Greece is obviously an erotic place for those who visit it. The "Greek lover" image certainly interests and attracts many tourists. Almost everyone who comes to this country seems to be somehow affected by a mysterious, evocative and titillating atmosphere. Certainly the abundant sunshine is a natural aphrodisiac, as well as the partial or even complete nudity displayed on the beaches. Yet the causes of this awakened sensuality go far beyond these apparent things. The very nature of the landscape seems inviting, suggesting a hidden promise. The sea is calm and alluring in the summer; it is the abode of Aphrodite, "the Foam-Born." Arising from the water, it is fitting that Aphrodite was widely worshipped on the Greek islands, especially on Cyprus:
Revered, gold-wreathed, erotic Aphrodite I will praise, who holds the towers of all seagirt Cyprus, where over lapping waves the rush of Zephyr's moist breath wafted her in soft sea-spray…[1]
Even the mountains appear gentle and friendly, almost voluptuous. Traditionally they were considered as the breasts of the Earth, Gaia. The feminine clefts and caves were thought of as entrances into her womb. In the festival of Scirophoria, honoring Demeter and Athena, cakes in the shape of phalluses and snakes (another phallic symbol) were thrown into chasms by women in order to fertilize the land.[2] Looking closely at the landscape, one can see erotic images almost everywhere. One of my favorite postcards is a picture taken from the air, of the island of Samothrake, on the north of Greece, a place famous in antiquity for its Mysteries. It shows a stream flowing into the sea running symmetrically between two swelling curves of beachline. It is a perfect feminine image, reminiscent of the vulva.[3] Other islands, like Paxos in the Ionian Sea, offer the sight of huge, phallic rocks proudly emerging from the sea…
Vulva Goddess, called by archaeologists "Fertility Goddess." Cyprus, 3000-2500 BCE. Getty Villa. (Photo by the author)
A SENSUOUS CIVILIZATION
Perhaps the most striking aspect of Greece is its ancient civilization, starting from prehistory, an age lost in the mists of time. This complex civilization endured through the centuries, ever changing, while always maintaining a mysterious sensuality, perhaps drawing inspiration from the landscape itself. The images that it has left behind are striking: the artwork ranges from enigmatic, naked Neolithic figurines to splendid classical and later statues celebrating the beauty of the human body. The ancient texts still resonate to the modern mind, from the heartfelt poetry of Sappho to the comedies of Aristophanes, filled with sexual humor, and beyond. Although I firmly believe that the ancient Hellenic civilization should not be idealized (it had more than its share of problems), its erotic nature cannot be denied. As a student of psychology, I focused on the significance of Greek archetypal images; it was then I realized that Eros and Aphrodite never left us. They have always been here, an indispensable part of the Hellenic collective soul. Greece being the cradle of Western thought and civilization, of course, Aphrodite generously extends her gifts to all, everywhere. Yet I find she is most clearly manifest in her homeland. Unfortunately, modern perceptions of the classical world are clouded by all sorts of stereotypes, misinformation, and even hubris. Traveling into the past to unravel its truths can be a perilous journey. When entering the realm of mystery, you do so at your own risk! Studying the archeological finds and the ancient texts in their original language opened up new worlds for me. I came to see Aphrodite through the eyes of the people who worshipped her profound, ever-present power:
Heavenly, laughter-loving Aphrodite, many are your hymns revered, creating goddess, born of the sea, lover of night-long celebrations, of mating in the dark, mother of necessity, crafty one. Everything from you derives; you yoked the world and rule over three realms, giving birth to all that is in heaven, on the fruitful earth, in the ocean depths (…) she-wolf, bringing births, lover of men, you are the most desired, giver of life, yoking mortals with unbridled urge and countless beasts with maddening erotic spells…[4]
"You yoked the world and rule over three realms…" This verse reflects the ancient idea that sexuality can be a hidden, sacred energy permeating all living beings, as well as the universe itself. Sometimes it was personified in the face of Eros as a creator god who helped in the making of the cosmos. Empedocles, the 5th century BCE natural philosopher, called the primal force that brings things close philotes, "love"—he named its opposite neikos, "conflict." He was an ardent worshipper of Aphrodite, too, whom he saw as the embodiment of philotes.[5] Today philosophy is often seen in a negative light, as an intellectual pursuit of confusing, and probably useless issues. Yet as I studied the ancient texts on Aphrodite, a very different kind of philosophy began to emerge: a pursuit of something profoundly meaningful that stirs not just the mind but all of one's being, to the bone and into the soul.
