of the goddesses were extremely proud, arrogant, and vain. There was much argument over who should get the apple, and the three goddesses who most felt deserving of the apple were Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Zeus did not want to choose to whom the apple would go, so he selected a mortal named Paris to choose.

The goddesses all tried to bribe Paris to be awarded the apple. Hera offered him land and power if he chose her. Athena offered him glory in combat. Aphrodite offered him the hand of the most beautiful human woman alive. Paris decided that the apple should go to Aphrodite since he desired this beautiful woman she described. The woman that Aphrodite promised Paris was the stunningly beautiful mortal woman Helen, but there was only one problem that Aphrodite does not relay to Paris before he made his decision on the apple. The problem was that Helen was already married to King Menelaus of Sparta.

Believing Helen was now rightfully his, Paris made an expedition to Sparta and visited the house of Menelaus as a first step to claiming his prize. Menelaus treated Paris courteously during his visit, having no knowledge of Paris's plan to gain his wife Helen. During his visit, Paris abducted Helen and took her back home to Troy. Some legends say that Helen willingly goes with Paris due to his seduction of her during his time at Menelaus' court.

When Menelaus found out about Paris's treachery, he was greatly shamed and angered. After all, he considered Helen his rightful wife. To retrieve Helen and reclaim his sense of honor, Menelaus enlisted a great number of warriors to sail to Troy to retrieve Helen. This war, brought on by whom should rightly claim ownership of Helen, was long-lasting and brutal. This is why many historians refer to Helen as the most powerful cause of the war and call her "the face that launched a thousand ships."

Poor Helen of Troy... minding her own business... looking hot.

Helen was the subject of some serious male chest-beating and interference in her life from some very jealous goddesses.

But let's backtrack:  in Olympus, a fight between the petulant goddesses Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite erupts.  The three argue about who among them is the "fairest."  The goddesses decide to let the mortal Paris make the call.  He selects Aphrodite.  Aphrodite "rewards" Paris by causing the beautiful Helen to fall madly in love with him.

Agamemnon, Menelaus' brother, vows to get Helen back.  Mayhem ensues...

According to the Iliad, the Trojan War was initiated by the abduction of Helen, the queen of Sparta, by Paris, a Trojan prince.

Paris and Helen's entanglement began when Paris was called upon by the goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite to judge a contest between them. The goddess Eris, who loves chaos, rolled a golden apple into the midst of the goddesses, knowing they would fight over who it was intended for. The goddesses ask Paris to determine which of the three of them is worthiest of the apple, since he has a reputation for fairness. However, the contest is marked by bribery: Hera promises Paris an empire; Athena promises him military prowess; Aphrodite promises him the most beautiful woman in the world. This woman happens to be Helen, the queen of Sparta. Paris goes with Aphrodite, who causes Helen to fall madly in love with Paris due to an arrow from Eros. Paris then spirits Helen away on a ship headed for Troy.

This kidnapping enrages Helen's husband, Menelaus, the king of Sparta. With Paris being unwilling to return Helen to her family in Sparta, Menelaus calls on his brother Agamemnon for aid, and in turn, Agamemnon calls on other kings. Forming an alliance, they wage war on the Trojans, beginning the years-long struggle of the Trojan War.