Homeric Hymn To Aphrodite Analysis

The Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite tells the story of the god of beauty’s encounter with mortal Anchises. Plagued with an overwhelming desire of lust instilled in her by Zeus, the myth goes on to tell how Aphrodite seduced Anchises into sleeping with her. At first glance, the tale seems so embodied with sexual elements and hedonism that it leaves readers wondering if there is any underlying greater meaning to the story aside from the pursuit of pleasure. Careful analysis of the myth conveys an important message, however; one that is quite intelligible even to the modern Christian. It is a message meant to speak the truth about man and his relation to his fellow woman; that even though he may garner her attention there is nothing heroic about gloating about gaining her sexual rights, for a true man must earn these rights and not simply expect them. The myth also goes to show that it is also not simply men who struggle with commitment and lust, but often times women as well that can have bad motives also. From the onset of the myth Anchises’ handsomeness is a central feature to his character. As Aphrodite says upon meeting him: “And yet, of all mortal humans, the closest to the gods by far are those who come from your family line, both in looks and in constitution, as well as Homer’s description of him saying: “To look at him and the way he was shaped was like looking at the immortal.” Given his great physical grandeur, Anchises seems to imply that almost nothing could stop him from making …show more content…
The pagan myths often times border into the absurd and strange so much that often times we forget that they still offer lessons to be learned. The story of Anchises and Aphrodite is no different. It shows what the result is of men and women devoid of the fulfillment of Christian morality, but how even so it conveys the complexities of the sexes and what vices we’re both inclined