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In Greek and Roman mythology, Anchises (Template:IPAc-en;<ref>Template:Cite Merriam-Webster</ref> Template:Langx) was a member of the royal family of Troy. He was said to have been the son of King Capys of Dardania and Themiste, daughter of Ilus, who was son of Tros. He is most famous as the father of Aeneas and for his treatment in Virgil's Aeneid.<ref name=Brit>"Anchises" in The New Encyclopædia Britannica. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 377.</ref> Anchises' brother was Acoetes, father of the priest Laocoön.<ref>Hyginus, Fabulae 135</ref>
He was a mortal lover of the goddess Aphrodite (equivalent to the Roman goddess Venus). Zeus made her fall in love with Anchises while he was herding sheep at the foot of Mount Ida.<ref name=":5">Roman, L., & Roman, M. (2010). Template:Google books</ref> One version is that Aphrodite pretended to be a Phrygian princess and seduced him, only to later reveal herself and inform him that they would have a son named Aeneas; Aphrodite had warned Anchises that if he told anyone about her being the mother of his child, Zeus would strike him down with his thunderbolt. He did not heed her warning and was struck with a thunderbolt, which in different versions either blinds him or kills him.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite journal</ref> The principal early narrative of Aphrodite's seduction of Anchises and the birth of Aeneas is the Homeric Hymn (5) to Aphrodite. According to the Bibliotheca, Anchises and Aphrodite had another son, Lyrus, who died childless. He later had a mortal wife named Eriopis, according to the scholiasts, and he is credited with other children beside Aeneas and Lyrus.<ref name=":1" /> Homer, in the Iliad, mentions a daughter named Hippodamia, their eldest ("the darling of her father and mother"), who married her cousin Alcathous.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite book</ref>
After the defeat of Troy in the Trojan War, the elderly Anchises was carried from the burning city by his son Aeneas, accompanied by Aeneas' wife Creusa, who died in the escape attempt, and small son Ascanius.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite book</ref> The subject is depicted in several paintings, including a famous version by Federico Barocci in the Galleria Borghese in Rome. The rescue is also mentioned in a speech in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar when Cassius attempts to persuade Brutus to murder Caesar. Anchises himself died and was buried in Sicily many years later.<ref name=":3" /> Aeneas later visited Hades and saw his father again in the Elysian Fields.<ref name=":3" />
Homer's Iliad mentions another Anchises, a wealthy native of Sicyon in Greece and father of Echepolus.<ref name=":2" />
The Homeric Hymn to AphroditeEdit
The Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite details how Aphrodite seduced Anchises.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> It begins by describing how only the three virgin goddesses (Athena, Artemis, and Hestia) are immune to Aphrodite's powers.<ref name=":0" /> She has made gods and goddesses fall in love with mortals.<ref name=":0" /> Not even Zeus was able to escape her powers and to put her in her place, he caused her to lust after the handsome mortal Anchises.<ref name=":0" />
Aphrodite first happens upon Anchises on the hills of Mount Ida, where he is grazing his cattle.<ref name=":0" /> Anchises is described as having the beauty of an immortal.<ref name=":0" /> Aphrodite goes to Cyprus and bathes.<ref name=":0" /> Then she returns to the Troad disguised as a mortal, and finds Anchises alone in a hut.<ref name=":0" /> When Anchises first sees Aphrodite, he is convinced that she is a goddess, a grace, or a nymph.<ref name=":0" /> She convinces him that she is a Phrygian princess and that Hermes brought her there to marry Anchises.<ref name=":0" /> Anchises is overcome with desire for her and declares that he must have her immediately, and the two of them make love.<ref name=":0" />
After they have sex, Aphrodite puts Anchises into a deep sleep and dresses herself.<ref name=":0" /> When she is finished dressing, she wakes him up and reveals herself to him.<ref name=":0" /> When Anchises realizes her identity, he is terrified and full of regret and says that no good comes from sleeping with a goddess.<ref name=":0" /> Aphrodite comforts him by telling him that she will bear him a son by the name of Aeneas, who will be respected among the Trojans and whose offspring will prosper.<ref name=":0" /> To further comfort Anchises, she goes on to tell him about two relationships: the relationship between Zeus and Ganymede, and the relationship between Eos and Tithonus.<ref name=":0" /> Both relationships are between an immortal and a mortal who survives the relationship. She then details how their son will be raised by nymphs until he is five years old, at which time she will bring Aeneas to him.<ref name=":0" /> Then she leaves, warning him not to reveal that she is the mother of his child or Zeus will smite him.<ref name=":0" />
Anchises in the AeneidEdit
The Aeneid by Virgil describes the journey of Aeneas after the fall of Troy. Anchises, the father of Aeneas, is a character in the epic. Even though Anchises is dead for most of the epic, he still makes multiple appearances in it, oftentimes to advise Aeneas.
