You have all read the Iliad and obviously know the story of the Judgment of Paris. To give a quick recap, three goddesses, Hera, Athena and Aphrodite ask Paris to bestow the Apple of Discord to the “fairest of them all.” To sweeten the bargain, Hera, the queen of the Gods, offered power. Athena, the goddess of Wisdom, offered him wisdom and victory in all his battles. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, offered him the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris chose Aphrodite and, in turn, started the Trojan war.
But, what if he chose Hera instead? Well I think that it would go something like this. After Paris chose Hera, he held the power of all Asia at his feet. Aphrodite, outraged by the fact that Paris chose Hera over her, cursed him with being forever alone. Paris did not care and lived in wealth, owned much of the world, and conquered many nations. Slowly, penetrating loneliness infused his life. He did not have a wife or a family. So, he prayed to Aphrodite to break his curse. Aphrodite, still angry, demanded he give her the golden apple to free him from his curse. Paris managed to persuade five men to help him: Menelaus, Agamemnon, Odysseus, Achilles, and Aeneas.
What if Paris gave the golden apple to Hera?
By Ryan Kenter