"Let us be merry and drink wine and sing of Bakkhos [#Dionysos], the inventor of the choral dance, the lover of all songs, leading the same life as the Erotes, the darling of Kythere [Aphrodite as goddess of pleasure]."
Anacreontea, Fragment 38
Have a beautiful Day of Aphrodite aka Venus' Day aka Frigg's Day aka Friday 🌹
It's the first day of March, the Month of Mars or #Ares. In #ancientRome, military season started in #March. But Venus-#Aphrodite can still War's hand and subdue him, her lover and consort. In this beautiful #fresco from #Pompeii, the couple are sitting together with #Venus holding a flower and #Mars holding her breast.
A scene from the Etruscan Tomb of the Bulls ~ c. 530 BCE
This impressive scene is thought to depict Achilles (left) about to ambush Troilus. The range of colours from reds, yellows, and blues gives a sense of Etruscan artistry during the sixth century.
"May you [#Luna, the Moon] wear a shining face and, the clouds all scattered, fare on with undimmed horns; when you drive your car through the nightly skies."
Seneca, Phaedra 417
#Selene, the Moon, peeks down from the heavens on her nightly course and sometimes she sees handsome men from up there. For #Endymion, she descended from the skies to have a better look at him in his sleep. Creepy or romantic? What do you think?
🏛️ Selene and Endymion #fresco in the House of Ara Massima, #Pompeii
Detail of the ‘dancing figures’ from the so-called Villa of Cicero at Pompeii. The fluidity of the poses, as though floating in the air, combined with the arresting diaphanous material of their dresses is simply stunning.
Have a beautiful Day of Aphrodite aka Venus' Day aka Frigg's Day aka Friday 🌹
#Hera, #Aphrodite, and #Athena present themselves for the Trojan prince Paris to judge their beauty. Aphrodite is disrobing for him to show him the goods. #Hermes had guided them and apparently decided to stick around to sneak a peek.
🏛️ "The Judgment of Paris," 45-79 CE, Roman fresco
This Etruscan fresco is thought to date to c. 475 BCE. It is part of a tomb decoration from Tarquinia, legendary home of the Roman king Lucius Tarquinius Priscus though long after his time!
This fresco depicts Polyphemus and the nereid Galatea in a landscape. Galatea is sometimes also the name of the statue that Pygmalion creates, though these were likely different story traditions…
Ares-Mars embraced by his love Aphrodite-Venus with a dog at their feet. The club in his hand is usually part of the iconography of #Herakles so it could also be a fresco depicting #Hercules and Megaera or Deïaneira. Does anyone know if it's Mars of Hercules?
"#Dionysos showed himself on the island [of Naxos], and because of the beauty of #Ariadne he took the maiden away from #Theseus and kept her as his lawful wife, loving her exceedingly."
Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 4.61.5
🏛️ Dionysos and Ariadne, #fresco from the Triclinium in the House of Vettii, #Pompeii
Have a beautiful Day of Aphrodite aka Venus' Day aka Frigg's Day aka Friday 🌹
A rare #fresco of Aphrodite Anadyomene, Aphrodite/Venus rising from the sea. The goddess is in the nude, wringing out her hair. Note her beautiful jewellery!
"Swelled like young Mene's the [#Moon's] arching chariot-rail when high over Okeanos' fathomless-flowing stream she rises, with the space half filled with light between her bowing horns."
Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 1.147
🏛️ #Fresco on the facade of the House of Venus and the Four Gods (IX. 7. 1), 1st century CE, Pompeii