Paris’s Choice: The Spark of TroyIn this mythic tableau set along the sunlit coastlines of ancient Greece, Paris—the Trojan prince—stands at a fateful crossroads. With a conflicted gaze, he turns away from his sorrowful Niad lover, her hand outstretched in longing. Above them, Aphrodite, goddess of love, hovers with divine allure, gesturing toward Helen of Sparta, the most beautiful woman in the world. Draped in flowing robes, Helen stands near the Spartan palace, unaware of the destiny soon to entwine her with Troy. Nearby, King Menelaus remains oblivious, as the seeds of war take root in this moment of divine seduction and human frailty.
PARIS, prophesied to trash Troy, negated his Niad girlfriend & asked Aphrodite, HELP ME HAVE HELEN, mate of Menelaus, Sparta’s King*
PARIS, prophesiedto trash Troy, negated his Niad girlfriend & asked Aphrodite,HELP MEHAVE HELEN (mate of Menelaus, Sparta’s King)
Paris’s Choice: The Spark of TroyIn this tableau set along the sunlit coastlines of ancient Greece, Paris—the Trojan prince—stands at a fateful crossroads. With a conflicted gaze, he turns away from his sorrowful Niad lover, her hand outstretched in longing. Above them, Aphrodite, goddess of love, hovers with divine allure, gesturing toward Helen of Sparta, the most beautiful woman in the world. Draped in flowing robes, Helen stands near the Spartan palace, unaware of the destiny soon to entwine her with Troy. Nearby, King Menelaus remains oblivious, as the seeds of war take root in this moment of divine seduction and human frailty.
By Sasha Alex Lessin, Ph.D. (Anthropology, UCLA), co-author (with Janet Kira Lessin) of ANUNNAKI, EVOLUTION OF THE GODS.
Dream of Fire: The Birth of a Prophecy Set in the golden age of Troy (between 1263 BCE and 1203 BCE), this scene captures the grandeur of a thriving city near the Aegean Sea, protected by high stone walls and surrounded by life and commerce. Inside the palace, King Priam and Queen Hecuba sit with regal presence. Pregnant with Paris, Hecuba rests under the weight of a haunting dream. Floating above her is a blazing torch—an ominous symbol sent by the gods. This vision foretells destruction, hinting at the fate Paris will bring to Troy. The soft glow of the sea contrasts with the fiery warning, capturing both peace and prophecy in a single frame.
Sometime between 1263 BCE and 1203 BCE, Troy, a city of Greeks (4 miles west of the Aegean Sea, north of the narrows of the Dardanelles), prospered.King PRIAM and Queen HECUBA ruled Troy. When Hecuba was about to begin labor, she dreamed that she bore a flaming torch.
The Prophecy of Doom Queen Hecuba cradles her newborn son within the stone-lit grandeur of Troy’s royal palace, her face shadowed with unease. Before her, the Seer Aesacus solemnly delivers his prophecy: the child will ruin Troy. Clad in divine robes, Heophile, the priestess of Apollo, affirms the vision, her glowing staff a symbol of celestial authority. King Priam stands nearby, regal yet burdened, entrusting the child to his Chief Herdsman, Agelaus. Through the palace window, the mists of Mount Ida loom—a quiet witness to the decision that will shape the fate of an empire. The atmosphere is thick with destiny, where love, fear, and divine will converge.
The Seer Aesacus said Hecuba’s dream augured Troy’s destruction unless Hecuba killed the baby; Apollo’s Priestess Heophile agreed. When Hecuba birthed Troy, Priam ordered hisChief Herdsman AGELAUS to kill Troy on Mt. Ida [in Phrygia] and bring back proof Troy was dead.
The Shepherd’s Mercy: Paris Saved On the rugged, mist-cloaked slopes of Mount Ida, Agelaus—Troy’s chief herdsman—stands in stunned silence. Before him, the infant prince Paris lies unharmed, suckling milk from a protective she-bear beside her cubs, cradled in nature’s defiance of fate. Agelaus, unable to fulfill his grim task, had left the child to die, hoping the wild would decide. But upon finding him alive nine days later, he sees divine providence at work. In a nearby scene, Agelaus presents a dog’s tongue to King Priam, a ruse accepted as proof of the boy’s death. Silently, he adopts the child, calling him “Alexander,” raising him secretly, unaware of his role in Troy’s destined fall.
