George Peele’s The Arraignment of Paris: A Retelling

This is an easy-to-read retelling of Elizabethan playwright George Peele’s THE ARRAIGNMENT OF PARIS.

Inscribed on a golden apple is the phrase “For the fairest,” written in written in Latin (in Peele's play). Because Latin is a language that indicates masculine and feminine in certain words, and since “fairest” has a feminine ending, the apple is really inscribed “for the fairest female.”

Three goddesses claim the apple, meaning that each of the three goddesses thinks that she is the fairest, or most beautiful.

The three goddesses get Paris, a shepherd who is also a Prince of Troy, to judge who should be awarded the golden apple.

After Paris makes his decision, one goddess is happy, but two goddesses are very unhappy. Those two goddesses decide that Paris was biased and that therefore his decision should be overturned.

Jupiter and some other male gods sit in a Council of Judges and hold a trial to decide whether Paris was biased and to decide which goddess should be awarded the golden apple.