- sibling: Creusa of TroyReciprocal of the Atreid/Trojan-cluster genealogy.
- sibling: PolyxenaReciprocal of the Atreid/Trojan-cluster genealogy.
- sibling: TroilusReciprocal of the Atreid/Trojan-cluster genealogy.
- lover: HelenHom. Il. 3, 6 (primary)
- killer of: Achilles (greatest of the Greek warriors at Troy, son of Peleus and the Nereid Thetis; not registered as cascade descendant under strict rule) · GreekBow-shot at the Scaean gates, guided by Apollo.Aethiopis fr.; Apollod. Epit. 5.3 (primary)