Agelaus hoped something else would kill Troy because he couldn’t. Nine days later, he returned to Mt. Ida to get Troy’s remains but found him alive and sucking milk from a she-bear with her cubs. Agelaus returned a dog’s tongue to King Priam, who accepted it as proof that Troy was dead. Agelaus adopted Paris but called him “Alexander” and concealed that he had not obeyed Priam’s commandto slay Paris.In another version of Paris’s exposure on Mt. Ida, a shepherd ignorant of Paris’s royalty found Troy, adopted him, named him “Alexander”, and raisedhim with love.
Foundling of the Mountain: Paris the Shepherd’s Son Bathed in golden morning light, the tranquil slopes of Mount Ida reveal a forgotten infant swaddled in leaves and linen. Unaware of the child’s royal blood, a humble shepherd gazes at the baby with gentle awe. With kindness in his eyes, he lifts the boy into his arms, naming him “Alexander.” Around them, the peaceful forest glows, sheep graze quietly, and a simple hut promises a life of modest love. In this quiet act of compassion, a future prince is nurtured—not in a palace, but under the sky and among sheep, destined to change the course of history one day.
When Paris grew into a powerful young man, he fell in love with OENONE, a Naiad nymph whom Rheahad trained in prophecy and Apollo had taught medicine.
Oenone and Paris: Love Beneath the Laurel Trees On the quiet slopes of Mount Ida, under filtered golden light, Paris—now a proud, youthful shepherd-prince—shares a moment of deep affection with Oenone, the Naiad nymph trained by Rhea and Apollo. Draped in robes that shimmer like flowing water, Oenone exudes an aura of divine wisdom and healing. A spring bubbles nearby, scattered with scrolls and herbs, symbols of her prophetic and medicinal gifts. Nature itself seems to hold its breath as the two lovers stand hand in hand, their bond radiant and untouched by the turmoil of fate that awaits.
Royal Anunnaki women, Greeks considered goddesses, quarreled and intruded on Paris’ bucolicexistence as a shepherd. The “goddesses” fought over a golden apple at King Peleus’s and Thetis’s wedding. ERIS, the Goddess of Discord, furious that she had not been invited to the wedding, tossed a golden apple engraved with the words “The Fairest” among the goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, each of whomclaimed herself to be the fairest.
The Apple of Discord: Goddesses on the Mountain. In a tranquil glade on Mount Ida, the young shepherd Paris watches in stunned disbelief as three radiant beings—Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite—descend into his world, quarreling over a golden apple. Cloaked in chaos above them hovers Eris, the uninvited Goddess of Discord, her hand just released the cursed fruit bearing the inscription: “To the Fairest.” Tension crackles as divine egos clash in mortal pasture. Hera exudes power and royalty, Athena stands poised in warlike grace, and Aphrodite radiates allure and temptation. Behind Paris, sheep scatter as the sky churns with stormlight—nature itself responding to the intrusion of destiny.
The goddesses brought their quarrel to Zeus,** [known in Sumer as Marduk and in Egypt as Ra.
To avoid provoking Athena, Hera, or Aphrodite, Zeus told them, “Have Paris, the boy raised as a shepherd, choose which of you gets the cup. He made a fair decision in another dispute, which I asked him to settle. Let him decide which of you is ‘fairest.”If you pick me, Hera [Sarpanit]promised, you’ll rule nations.
The Judgment of Paris: A Choice That Changed the World.On a sacred mountaintop beneath the watchful gaze of Zeus, Paris stands at the center of divine tension, holding the golden cup of decision. Before him, three powerful goddesses plead their case: Hera, queenly and commanding, offers rulership over nations; Athena, armored and brilliant, promises wisdom and victory in war; and Aphrodite, radiant with sensual grace, tempts him with the love of Helen, the most beautiful mortal woman. Paris, drawn to Aphrodite, prepares to choose desire over power or wisdom. Behind him, Hera and Athena’s faces darken with scorn. The winds of revenge and war begin to stir.
