Eris in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Eris

6 passages from 2 ancient authors that tell of Eris, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Eris was the Greek goddess of chaos, strife and discord. She was the daughter of Zeus and Hera; according to other myths, she was the daughter of Nyx ... For the story in one place, read our article on Eris.

Hesiod (4)

Hesiod, Works and Days 1–39Invocation to Zeus; the two Strifes (1-39)Hesiod calls on the Muses of Pieria to sing of Zeus, who makes men famed or unfamed as he wills, and asks him to make judgements straight. He tells his brother Perses that there are two kinds of Strife on earth: one fosters war and battle, while the other is kinder to men and stirs even the idle to work by rivalry with their neighbours. He urges Perses to keep to work rather than the quarrels of the court-house over the inheritance.
Hesiod, Theogony 210–264Night's children, Strife's children and the Nereids (210-264)Night bears Doom, Fate and Death, Sleep and the tribe of Dreams, and then Blame, Woe, the Hesperides, the Fates and Nemesis; Strife in turn bears Toil, Forgetfulness, Famine and other sorrows. Pontus begets Nereus, the truthful Old Man of the Sea, and then Thaumas, Phorcys, Ceto and Eurybia; Nereus and Doris have fifty daughters, whom the section names.
Hesiod, Works and Days 760–828Talk and the days of the month (760-828)Hesiod warns that Talk, once raised by many voices, never wholly dies away. He then tells which days of the month, which come from Zeus, suit which tasks: the thirtieth for looking over work and dealing out supplies, the first, fourth and seventh as holy, the eighth and ninth for men's works, the twelfth and twenty-seventh and others for particular jobs, and fifth days to be avoided because Oath was born on one. Few men know the nature of the days, some a stepmother and some a mother, but the man who knows them and avoids offending the gods is happy.
Hesiod, Shield of Heracles 75–149Heracles and Iolaus arm for battle (75-149)Heracles tells his charioteer Iolaus how Amphitryon came to Thebes after killing Electryon over oxen, and how Iolaus's father lost his senses through Zeus and went to serve the wicked Eurystheus. He bids Iolaus drive straight at Ares, who is raging in Apollo's grove, and Iolaus answers with encouragement. Heracles then arms himself with greaves from Hephaestus, a breastplate from Athena, a quiver, a spear and a helm, and takes up the shield, which has Fear in adamant at its centre with Strife above his brow.

Quintus Smyrnaeus (2)

Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 1.134–226Penthesileia arms for battleAt dawn Penthesileia puts on the arms given her by the war-god, and Priam prays to Zeus. While he prays an eagle darts past with a dove in its talons, and fear chills his heart. The Argives see the Trojan host and Penthesileia charging and arm to meet them.
Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 2.388–548Achilles kills MemnonAchilles leaves the line and finds Memnon, rebuking him as inferior in blood and strength. They fight with swords and shields, and the long and even struggle is watched from Olympus. At last Eris tips the scales and Achilles kills Memnon.