Anchises

Family: Trojans · Role: mortal man · First appears: Homeric Hymn V · To Aphrodite · Part 1

At many-fountained Ida, Aphrodite saw Anchises tending cattle and fell in love with him. Disguised as a maiden, she appeared before him; he was seized with love for her, and she told him that Hermes had said she would become his wife and bear his children. Anchises lay with Aphrodite without knowing she was an immortal goddess.

Aphrodite then told him he would have a son, Aeneas, who would reign among the Trojans, and urged him to keep their union secret before departing. Later, in The Little Iliad, Neoptolemus put Aeneas aboard his ships as a prize, identifying him as the son of Anchises.

Relationship record

Life events

• Aphrodite saw Anchises tending cattle and fell in love with him.(Homeric Hymn V · To Aphrodite · Part 1 · 📍 many-fountained Ida)
  • With: Aphrodite
  • “Therefore, when laughter-loving Aphrodite saw him, she loved him, and terribly desire seized her in her heart.”
• Aphrodite appeared before Anchises disguised as a maiden.(Homeric Hymn V · To Aphrodite · Part 1 · 📍 many-fountained Ida)
  • With: Aphrodite
  • “And Aphrodite, the daughter of Zeus stood before him, being like a pure maiden in height and mien”
• Anchises was seized with love for Aphrodite.(Homeric Hymn V · To Aphrodite · Part 1)
  • With: Aphrodite
  • “And Anchises was seized with love”
• Aphrodite told Anchises that Hermes had said she would be his wife and bear his children.(Homeric Hymn V · To Aphrodite · Part 1)
  • With: Aphrodite
  • “And he said that I should be called the wedded wife of Anchises, and should bear you goodly children.”
• Anchises lay with Aphrodite, not knowing she was an immortal goddess.(Homeric Hymn V · To Aphrodite · Part 2)
  • With: Aphrodite
  • “Then by the will of the gods and destiny he lay with her, a mortal man with an immortal goddess, not clearly knowing what he did.”
• Aphrodite revealed that Anchises would have a son named Aeneas who would reign among the Trojans.(Homeric Hymn V · To Aphrodite · Part 2)
  • With: Aphrodite Aeneas
  • “You need fear no harm from me nor from the other blessed ones, for you are dear to the gods: and you shall have a dear son who shall reign among the Trojans, and children’s children after him, springing up continually. His name shall be Aeneas”
• Aphrodite told Anchises to keep their union secret and then departed.(Homeric Hymn V · To Aphrodite · Part 2 · 📍 windy heaven)
  • With: Aphrodite Aeneas
  • “Now I have told you all. Take heed: refrain and name me not, but have regard to the anger of the gods.’ When the goddess had so spoken, she soared up to windy heaven.”
• Neoptolemus puts Aeneas aboard his ships as a prize.(The Little Iliad)
  • With: Aeneas Neoptolemus
  • “And he put Aeneas, the famous son of horse-taming Anchises, on board his sea-faring ships, a prize surpassing those of all the Danaans.”

Homeric Hymn V · To Aphrodite · Part 1

• courtship with Aphrodite “Therefore, when laughter-loving Aphrodite saw him, she loved him, and terribly desire seized her in her heart.”

Homeric Hymn V · To Aphrodite · Part 2

• courtship with Aphrodite “Then by the will of the gods and destiny he lay with her, a mortal man with an immortal goddess, not clearly knowing what he did.”
• child: Aeneas “you shall have a dear son who shall reign among the Trojans, and children’s children after him, springing up continually. His name shall be Aeneas”
• parent: Dardanus “‘Up, son of Dardanus!—why sleep you so heavily?—and consider whether I look as I did when first you saw me with your eyes.’”

The Little Iliad

• child: Aeneas “And he put Aeneas, the famous son of horse-taming Anchises, on board his sea-faring ships, a prize surpassing those of all the Danaans.”

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Extracted from the original text of Hesiod and Homerica. Made with Rho MD.