Eris, the Greek goddess of strife and discord, is most commonly the daughter of Nyx (Night) in Hesiod’s Theogony, and the sister of Ares in Homer’s Iliad. Her family tree branches differently depending on the source, with her parentage and offspring varying between early Greek poets.
Hesiod’s Version: Daughter of Nyx
In the Theogony (circa 700 BCE), Hesiod lists Eris among the children of Nyx, who gave birth to her without a father. This makes her part of a vast brood of personified forces, including:
- Moros (Doom)
- Ker (Destruction)
- Thanatos (Death)
- Hypnos (Sleep)
- the Oneiroi (Dreams)
- the Moirai (Fates, in some passages)
- Nemesis (Retribution)
- Apate (Deceit)
- Geras (Old Age)
In this genealogy, Eris is a primordial force, older than the Olympian gods. Hesiod calls her “baneful Eris” and describes her as the mother of a series of personified hardships (see below).
Homer’s Version: Sister of Ares
Homer, in the Iliad, presents a different lineage. He calls Eris the sister of Ares, the god of war, and implies she is the daughter of Zeus and Hera. In Book 4, Zeus sends Eris to the battlefield, and she is described as “the sister of Ares.” This version makes her an Olympian, closely tied to the violence of war, rather than a child of Night. Some later scholiasts (ancient commentators) tried to reconcile the two by suggesting there were two Eris figures, but the Homeric text itself never names her parents.
Offspring of Eris in Hesiod
Hesiod gives Eris a long list of children, all personifications of toil and suffering. In the Theogony (lines 226–232), she bears them without a father (parthenogenesis). The list includes:
- Ponos (Toil)
- Lethe (Forgetfulness)
- Limos (Famine)
- Algea (Pains)
- Hysminai (Battles)
- Makhai (Wars)
- Phonoi (Murders)
- Androktasiai (Manslaughters)
- Neikea (Quarrels)
- Pseudea (Lies)
- Logoi (Tales/words)
- Amphillogiai (Disputes)
- Dysnomia (Lawlessness)
- Ate (Ruin)
- Horkos (Oath)
These children are not individual gods with myths; they are abstract forces that Hesiod personifies to explain the origins of human misery.
Eris and the Trojan War: The Apple of Discord
The most famous myth involving Eris is the Judgement of Paris, which led to the Trojan War. According to later sources (notably the Cypria, a lost epic, and Hyginus’s Fabulae), Eris was not invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis because she caused trouble. Angered, she threw a golden apple inscribed “for the fairest” (kallisti) among the guests. The goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite each claimed it, and Zeus sent them to Paris, a Trojan prince, to judge. Paris chose Aphrodite, who promised him Helen of Sparta, thus triggering the war. This story is not in Homer or Hesiod, but it became standard in later Greek and Roman mythology.
Eris in Other Traditions
In the Works and Days, Hesiod introduces a second Eris, a “good” strife that drives people to work and compete. He says there are two Eris figures: one fosters war and conflict, the other encourages industry. This dual nature is unique to Hesiod. In Roman mythology, Eris was identified with Discordia, the goddess of discord. She appears in Virgil’s Aeneid and Ovid’s Metamorphoses, often in the context of war and chaos. In the Aeneid, Discordia is depicted with snakes for hair, similar to the Furies.
Eris in Modern Culture
In the 20th century, Eris gained a new following through Discordianism, a modern religion founded in the late 1950s by Greg Hill and Kerry Thornley. They used Eris as a symbol of creative chaos and wrote the Principia Discordia, a sacred text. This is a modern interpretation, not ancient mythology, but it has shaped popular perceptions of Eris as a trickster goddess. She also appears in video games, books, and films, often as a personification of chaos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Eris’s parents?
In Hesiod’s Theogony, Eris is the daughter of Nyx (Night) alone. In Homer’s Iliad, she is called the sister of Ares, which implies she is the daughter of Zeus and Hera, though Homer never states this explicitly.
Did Eris have a husband?
No ancient source gives Eris a husband. In Hesiod, she bears her children without a father. Later authors, like Hyginus, do not mention a consort either.
Is Eris the same as Discordia?
Yes, the Romans identified Eris with Discordia. They are essentially the same goddess under different names, though Roman poets sometimes gave Discordia a more terrifying appearance.
Why did Eris start the Trojan War?
According to later myth, she was angry at not being invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. She threw the Apple of Discord, which led to a beauty contest among Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, and ultimately to the Trojan War.
Are there two Eris figures?
In Hesiod’s Works and Days, he says there are two Eris spirits: one that promotes war and conflict, and another that promotes healthy competition and work. This is a philosophical distinction, not a separate goddess with a different family tree.
Who are Eris’s children?
In Hesiod’s Theogony, Eris is the mother of many personified hardships, including Toil, Forgetfulness, Famine, Pains, Battles, Wars, Murders, Quarrels, Lies, Disputes, Lawlessness, Ruin, and Oath. These are abstract concepts, not gods with individual myths.
Related
- Lava in Hindu Mythology: Fire, Myths & Meaning
- Meili in Norse Mythology: The Silent God
- Cai Shen: Chinese God of Wealth Explained
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