The bone of contention is a golden apple thrown by Eris at the marriage of Peleus and Thetis among the assembled gods. On it was written, ‘Let the fair one take it,’ or, according to some authorities, ‘The apple for the fair one[761].’ The three high goddesses betake them for judgment to the king’s son, the shepherd Paris. The kernel of the myth is, according to this version, a καλλιστεῖον, a beauty-contest. [Illustration: FIG. 76.] On one ancient vase, and on one only of all the dozens that remain, is the Judgment so figured. The design in fig. 76 is from a late red-figured krater in the Bibliothèque Nationale[762]. Paris, dressed as a Phrygian, is seated in the centre. Hermes is telling of his mission. Grouped around, the three goddesses prepare for the beauty-contest in characteristic fashion. Hera needs no aid, she orders her veil and gazes well satisfied in a mirror; Aphrodite stretches out a lovely arm, and a Love-God fastens ‘a bracelet of gold on her flesh’; and Athene, watched only by the great grave dog, goes to a little fountain shrine and, clean-hearted goddess as she is, lays aside her shield, tucks her gown about her, and has—a good wash. Our hearts are with Oenone when she cries: ‘“O Paris, Give it to Pallas!” but he heard me not, Or hearing would not hear me, woe is me!’ It is noteworthy that even in this representation, obviously of a beauty-contest, the apple is absent. [Illustration: FIG. 77.] It is quite true that now and again one of the goddesses holds in her hand a fruit. An instance is given in the charming design in fig. 77, from a red-figured stamnos in the British Museum[763]. Fruit and flowers are held indifferently by one or all of the goddesses, and the reason will presently become clear. In the present case Hera holds a fruit, in fig. 81 the two last goddesses hold each a fruit. In fig. 77, against both Aphrodite and Hera, is inscribed Καλή, ‘Beautiful,’ and before the blinding beauty of the goddesses Paris veils his face. The inscription Χαρμίδης enables us to date the vase as belonging to the first half of the 5th cent. B.C. Turning to black-figured vases, a good instance is given in fig. 78 from a patera[764] in the Museo Greco-Etrusco at Florence. The three goddesses, bearing no apple and no attributes, the centre one only distinguished by the spots upon her cloak, follow Hermes into the presence of Paris. Paris starts away in manifest alarm. In the curious design[765] in fig. 79, Hermes actually seizes Paris by the wrist to compel his attendance. There is here clearly no question of voluptuous delight at the beauty of the goddesses. The three maiden figures are scrupulously alike; each carries a wreath. Discrimination would be a hard task. The figures are placed closely together, as in the representation of the Maidens in fig. 73. [Illustration: FIG. 78.] [Illustration: FIG. 79.]