The Images and Descent of Venus
Turn your eyes now to a sweet object, and view that goddess in whose countenance the graces sit playing, and discover all their charms. You see a pleasantness, a mirth, and joy in every part of her face. Observe with what becoming pride she holds up her head and views herself, where she finds nothing but joys and soft delights. She is clothed with a purple mantle glittering with diamonds. By her side stand two Cupids, and round her are three Graces, and after follows the lovely beautiful Adonis, who holds up the goddess’ train. The chariot in which she rides is made of ivory, finely carved, and beautifully painted and gilded. It is drawn by swans and doves, or swallows as Venus directs, when she pleases to ride. Venus, whom in more honourable terms men style the “goddess of the Graces,” the author of elegance and beauty, neatness, delight, and cheerfulness, is in reality the mistress, president, and patron of all manner of licentiousness; and it should seem, by the worship which was formerly paid to her, that men used at that period to erect altars to, and deify their vices; that they hallowed the greatest impieties with frank incense, and thought to ascend into heaven by the steps of their iniquities. You will see her sometimes painted like a young virgin rising from the sea, and riding in a shell; at other times like a woman holding the shell in her hand, her head being crowned with roses. Sometimes her picture has a silver looking-glass in one hand, and on the feet are golden sandals and buckles. In the pictures of the Sicyonians, she holds a poppy in one hand, and an apple in the other. At Elis she was painted treading on a tortoise; showing thereby that young women ought not to ramble abroad; and that married women ought to keep silence, love their home, and govern their family. She wore a girdle or belt, called Cestus; in which all kinds of pleasures were folded, and which was supposed to excite irresistible affection. Some give her arrows; and make Python Suada, the goddess of eloquence, her companion. We learn from several authors, that there were four Venuses, born of different parents, but this Venus of whom we speak was the most eminent, and had the beauties as well as the disgraces of the others commonly ascribed to her. She sprang from the froth of the sea. She was by the Greeks called Aphrodite, from “aphros,” spuma. As soon as she was born, she was laid, like a pearl, in a shell instead of a cradle; and was driven by Zephyrus upon the island Cythera, where the Horae, or hours, received, educated, accomplished, and adorned her; and, when she came of age, carried her into heaven, and presented her to the gods, all of whom, being taken with her beauty, desired to marry her: but she was at length betrothed to Vulcan, and married to him.
The Names of Venus
She is called Venus, says Cicero, because all things are subject to the laws of love. Or else, as others say, her name is given her because she is eminently beautiful; for she is the goddess of beauty. Or lastly, she is so called, because she was a stranger or foreigner to the Romans; for she was first worshipped by the Egyptians, and from the Egyptians she was translated to the Greeks, and from them to the Romans. Let us now proceed to her other names.
Amica, Eratpa [Hetaira.] was a name given her by the Athenians; because she joins lovers together; and this Greek word is used both in good and bad senses. Armata, because when the Spartan women sallied out of their town, besieged by the Messenians, and beat them, a temple was dedicated to Venus Armata.
Apaturia, that is “the deceiver,” for nothing is more deceitful than love, which flatters our eyes and pleases us, like roses in their finest colours, but at the same time leaves a thorn in the heart. She was called by the Romans Barbata; because, when the Roman women were so troubled with a disease that caused their hair to fall off, they prayed to Venus, and their hair grew again; upon which they made an image of Venus with a comb, and gave it a beard, that she might have the signs of both sexes. Cypris, Cypria, and Cyprogenia, because she was worshipped in the island of Cyprus: Cytheris and Cytherea; from the island of Cythera, whither she was first carried in a sea-shell. There was a temple at Rome dedicated to Venus Calva; because when the Gauls possessed that city, ropes for the engines were made with the women’s hair. Erycina, from the mountain Eryx in the island of Sicily; upon which Æneas built a splendid and famous temple to her honour, because she was his mother. Horace makes mention of her under this name. She is properly called Ridens, and Homer calls her a lover of laughing: for she is said to be born laughing, and thence called the “goddess of mirth.” Hortensis, because she looks after the production of seed and plants in gardens. And Festus tells us, that the word Venus is by Naevius put for herbs, as Ceres is for bread, and Neptunus for fish. Idalia and Acidalia from the mountain Idalus, in the island of Cyprus, and the fountain Acidalius, in Boeotia. Marina, because she was born of the sea, to which Ausonius refers in his poem. “Orta salo, suscepta solo, patre edida Coelo.” Heav’n gave her life, the sea a cradle gave, And earth’s wide regions her with joy receive.
