Judgment of Paris

American  

noun

Classical Mythology.

1. the decision by Paris to award Aphrodite the golden apple of discord competed for by Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera.

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Judgment of Paris Cultural  

1. In classical mythology, the incident that ultimately brought on the Trojan War (see also Trojan War). When the goddess Discord threw the apple of discord, marked “For the Fairest,” among the gods, Zeus refused to judge which goddess was the most beautiful, but sent the three contestants — Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera — to the Trojan prince Paris for a decision. Each made offers to induce Paris to give her the apple. Athena and Hera offered military or political power, but Aphrodite said that he could have the most beautiful woman in the world. He gave the apple to Aphrodite, thereby making powerful enemies of Athena and Hera. Aphrodite led him to Helen, afterward known as Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman in the world and wife of the king of Sparta in Greece. Paris carried her off to Troy while her husband was away. The Greeks then combined forces to make war on Troy and bring her back. Trojan civilization was destroyed in the process.

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Example Sentences

Spurrier, who died in March at age 79, organized the Judgment of Paris tasting in 1976 that showed California wines could stand proud among the best of France.

From Washington Post

But most of all he was known for having conceived and arranged the Judgment of Paris, the famous 1976 wine tasting at which little-known American wines triumphed over their august French counterparts and won a toehold in the perception of wine lovers worldwide who had up to then dismissed them.

From New York Times

Perhaps it will provide an insightful companion to the book “Judgment of Paris,” written by George M. Taber, the sole reporter to have witnessed the event.

From New York Times

While “Bottle Shock” added little of note to the Judgment of Paris lore, I am looking forward to a documentary of the tasting due out this summer, from Jason Wise, the director of the “Somm” series.

From New York Times

The tasting became known as the Judgment of Paris and was portrayed in the 2008 movie “Bottle Shock,” in which the jovial Spurrier was played by a dour Alan Rickman.

From Washington Post