Aphrodite, Hera and Athena. These are the three goddesses now fighting over an apple. And, strange as it sounds, it's this dispute that will lead to three naked goddesses standing in front of an unsuspecting mortal called Paris...

Sources for this episode:

• Brooks, F. (1896), Greek Lyric Poets. London: David Nutt.
• Euripides (1967), The Bacchae and Other Plays. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann.
• Hyginus (1872), Fabulae. Edited by M. Schmidt. Jenae: Hermann Dufft.
• Koniaris, G. L. (1967), On Sappho, Fr. 16 (L. P.) Hermes 95(3): 257-268.
• Raynor, D. J. and Lardinois, A. (2014), Sappho: A New Translation of the Complete Works. New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Smith; W. (ed.) (1867), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. In Three Volumes (Vol. 1-3.). Boston: Little, Brown, And Company.

Content warning: Peleus is a terrible person, so expect a mild reference to some implied nastiness.

Peleus is one of those people who gets things he doesn't deserve. Despite all that terrible behaviour we outlined in episode 55, he gets to marry a goddess! However, it's at the wedding that the seeds of something dreadful will be sown...

Sources for this episode:

• Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann.
• Hyginus (1872), Fabulae. Edited by M. Schmidt. Jenae: Hermann Dufft.
• Ovid (1955), Metamorphoses. Translated by M. M. Innes. London: Penguin Books.
• Smith; W. (ed.) (1867), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. In Three Volumes (Vol. 1-3.). Boston: Little, Brown, And Company.
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Judgement of Paris (online) (Accessed 01/12/2024).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Thetis (online) (Accessed 01/12/2024).

In the quiet before the storm of the Trojan War and its immediate causes, we introduce two major characters today. The first is Odysseus, great-grandson of Hermes and creator of oaths that blow up in his face. The second is Achilles- descendant of Zeus and an ancient Greek example of play dress-up to run away from your problems.

Sources for this episode:

• Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann.
• Hyginus (1872), Fabulae. Edited by M. Schmidt. Jenae: Hermann Dufft.
• Statius (1928), Statius. Volume II: Thebiad V- XII and Achilleid. London and New York: William Heinemann, Ltd. and G. P. Putnam's Sons.