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Myths about the Roman Goddess Venus
As soon as Venus
was born, she is said to have been laid in a beautiful couch
or shell, embellished with pearls, and by the assistance of
Zephyrus wafted first to Cytherae, an island in the Aegaean,
and thence to Cyprus; where she
arrived in the month of April. Here, immediately on her landing, flowers sprung
beneath her feet, the Horae or Seasons awaited her arrival,
and having braided her hair with fillets of gold, she was
thence wafted to heaven. As she was born laughing, an
emanation of pleasure beamed from her countenance, and her
charms were so attractive, in the assembly of the gods, that
most of them desired to obtain her in marriage. Vulcan,
however, the most deformed of the celestials, became the
successful competitor.
One of the most remarkable adventures of this goddess was
her contest with Juno and Minerva for the superiority of
beauty. At the marriage of Peleus and Thetis, the goddess
Discordia, resenting her not being
invited, threw a golden apple among
the company, with this inscription,
Let the fairest take it. The
competitors for this prize were
Juno, Venus, and Minerva. Jupiter
referred them to Paris, who then led
a shepherd's life on Mount Ida.
Before him the goddesses appeared.
Juno offered him empire or power, Minerva
wisdom, and Venus promised him the possession of the most
beautiful woman in the world. Fatally for himself and
family, the shepherd, more susceptible of love than of
ambition or virtue, decided the contest in favor of Venus.
The sacrifices usually offered to Venus, were white goats
and swine, with libations of wine, milk and honey. The
victims were crowned with flowers, or wreaths of myrtle, the
rose and myrtle being sacred to Venus. The birds sacred to
her were the swan, the dove, and the sparrow.
It were endless to enumerate the variety of attitudes in
which Venus is represented on antique gems and medals;
sometimes she is clothed in purple, glittering with
diamonds, her head crowned with myrtle intermixed with
roses, and drawn in her car of ivory by swans, doves, or
sparrows: at other times she is represented standing with
the Graces attending her, and in all positions
Cupid is her
companion. In general she has one of the prettiest, as
Minerva has sometimes one of the handsomest faces that can
be conceived. Her look, as she is represented by the ancient
artists and poets, has all the enchanting airs and graces
that they could give it.
Myths about the Roman Goddess Venus
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