ΗΡΑ
Εὖ λέγεις , καὶ οὕτω ποιῶμεν . ἐπεὶ δὲ καταβεβήκαμεν , ὥρα σοι , ὦ Ἀφροδίτη , προϊέναι καὶ ἡγεῖσθαι ἡμῖν τῆς ὁδοῦ · σὺ γὰρ ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς ἔμπειρος εἶ τοῦ χωρίου πολλάκις , ὡς λόγος , κατελθοῦσα πρὸς Ἀγχίσην .


ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ
Οὐ σφόδρα , ὦ Ἥρα , τούτοις ἄχθομαι τοῖς σκώμμασιν .


ΕΡΜΗΣ
Ἀλλ᾿ οὖν ἐγὼ ὑμῖν ἡγήσομαι · καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐνδιέτριψα τῇ Ἴδῃ , ὁπότε δὴ ὁ Ζεὺς ἤρα τοῦ μειρακίου τοῦ Φρυγός , καὶ πολλάκις δεῦρο ἦλθον ὑπ᾿ ἐκείνου καταπεμφθεὶς εἰς ἐπισκοπὴν τοῦ παιδός . καὶ ὁπότε γε ἤδη ἐν τῷ ἀετῷ ἦν , συμπαριπτάμην αὐτῷ καὶ συνεκούφιζον τὸν καλόν , καὶ εἴ γε μέμνημαι , ἀπὸ ταυτησὶ τῆς πέτρας αὐτὸν ἀνήρπασεν . ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἔτυχε τότε συρίζων πρὸς τὸ ποίμνιον , καταπτάμενος δὲ ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ ὁ Ζεὺς κούφως μάλα τοῖς ὄνυξι περιβαλὼν καὶ τῷ στόματι τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ κεφαλῇ τιάραν ἔχων ἀνέφερε τὸν παῖδα τεταραγμένον καὶ τῷ τραχήλῳ ἀπεστραμμένῳ εἰς αὐτὸν ἀποβλέποντα . τότε οὖν ἐγὼ τὴν σύριγγα λαβών , ἀποβεβλήκει γὰρ αὐτὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ δέους — ἀλλὰ γὰρ ὁ διαιτητὴς οὑτοσὶ πλησίον , ὥστε προσείπωμεν αὐτόν . Χαῖρε , ὦ
βουκόλε .


ΠΑΡΙΣ
Νὴ καὶ σύ γε , ὦ νεανίσκε . τίς δὲ ὢν δεῦρο ἀφῖξαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς ; ἢ τίνας ταύτας ἄγεις τὰς γυναῖκας ; οὐ γὰρ ἐπιτήδειαι ὀρεοπολεῖν , οὕτως γε οὖσαι καλαί .

ΕΡΜΗΣ
Ἀλλ᾿ οὐ γυναῖκές εἰσιν , Ἥραν δέ , ὦ Πάρι , καὶ Ἀθηνᾶν καὶ Ἀφροδίτην ὁρᾷς · κἀμὲ τὸν Ἑρμῆν ἀπέστειλε ὁ Ζεύς — ἀλλὰ τί τρέμεις καὶ ὠχριᾷς ; μὴ δέδιθι · χαλεπὸν γὰρ οὐδέν . κελεύει δέ σε δικαστὴν γενέσθαι τοῦ κάλλους αὐτῶν · " Επεὶ γάρ , " φησί , " καλός τε αὐτὸς εἶ καὶ σοφὸς τὰ ἐρωτικά , σοὶ τὴν γνῶσιν ἐπιτρέπω . " τοῦ δὲ ἀγῶνος τὸ ἆθλον εἴσῃ ἀναγνοὺς τὸ μῆλον .

Hera :

Well said , and let us do thus . And when we have descended , you for a period of time , Aphrodite , go ahead and lead the way for us , as you are likely experienced in this place many times , as the story goes , having gone down to Anchises .

Aphrodite :
Not very much , Hera , do these jokes vex me .

Hermes :
But then , I will lead you both , for I myself spent time in Ida , when Zeus used to love the Phrygian boy , and many times I went hither , having been sent by him to watch over the child . And in fact , when he was already in the eagle , I flew beside him and lightened the beautiful boy , and in fact if I remember , Zeus snatched him up from this very rock . For on the one hand at that time he happened to be playing the pipe to his flock , on the other hand , Zeus , flying down behind him , very delicately embraced him in his talons and held in his mouth the tiara that the child had on his head , lifted the child , having been frightened , and turned his neck back to look toward him . Therefore at that time I , having taken the pipe , for he had dropped it from his fear – but for the arbitrator is near here , so let us speak to him . Hello , herdsman .

Paris :
Yes , and you , young man . But who are you , you who have come hither to us ? Or who are these women you bring ? For they are not suitable to haunt mountains , since they are beautiful .

Hermes :
But they are not women , but Hera and Athena and Aphrodite you see , Paris ; and I am Hermes sent by Zeus – but why do you tremble and be pale ? Don’t fear , for it is nothing hard to bear . But he orders you to become judge of their beauty ; " for because " he said " you are beautiful and wise in the erotic , I turn over the judicial inquiry to you " . And you will know the prize of the contest after having read the apple

Hera
You are right : let us do so . . . Now that we have descended , it is in order , Aphrodite , for you to go in front and lead the way for us . You are probably acquainted with the countryside , since by common report you often came down to visit Anchises .

Aphrodite
These jokes do not vex me greatly , Hera .

Hermes
No matter : I will lead you , for I myself spent some time on Ida when Zeus was in love with his Phrygian lad , and I often came here when he sent me down to watch the boy . Indeed , when he was in the eagle , I flew beside him and helped him to lift the pretty fellow , and if my memory serves me , it was from this rock just here that Zeus caught him up . You see , he chanced to be piping to his flock then , and Zeus , flying down behind him , grasped him very delicately in his talons , held in his beak the pointed cap which was on the boy’s head , and bore him on high , terrified and staring at him with his head turned backwards . So then I took the syrinx , for he had let it fall in his fright — but here is your umpire close by , so let us speak to him . Good day , herdsman .

Paris
Good day to you also , young man . But who are you , to have come here to see me , and who are these women whom you have with you ? They are not of a sort to roam the mountains , being so beautiful .

Hermes
They are not women ; it is Hera and Athena and Aphrodite whom you see , Paris , and I am Hermes , sent by Zeus — but why do you tremble and turn pale ? Don’t be afraid ; it is nothing terrible . He bids you be judge of their beauty , saying that as you are handsome yourself and also well schooled in all that concerns love , he turns over the decision to you . You will find out the prize for the contest if you read the writing on the apple .