Book 2Edit
Anchises' first major appearance comes in Book 2. He is mentioned while Aeneas is telling Dido about the fall of Troy.<ref name=":3" /> During the fall of Troy, Aeneas makes his way home to save Anchises, his wife Creusa, and his son Ascanius.<ref name=":3" /> At first Anchises refuses to go with Aeneas and tells Aeneas to leave without him.<ref name=":3" /> Aeneas refuses to leave Anchises and declares that they will all die in Troy.<ref name=":3" /> Creusa argues with Aeneas over his decision and while they are arguing a painless flame appears on Ascanius' head.<ref name=":3" /> Anchises notices this and prays to Jupiter for a sign that they must leave.<ref name=":3" /> Just then they hear thunder and see a falling star.<ref name=":3" /> This convinces Anchises to go willingly with Aeneas.<ref name=":3" /> Aeneas carries Anchises on his back, Anchises carries their household gods, and Ascanius walks beside his father as they all flee Troy.<ref name=":3" /> Creusa was following behind them but is killed during the escape.<ref name=":3" /> As they leave Troy they meet up with other fleeing Trojans.<ref name=":3" />
Book 3Edit
Anchises is mentioned in Book 3 while Aeneas continues his tale of how the Trojans came to be in Carthage.<ref name=":3" /> Anchises serves as a leader and advisor for the fleeing Trojans. After leaving Troy, the refugees make their way to Thrace and then to Delos.<ref name=":3" /> In Delos, Apollo tells them that they must make their new home in the original home of their ancestors.<ref name=":3" /> Anchises misinterprets this to mean Crete, so the Trojans head for Crete.<ref name=":3" /> There they establish a city, but they are soon overwhelmed by a plague.<ref name=":3" /> Anchises instructs Aeneas to seek out the Delian oracle.<ref name=":3" /> Before Aeneas does, he is visited in his dreams by their household gods who inform him that they are in the wrong place and must go to Italy.<ref name=":3" /> Aeneas tells Anchises of this dream.<ref name=":3" /> Anchises realizes that Apollo must have meant for them to establish a home in Italy, and so the Trojans head toward Italy.<ref name=":3" /> Italy is far away, and the Trojans must make many stops.<ref name=":3" /> Anchises dies in Sicily before the Trojans make it to Italy.<ref name=":3" />
Book 5Edit
Anchises is mentioned in Book 5 after the Trojans leave Carthage.<ref name=":3" /> Storms force them to stop in Sicily, and Aeneas recalls that it has been a year since his father died, who had been buried with great honor.<ref name=":3" /> Aeneas declares for a festival to be held in honor of the deceased Anchises.<ref name=":3" /> Rituals are performed and sacrifices made at the tomb of Anchises.<ref name=":3" /> On the ninth day, Aeneas holds funeral games for his father that consist of a boat race, foot race, mock battle, boxing, and archery.<ref name=":3" /> After the funeral games, the Trojan women who have grown tired of traveling set fire to the ships.<ref name=":3" /> Even though most ships are saved by Jupiter, Aeneas loses heart and contemplates staying in Sicily.<ref name=":3" /> The ghost of Anchises appears, telling Aeneas that he was sent by the god Jupiter who saved the ships.<ref name=":3" /> He encourages Aeneas to continue his journey, informing him that he should leave the weary Trojans in Sicily and take the strongest with him to Italy.<ref name=":3" /> Anchises also instructs Aeneas to visit him in the underworld.<ref name=":3" /> Aeneas follows Anchises' advice and leaves Sicily, but before departing, he establishes that Anchises' tomb should be attended to by a priest and it should be designated a tract of woodland.<ref name=":3" />
Book 6Edit
Anchises is mentioned in Book 6 when Aeneas voyages to the underworld.<ref name=":3" /> When Aeneas finds his father in the underworld, they have a tearful reunion.<ref name=":3" /> Aeneas tries to hug Anchises, yet he is unable.<ref name=":3" /> Aeneas then observes swarms of people gathered around a river.<ref name=":3" /> He asks his father about the river and those surrounding it.<ref name=":3" /> Anchises replies that the people are his future descendants and that the river is called Lethe.<ref name=":3" /> He expands that after suffering and being cleansed in the underworld, souls that are meant to be reincarnated go to the river Lethe to forget their memories so that they can be reincarnated.<ref name=":3" /> Anchises then shows Aeneas some of his descendants and discusses their deeds.<ref name=":3" /> He first mentions his son Silvius who will be born from Aeneas and Lavinia but after Aeneas is dead.<ref name=":3" /> Anchises then tells him of Romulus who is descended from Silvius, a member of the Caesarian line descended from Ascanius. He further describes that the Romans will prosper.<ref name=":3" /> Aeneas sees Marcellus and asks Anchises about his identity. Anchises states that he is Marcellus, who will hold great promise for the Romans but die too young and thus cause them great grief.<ref name=":3" /> Finally, Anchises leads Aeneas through the gates of horn and ivory and out of the underworld.<ref name=":3" /> This is the last major appearance of Anchises.
