Our Story - Proposal story
Most might have heard the story, but I figure I should add it here if anyone wants the details. So of course it starts with an Ancient Greek Myth. Kelly and I had seen Snapple caps (diet lemon which is our favorite), which say that in ancient Greece throwing an apple to a woman was considered a marriage proposal. An epigram that is claiming authorship by Plato says:
"I
throw the apple at you, and if you are willing to love me, take it and share your girlhood with me; but if your thoughts are what I pray they are not, even then take it, and consider how short-lived is beauty.
— Plato, Epigram VII"
This started by the myth as follows (from wikipedia so you know its valid :P):
"Zeus held a banquet in celebration of the marriage of Peleus and Thetis (Achilles parents). Eris, the goddess of discord, was not invited for her troublesome nature, and upon turning up uninvited, she threw a golden apple into the ceremony, with an inscription that read: "ΤΗΙ ΚΑΛΛΙΣΤΗΙ" (Ancient Greek: τῇ καλλίστῃ tē(i) kallistē(i), Modern Greek: τη καλλίστη ti kallisti; "for/to the most beautiful" – cf. Callisto). Three goddesses claimed the apple: Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. They brought the matter before Zeus. Not wanting to get involved (seriously, who gets in between 3 Goddesss arguing about which one is the most beautiful?), Zeus assigned the task to Paris of Troy. Paris had demonstrated his exemplary fairness previously when he awarded a prize unhesitatingly to Ares after the god, in bull form, had bested his own prize bull. Zeus gave the apple to Hermes and told him to deliver it to Paris and tell him that the goddesses would accept his decision without argument. As each goddess wanted to receive the apple, they each stripped off their own clothing and appeared naked before Paris. Each of the goddesses also offered Paris a gift as a bribe in return for the apple; Hera offered to make him the king of Europe and Asia, Athena offered him wisdom and skill in battle, and Aphrodite offered to give to him as a wife a most beautiful woman, Helen of Sparta, who in the legend was already married to Menelaus. Paris foolishly chose Aphrodite's bribe of committing adultery, a decision that caused the destruction of both adulterous Paris and his city, Troy, via the Trojan war." So I got a golden Apple with the inscription ΚΑΛΛΙΣΤΗ written on it. On Kelly's birthday I took her out for dinner at her favorite place and gave her a box with the Apple inside as a "birthday" gift. Under the apple was the engagement ring. I figured this presentation would be better than throwing ti to her and hope she catches it and accepts it. She did, so we are here at this part of the story!
