Eris

ERIS IS THE GODDESS OF STRIFE AND THE "SPIRIT OF DISCORD." SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF ZEUS AND HERA. HER NAME TRANSLATES INTO LATIN AS "DISCORDIA. "HER GREEK OPPOSITE IS "HARMONIA. "SHE IS THE SISTER OF ARES, THE GOD OF BATTLE, AND SHE BECAME HIS CONSTANT COMPANION, ACCOMPANYING HIM TO THE BATTLES...OFTEN HELPING TO CAUSE THE QUARRELS AND THE FIGHTS. BECAUSE OF THIS, ERIS IS AN UNPOPULAR GODDESS, AND IS FREQUENTLY SNUBBED AS A GUEST BY THE OTHER GODS AND MANKIND.

SHE IS USUALLY DEPICTED AS A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN WITH PALE SKIN, BUT UPON CLOSER LOOK, HER FACE IS AS PALE AS DEATH. HER HAIR IS BEDECKED WITH THORNS AND AT TIMES SHE IS WEARING A GARLAND...WHICH IS REALLY A POISONESS SNAKE. SHE IS THE MOTHER OF MANY...SORROW, BATTLE, SLAUGHTER, INJUSTICE, MURDER, AND LIES, TO NAME JUST A FEW.

IT IS ERIS WHO HELPED CAUSE THE TROJAN WAR. IT WAS AT THE WEDDING OF THETIS AND THE MORTAL PRINCE, PELIUS. ERIS WAS VERY JEALOUS BECAUSE, AS USUAL, SHE WAS NOT INVITED. AND, ALL OF THE GODS AND GODDESSES WERE THERE...EXCEPT FOR HER. SO, SHE DEVISED A PLAN TO GET EVEN. SHE FLUNG HER "APPLE OF DISCORD" THROUGH THE ROOF...BUT, BEFOREHAND, SHE HAD WRITTEN "FOR THE FAIREST". NOW, IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT OF THE THREE GODDESSES--HERA, ATHENA, AND APHRODITE--EACH FELT THAT THE APPLE WAS MEANT FOR HER. THE THREE GODDESSES BROKE INTO A QUARREL, AND THE WEDDING WAS RUINED....WHILE ERIS SAT BACK AND WATCHED, SMILING CYNICALLY.

PARIS OF TROY WAS ASKED TO JUDGE WHO GOT THE GOLDEN APPLE. NOW, THE THREE GODDESSES WERE NOT ABOVE A BIT OF BRIBERY. HERA OFFERED HIM RICHES; ATHENA OFFERED WISDOM; AND APHRODITE OFFERED TO GET HELEN, A BEAUTIFUL GREEK PRINCESS, FOR HIM. PARIS PICKED APHRODITE, AND HELEN WAS ABDUCTED AND BROUGHT TO TROY. AND, WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED NEXT.

Credit: just-wicca.blogspot.com