Goddess of strife, chaos and discord amongst the Greek Pantheon, Eris was the daughter of Nyx (Night) according to Hesiod, but Zeus and Hera according to Homer in Iliad. Her Roman counterpart is Discordia.
Reading from Page 00015 of the Principia Discordia:
What We Know About ERIS (not much)
The Romans left a likeness of Her for posterity–She was shown as a grotesque woman with a pale and ghastly look, Her eyes afire, Her garment ripped and torn, and as concealing a dagger in Her Bosom. Actually, most women look pale and ghastly when concealing a chilly dagger in their bosoms.
Her geneology is from the Greeks and is utterly confused. Either She was the twin of Ares and the daughter of Zeus and Hera; or She was the daughter of Nyx, goddess of night (who was either the daughter or wife of Chaos, or both), and Nyx’s brother, Erebus, and whose brothers and sisters include Death, Doom, Mockery, and Friendship. And that She begat Forgetfullness, Quarrels, Lies, and a bunch of gods and goddesses like that.
One day Mal-2 consulted his Pineal Gland* and asked Eris if She really created all of those terrible things. She told him that She had always liked the Old Greeks, but that they cannot be trusted with historic matters. “They were,” She added, “victims of indigestion, you know.”
Suffice it to say that Eris is not hateful or malicious. But She is mischievous, and does get a little bitchy at times.
*THE PINEAL GLAND is where each and every one of us can talk to Eris. If you have trouble activating your Pineal, then try the appendix which does almost as well. Reference: DOGMA I, METAPHYSICS #3, “The Indoctrine of the Pineal Gland”
Eris is also primarily known for her role in the myth of the Judgment of Paris, an event that started the Trojan War. Legend has it that Eris, feeling slighted after not being invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, threw a golden apple inscribed with the words “To the Fairest” (or “To the Prettiest One”) among the assembled goddesses. This simple act sparked a rivalry among Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, each claiming the apple for herself. Paris, a mortal prince, was chosen to decide the rightful owner. His choice of Aphrodite as the fairest goddess set in motion a series of events that culminated in the fall of Troy.
Again I would like to refer to the holy book of Discordia with the following from Page 00017:
THE MYTH OF THE APPLE OF DISCORD
It seems that Zeus was preparing a wedding banquet for Peleus and Thetis and did not want to invite Eris because of Her reputation as a trouble maker.*
This made Eris angry, and so She fashioned an apple of pure gold** and inscribed upon it KALLISTI (“To The Prettiest One”) and on the day of the fete She rolled it into the banquet hall and then left to be alone and joyously partake of a hot dog.
Now, three of the invited goddesses,*** Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite, each immediately claimed it to belong to herself because of the inscription. And they started fighting, and they started throwing punch all over the place and everything.
Finally Zeus calmed things down and declared that an arbitrator must be selected, which was a reasonable suggestion, and all agreed. He sent them to a shepherd of Troy, whose name was Paris because his mother had had a lot of gaul and had married a Frenchman; but each of the sneaky goddesses tried to outwit the others by going early and offering a bribe to Paris.
Athena offered him Heroic War Victories, Hera offered him Great Wealth, and Aphrodite offered him the Most Beautiful Woman on Earth. Being a healthy young Trojan lad, Paris promptly accepted Aphrodite’s bribe and she got the apple and he got screwed.
As she had promised, she maneuvered earthly happenings so that Paris could have Helen (the Helen) then living with her husband Menelaus, King of Sparta. Anyway, everyone knows that the Trojan War followed when Sparta demanded their Queen back and that the Trojan War is said to be The First War among men.
And so we suffer because of the Original Snub. And so a Discordian is to partake of No Hot Dog Buns.
Do you believe that?
* This is called THE DOCTRINE OF THE ORIGINAL SNUB
** There is historic disagreement concerning whether this apple was of metallic gold or acapulco.
*** Actually there were five goddesses, but the Greeks did not know the Law of Fives.
Further to that, Eris continued to sow discord throughout the war, fueling animosity among the gods and mortals, and Her actions highlighted the delicate balance between chaos and order in the cosmos.
Eris embodies the concept of discord, representing the disruptive force that unsettles the harmony of the cosmos. However, her significance extends beyond mere chaos. In ancient Greek thought, discord was not solely viewed as destructive but also as a catalyst for change and growth. Eris, in her capacity as the goddess of strife, serves as a reminder of the inevitability of conflict in the human experience and the transformative power it holds.
Despite her association with discord, Eris embodies a paradoxical nature that defies simplistic characterization. In some myths, she is depicted as a troublemaker, sowing chaos and discord wherever she goes. In others, she is portrayed as a misunderstood figure, challenging the established order in pursuit of justice and equality.
This duality inherent in Eris reflects the complexity of human nature itself – capable of both creation and destruction, harmony and discord. It serves as a reminder that the world is not always black and white but rather a spectrum of shades and nuances that defy easy categorization.
In terms of fstivals and rituals to Eris, She did not have dedicated temples or grand ceremonies like some other major gods and goddesses. However, she was often invoked during festivals related to discord, chaos, and rivalry. During these festivals, people would perform rituals to appease or honor her, seeking her favor or attempting to mitigate her disruptive influence.
Individuals facing conflicts, disputes, or challenges would invoke Eris in their prayers. They might ask for her intervention or guidance. Some might even intentionally provoke discord in her name, believing that it would lead to positive outcomes or motivate competition.
People would pour libations (liquid offerings) to Eris, usually wine or water, as a way to acknowledge her presence and seek her blessings or avoid her wrath. Offerings might include symbolic items associated with discord, such as broken pottery or torn cloth.
The broken pottery actually reminds me of the Greek plate smashing ritual. This is done during burials at the graveside to represent endings and beginnings as well as a show of mourning, but also at weddings and other such events to ward off evil. Plates were also thrown into the hearth after banquets instead of being cleaned as a show of prosperity and abundance. I would definitely say that the chaotic act of smashing plates in order to show your wealth is an Erisian act.