She is called Aphroditus and Anadyomne, that is, emerging out of the waters, as Apelles painted her; and Pontia, from Pontus. Hence came the custom, that those who had escaped any danger by water, used to sacrifice to Venus. Hence also the mariners observed those solemnities called Aphrodisia, which Plutarch describes in a treatise against Epicurus. Melanis, or Melaenis, that is dark and concealed; whence the Egyptians worshipped a Venus, called Scoteia, a goddess to be admired in the night. Migonitis signifies her power in the management of love. Therefore, Paris dedicated the first temple to Venus Migonitis. Paphia, from the city Paphos in the island of Cyprus, where they sacrificed flowers and frankincense to her. And this is mentioned by Virgil: “Ipsa paphum sublimis adit, sedesque revisit Laeta suas, ubi templum illi, centumque Sabaeo Thure calent arae, sertisque recentibus halant.”—Æn. 1. This part perform’d, the goddess flies sublime To visit Paphos and her native clime; Where garlands, ever green and ever fair, With vows are offer’d, and with solemn pray’r: A hundred altars in her temple smoke, A thousand bleeding hearts her pow’r invoke. Her name Verticordia, signifies the power of love to change hearts, and to ease the minds of men from all cares that perplex them. Ovid mentions this power, and for the same reason Venus is called in the Greek Epistrophia.
Actions of Venus
Pygmalion, a statuary, considering the great inconveniences of marrying, had resolved to live single; but afterward making a most elegant and artificial image of Venus, he fell so much in love with his own workmanship that he begged Venus to turn it into a woman, and enliven the ivory. His wishes were granted, and of her he had Paphos, from whom the island Paphos had its name. Ovid Met. 10.
Pyramus and Thisbe were both inhabitants of the city of Babylon; equal in beauty, age, condition, and fortune. They began to love each other from their cradles. Their houses were contiguous, so that their love arose from their neighbourhood, grew greater by their mutual play, and was perfected by their singular beauty. This love increased with their years, and in due time, they begged their parents’ consent; which was refused, because of some former quarrels between the two families. And that the children might not attempt any thing against their parents’ will, they were not permitted to see each other. There was a partition-wall between both houses, in which wall there was a small chink, never discovered by any of the servants. This crevice the lovers found, and met here: their words and their sighs went through, but kisses could not pass; which, when they parted, they printed on each side of the wall. By some contrivance they met and agreed upon an interview under the shade of a large mulberry tree, which stood near a fountain. When night came on, Thisbe deceived her keepers, and escapes first, and flies into the wood; for love gave her wings. When she got to the appointed place, a lioness fresh from the slaughter of some cattle, came to drink at the fountain. Thisbe was so frightened that she ran into a cave, and in her flight her veil fell from her head; the lioness returning from the fountain, found the veil, and tore it with her jaws besmeared with blood. Pyramus comes next, and sees the print of a wild beast’s foot, and finds the veil of Thisbe bloody and torn. He, imagining that she was killed and devoured by the wild beast, grew distracted, and hastened to the appointed tree; but not finding Thisbe, he threw himself upon his sword, and died. Thisbe in the mean time, recovered from her fright, came to the mulberry tree, where she saw Pyramus in the struggles of death: she embraced her dying lover, mingled her tears with his blood, and folding her arms about him, called upon him to answer her, but he was speechless, and looking up expired. Thisbe, distracted with grief, tore her cheeks, beat her breast, rent her hair, and shed a deluge of tears upon his cold face; nor did she cease to mourn, till she perceived her veil, bloody and torn, in Pyramus’ hand. She then understood the occasion of his death, and drew the sword from the body of her lover, plunged it into her own, and falling accidentally on him, gave him a cold kiss, and breathed her last breath into his bosom. The tree, warmed with the blood of the slain lovers, became sensible of their misfortune, and mourned. Its berries, which were before white, became red with grief, and blushed for the death of Pyramus; when Thisbe also died, the berries then became black and dark, as if they had put on mourning. Such were the fatal effects of love.