Anchises in MetamorphosesEdit
Anchises makes a few brief appearances in Ovid's Metamorphoses. He is first mentioned in Book 9. After youth was restored to Iolaus by Hebe, other gods and goddesses ask that it also be restored to their loved ones. (9.418-450)<ref name=":4">Template:Cite book</ref> Venus asks that youth be restored to Anchises. (9.424-425)<ref name=":4" />
Anchises is mentioned again in Book 13 in the story of the daughters of Anius. The story begins by briefly describing that Aeneas, Anchises, Ascanius, and other Trojan refugees fled Troy, traveled to Antandros, then to Thrace, and finally arrived in Delos. (13.623–631)<ref name=":4" /> Once in Delos, Anchises asks Anius, the king and a priest of Apollo, about his children. (13.639–642)<ref name=":4" /> Anius describes that his daughters received the ability to transform that which they touched into grain, wine, and olive oil, but this gift only caused them misery as the Greeks kidnapped them so as to take advantage of their powers. (13.651–659)<ref name=":4" /> His daughters asked to be freed, and thus they were turned into white doves. (13.667–674)<ref name=":4" />
Anchises is briefly mentioned a couple of times in Book 14. First, in 14.82-84: "And fleeing that new city in the sands, Aeneas once again returned to Eryx, the royal residence of his true friend Acestes; here, at Anchises' tomb he honored his father with gift offerings."<ref name=":4" /> This makes reference to the funeral games Aeneas held for his deceased father Anchises in Book 5 of the Aeneid. And in 14.116-118: "Aeneas did as he was told and saw the underworld's formidable resources and his ancestral spirits and the shade of that great-spirited and venerable man, [his] father Anchises."<ref name=":4" /> This makes reference to the Aeneas' journey into the underworld, where he meets with the specter of his late father Anchises, in Book 6 of the Aeneid.
Family treeEdit
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
CitationsEdit
Secondary sourcesEdit
- Rose, H.J. (1924). "Anchises and Aphrodite". The Classical Quarterly, Vol. 18, No. 1. (January 1924), pp. 11–16.
Primary sourcesEdit
- Apollodorus, The Library with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.
- Homer, The Iliad with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1924. Template:ISBN. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Homer, Homeri Opera in five volumes. Oxford, Oxford University Press. 1920. Template:ISBN. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
- The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White. Homeric Hymns. Cambridge, MA.,Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.
- Homeric Hymns. Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite.
- Homer. Iliad II, 819–21; V, 260–73; XX, 215–40.
- Publius Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses translated by Brookes More (1859-1942). Boston, Cornhill Publishing Co. 1922. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Publius Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses. Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Ovid. Metamorphoses XIII, 623–42; XIV, 82–119.
- Bibliotheca III, xii, 2, Epitome V, 21.
- Publius Vergilius Maro, Aeneid. Theodore C. Williams. trans. Boston. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1910. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Publius Vergilius Maro, Bucolics, Aeneid, and Georgics. J. B. Greenough. Boston. Ginn & Co. 1900. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Virgil. Aeneid.
External linksEdit
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