ABSTRACT
Chapter 20 covers the mythical history of the Trojan and Spartan royal families up until the outbreak of the Trojan War and concludes by explaining how the war came the be provoked. The history of the Trojan branch is traced until the time of Laomedon and his son Priam, the earlier members for the most part, apart from Ganymedes, and the second part of the chapter concludes by examining the birth and earlier life of Paris. The third part recounts the history of the old Spartan ruling family. The fourth and final part explains the origin of the war, telling how, as part of a divine plan, a quarrel was provoked between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, which resulted in their being judged for their beauty by Paris, and how Paris came to abduct Helen from Sparta as a result of the choice that he made.
