The rest of Eris' story shows a lot more of what went on. A guy named Paris was chosen as the judge of this pangeat and the contest was to offer the judge something he really wanted. Athena offered him military power and victory. Hera offered him political power. Aphrodite offered him Helen of Troy. He chose Aphrodite's bait, Helen's prince was deeply offended and then you got the Helenic Wars. It doesn't seem to me to be correct to say that Eris started the wars. Aphrodite started them by offering something she couldn't give- the love of another human. Jealousy started the war, not Eris' apple. The apple may have been the match, but the Olympian egos carried the torches. Sure Eris played a practical joke, but it seems to fit the style of trickster spirits like Coyote and Raven. The Olympians started the war by playing the same state of mind illustrated by Tolkein's ring: MINE MINE MINE!