Eris: The Goddess of Strife
Eris, a prominent figure in Greek mythology, embodies strife and discord.
Eris, a prominent figure in Greek mythology, embodies strife and discord. Known for her delight in human suffering and conflict, she played a crucial role in instigating the Trojan War. This exploration delves into her origins, her complex nature, her offspring, and her significant influence on both mortals and gods.
Eris: Daughter of Nyx and Embodiment of Conflict
Described as a winged woman with dark, braided hair and unsettling features, Eris's image was often depicted on armor to inspire fear. Her Roman equivalent was Discordia. While appearing in relatively few myths, her presence signifies the thematic representation of conflict itself.
Hesiod's Theogony identifies Eris as the daughter of Nyx, the primordial goddess of night, born after the castration of Ouranos. Her siblings, like Blame, Woe, Deceit, and Old Age, were similarly considered plagues upon humanity. Eris was initially perceived as a purely negative entity, a force to be avoided at all costs.
However, in Works and Days, Hesiod presents a more nuanced perspective. He introduces the concept of two distinct Erises. One, as previously described, revels in war and violence. The other, the eldest daughter of Nyx and Zeus, represents healthy competition and productive jealousy. This duality highlights the Greek understanding of the dangers of excess, acknowledging that a degree of strife can be beneficial for self-improvement, while excessive strife leads to destruction. As Hesiod explains, comparing oneself to a successful neighbor can inspire hard work and progress, while unchecked envy can fuel destructive behaviors.
Homer, in the Iliad, offers a different lineage for Eris, portraying her as the sister and companion of Ares, the god of war, thus making her a daughter of Zeus and Hera. Given her association with war, she was sometimes equated with the goddess Enyo, their names used interchangeably in both the Iliad and Quintus Smyrnaeus's Posthomerica. However, Hesiod's Theogony distinguishes Enyo as a separate goddess, one of the Graiae, or Grey Sisters, daughters of Phorcys and Ceto.
Sophie
Eris: Mother of Troubles
Eris's offspring further solidify her association with misfortune. Through parthenogenesis, she birthed numerous spirits embodying negative concepts, including Ponos (toil), Lethe (forgetfulness), Limos (famine), Algea (pain), and various spirits of violence, murder, and quarreling. She is also the mother of the personifications of lies, arguments, lawlessness, and ruin, as well as Horcus, the personification of oaths.
Hesiod links Eris to the story of Pandora. He suggests that Pandora's actions, releasing troubles from a jar, unleashed the influence of Eris and her children upon humanity. Before Pandora's fateful act, humans lived without hardship, according to Hesiod. The opening of the jar brought forth the very troubles personified by Eris's offspring.
Marital Strife and the Story of Polytechnus and Aedon
Antoninus Liberalis, in his Metamorphoses, offers a tale of marital strife instigated by Eris. A happy couple, Polytechnus and Aedon, boast of loving each other more than Zeus and Hera. Offended, Hera sends Eris to sow discord between them. A weaving competition ensues, and with Hera's intervention, Aedon wins. Enraged, Polytechnus deceives Aedon's family and rapes her sister, Chelidon.
Later, Aedon discovers the truth, and together the sisters take revenge by killing and cooking their son, Itys, tricking Polytechnus into consuming his own offspring. When the truth is revealed, Polytechnus chases the sisters to their father’s house. There, he is captured, tortured, and eventually pitied by Aedon. Zeus intervenes, transforming all involved into birds, ending the cycle of violence and suffering.
Sophie
The Apple of Discord and the Judgment of Paris
Perhaps the most famous story involving Eris is the Judgment of Paris, the catalyst for the Trojan War. Excluded from the wedding feast of Thetis and Peleus, Eris throws a golden apple inscribed "For the fairest" into the celebration, sparking a vanity-fueled conflict among Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Zeus appoints Paris, a Trojan prince, to judge.
Each goddess offers a bribe: Hera promises dominion over all kingdoms, Athena offers mastery in battle, and Aphrodite promises the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Sparta. Paris chooses Aphrodite, earning Helen but igniting Hera's wrath against Troy, setting the stage for the devastating war.
Eris and the Trojan War
Eris's influence permeates the Iliad. She embodies the escalating chaos and the breakdown of cosmic order as the war progresses. Her role extends beyond merely instigating the conflict. She actively participates in the unfolding tragedy.
In Book 3, after Menelaos defeats Paris in a duel, Aphrodite saves the Trojan prince. Hera, enraged, convinces Zeus to have Athena incite the Trojans to break their sworn oath, reigniting the war. Eris then appears on the battlefield for the first time.
In Book 11, Zeus sends Eris to the Greek camp to stir them to fight, filling their hearts with battle lust. Homer emphasizes Eris's unique presence amongst the gods, highlighting her active role in the fighting while other deities remained in their halls.
In Book 20, the gods themselves are drawn into the conflict, choosing sides. Eris revels in the escalating violence, further emphasizing her role not just as a instigator, but as an active participant and amplifier of conflict. She is present in every battle, taking no sides, finding pleasure solely in the bloodshed and chaos, showcasing her as a powerful and unsettling force in the Trojan War.
