Aphrodite

Aphrodite, the daughter of Zeus and his mate DIONE, about whom we know little. Their
daughter was APHRODITE PANDEMOS (“Aphrodite of the people” or “common Aphrodite”),
the goddess of sex and the procreation of children, whose concerns are of the body and not of the
mind, the spirit, or the soul. Aphrodite was the captivating goddess of beauty, love, and marriage
and her power was very great. Her universality led to a gamut of conceptions of this goddess,
who presided over everything from hallowed married love to temple prostitution. Depictions of
her in art, literature, and music reflect not only the duality but also the multiplicity of her nature.

Aphrodite And Anchises

The Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite tells how Zeus put into the heart of Aphrodite an overwhelming
desire for the mortal Trojan ANCHISES. Using all her wiles, Aphrodite seduced Anchises by
tricking him into believing that she was a mortal. Discovering that he had slept with a goddess,
he was terribly afraid that he would be enfeebled, “for no man retains his full strength who sleeps
with an immortal goddess.” Here is yet again the eternal theme of the Great Mother and the
castration of her lover, only in a more muted form. The son of Aphrodite and Anchises was
AENEAS [e-nee'as], the great hero of the Romans.

Hymn 5 : To Aphrodite | Summary

Summary

Unlike the hymns to Hermes and Apollo, "To Aphrodite" does not begin with an account of the
goddess's birth. Her arrival will be covered in Hymn 6. Instead the speaker lists the three
goddesses whom Aphrodite cannot manipulate. First of these is Athena, the goddess of wisdom,
war, mathematics, and the arts. Second is Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. And third is Hestia,
the goddess of the hearth and domestic life.
Since Aphrodite is the goddess of love, fertility, and beauty, none of the male gods on Olympus
can withstand her wiles. Aphrodite likes to make the gods and goddesses fall in love with
mortals, and even Zeus falls prey to her tricks whenever Aphrodite causes him to forget his
wife, Hera. Zeus finally retaliates by making Aphrodite fall in love with a handsome Trojan
herdsman named Anchises (spelled Ankhises in some translations). Aphrodite goes to her altar at
Paphos, where the three Graces bathe her, anoint her with sweet-smelling oil, and dress her
beautifully. Then Aphrodite departs to look for Anchises. On her way she entertains herself by
causing the beasts she passes to mate with other species.
When Aphrodite finally finds Anchises, he is overwhelmed by her beauty and the finery she's
wearing. Recognizing her as a goddess, he humbly promises to build her a shrine and asks her to
bestow good luck on him. Aphrodite claims she's no goddess, just a mortal princess from
Phrygia. Hermes has snatched her from her home specifically to marry Anchises. She begs
Anchises to introduce her to his family, "untamed and untried" as she is, promising that they will
deem her a worthy wife for him. The besotted Anchises takes her to bed immediately and then
falls asleep. Aphrodite returns to her goddess form before waking him. Terrified at her
magnificence, Anchises begs her not to kill him. Aphrodite assures him that he is now dear to the
gods and that he will have a son, Aeneas (also spelled Aineias), who will rule Troy. But since she
is immortal, Aphrodite cannot bear the thought of taking Anchises to live at Olympus.
"Merciless, leveling age" will soon conquer him as it does all mortals.
Aphrodite adds that since she herself has fallen in love with a mortal for the first time, she is
disgraced, and the other gods will mock her forever. She has conceived a son with Anchises. She
will give the baby to nymphs who will care for him during his infancy, and when the child is four
years old, Aphrodite will bring him to his father. The goddess adds that she'll fulfill this promise
only if Anchises keeps their union a secret. If he tells anyone, he will "dread the wrath of the
gods."

Analysis

The hymn is unusual in that it both praises Aphrodite's powers and shows her weakness. The
opening of this hymn does not lavish praise upon the goddess. Instead the poet explains
why Athena, Artemis, and Hestia are immune to Aphrodite's wiles. All three of them have
abilities that seem to outrank Aphrodite's. True, she can kindle sexual desire in men and animals,
but Athena can teach people to fashion beautiful, useful objects, "inspiring each one's mind," and
she plays a crucial role in the outcomes of battles. Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, makes
Aphrodite look soft. Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, sits in a place of honor on Mount
Olympus, and her oath to remain a virgin imbues her with a purity Aphrodite does not possess.
The fact that these three goddesses are the only ones able to resist Aphrodite suggests that the
gods who cannot withstand her are weaker than their female counterparts, which makes
Aphrodite's conquests seem less impressive. Furthermore, until Zeus commands Aphrodite's
desire for Anchises, the goddess has never had sexual intercourse with a mortal. She speaks of
the great disgrace she suffers as a result. From a traditionally male-centered point of view, her
power is "feminine," not worth as much as the masculine powers of her half-sisters.