Paris was described by the chronicler Malalas in his account of the Chronography as "well-grown, sturdy, white, good nose, good eyes, black pupils, black hair, incipient beard, long-faced, heavy eyebrows, big mouth, charming, eloquent, agile, an accurate archer, cowardly, hedonist".

This dream was interpreted by the seer Aesacus as a foretelling of the downfall of Troy, and he declared that the child would be the ruin of his homeland.

The herdsman, unable to use a weapon against the infant, left him exposed on Mount Ida, hoping he would perish there (cf.

Returning after nine days, Agelaus was astonished to find the child still alive and brought him home in a backpack (Greek pḗra, hence by folk etymology Paris's name) to rear as his own.

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").

It was this apparent honesty in judgment that prompted the gods of Olympus to have Paris arbitrate the divine contest among Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena.

In celebration of the marriage of Peleus and Thetis, Lord Zeus, father of the Greek pantheon, hosted a banquet on Mount Olympus.

For revenge, Eris threw the golden Apple of Discord inscribed with "For the most beautiful" (Ancient Greek: τῇ καλλίστῃ, romanized: tē(i) kallistē(i)) into the party, provoking a squabble among the attendant goddesses over for whom it had been meant.

Escorted by Hermes, the three goddesses bathed in the spring of Mount Ida and approached Paris as he herded his cattle.

This triggered the war because Helen was famous for her beauty throughout Achaea (ancient Greece), and had many suitors of extraordinary ability.

Therefore, following Odysseus's advice, her father Tyndareus made all suitors promise to defend Helen's marriage to the man he chose for her.

Helen's other suitors, who between them represented most of Achaea's strength, wealth, and military prowess, were obliged to help bring her back.

Although Paris readily admits his shortcomings in battle, his brother Hector scolds and belittles him after he runs away from a duel with Menelaus that was to determine the end of the war.

In another version, Paris himself, in great pain, visits Oenone to plead for healing but is refused and dies on the mountainside.