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PARIS, PARYS, also called Alexandros, was one of the younger sons of Priam and Hecuba of Troy. Exposed on the hills of Phrygia because of a prophecy that he would bring about Troy's destruction, he was found and brought up by shepherds. He married the nymph Oënone but deserted her when Venus offered him the most beautiful woman in the world. The three goddesses Juno, Minerva, and Venus approached him one day with a golden apple and asked him to choose which one was fairest. Juno offered him greatness, Athena success as a warrior, and Venus the most beautiful woman in the world, who happened to be Helen, wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta. With Venus's help Paris abducted Helen, and thus began the Trojan War, which lasted ten years and ended with Troy's destruction (Heroides V; Iliad; RR 13215-13222).

Januarie will clutch May in his arms harder than Paris did Eleyne, MerchT 1753-1754. Paris is a false lover, SqT 543-557; HF I.399, because he deserted Oënone. The story of Paris and Eleyne appears on the walls of the dreamer's room, BD 326-331, as it appears in the Roman de la Rose. Chaucer refers only slightly to the Judgment of Paris, HF I.199-201: Juno hates all the Trojan people, presumably because Paris bypassed her and gave the golden apple to Venus. Paris appears in the blazon de faulse amours, the list of false lovers, HF I.399. Paris and Eleyne are among love's martyrs in Venus's temple, PF 288-294. The Greeks intend to avenge Paris's rape of Helen, Tr I.57-63. Pandarus recalls Oënone's letter to Paris, Tr I.652-665. Deiphebus acknowledges that Eleyne can lead Paris wherever she wills, Tr II.1445-1449. Pandarus reminds Troilus that if Criseyde goes to the Greek camp and does not return, he can surely get another love, just as his brother Paris has done, Tr IV.596-609, referring to Paris's changing his loves, Oënone for Helen. [Eleyne2: Juno: Minerva: Oënone: Venus]

Paris occurs seven times in medial positions, BD 331; HF I.399; PF 290; Tr I.63, 653; Tr II.1449; Tr IV.608. Parys, a spelling variant, occurs twice in medial positions, MerchT 1754; SqT 548.


Homer, Iliad, ed. and trans. A.T. Murray; Ovid, Her, ed. and trans. G. Showerman, 56-69; RR, ed. E. Langlois, IV.11; RR, trans. C. Dahlberg, 228.
From CHAUCER NAME DICTIONARY
Copyright © 1988, 1996 Jacqueline de Weever
Published by Garland Publishing, Inc., New York and London.

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