In the next place hear the story of Atalanta and Hippomenes. She was the daughter of the king Schaeneus, or Caeneus. It was doubted whether her beauty or swiftness in running were greater. When she consulted the oracle, whether she should marry or not, this answer was given, “That marriage would be fatal to her.” Upon which the virgin hid herself in the woods, and lived in places remote from the conversation of men. But the more she avoided them, the more eagerly they courted her; for her disdain inflamed their desires, and her pride raised their adoration. At last, when she saw she could not otherwise deliver herself from the importunity of her lovers, she made this agreement with them: “You court me in vain; he who overtakes me in running shall be my husband; but they who are beaten by me shall suffer death; I will be the victor’s prize, but the vanquished’s punishment. If these terms please, go with me into the field.” They all agreed to these conditions: “Venit ad hanc legem temeraria turba procorum.” Ov. Met. 10. All her mad wooers take the terms propos’d. They strove to outrun her; but they were all beaten and put to death according to the agreement; suffering the loss of their lives for the fault of their feet. Yet the example of these lovers did not deter Hippomenes from undertaking the race, who entertained hopes of winning the victory, because Venus had given him three golden apples, gathered in the gardens of the Hesperides, and also told him how to use them. Hippomenes briskly set out and began the race; and when he saw that Atalanta overtook him, he threw down a golden apple; the beauty of it enticed her so that she went out of her way, followed the apple, and took it up. “Declinat cursus, aurumque volubile tollit.” She, greedy of the shining fruit, steps back To catch the rolling gold. Afterward he threw down another, which she pursued also to obtain; and again a third; so that while Atalanta was busied in gathering them up Hippomenes reached the goal, and took the lady as the prize of his victory. But forgetful of the gratitude and respect due to Venus, he met with a signal punishment. Himself and Atalanta were turned into a lion and lioness.
Another proof of the fatal effects of love is the case of Paris and Helena. Paris was the son of Priamus, king of Troy, by Hecuba. His mother, when she was pregnant, dreamed that she brought forth a burning torch: and asking the oracle for an interpretation, was answered, “That it portended the burning of Troy,” and that the fire should be kindled by her son. Therefore, as soon as the child was born, he was exposed upon the mountain Ida: where the shepherds brought him up privately, educated him, and called him Paris. When he was grown to man’s estate, he gave such tokens of singular prudence and equity in deciding controversies, that on a great difference which arose among the goddesses, they referred it to his judgment to be determined. The goddess Discordia was the occasion of this contention: for, because all the gods and goddesses, except herself, were invited to the marriage of Peleus, she was angry, and resolved to revenge the disgrace; therefore, when they all met and set down at the table, she came in privately, and threw down upon the table an apple of gold, on which was this inscription, “Let the fairest take it.” Hence arose a quarrel among the goddesses for every one thought herself the most beautiful. But at last, all the others yielded to the three superior goddesses, Juno, Pallas, and Venus; who disputed so eagerly, that Jupiter himself was not able to bring them to agreement. He resolved therefore to leave the final determination of it to the judgment of Paris; so that she should have the apple to whom Paris should adjudge it. The goddesses consent, and call for Paris, who was then feeding sheep upon a mountain. They tell him their business, and court his favour with great promises: Juno promised to reward him with power, Pallas with wisdom, and Venus promised him the most beautiful woman in the world. He pronounced Venus the fairest, and assigned to her the apple of gold. Venus did not break her promise to Paris; for in a little time Paris was owned to be king Priam’s son, and sailed into Greece with a great fleet, under the colour of an embassy, to fetch away Helena, the most beautiful woman in the world, who was betrothed to Menelaus, king of Sparta, and lived in his house. When he came, Menelaus was from home, and, in his absence, Paris carried away Helena to Troy. Menelaus demanded her, but Paris refused to send her back; and this occasioned that fatal war between the Greeks and Trojans, in which Troy, the metropolis of all Asia, was taken and burnt, in the year of the world 2871. There were killed eight hundred sixty-eight thousand of the Grecians; among whom Achilles, one of their generals, lost his life by the treachery of Paris himself. There were slain six hundred and seventy-six thousand of the Trojans, from the beginning of the war to the taking of the city, among whom Paris himself was killed by Pyrrhus or Philoctetes; and his brother Hector, the pillar of his country, was killed by Achilles. When the city was taken and burnt, king Priamus, the father of Paris and Hector, at once lost all his children, his queen Hecuba, his kingdom and his life. Helena, after Paris was killed, married his brother Deiphobus: yet she at length betrayed the castle to the Grecians, and admitted Menelaus into her chamber to kill Deiphobus: by which, it is said, she was reconciled to the favour of Menelaus again. These things, however, belong rather to history than to fable.
