Eris (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Eris () is the goddess and personification of strife and discord, particularly in war, and in the Iliad (where she is the "sister" of Ares the god of war). According to Hesiod she was the daughter of primordial Nyx (Night), and the mother of a long list of undesirable personified abstractions, such as Ponos (Toil), Limos (Famine), Algea (Pains) and Ate (Delusion). Eris initiated a quarrel between Hera, Athena and Aphrodite, which led to the Judgement of Paris and ultimately the Trojan War. Eris's Roman equivalent is Discordia. According to Hesiod, there was another Eris, separate and distinct from Eris the daughter of Nyx, who was beneficial to men.Brown, s.v. Eris; Nünlist, s.v. Eris; Grimal, s.v. Eris; Tripp, s.v. Eris; Smith, s.v. Eris.

Etymology The name derives from the noun eris, with stem erid-, which means "strife, discord" and is of uncertain etymology; connections with the verb "to raise, stir, excite" and the proper name have been suggested. R. S. P. Beekes sees no strong evidence for this relation and excludes the derivation from "to prop, to support" due to the name's original ι- stem. Watkins suggested origin from a Proto-Indo-European root ere- meaning "to separate, to adjoin". The name gave several derivatives in Ancient Greek, including "to fight" and "object of a quarrel".

Family In Homer's Iliad, Eris is described as the "sister and comrade" of Ares,Homer, Iliad 4.440–441. though according to Geoffrey Kirk she is "not fully personified" here, and this genealogy is a "purely ad hoc description".Kirk, pp. 380–381. On the use of () and () alongside one another in this passage, see Coray, Krieter-Spiro, and Visser, pp. 197–198, and on the textual difficulties with this and adjacent passages, see Kirk, pp. 381–382. Nünlist, s.v. Eris, characterises this genealogy as "allegorical", and Gantz, p. 9 cites the passage as an example of Eris being "just a personification of her name". Some scholars interpret this passage as indicating she is the daughter of Zeus and Hera, Ares' parents.Bell, p. 188; Parada, s.v. Eris. However, according to Hesiod's Theogony, Eris is the daughter of Nyx (Night), being among the many children Nyx produced without a partner. These siblings of Eris include personifications—like Eris—of several "loathsome" (στυγερός [stugerós]) things, such as Moros ("Doom"), Thanatos ("Death"), the Moirai ("Fates"), Nemesis ("Indignation"), Apate ("Deceit"), and Geras ("Old Age").Gantz, pp. 4–5; Hesiod, Theogony 223–225.

Like her mother Nyx, Hesiod has Eris as the mother—with no father mentioned—of many children (the only child of Nyx with offspring) who are also personifications representing various misfortunes and harmful things which, in Eris' case, might be thought to result from discord and strife.Hard, pp. 30–31; Gantz, p. 5; Hesiod, Theogony 226–232. All of Eris' children are little more than allegorizations of the meanings of their names, with virtually no other identity.Gantz, p. 10, which notes the possible exception of Ate. The following table lists the children of Eris, as given by Hesiod:Hesiod, Theogony 226–232.

