Chapter 2: The Olympians
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♠ Homer, Odyssey 8.306-20
“Father Zeus, and ye other blessed gods that are forever, come hither that ye may see a laughable matter and a monstrous, even how Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus, scorns me for that I am lame and loves destructive Ares because he is comely and strong of limb, whereas I was born misshapen. Yet for this is none other to blame but my two parents—would they had never begotten me! But ye shall see where these two have gone up into my bed and sleep together in love; and I am troubled at the sight. Yet, methinks, they will not wish to lie longer thus, no, not for a moment, how loving soever they are. Soon shall both lose their desire to sleep; but the snare and the bonds shall hold them until her father pays back to me all the gifts of wooing that I gave him for the sake of his shameless girl; for his daughter is fair but bridles not her passion.” Greek Text
♠ Hesiod, Theogony 195-99
Her gods and men call Aphrodite, and the foam-born goddess and rich-crowned Cytherea, because she grew amid the foam, and Cytherea because she reached Cythera, and Cyprogenes because she was born in billowy Cyprus. Greek Text
♠ Homer, Iliad 5.330
He the while had gone in pursuit of Cypris with his pitiless bronze Greek Text
♠ Homer, Iliad 5.422
Of a surety now Cypris has been urging some one of the women of Achaea Greek Text
♠ Homer, Iliad 5.458
Cypris first hath he wounded in close fight on the hand at the wrist Greek Text
♠ Homer, Iliad 5.760
Cypris and Apollo of the silver bow take their joy Greek Text
♠ Homer, Iliad 5.883
Cypris first he wounded with a thrust in close fight upon the hand at the wrist Greek Text
♠ Homer, Odyssey 8.288
but he went his way to the house of famous Hephaestus, eager for the love of Cytherea of the fair crown Greek Text
♠ Homer, Odyssey 18.193
such as that wherewith Cytherea, of the fair crown, anoints herself Greek Text
♠ Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 5.6
all these love the deeds of rich-crowned Cytherea Greek Text
♠ Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 5.175
such as belongs to rich-crowned Cytherea Greek Text
♠ Homeric Hymn to Aprodite 5.287
that you lay with rich-crowned Cytherea Greek Text
♠ Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 6.18
so greatly were they amazed at the beauty of violet-crowned Cytherea Greek Text
♠ Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 10.1
Of Cytherea, born in Cyprus, I will sing. Greek Text
♠ Homer, Iliad 3.373-82
And now would Menelaus have dragged him away, and won glory unspeakable, had not Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus, been quick to see, and to his cost broken in twain the thong, cut from the hide of a slaughtered ox; and the empty helm came away in his strong hand. This he then tossed with a swing into the company of the well-greaved Achaeans, and his trusty comrades gathered it up; but himself he sprang back again, eager to slay his foe with spear of bronze. But him Aphrodite snatched up, full easily as a goddess may, and shrouded him in thick mist, and set him down in his fragrant, vaulted chamber. Greek Text
♠ Homer, Iliad 3.383-417
and herself went to summon Helen. Her she found on the high wall, and round about her in throngs were the women of Troy. Then with her hand the goddess laid hold of her fragrant robe, and plucked it, and spake to her in the likeness of an ancient dame, a wool-comber, who had been wont to card the fair wool for her when she dwelt in Lacedaemon, and who was well loved of her; in her likeness fair Aphrodite spake: “Come hither; Alexander calleth thee to go to thy home. There is he in his chamber and on his inlaid couch, gleaming with beauty and fair raiment. Thou wouldest not deem that he had come thither from warring with a foe, but rather that he was going to the dance, or sat there as one that had but newly ceased from the dance.” So spake she, and stirred Helen’s heart in her breast; and when she marked the beauteous neck of the goddess, her lovely bosom, and her flashing eyes, then amazement seized her, and she spake, and addressed her, saying:“Strange goddess, why art thou minded to beguile me thus Verily thou wilt lead me yet further on to one of the well-peopled cities of Phrygia or lovely Maeonia, if there too there be some one of mortal men who is dear to thee, seeing that now Menelaus hath conquered goodly Alexander, and is minded to lead hateful me to his home. It is for this cause that thou art now come hither with guileful thought. Go thou, and sit by his side, and depart from the way of the gods, neither let thy feet any more bear thee back to Olympus; but ever be thou troubled for him, and guard him, until he make thee his wife, or haply his slave. But thither will I not go—it were a shameful thing—to array that man’s couch; all the women of Troy will blame me hereafter; and I have measureless griefs at heart.” Then stirred to wrath fair Aphrodite spake to her: “Provoke me not, rash woman, lest I wax wroth and desert thee, and hate thee, even as now I love thee wondrously; and lest I devise grievous hatred between both, Trojans alike and Danaans; then wouldst thou perish of an evil fate.” Greek Text
♠ Homer, Iliad 5.311-80
And now would the king of men, Aeneas, have perished, had not the daughter of Zeus, Aphrodite, been quick to mark, even his mother, that conceived him to Anchises as he tended his kine. About her dear son she flung her white arms, and before him she spread a fold of her bright garment to be a shelter against missiles, lest any of the Danaans with swift horses might hurl a spear of bronze into his breast and take away his life. Continue Reading Greek Text
♠ Homer, Iliad 5.418-30
But Athene and Hera, as they looked upon her, sought to anger Zeus, son of Cronos, with mocking words. And among them the goddess flashing-eyed Athene was first to speak: “Father Zeus, wilt thou anywise be wroth with me for the word that I shall say? Of a surety now Cypris has been urging some one of the women of Achaea to follow after the Trojans, whom now she so wondrously loveth; and while stroking such a one of the fair-robed women of Achaea, she hath scratched upon her golden brooch her delicate hand.” So spake she, but the father of men and gods smiled, and calling to him golden Aphrodite, said: “Not unto thee, my child, are given works of war; nay, follow thou after the lovely works of marriage, and all these things shall be the business of swift Ares and Athene.” Greek Text
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Literary sources edited by Elena Bianchelli, Retired Senior Lecturer of Classical Languages and Culture, Univ. of Georgia, February 2021
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