Aphrodite
Also known as: Cypris / Cytherea / Love's Queen / the Bride of the strong War-god / the Cyprian Queen · Family: Gods · Role: goddess · First appears: Book I · Part 6
In Book I, Aphrodite is described as the bride of Ares, and she made Penthesileia wondrously beautiful even in death. In Book II, Zeus gave her as bride to Hephaestus. Book X lists Zeus as her parent.
In Book XI, grieving for Paris, Aphrodite rescued Aeneas from battle by hiding him in thick mist, and at the tower she turned aside Philoctetes’ shaft from him; it struck and killed Medon. Athena is named in connection with Aeneas’s mother fearing her wrath. In Book XIII, Aphrodite helped save Aeneas, his father Anchises, and his son as they escaped burning Troy. She also stopped Menelaus from striking Helen, knocking the sword from his hand and dispelling his jealousy.
Relationship record
Life events
- Aphrodite rescued Aeneas from battle by hiding him in thick mist.(Book XI · Part 2)
- With: Aeneas
- “Then Aphrodite, who lamented sore For Paris slain, snatched suddenly away Renowned Aeneas from the deadly strife, And poured thick mist about him.”
- Cytherea deflected Philoctetes' shaft from Aeneas, but it struck and killed Medon.(Book XI · Part 3 · 📍 the tower)
- With: Philoctetes Aeneas Medon
- “Aimed at that glorious hero, neither missed The man: yet not through his unyielding targe To the fair flesh it won, being turned aside By Cytherea and the shield, but grazed The buckler lightly: yet not all in vain Fell earthward, but between the targe and helm Smote Medon: from the tower he fell”
- Aeneas escaped the burning city with his father and son.(Book XIII · Part 2 · 📍 Troy)
- With: Aeneas Anchises Aeneas's son
- “Anchises' gallant son forsook the town And left her to her foes, a sea of fire. His son and father alone he snatched from death;”
- Aphrodite strikes the sword from Menelaus's hand and makes him forget Helen's infidelity; overwhelmed by Helen's beauty, he is unable to strike her.(Book XIII · Part 3 · 📍 Troy)
Book I · Part 6
- married with Ares “By Aphrodite glorious-crowned, the Bride Of the strong War-god”
- with Penthesileia (Aphrodite makes Penthesileia beautiful in death.) “She was made A wonder of beauty even in her death By Aphrodite glorious-crowned, the Bride Of the strong War-god”
Book II · Part 1
- with Zeus (interaction) “For this the cunning God-smith brought to Zeus, His masterpiece, what time the Mighty in Power To Hephaestus gave for bride the Cyprian Queen;”
- married with Hephaestus “what time the Mighty in Power To Hephaestus gave for bride the Cyprian Queen;”
Book X · Part 2
- parent: Zeus “Hath Zeus forgotten his daughter's paramour?”
Book XI · Part 2
- with Aeneas (Aphrodite rescues Aeneas from battle.) “Then Aphrodite, who lamented sore For Paris slain, snatched suddenly away Renowned Aeneas from the deadly strife, And poured thick mist about him.”
- child: Aeneas (The passage identifies Aphrodite as Aeneas's mother.) “Then Aphrodite, who lamented sore For Paris slain, snatched suddenly away Renowned Aeneas from the deadly strife, and poured thick mist about him. Fate forbade That hero any longer to contend With Argive foes without the high-built wall. Yea, and his mother sorely feared the wrath”
- with Paris (Aphrodite grieves for Paris's death.) “Then Aphrodite, who lamented sore For Paris slain, snatched suddenly away Renowned Aeneas from the deadly strife”
- with Athena (Aphrodite fears Pallas's wrath.) “Yea, and his mother sorely feared the wrath Of Pallas passing-wise, whose heart was keen To help the Danaans now”
Book XI · Part 3
- with Philoctetes (Cytherea deflects Philoctetes' shot from Aeneas.) “To the fair flesh it won, being turned aside By Cytherea and the shield, but grazed The buckler lightly;”
- with Aeneas (Cytherea diverts the shaft from Aeneas.) “To the fair flesh it won, being turned aside By Cytherea and the shield, but grazed The buckler lightly:”
Book XIII · Part 2
- with Aeneas (Cypris guides and protects her son.) “Cypris guided them, Earnest to save from that wild ruin her son, His father, and his child.”
- child: Aeneas “Earnest to save from that wild ruin her son, His father, and his child.”
Book XIII · Part 3
- with Menelaus (interaction) “But winsome Aphrodite curbed him, struck Out of his hand the sword, his onrush reined, Jealousy's dark cloud swept she away, and stirred Love's deep sweet well-springs in his heart and eyes.”
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Extracted from the original text of The Fall of Troy. Made with Rho MD.