Children Name Ancient Greek Common translations Remarks prop. n. com. n. sg. Ponos Πόνος πόνοςLSJ s.v. πόνος. Toil,Most 2018a, p. 21; Hard, p. 31 Labor,Gantz, p. 10. HardshipCaldwell, p. 40 on 212–232. In ancient Greek the word ponos which meant 'hard work' could also mean 'hardship, 'suffering', 'distress' or 'trouble', see The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, s.v. πόνος 1, 3; compare LSJ, s.v. πόνος. For the ancient Greeks' negative associations regarding ponos, see Millett, s.v. labour; Cartledge, s.v. industry, Greek and Roman. Called by Hesiod "painful Ponos" (Πόνον ἀλγινόεντα).Hesiod, Theogony 226. Cicero has the equivalent personification of the Latin word labor as the offspring of Erebus and Night (Erebo et Nocte).Thurmann, s.v. Ponos; Cicero, De Natura Deorum 3.44. Lethe Λήθη λήθηLSJ s.v. λήθη. Forgetfulness,Most 2018a, p. 21; Gantz, p. 10; Caldwell, p. 40 on 212–232. OblivionHard, p. 31. Associated with Lethe, the river of oblivion in the Underworld. Limos Λιμός λιμόςLSJ s.v. λιμός. Famine,Hard, p. 31; Gantz, p. 10. Hunger,Most 2018a, p. 21. StarvationCaldwell, p. 40 on 212–232. Of uncertain sex; held in special regard at Sparta; the equivalent of the Roman Fames. Algea Ἄλγεα (pl.) ἄλγοςLSJ s.v. ἄλγος. Pains,Most 2018a, p. 21; Gantz, p. 10; Caldwell, p. 40 on 212–232. SorrowsHard, p. 31. Called by Hesiod the "tearful Algae" (Ἄλγεα δακρυόεντα).Hesiod, Theogony 227. Not notably personified elsewhere. Hysminai Ὑσμῖναι (pl.) ὑσμίνηLSJ s.v. ὑσμίνη. Combats,Most 2018a, p. 21; Gantz, p. 10. Fights,Hard, p. 31. BattlesCaldwell, p. 40 on 212–232. The Posthomerica of Quintus Smyrnaeus has an image of the Hysminai decorating Achilles's shield.Quintus Smyrnaeus, Posthomerica 5.36. Machai Μάχαι (pl.) μάχηLSJ s.v. μάχη. Battles,Most 2018a, p. 21; Gantz, p. 10; Hard, p. 31. WarsCaldwell, p. 40 on 212–232. Not notably personified elsewhere Phonoi Φόνοι (pl.) φόνοςLSJ s.v. φόνος. Murders,Most 2018a, p. 21; Hard, p. 31; Caldwell, p. 42 on 212–232. SlaughteringsGantz, p. 10. The Shield of Heracles, has an image of Phonos (singular) decorating Heracle's shield.Hesiod, Shield of Heracles 155. Androktasiai Ἀνδροκτασίαι (pl.) ἀνδροκτασίαLSJ s.v. ἀνδροκτασία. Manslaughters,Caldwell, p. 42 on 212–232 Manslayings,Hard, p. 31. Slayings of MenGantz, p. 10 The Shield of Heracles, has an image of Androktasia (singular) decorating Heracle's shield.Hesiod, Shield of Heracles 155. Neikea Νείκεα (pl.) νεῖκοςLSJ s.v. νεῖκος. Quarrels Not notably personified elsewhere. Pseudea Ψεύδεα (pl.) ψεῦδοςLSJ s.v. ψεῦδος. Lies,Most 2018a, p. 21; Hard, p. 31; Caldwell, p. 42 on 212–232. FalsehoodsGantz, p. 10. Not notably personified elsewhere. Logoi Λόγοι (pl.) λόγοςLSJ s.v. λόγος. Tales,Most 2018a, p. 21. Stories,Caldwell, p. 42 on 212–232. WordsGantz, p. 10. Not notably personified elsewhere. Amphillogiai Ἀμφιλλογίαι (pl.) ἀμφιλογίαLSJ s.v. ἀμφιλογία. Disputes,Most 2018a, p. 21; Caldwell, p. 42 on 212–232. Unclear WordsGantz, p. 10. Not notably personified elsewhere. Dysnomia Δυσνομία δυσνομίαLSJ s.v. δυσνομία. Lawlessness,Most 2018a, p. 21; Hard, p. 31. Bad Government,Gantz, p. 10. AnarchyCaldwell, p. 42 on 212–232. The Athenian statesman Solon contrasted Dysnomia with Eunomia, the personification of the ideal government:Siewert, s.v. Nomos. Ate Ἄτη ἄτηLSJ s.v. ἄτη. Delusion,Hard, p. 31. Recklessness,Most 2018a, p. 21. Folly,Gantz, p. 10. RuinCaldwell, p. 42 on 212–232. She was banished from Olympus by Zeus for blinding him to Hera's trickery denying Heracles his birthright.Hard, p. 31. Horkos Ὅρκος ὅρκοςLSJ s.v. ὄρκος. Oath The curse that is inflicted on any person who swears a false oath.Hard, p. 31.

Judgement of Paris

Eris plays a crucial role in one important myth. She was the initiator of the quarrel between the three Greek goddesses, Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, resolved by the Judgement of Paris, which led to Paris' abduction of Helen of Troy and the outbreak of the Trojan War.Hard, p. 30; Gantz, p. 9. As the story came to be told, all the gods were invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis except Eris. She came anyway, but was refused admission. In anger, she threw a golden apple among the wedding guests inscribed with "For the fairest", which the three goddesses each claimed.Tripp, s.v. Eris.

