Sandro Botticelli: "Venus and Mars." The painting shows Venus resting
contentedly. Little satyrs honk horns and play about
Mars, as he sleeps, unaware.
Click on image for full size
Image courtesy of the Trustees, The National Gallery, London.
Aphrodite and Ares
Aphrodite was
the goddess of love and beauty. Aphrodite was known to the Romans as Venus.
With her exquisite features and pleasant smile she
attracted many suitors, gods and mortals alike.
She was married to the graceless and lame Hephaestus, the
god of fire. Her true love was
Ares, the god of war.
Their child was the beautiful goddess
Harmonia.
One day while Aphrodite and Ares lay together
they were caught in an invisible but strong net forged by
Hephaestus, who cried out when the lovers had been ensnared:
"Zeus and all you immortals! Come quickly and see this
intolerable thing, worthy of your laughter. Because I am
lame Aphrodite despises me. She loves the cruel Ares because he
is agile and handsome. See them both bound together in their
adultery, for these cords will keep them so bound until Zeus
returns the gifts I made him in order to obtain this impudent
wench who cannot restrain her lust!"
The gods laughed
uncontrollably.
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