AN INITIATION INTO THE MYSTERIES
As my insights were filtered through my own experimentations, I realized that true "Aphroditean" sexuality extends far beyond physical pleasure. It captivates the heart and spirit, as well as the body, opening the door to a new sense of unity: a Sacred Union not just with loved ones, but also with deep, hidden parts of oneself. Perhaps these parts can be described as "dark," since they are usually kept underneath the surface, but also because they sometimes lie outside of prevalent, all too narrow norms. However, Aphrodite's archetypal power embraces these "shadow" aspects, as well. After all, she was called Skotia (Dark) and Melainis (Black).[6] She is the "lover of night-long celebrations, of mating in the dark," as the Orphic hymn describes, also calling her "secret goddess, obvious and unseen." The word "secret" in modern Greek is mystiko, deriving from the same root as the terms "mystical" and "mystery," as strict secrecy shrouded the ancient Mysteries. Aphrodite had her own Mysteries on the island of Cyprus, one of her main cultic centers. She is still an initiatory goddess, although her rituals are not enacted in Greek temples but in relationships. Unveiling her secrets can be an initiation into a fresh way of thinking, feeling and perceiving. It is not always easy. An initiation, in Jungian terms, often involves a perilous and frightening journey to the Underworld, to the personal and collective unconscious. At times this voyage through the deep waters of the goddess can cause huge waves. Yet Aphrodite is often there to weave her magic, powerful as ever. Surprising as it may seem, the Underworld is also her realm. She was called Androphonos (Man-Killer), Epitymbia (Of the Tombs) and Tymborykhos (Grave-Digger).[7] Occasionally she even had the title Persephaessa, being identified with Persephone, the goddess of the dead.[8] In psychological terms this makes sense, as a true initiation involves the death of the old self and the birth of a new one. This can certainly happen under the influence of Aphrodite, since she is an alchemical archetype, the embodiment of transformation. What could ever be more transforming than her "maddening erotic spells?" At times I have experienced the Sacred Union she brings forth as earth-shaking, vast and oceanic. It has felt like a kind of surrendering to a higher force, putting me in touch with something much wider than ordinary reality. Although I don't believe in metaphysics, I like to think in a poetic way that this powerful exchange is perhaps an interaction with the World Soul, the erotic energy of the cosmos. After all, some Neo-Platonist philosophers claimed that the World Soul is none other than Aphrodite!
FACING THE CONFLICT
My love story with the goddess of love is an ongoing process. However, no real-life love story ends in "they lived happily ever after." Each and every one has to come to terms with the opposite of philotes: neikos, "conflict." We can embark upon the enchanting mystery of Aphrodite, yet what inexorably awaits us in the end of each journey is the return to a harsh reality. You may have experienced the magic of spending a part of the summer on an Aegean island, thus entering the realm of Aphrodite. However, everyday life in Greece is very different, as most people experience oppression and exploitation. Their bodies and souls most of the time are not allowed to serve the love goddess; instead, they are forced into rather tedious occupations. Sexism and racism are alive and well and fostered by an unfair social system. Relationships suffer—the relationship with oneself and one's body included. Yet many people refuse to conform and comply silently, becoming active in contemporary social and political movements. Although this seems to be a time of neikos (conflict), rather than philotes (love), the two are interconnected, like the yin and the yang—the two opposites that must coexist in order to create balance. Through the struggle for a better world and a more satisfying life, a new perception of sexuality can hopefully emerge, as happened during the sixties and seventies. Is it possible to bring about change in a time of global economical crisis and armed conflict? I came to see that Aphrodite is relevant in today's efforts for peace, being a "make love not war" goddess. She harkens to a different age in the past, lost now in the mists of time, when peace prevailed, as Empedocles attests:
[The people of old] had no Ares for god nor the Sound of Battle no Zeus for king nor Cronus nor Poseidon, but Aphrodite was their only queen. Her they did propitiate with pious gifts, with painted animals and finely made scents with offerings of fragrant incense and pure myrrh, pouring libations of fair honey on the earth.[9]
