Paris son of Priam
and Hecuba.
When Hecuba
was pregnant with Paris, she had a dream that she brought forth a torch with serpents,
and the child was ordered by the dream interpreters to be destroyed. However,
the servant ordered to kill him abandoned him, and he was rescued and raised by
shepherds. He was discovered when he entered Troy
to win back a pet bull that had been chosen for prize in a funeral game. After
the apple of discord was thrown among Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, Hermes
brought them to Paris to judge which goddess was most beautiful. He chose Aphrodite
after she bribed him by promising him Helen,
and at her command built ships, went to Sparta, and stole Helen
from King Menelaus,
thus sparking the Trojan War. He is a distinguished archer in the war, and
slays Achilles,
but shrinks from Menelaus,
and is killed by Philoctetes. Paris is also called Alexander.