The Judgement of Paris

Ovid: Heroides
Taken from the love letter of Paris to Helen

In the wooded valleys of Mount Ida, far
from footpaths and shaded by pines and
the holm oaks, is a place where slow-moving sheep
have never grazed, nor the nanny goat
that clambers on the cliff, nor the ponderous
cattle. There I was, resting against
a tree, gazing down on the walls and high roofs
of the city of Dardanus and
the sea when much to my great surprise I felt
the earth shake as though many feet walked
on it - my words are true, though hard to believe -
and there appeared, carried on swift wings,
the grandchild of great Atlas and Pleione -
I could see this, now I may tell it -
the god carried a rod made of gold and then
three goddesses, Venus, Pallas and
Juno, set their delicate feet on the turf.
My hair stood on end, I trembled and
lost speech. "Do not fear, said the winged messenger.
"You are the final judge of beauty,
end the contentions of these three goddesses;
decide which of them has such beauty
that will conquer the other two." He called on
the name of great Jove, that I might know
there was no escape and then he returned through
the ethereal paths to the stars.
My frightened heart took comfort, I became bold
enough to study each one of them.
All were worthy; I sighed because only one
could win. Still one of them pleased me more;
you must have guessed: it was she who causes love.
Every one of them wanted to win,
they tried to sway my judgement with splendid gifts.
Loudly, Jove's wife offered royal thrones;
his daughter pledged victory in war.
How could I choose between power and
a courageous heart? But Venus smiled sweetly,
"Paris, do not be convinced by these,
because both will bring you to worry and fear.
My gift for you is the gift of love
and the daughter of Leda, more beautiful
than her mother, come into your arms."
So she spoke. With both gift and beauty approved
she, the victor, returned to heaven.