特洛伊戰爭的起因 湯瑪斯·布芬奇（Thomas Bulfinch）原著，江銘輝譯
彌涅娃（雅典娜）是智慧女神，但她在一個場合作了十分愚蠢的事情，她加入朱諾（希拉）和維納斯的美女獎競賽。事倩的經過是這樣的:珀琉斯和忒提斯舉行婚禮時邀請了所有的神祇，只有紛爭女神厄麗絲未在被邀請之列。這位女神對於不被邀請大為忿怒，便在賓客中扔下一顆刻有"獻給最美麗的女神"的金蘋果。於是，朱諾、維納斯和彌涅娃都認為自己該得到這蘋果。
朱比持（宙斯）不願意裁決如此微妙的問題，便把三位女神送到英俊的牧羊人“帕里斯”牧羊的艾達山，讓帕里斯作裁定。於是女神們出現在帕里斯前面。朱諾答應給他權力與財富，彌涅娃（雅典娜）答應給他戰爭中的榮耀和聲望，維納斯願意給他天下最美麗的女子，每位女神都想盡辦法，左右帕里斯使他作出有利於自己的決定。帕里斯的決定有利於維納斯，便把金蘋果給了她，從而使另外兩位女神成了他的敵人。
圖：牧羊人帕里斯的決定有利於維納斯，便把金蘋果給了她，從而使另外兩位女神成了他的敵人。
在維納斯的保護下，帕里斯航行到希臘，接受斯巴達國王“梅里勞斯”熱情地款待。然而梅里勞斯的妻子“海倫”正是維納斯為帕里斯看中的女子，絕世無雙的美女。過去有無數的求婚者想要她作新娘，在她尚未作出央定以前，在求婚者“吳里西斯”的建議下，所有追求她的人宣誓他們將保衛她免受一切傷害，並且為這個理由，必要時將為她報仇。她選上梅里勞斯，跟他生活得很幸福。這時，帕里斯前來作客。帕里斯在維納斯幫助下，勸她跟他私奔，把她帶到了特洛伊，從而引起了著名的特洛伊戰爭。
Thomas Bulfinch,1796-1867年，美國作家
MINERVA was the goddess of wisdom, but on one occasion she did a very foolish thing; she entered into competition with Juno and Venus for the prize of beauty. It happened thus: At the nuptials of Peleus and Thetis all the gods were invited with the exception of Eris, or Discord. Enraged at her exclusion, the goddess threw a golden apple among the guests, with the inscription, "For the fairest." Thereupon Juno, Venus, and Minerva each claimed the apple. Jupiter, not willing to decide in so delicate a matter, sent the goddesses to Mount Ida, where the beautiful shepherd Paris was tending his flocks, and to him was committed the decision. The goddesses accordingly appeared before him. Juno promised him power and riches, Minerva glory and renown in war, and Venus the fairest of women for his wife, each attempting to bias his decision in her own favour. Paris decided in favour of Venus and gave her the golden apple, thus making the two other goddesses his enemies. Under the protection of Venus, Paris sailed to Greece, and was hospitably received by Menelaus, king of Sparta. Now Helen, the wife of Menelaus, was the very woman whom Venus had destined for Paris, the fairest of her sex. She had been sought as a bride by numerous suitors, and before her decision was made known, they all, at the suggestion of Ulysses, one of their number, took an oath that they would defend her from all injury and avenge her cause if necessary. She chose Menelaus, and was living with him happily when Paris became their guest. Paris, aided by Venus, persuaded her to elope with him, and carried her to Troy, whence arose the famous Trojan war, the theme of the greatest poems of antiquity, those of Homer and Virgil.