Heracles was no stranger to conflict.
Sometimes, he was the cause of it. But more often, the God of War protected fellow Grecians from the battles raging in both the mortal and divine realms.
So one day, when he saw a mysterious apple lying on the road, he was suspicious. It wasn’t red, palm-sized, or sweet-smelling like the apples hanging in Pomona’s orchards. Instead, it was tiny, so tiny that he would not have even noticed it had it not been for its metallic skin.
Oh yes, did I mention that this apple was not red at all, nor was it green, yellow, or some shade in-between.
It was gold.
The sun’s rays bounced off the apple’s dazzling skin, nearly blinding the hero as he trudged along the trail to Mt. Olympus.
Now, despite what some stories might have us believe, Heracles was a man of both brawn and brains. That is to say; he was clever. He knew that a tiny golden apple placed directly in his path was likely a trap.
Not wanting anyone else to fall victim to whatever woes this apple possessed, Heracles grabbed his trusty club.
Whack!
That should do it, Heracles thought as he continued up the mountain. But as he strolled along the dusty road, he couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder to admire his work. When he did, he noticed that the fruit had grown larger and was now the size of a standard apple.
Heracles was tired and hungry after a day spent slaying monsters, and for a brief moment, he questioned his own eyes.
He circled the apple, looking for any sign of a trap. Perhaps this was a normal piece of fruit after all? Heracles eyed his reflection in the apple’s glossy exterior and decided to give it one more wallop with his club, just to be sure.
Whack!
This time, Heracles hit the apple so hard, and with such force, he was sure the fruit had turned to pulp. But when he went to step over the apple and continue on his way, he stubbed his toe.
The apple was now the size of a small calf.
Heracles scratched his head with one hand and squeezed his club with the other.
What horrors lied within this seemingly innocent apple?
Whack!
How much longer would this apple just sit there, testing (and taunting) the God of War?
Whack!
Why couldn’t it just go away and leave him be?
Whack! Whack! Whack!
The apple, which was once hardly visible, was now so large that it blocked the entire road. Heracles stood in front of the fruit, staring into the golden mirror that was now hindering his journey.
Although the apple hadn’t done anything (other than grow larger with each strike from his club), the Olympian was trapped. The mysterious apple consumed him, and he could not move forward.
Or so it seemed.
Heracles was prepared to swing his club as many times as it took for the apple to dissapear, but when he raised his arm, Athena appeared in front of him.
With Athena standing in front of the golden mirror, she blocked his reflection and momentarily broke the spell.
The Goddess of Wisdom explained that Heracles’ assumptions were correct; this was no ordinary apple. This was the Apple of Discord, an enchanted apple that is best to leave alone.
For you see, like most conflicts, struggles, and clashes, the Apple of Discord starts small, hardly noticeable. But the more we meddle with it, focus on it, and fight with it, the larger it becomes until eventually, it’s all we can see.
So next time something calls for your attention and you know it’s no good for you, ignore it, find ways around it, and wish it well. There’s a good chance you’ll never see it again.
