The Hymns to Aphrodite Summary

"The Hymn to Aphrodite"

This hymn begins with commentary on the three goddesses whom Aphrodite, cannot influence - the three virgin goddesses of war (Athena), the hunt (Artemis) and the home (Hestia). Its focus then shifts to narration of Aphrodite's infatuation with the beautiful cowherd Anchises, telling how Zeus put desire for a mortal man in her heart as a balance for her so frequently putting desire for mortal women in HIS (Zeus') heart. The narrative describes Aphrodite's elaborate and sensual preparations for her encounter with Anchises and her disguising herself as a mortal girl to seduce him.

Narration also describes how Anchises is immediately and completely bewitched by her beauty, his prayer that she be telling the truth (since mortal men sleeping with immortals can lead to destruction) and his eventual sexual encounter with her, after...