Homer alludes to the Judgement of Paris, but with no mention of Eris.Gantz, p. 9; Homer, Iliad, 24.27—30. An account of the story was told in the Cypria, one of the poems in the Epic Cycle, which told the entire story of the Trojan War. The Cypria, which is the first poem in the Cycle, describes events preceding those that occur in the Iliad, the second poem in the Cycle. According to a prose summary of the now lost Cypria, Eris, acting according to the plans of Zeus and Themis to bring about the Trojan War, instigates a nekios ('feud') between the three goddesses over "beauty" (presumably over who of the three was the most beautiful), while they were attending the wedding feast of Peleus and Thetis (who would become the parents of Achilles). To settle the dispute, Zeus orders the three goddesses to go to Mount Ida to be judged by Paris. Paris, having been offered Helen by Aphrodite in return for Paris choosing her, does so.Gantz, p. 9; Proclus, Chrestomathy Cypria 1. According to Cypria fr. 1 West (compare with Euripides, Orestes 1639–42, Helen 36–41) Zeus' reason for wanting the war was overpopulation, see Reeves 1966.

The fifth-century BC playwright Euripides describes the Judgement of Paris several times with no mention of either Eris or an apple.Euripides, Andromache 274–292, Helen 23–30, Iphigenia in Aulis 1300–1308, The Trojan Women 924–931. So also Isocrates, Helen 10.41. Later accounts include details, such as the golden Apple of Discord, which may or may not have come from the Cypria. According to the Fabulae of Hyginus, composed somewhere between the first century BC and the late second century AD, all the gods had been invited to the wedding except Eris. Nevertheless, she came to the wedding feast, and when refused entrance, she threw an apple through the doorway, saying that it was for the "fairest", which started the quarrel.Gantz, p. 9; Hyginus, Fabulae 92; compare with Apollodorus, E.3.2. The satirist Lucian (fl. 2nd century AD) tells us that Eris's apple was "solid gold" and that it was inscribed: "For the queen of Beauty" ().McCartney, p. 70; Lucian, Dialogues of the Sea-Gods 7 (5); compare Lucian, The Judgement of the Goddesses (Dialogues of the Gods 20) 1; Tzetzes, Chiliades, 5.31 (Story 24), On Lycophron 93; First Vatican Mythographer, 205 (Pepin, p. 89); Second Vatican Mythographer, 249 (Pepin, p. 197).

Strife in war Eris personifies strife, particularly the strife associated with war.Nünlist, s.v. Eris. In Homer's Iliad, Eris is described as being depicted on both Athena's battle aegis, and Achilles' shield, where she appears alongside other war-related personifications: Phobos ("Rout"), Alke ("Valor"), and Ioke ("Assault"), on the aegis, and Kydoimos ("Tumult"), and Ker ("Fate"), on the shield.Nünlist, s.v. Eris; Homer, Iliad 5.740 (aegis), 18.535 (shield). Similarly, the Hesiodic Shield of Heracles has Eris depicted on Heracles' shield, also with Phobos, Kydoimos and Ker, as well as other war-related personifications: Proioxis ("Pursuit"), Palioxis ("Rally"), Homados ("Tumult "), Phonos ("Murder"), and Androktasia ("Slaughter").Hesiod, Shield of Heracles 154–156. Here Eris is described as flying over the head of Phobos ("Fear"):

Eris also appears in several battle scenes in the Iliad.Brown, s.v. Eris; e.g. Homer, Iliad 4.439–445, 5.517–518, 11.3–14, 11.73—74, 18.535, 20.47—48. For a discussion of the use of the word eris in the Iliad, see Nagler 1988. However, unlike Apollo, Athena and several other of the Olympians, Eris does not participate in active combat, nor take sides in the war.Leaf, on Iliad 440. Her role in the Iliad is that of "the rouser of armies",Homer, Iliad 20.47—48: "But when the Olympians had come into the midst of the throng of men, then up leapt mighty Strife, the rouser of armies". urging both armies to fight each other. In Book 4, she is one of the divinities (along with Ares, Athena, Deimos ("Terror"), and Phobos ("Rout") urging the armies to battle, with head lowered at first, but soon raised up to the heavens:According to Leaf, on 440, in this passage (and elsewhere), Eris "must not be regarded as siding with either party, but as arousing alike τοὺς μέν and τοὺς δέ", nor as being a combatant.

She also appears in this "rouser of armies" role in Book 5,Homer, Iliad 5.517–518. and again in Book 11, where Zeus sends Eris to rouse the Greek army by shouting:Hard, p. 30.