Companions of Venus
The first of Venus’ companions was the god Hymenaeus. He presided over marriage, and was the protector of young unmarried women. He was the son of Bacchus and Venus Urania, born in Attica, where he used to rescue virgins carried away by thieves, and restore them to their parents. He was of a very fair complexion; crowned with the amaracus or sweet marjoram, and sometimes with roses; in one hand he carried a torch, in the other a veil of flame colour, to represent the blushes of a virgin. Newly married women offered sacrifices to him, as they did also to the goddess Concordia.
Cupid was the next of Venus’ companions. He is called the god of love, and many different parents are ascribed to him, because there were many Cupids. Plato says he was born of Penia, the goddess of poverty, by Poros, the son of Counsel and Plenty. Hesiod relates, that he was born of Chaos and Terra. Sappho derives him from Venus and Coelum. Alcaeus says he was the son of Lite and Zephyrus. Simonides attributes him to Mars and Venus; and Alcmaeon, to Zephyrus and Flora. But whatever parents Cupid had, this is plain, he always accompanies Venus, either as a son or a servant. Some poets speak of two Cupids. One of which is an ingenious youth, the son of Venus and Jupiter, a celestial deity; the other the son of Erebus and Nox, [Hell and Night,] a vulgar god, whose companions are drunkenness, sorrow, enmity, contention, and such kind of plagues. One of these Cupids is called Eros, and the other Anteros; both of them are boys, and naked, and winged, and blind, and armed with a bow and arrows and a torch. They have two darts of different natures; a golden dart which procures love, and a leaden dart which causes hatred. Anteros is also the god who avenges slighted love. Although this be the youngest of all the celestial gods, yet his power is so great, that he is esteemed the strongest, for he subdues them all. Without his assistance, his mother Venus is weak, and can do nothing, as she herself confesses in words: “Nate, mea: vires, mea magna potentia, solus.” Æn. 4. Thou art my strength, O son, and power alone. He is naked because the lover has nothing of his own, but deprives himself of all that he has, for his mistress’ sake. Cupid is a boy, because he is void of judgment. His chariot is drawn by lions, for the rage and arrogance and madness of violent love. He is blind, because a lover does not see the faults of his beloved object, nor consider in his mind the mischief proceeding from that passion. He is winged, because nothing flies swifter than love, for he who loves to day, may hate to-morrow. Lastly, he is armed with arrows, because he strikes afar off.
The Graces called “Charites,” were three sisters, the daughters of Jupiter and Eurynome, or Eunomia, as Orpheus says, or rather, as others say, the daughters of Bacchus and Venus. The first was called Aglaia, from her cheerfulness, her beauty, or her worth; because kindness ought to be performed freely and generously. The second, Thalia, from her perpetual verdure; because kindness ought never to die, but to remain fresh always in the receiver’s memory. The third, Euphrosyne, from her cheerfulness; because we ought to be free and cheerful, as well in doing as in receiving a kindness. These sisters were painted naked, or in transparent and loose garments, young and merry, with hands joined. One was turned from the beholder, as if she was going from him; the other two turned their faces, as if they were coming to him; by which we understand, that when one kindness is done, thanks are twice due; once when received, and again when it is repaid. The Graces are naked, because kindnesses ought to be done in sincerity and candour, and without disguise. They are young, because the memory of kindness received ought never to grow old. They are virgins, because kindness ought to be pure, without expectation of requital. Their hands are joined, because one good turn requires another; there ought to be a perpetual intercourse of kindness and assistance among friends.
Adonis was the son of Cinyras, king of Cyprus, and Myrrha. As he was very handsome, Venus took great delight in him, and loved his company. When he hunted, a boar gored him with his tusks, and killed him. Venus bewailed his death with much sorrow and concern, and changed his blood, which was shed on the ground, into the flower anemone, which ever since has retained the colour of blood. While she flew to assist him, being led by his dying voice, a thorn ran into her foot, and the blood that came thence fell on the rose, which before was white, but thereby made red. Venus besought of, and obtained from Jupiter, that he should return to life for six months in every year; so that Adonis revives and dies in incessant succession. In Greece, Phoenicia, and some other countries, festivals were appointed expressive of this circumstance: the solemnity continued several days; the first part being spent in lamentations for his loss, and the second in joy for his restoration.
Source: Tooke’s Pantheon.
