Aidonian's blog

Heavenly, smiling Aphrodite, praised in many hymns,
sea-born, revered goddess of generation, you like the nightlong revel
and you couple lovers at night, O scheming mother of Necessity.
Everything comes from you; you have yoked the world,
and you control all three realms. You give birth to all,
to everything in heaven, upon the fruitful earth
and in the depths of the sea, O venerable companion of Bacchos.
You delight in festivities, O bridelike mother of the Erotes,
O Persuasion whose joy is in the bed of love, secretive, giver of grace,
visible and invisible, lovely-tressed daughter of a noble father,
bridal feast companion of the gods, sceptered she-wolf,
beloved and man-loving giver of birth and of life,
with your maddening love-charms you yoke mortals
and the many races of beasts to unbridled passion.
Come, O goddess born in Cyprus, whether you are on Olympos,
O queen, exulting in the beauty of your face,
or you wander in Syria, country of fine frankincense,
or, yet, driving your golden chariot in the plain,
you lord it over Egypt’s fertile river bed.
Come, whether you ride your swan-drawn chariot over the sea’s billows,
joying in the creatures of the deep as they dance in circles,
or you delight in the company of the dark-faced nymphs on land,
(as, light-footed, they frisk over the sandy beaches).
Come, lady, even if you are in Cyprus that cherishes you,
where fair maidens and chaste nymphs throughout the year
sing of you, O blessed one, and of immortal, pure Adonis.
Come, O beautiful and comely goddess;
I summon you with holy words and pious soul. 

Translation by A. Athanassakis

This is an interesting hymn because one could interpret it as it was written later, before the conquest of Rome and after the Hellenic expansion by Alexander the Great. Why? Because of references of Syria and Egypt in the hymn. This does not mean that was the case. There was contact between the middle east, Egypt and Hellas and the references could mean that they refer to the Inanna, Istarte or Hathor connection.

Another thing that stands out is that Aphrodite is called the Mother of Necessity (Ananke) because Ananke is considered a Protogena, and her parentage even among Orphics was not Aphrodite. Unless there was anothe Ananke linked to necessity of love or something, but The Theoi Project doesn’t mention it. Which is strange.

I’m grateful for Her that She send me a wonderful woman my way, whom I met last year towards the end of november. Thanks to Her, I experienced love, which is something I had struggled with my whole life.