Athena said, Pick me; I’ll give you wisdom and ability to prevail in battle.
Choose me, said Aphrodite, and you’ll enjoy the love of Helen, the most beautiful mortalGreek Earthling woman.
Paris, lusting for Helen, selected Aphrodite as fairest. Hera and Athena sought revenge for his failure to choose them. PARIS, WHOSE BULL PRIAM’S SOLDIERS CONFISCATED, ENTERED A CONTEST COMMEMORATION OF HIS FICTIONAL DEATH, AND WON BACK THE BULL.
As “Alexander the Shepherd,” Paris won the contests and the bull, which he returnedto the shepherd who had adopted him.
Paris Victorious: The Bull ReturnsIn a sunlit arena just outside Troy, a young man clad in shepherd’s garb stands tall beside a magnificent bull—the prize he has just reclaimed in a public competition. The event was staged in memory of Paris, once thought dead. But as he lifts his arms in victory, murmurs ripple through the crowd: Priam’s soldiers and nobles begin to recognize the boy they once condemned. The rustic arena brims with celebratory cheers, yet the air hums with more profound significance. Paris’s triumph over the soldiers who once took his bull marks not only a personal vindication, but the turning of fate’s wheel.
But the TrojanPriestess Cassandra wailed, No shepherd are you. You’re not Alexander, Paris, my brother. You must die or Troy will burn.
The Return of Paris: Recognition and Warning Inside the regal halls of Troy, tension ripples through golden torchlight and marble columns. Cassandra, the tormented priestess, cries out with prophetic terror, pointing at the young man dressed as a shepherd: “You are no Alexander! You are Paris—my brother—and Troy’s doom!” Her voice echoes as Queen Hecuba gazes at the youth, slowly realizing the truth. Tears of joy glisten in her eyes as she embraces her lost son. Nearby, King Priam, torn between duty and love, lowers the decree that would have condemned the boy. The family is reunited—but not without the shadow of Cassandra’s dire vision.
Hecuba and Priam looked closely at “Alexander” and realized he was the adult Troy had become. Hecuba was happy to have her son back. Priam dropped his decision to have Troy killed.
Some of Paris’s brothers were envious and, withCassandra’s urging, wanted to kill him, but they eventually accepted him. He trained indiplomacy, martial arts, and especially archery.
* In this post, I illustrate the story of the Trojan War with videos from See U in History.
The Faces That Launched a War In this cinematic banner, four intertwined destinies confront the viewer: a sorrowful Niad, tearful and betrayed; Paris, torn between love and prophecy; Aphrodite, confident and enchanting, offering the prize of passion; and Helen, distant yet radiant, the mortal woman destined to ignite a war. Bathed in golden light above the cliffs of the Aegean, their expressions speak volumes—desire, grief, seduction, and inevitability—all converging on the moment Paris whispers: “Help me have Helen.” Troy, still untouched, looms in the background—its fall already sealed in the longing within these eyes.Left to Right:Oenone—The Naiad nymph, Paris’s first love, gazes into the distance with sorrowful resolve, embodying heartbreak and abandonment. Aphrodite—The goddess of love and beauty, glowing with allure and divine confidence, her eyes are cast toward destiny. Paris—The prince-turned-shepherd, torn by desire and prophecy, stands in golden twilight. His choice will shape history. Helen – The mortal woman promised by Aphrodite, luminous and serene, her face both dreamy and distant, caught between love and legend. Menelaus, King of Sparta and husband to Helen, is crowned with a laurel, unaware that his honor and kingdom are about to be tested.