Aphrodite is a political goddess. She was called Pandemos, "Of all People," although this title had been distorted and misunderstood by Plato's time. However, her shrine, outside the western entrance to the Acropolis, marked the place where the people of Athens once gathered to discuss and make decisions.[10] The word Pandemos has the same root as "democracy," which literally means "the rule of the people"—another word which became extremely misused over time. Sexuality is largely a political issue, intimately connected with the amount of individual freedom allowed in each society. Thus, Aphrodite leads us back to a distant past, to an era when women's sexuality had not yet been suppressed. Obviously, she is very far from the "obedient wife" stereotype. In classical Athens, a place very oppressive for most women, virtually the only ones who enjoyed relative freedom were the hetairai (courtesans). They were considered embodiments of Aphrodite, who carried the title Hetaira herself.[11]
THE JOURNEY GOES ON
I have managed to find the goddess in unusual places. The Orphic hymn honoring Aphrodite also calls her "Bacchus's revered companion, pleased in feasts." One of her many lovers was indeed Bacchus/Dionysus.[12] His ecstatic, orgiastic rituals were always marked by intense eroticism. Sometimes they were combined with a strong sense of humor, too—after all he was the god of comedy! Certain festivals of his somehow survived the terrible persecutions of the Dark Ages. Although the ancient religion was violently replaced by Christianity, some Dionysian rituals persisted and have been incorporated into the folk tradition. The Carnival of Tyrnavos, a small town in Thessaly (Central Greece), is one of the best examples. There the main feature of the festival is the phallus, a symbol of Bacchus, representing his power to fertilize the earth.
Bakery in Tyrnavos, Carnival 2006
Recently I made a pilgrimage there and was amazed to see huge phalluses set up in the center of the town. Bread is baked in the same shape, too. Dancing and drinking, as well as overtly sexual jokes, are all part of the spirit of the day. My visit there felt like a profoundly liberating experience, as I witnessed an extraordinary display and acceptance of sexuality. Today it is easy to misunderstand the symbolism of the penis, seeing it as an emblem of patriarchal oppression. Yet as I walked through the streets of Tyrnavos, a new and unexpected meaning emerged in my mind. I recalled ancient vase paintings showing women, dressed or naked, holding phalluses, sometimes huge ones, dancing around them, performing rituals.[13] In other words, women served as priestesses, enjoying themselves while tending the fertility of the land, of the Earth Goddess. I realized that the effigy of the male genital was not meant to suppress female power, but to enhance it instead. That's why in antiquity this symbol was associated with goddesses as well as gods.
The Neolithic Goddess of Tyrnavos
In a Neolithic settlement near Tyrnavos a curious figurine has been discovered dating circa 6000 BCE: her face resembles that of a bird, her hands are supporting her protruding breasts, while her neck, impressively long, is reminiscent of the penis.[14] It would not be far-fetched to connect her to Aphrodite. Birds were sacred to her; they even drew her chariot.[15] Her son, Eros, is always portrayed winged. Moreover, in antiquity birds were often seen as phallic symbols.[16] The modern Greek word pouli (bird) is also used as a euphemism for the male genital. The most amazing discovery was that the phallus itself served as a symbol of Aphrodite. On Cyprus, where her festival, Aphrodisia, was magnificently celebrated, those who were initiated into her Mysteries were offered two things: salt, connected to her aspect as a sea goddess, and bread baked in the shape of a penis[17]—just like the bread made on the day of the Dionysian festival. Suddenly, after my trip to Tyrnavos it made perfect sense that Aphrodite was associated with an emblem of erotic, life-giving male energy. After all she is the goddess who embraces all opposites: the feminine and the masculine, the human and the animal, the water, the sky and the earth… My exploration still goes on, like a passionate love affair which knows no boundaries: tumultuous, awe-inspiring, hedonistic; in a peculiar way, philosophical, too. I use "philosophy" here in the ancient sense of the word: "love for wisdom." Perhaps the best way to express this notion is through the words of the Greek priestess Diotima, teacher of Socrates:
Eros is a philosopher, a lover of wisdom. Throughout his life he pursues knowledge. He bewitches with his spells and lovely words. He loves the creation of beauty in body and soul, helping people give birth to the beauty that resides inside them…[18]
Beauty and magic, knowledge and wisdom, transformation and renewal are personified in Aphrodite. She is the erotic archetype of Greece, the spirit that arouses the senses as well as the intellect. No matter how many centuries have passed, how many changes have happened, she is still here in the land and the sea, in the ancient ruins and texts, as well as in people's hearts. Powerful as ever, ecstatic and liberating, she can guide us through her Underworld—her dark, gestating womb—into an ever-flowing rebirth…[19]
Eros, Dionysus and Ariadne--a modern rendering of a vase painting from 400 BCE. (Photo by the author)
NOTES
[1] Homeric Hymn 6 to Aphrodite, 1-4, translated by Harita Meenee.
