Editing Paris (mythology) (section)

===Childhood===
Paris was a child of [[Priam]] and [[Hecuba]] (see the [[List of children of Priam]]). Just before his birth, his mother dreamed that she gave birth to a flaming torch. This dream was interpreted by the [[oracle|seer]] [[Aesacus]] as a foretelling of the downfall of Troy, and he declared that the child would be the ruin of his homeland. On the day of Paris's birth, it was further announced by Aesacus that the child born of a royal Trojan that day would have to be killed to spare the kingdom, being the child that would bring about the prophecy. Though Paris was indeed born before nightfall, he was spared by Priam. Hecuba was also unable to kill the child, despite the urging of the [[priest]]ess of [[Apollo]], one [[Sibyl|Herophile]]. Instead, Paris's father prevailed upon his chief herdsman, [[Agelaus]], to remove the child and kill him. The herdsman, unable to use a weapon against the infant, left him exposed on [[Mount Ida]], hoping he would perish there (cf. [[Oedipus]]). He was, however, suckled by a she-bear. Returning after nine days, Agelaus was astonished to find the child still alive and brought him home in a backpack ([[Ancient Greek|Greek]] ''pḗra'', hence by [[folk etymology]] Paris's name) to rear as his own. He returned to Priam bearing a dog's tongue as evidence of the deed's completion.<ref>For a comparison of hero births, including [[Sargon of Akkad|Sargon]], [[Moses]], [[Karna]], [[Oedipus]], Paris, [[Telephus]], [[Perseus]], [[Romulus]], [[Gilgamesh]], [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus]], [[Jesus]], and others, see: [[Rank, Otto]]. ''[[The Myth of the Birth of the Hero]]''. Vintage Books: New York, 1932.</ref>

Paris's noble birth was betrayed by his outstanding beauty and intelligence. While still a child, he routed a gang of cattle-thieves and restored the animals they had stolen to the herd, thereby earning the surname Alexander ("protector of men").<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ancientlibrary.com/seyffert/0461.html |title=Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, page 458 |access-date=2006-07-15 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060625014021/http://www.ancientlibrary.com/seyffert/0461.html |archive-date=2006-06-25 }}</ref> It was at this time that Oenone became Paris's first lover. She was a [[nymph]] from Mount Ida in [[Phrygia]]. Her father was [[Cebren]], a [[river-god]] or, according to other sources, she was the daughter of [[Oeneus]]. She was skilled in the arts of [[prophecy]] and [[medicine]], which she had been taught by [[Rhea (mythology)|Rhea]] and [[Apollo]], respectively. Through her ability to see the future, she foresaw Paris leaving her but loved him deeply even so. When Paris later left her for Helen, she told him that if he ever was wounded, he should come to her, for she could heal any injury, even the most serious wounds.<ref>Love Romances 4. Parthenius.</ref>

Paris's chief distraction at this time was to pit Agelaus's [[bull]]s against one another. One bull began to win these bouts consistently. Paris began to set it against rival herdsmen's own prize bulls and it defeated them all. Finally, Paris offered a golden crown to any bull that could defeat his champion. [[Ares]] responded to this challenge by transforming himself into a bull and easily winning the contest. Paris gave the crown to Ares without hesitation. It was this apparent honesty in judgement that prompted the gods of [[Mount Olympus (Mountain)|Olympus]] to have Paris arbitrate the divine contest among [[Hera]], [[Aphrodite]], and [[Athena]].