How does the Trojan War relate to the “Judgment of Paris”?
It caused it. Paris´ judgment was his choice between the three goddesses Hera, Athena and Aphrodite as to which of them was the most beautiful. They all tried to bribe him – Hera with power, Athena with wisdom, but Aphrodite won when she offered him the most beautiful woman in the world. That was Helen, the demi-goddess daughter of Zeus and Leda; unfortunately she was already married. But Aphrodite arranged things so that Paris could take her for himself. However, years before, when Helen was to marry, almost all the kings of Greece vied for her hand, and war would break out over it, until the clever Odysseus (or was it the wise Nestor?) came up with a plan: Helen herself would choose the man she wanted, and they all swore that the wedded couple would be under the protection of the gathered kings. This way, nobody would challenge the lucky victor. So when Paris took Helen, he automatically got all the kings of Greece against him and his city – Troy.
