Sexual life in ancient Greece : with thirty-two full-page plates

RELIGION AND EROTIC

foliage, spreading its rare fragrance to a distance. Especially the myrtle, rich in fruits, made a show in the temple of its mistress in profuse abundance, like all the other trees which were distinguished by special beauty. Nowhere could be seen branches dried up or withered, but all blossomed out in overflowing plenty with fresh shoots. “There was indeed, no lack of trees that bore no fruit, but their beauty made up for the absence of it, cypresses soaring heavens-high and plane-trees, and amongst them the tree which during its human existence would have nothing to do with Aphrodite, but fled before her—the laurel On all the trees the clinging ivy lifted and spread its tendrils in a tender embrace. Luxuriant vines could barely support the burden of their grapes. For more delightful is Aphrodite combined with Dionysus, and both together dispense more delicious pleasure ; but, separate, their enjoyment is less. Where the trees stood thicker and gave more abundant shade welcome seats were placed, whereon people could take their meals ; the townspeople, certainly, seldom made much use of them, but the great crowd enjoyed itself there and there rejoiced in all kinds of love-toying.”

But the bitter truth, which the Nibelungenlied expresses in one of its few really beautiful verses ‘wie liebe mit leide ze jungest lonen kann” was not spared to Aphrodite. The brief delight of spring is followed by the glowing heat of summer, which withers all the flowers and blossoms and robs the fields of their beauty. To symbolize this, Greek fancy invented a number of stories which, in their details, differ from one another according to the locality in which the scene is laid, but which have essentially the same meaning. A beautiful youth adorned with every charm is loved by Aphrodite but to her unutterable sorrow is obliged to part from her by an untimely death. It is the infinitely touching form of the beautiful Adonis (p. I1Q).

1 An allusion to Daphne. 200