
2 minute read
Calliste
from Obiter | Issue Three
D I C T U M S O C I E T Y CallisteCalliste
W H A T I S ' C A L L I S T E ' ?
Advertisement
Calliste (Ka-lissti): Refers to the ' most fairest'
or
' most beautiful' . This was etched on the apple of discord. The poem references: The Apple of Discord The mark of Calliste; an apple of gold; The bearer most fairest the Grecian scripts told.
The apple a mere weapon to imbue discord, by a woman hurtfully snubbed; a Greek goddess scorned.
The Goddess of discord was after all named Eris with good reason; to leave her out of festivities may well be Hellenic treason.
So she rolled the golden apple with etchings of 'Calliste ' across the wedding aisle; Sitting back as the chaos unfolded in true Grecian style.
The apple was toussled over by Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite. All three goddess ' claiming the title of Calliste their true right.
Zeus the King of the Gods, perspired under the vigilance of his three beloved wives; for he knew picking favourites among women may well put him in strife.
So he bowed out under the shadow of modesty and found his scapegoat among guests; as Paris was brought forward and in his hands the judgement laid rest.
D I C T U M S O C I E T Y CallisteCalliste
Paris preened in the limelight; as the purpose of judgement he forgot; to bestow the award of fairest to the fairest of the lot.
Intoxicated by opportunity, he toyed with the favours Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera dangled before his eyes; promises of kingdoms, love, and wisdom would cement what he decides.
Grabbing the balance of fairness, he weighed each gift on these scales; And he weighed it against the golden apple to decide which promise prevailed.
For Paris, the love of Helen assured by Aphrodite weighed the apple ' s worth in Calliste gold; So he handed the apple, she basked in the title, the laughable irony need not be told.
And thus began the beginning of the end with an apple and the judgement of Paris; ubeknownst to the irrevvocable consequences of the judgement Paris carries.
With a golden apple came power, division, discord and more; with a judgement came the legend of the Great Trojan War.

B A C K G R O U N D
The poem refers to the
'Judgement of Paris ' , which acted as a catalyst for the historic
Trojan War. My interpretation of this mythological event focuses on the value of 'Judgements ' .
As a Judge, making an ubiased and fair decision before the scrutiny of many that rely upon such a decision would prove absolutely daunting. As it' s been said, 'With great power comes great responsibility ' . The responsibility of which, if taken lightly might alter fates by catastrophic proportions.