[2] Vlassis G. Rassias, Festivals and Rituals of the Greeks (Athens: Anikhti Poli, 1997), 110, Dimitris Karabouzis, The Ancient Attic Calendar and Festivals (Athens: Metaichmio, 2002), s.v. "Scira or Scirophoria."
[3] Vulva: the external parts of the female genital organs.
[4] Orphic Hymn to Aphrodite, 1-7, 11-14, translated by Meenee.
[7] Androphonos: Plutarch, 768 Α. Epitymbia: Plutarch, Quaest. Rom. 269Β. Tymborykhos: Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation 33 P.
[8] Persephaessa: An inscription quoted in the treatise On Marvellous Things Heard (145), a work falsely attributed to Aristotle, reports that Hercules established in Thebes a precinct honoring Aphrodite Persephaessa.
[9] Purifications, frag. 128, translated by Meenee.
[13] Catherine Johns, Sex or Symbol? Erotic Images of Greece and Rome (London: British Museum Press, 1982), 43 (black and white photo 27), colored photo 5, 146 (black and white photo 120).
[14] Marija Gimbutas, The Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe: Myths and Cult Images, 2nd ed. (London: Thames and Hudson, 1982), 120 (photos 83, 84). [15] In the Orphic hymn 55, 20 Aphrodite's chariot is drawn by swans. In Sappho's "Ode to Aphrodite" sparrows perform the same function.
[16] Johns, Sex or Symbol?, 67 (black and white photo 50), 69 (black and white photo 52), 70 (black and white photo 53).
[17] Rassias, Festivals and Rituals of the Greeks, s.v. "Aphrodisia."
[18] Socrates recites Diotima's views on erotic love in Plato's Symposium. The ideas quoted here comprise a summary of her perceptions. For the full discussion of them see Plato's Symposium 201d-212a. Certain scholars have questioned whether Diotima was a real person or simply a persona through which the ideas of Socrates are expressed. My belief is that Diotima truly existed, since, among other reasons, Plato does not usually use fictional characters in his dialogues.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Athenaeus. Deipnosophistai. Athens: Kaktos, 1999. Diodorus Siculus. Bibliotheca Historica: Heroes and Demigods of the Greeks. Vol. 4. Athens: Georgiadis, 2002. Farnell, Lewis Richard. Cults of the Greek States. 5 vols. Oxford: Clarendon,1896-1909. Gimbutas, Marija. The Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe: Myths and Cult Images. 2nd ed. London: Thames and Hudson, 1982. Homeric Hymns. Τranslated by D.P. Papaditsas and Helen Ladia. Athens: "Hestia" Bookstore, 1997. Johns, Catherine. Sex or Symbol? Erotic Images of Greece and Rome. London: British Museum Press, 1982. Karabouzis, Dimitris. The Ancient Attic Calendar and Festivals. Athens: Metaikhmio, 2002. Meenee, Harita. On the Path of Aphrodite. Athens: Eleusis Press, 2003. Orphic Hymns. 3rd ed. Τranslated by D.P. Papaditsas and Helen Ladia. Athens: "Hestia" Bookstore, 1997. Pausanias. Description of Greece. Vol. 1, 2, 3. Maroussi, Attica: Papyros, 1975. Plato. Symposium. Τranslated by Ioannis Sykoutris. 7th ed. Athens: "Hestia" Bookstore, 1982. Rassias, Vlassis G. Festivals and Rituals of the Greeks. Athens: Anikhti Poli, 1997. Sappho. Complete Works. Τranslated by Panaghis Lekatsas. Maroussi,Attica: Papyros [undated]. Tzavaras, Yiannis. The Poetry of Empedocles. Athens: Dodone, 1988.
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COMMENTS BY READERS
Feb 2, 2007
As expected, your article was wonderful. I especially enjoyed the section "An Initiation Into the Mysteries." Bravo; excellent, excellent work.
The painting in the beginning of the article is The Birth of Venus (1879) by William-Adolphe Bouguereau. The image is in the public domain according to Wikipedia.
The Neolithic Goddess of Tyrnavos
