EXCURSUS B.

The fragments of the Phaedra of Sophocles (among which may be included Soph. Fr. 855, and Eur. Fr. 431, which both very possibly belong to this play) are interesting for the many parallels they show to the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite (Hom. Hymn. iv).

There, too, special emphasis is laid on the universal sway of Aphrodite, not only over men (l. 3), but also over animals (l. 4-6), and over Zeus and the gods (l. 34 seqq.). The animals fawn on her as she comes (l. 69, 70, cp. Soph. Fr. 625). From l. 7 one might guess that Soph. Fr. 855, 13 was originally

τίν’ οὐ παλαίουσ’ ἔς τε τρεῖς σφάλλει θεῶν,

or something similar. Both l. 45 and Soph. Fr. 619 give Zeus as well as Aphrodite the power of inspiring love; and other less important parallels could be pointed out.

These parallels are very striking; and though one must, of course, beware of drawing conclusions from what may be merely accidental or external, it cannot be denied that, if it could be proved that Sophocles was working with this hymn in his mind and with its conception of Aphrodite before him, this fact alone would render it very unlikely that he would treat his love-element in that “modern” way in which it has hitherto been the fashion to assume that he did.

Anyhow, it may not be inapposite to glance at the love-incident which occurs in this Hymn, for, if nothing else, it is interesting as a very typical Greek “love-story.” What happens is briefly this:

Aphrodite, having fallen in love with Anchises, disguises herself as a mortal maiden, and comes upon the object of her affection as he is wandering alone among the byres, singing to himself.

At first he takes her for a goddess, and is duly humble; but she assures him that this is not the case, but she is the daughter of the king of Phrygia, and she asserts that she has been carried by Hermes away from her home to be his (Anchises’) bride. In her helpless condition, she, therefore, throws herself on his mercy, and begs him by Zeus and his parents:

ἀδμήτην μ’ ἀγαγὼν καὶ ἀπειρήτην φιλότητος

πατρί τε σῷ δεῖξον καὶ μητέρι κέδν’ εἰδυίῃ. κ.τ.λ.

His answer to this appeal to his chivalrous feelings is prompt and to the point:

“If you are really not a goddess, but only a mortal,

οὔτις ἔπειτα θεῶν οὔτε θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων

ἐνθάδε με σχήσει, πρὶν σῇ φιλότητι μιγῆναι

αὐτίκα νῦν.”

After this, perhaps even the last two lines of his speech are an anti-climax.