Solar Array

The Judgment of Paris is an ancient Greek myth about an event which is said to be the root cause of the Trojan war.

Zeus holds a banquet for the marriage of Peleus and Thetis, who would go on to conceive the great hero Achilles. He neglects to invite Eris, the Goddess of Discord, who takes it as a slight.

To stir up trouble, Eris rolls a golden apple into the crowd of deities, with the inscription "To the fairest", which in this case means the most beautiful.

Three goddesses contend for the apple:

Hera, Zeus' wife, and goddess of Marriage.

Aphrodite, goddess of sensual love.

Athena, goddess of wisdom.

Zeus is asked to judge the matter, but of course he deflects. Noting that Paris of Troy successfully adjudicated a similar matter recently, Zeus drops it in his lap instead.

The three goddesses each come to Paris with a bribe.

Hera offers him rulership over Europe and Asia.

Athena offers him wisdom and skill in war.

Aphrodite offers him the hand of the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen.

He chooses Aphrodite's gift, which is strange considering that Helen is the Spartan Queen and already betrothed to Menelaus; but this is ancient Greece, where even some goddesses seem to view women as exchangeable and disposable.

I have brought up this allegory to illustrate a longstanding problem with the narrative. A plot-hole, so to speak, which makes the young Paris look pretty damn stupid.

Keep in mind, however, that in some versions of this story, Aphrodite enhances her charm through magic.

I'm not going to be the one to say Aphrodite cheated. The rules of the game didn't allow for any of them to offer bribes, but even Zeus knows better than to tell his wife what to do, which is yet another one of those ironic contradictions between the Olympians and the Greek culture they oversaw.

Nevertheless, Paris really whiffed on this one. Had he taken Athena's offer he could have secured the gifts offered by Hera and Aphrodite as well.

Skill in war could have won him Europe and Asia, among them Sparta, and with that the hand of Helen; but attaining wisdom he would have realized the supreme folly of such an undertaking, and all the tragedy to which it would lead, and rather have chosen to abstain altogether.

Yet isn't it just like a young man to think with the wrong head and make a mess of everything; to take the low-hanging fruit, golden apple though it may be? Even Aphrodite knows her charms needn’t be much enhanced to lure a young man to debauchery.

Men’s restless will to copulate torments us from the onset of puberty to our dying breath. Even the oldest man still feels the urge, whether he can fulfill it or no.

Which one is the greater prize:

The faithful,

The beautiful,

Or the wise?

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Which one will still be there in the end:

The one who follows the trend,

The one who plays pretend,

Or the one who remains your friend?

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To make any choice but wisdom is unwise,

For the mind prevails where the body dies

And beauty in absentia lies, relies, relies

On the clearest reflection to see its own eyes.

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We cannot be still, O brothers,

An insult to our fathers and mothers!

We must not merely reflect the others!

Individuate, NOT hate that smothers

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And dares to call itself love,

It cannot be, is not from above,

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But a lie

Uttered by the Serpent

To lure the Dove!

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Rather take flight on Eagle’s wing,

Or as Odin’s Raven we sing,

A bird of prey or cunning,

For the great snake’s overcoming!

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These wastes are ours!

Waste not the hours!

The Sun and the Daylight

Clear away the restless night,

Turning the fears of wasted years

To fading mist that fairly kissed

The void before disappearing

Amidst the gently seering

Solar array…

Solarray.

Solray.

So(u)lray.

Soul.

Soul:Ray.

So(u)lray.

Solray.

Solarray.

Solar Array…