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Paris of Troy, Helen of Sparta, Aphrodite, Greek gods, Niad nymph, ancient Troy, divine love, prophecy, epic romance, golden apple, Trojan War, mythic banner, classical mythology, romantic tragedy, Mediterranean myth, mythological art, fate and destiny, love triangle, myth-inspired illustration
Conflation: The Archetype of All A transcendent figure stands at the nexus of myth and cosmos—adorned in robes woven from symbols of many worlds: Greco-Roman laurels, Sumerian cuneiform, Egyptian ankhs, and modern esoteric glyphs. Their face shifts between human and celestial, embodying god, guide, fractal soul, and interstellar intelligence. Surrounding them, radiant fractals, orbiting planets, sacred geometry, and spiraling DNA threads represent the layered reality they inhabit. The image bridges spiritual tradition with metaphysical insight—a vision of how humanity imagines the divine, as mirror, metaphor, and model for the universe itself.
When we consider the appearance, perpetuation, or reappearance of gods, archetypes, walk-ins, inner fractals, or independent beings, we think of them with the garb, insignia, and symbols we associate with them. However, our pictures of the gods vary. They represent models, paradigms, and explanations of how people, planets, extraterrestrials, and the Universe work. Inanna, for example, sometimes appears as the first daughter of Nannar (Allah). Sometimes she’s combined with her younger sister, Ereshkigal (aka Persephone), or her father’s aunt, Ninmah.
The Many Faces of One: A Cosmic Archetype A radiant figure stands at the heart of a celestial mandala, surrounded by archetypes drawn not from name, but from essence—divine messengers of wisdom, compassion, transformation, and cosmic order. Each form reflects humanity’s effort to describe the ineffable: a firebearer, a water-bringer, a peace-giver, a celestial wanderer. Their garments shimmer with sacred patterns, while above them hovers a glowing presence—formless, nameless, yet known to all as the Source beyond symbols. Spiral galaxies, flowing DNA strands, and sacred geometry swirl through the scene, reminding us that mythology, science, and spirit all echo the same truth: we are one with the mystery we seek to name.
Inanna’s uncle Enki had varying names as he aged. When Ea of the planet Nibiru became Enki and Asar in Iraq, He became Ptah in Egypt, the Peacemaker in North America. He’s Shiva, Greece’s Prometheus, Rome’s Aquarius, and Europe’s Lucifer in India. For researcher Glenn Bouge, Enki is Jesus. For Jungians, Enki’s a savior archetype. Whatever the moniker, Enki and the other Anunnaki were PEOPLE, not all-knowing, all-good, all-powerful; none of them are what the Anunnaki call “the Creator-of-All,” Native Americans call “Great Spirit.”
We are learning from the elephant of history from the many perceptual perspectives of Earth’s cultures. Celebrate the richness of our many heritages.
Faces of the Eternal: Archetypes of the Divine Human A cosmic tapestry unfolds across this banner image, where a procession of faces gaze outward in quiet revelation. Each figure—ancient sage, celestial visionary, tribal elder, divine presence, fire-bringer, water-giver, and luminous guide—embodies a facet of the universal archetype. Though drawn from distinct traditions, their eyes echo the same wisdom, compassion, and mystery that shape humanity’s understanding of the sacred. Fractals, stars, and sacred geometry shimmer behind them, anchoring their presence in the vastness of the cosmos. This is not a pantheon, but a mirror—reflecting the many ways spirit wears a human face.
For the list of Anunnaki and their various overlapping names and histories, see ANUNNAKI WHO’SWHO at http://wp.me/p1TVCy-1PEANUNNAKI & ANCIENT ANTHROPOLOGY EVIDENCE, REFERENCES, TIMELINE & WHO’S WHO
ANUNNAKI & ANCIENT ANTHROPOLOGY EVIDENCE, REFERENCES, TIMELINE & WHO’S WHO
Paris’s Choice: The Spark of Troy In this tableau set along the sunlit coastlines of ancient Greece, Paris—the Trojan prince—stands at a fateful crossroads. With a conflicted gaze, he turns away from his sorrowful Niad lover, her hand outstretched in longing. Above them, Aphrodite, goddess of love, hovers with divine allure, gesturing toward Helen of Sparta, the most beautiful woman in the world. Draped in flowing robes, Helen stands near the Spartan palace, unaware of the destiny soon to entwine her with Troy. Nearby, King Menelaus remains oblivious, as the seeds of war take root in this moment of divine seduction and human frailty.
