Birth of Aeneas

“Anchises, most glorious of mortal men, take courage and be not too fearful in your heart. 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, because I felt awful grief in that I laid me in the bed of a mortal man: yet are those of your race always the most like to gods of all mortal men in beauty and in stature.”

Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 192-201

Once you have read this extract carefully, ask as many questions that you feel need explaining about it…

How many of these questions are answered by the background information below?

Aphrodite’s power to make others fall in love extended over even the male gods of Olympus. She bragged of this, although the passion she induced in them caused them all sorts of problems (I’m sure you’ve met a few already!). To punish her for such boasting, Zeus caused her to burn with a desire to be with a mortal man. She travelled to Troy and met Anchises, who is said to have rivalled the gods in beauty. She disguised herself as a mortal woman and slept with him, revealing the truth in the morning, which initially causes Anchises to think that he will wither away. Aphrodite reassures him this will not be the case and also adds that the Trojans have always attracted the romantic attentions of the gods. She tells of how Zeus fell in love with the Trojan youth, Ganymede, and carried him off to Olympus as an eagle. She also mentions how Dawn fell in love with the Trojan prince Tithonus. Zeus granted the Trojan immortality, but Dawn forgot to ask for perpetual youth as well and Tithonus soon wasted away for eternity! Aphrodite neglects to mention that it was her who made Dawn fall in love in such a manner! Their son is to be named ‘Aeneas’, which probably comes from the Greek aine, meaning ‘praised’, but Aphrodite connects the name to ainos, meaning ‘awful’.

The Wanderings of Aeneas

How many parallels with other myths can you find for the adventures of Aeneas?