Venus and Aphrodite: A Biography of Desire

by Bettany Hughes

Overview

A cultural history of the goddess of love, from a New York Times bestselling and award-winning historian.


Aphrodite was said to have been born from the sea, rising out of a froth of white foam. But long before the Ancient Greeks conceived of this voluptuous blonde, she existed as an early spirit of fertility on the shores of Cyprus — and thousands of years before that, as a ferocious warrior-goddess in the Middle East. Proving that this fabled figure is so much more than an avatar of commercialized romance, historian Bettany Hughes reveals the remarkable lifestory of one of antiquity's most potent myths.



Venus and Aphrodite brings together ancient art, mythology, and archaeological revelations to tell the story of human desire. From Mesopotamia to modern-day London, from Botticelli to Beyoncé, Hughes explains why this immortal goddess continues to entrance us today — and how we trivialize her power at our peril.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541674233
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	09/22/2020
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	111,759
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Bettany Hughes is an award-winning historian, author, and broadcaster. She is currently professor of history at the New College of the Humanities and a research fellow of King's College, London. She is the author of three popular books, including the New York Times-bestselling The Hemlock Cup. She lives in London.

Table of Contents

Preface 1

1 A Birth 3

2 Fornicating and Fighting 11

3 Party Queen 27

4 A Working Goddess and Working Girls 37

5 Ta Aphrodisia: The Things of Sex 53

6 Manikos Eros 61

7 Venus and Empire Without Limits 77

8 Eastern Queen 87

9 Venus in Middle Age 97

10 A Humanist Muse 109

11 Venus at the Box Office 117

12 A Very Modern Goddess 133

Conclusion 143

Acknowledgments 151

Illustrations 155

Select Bibliography 159

Notes 167

Index 173

Editorial Reviews

07/13/2020

British historian Hughes (Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities) presents a brisk and incisive cultural history of the mythological goddess of sexual love. Called Aphrodite by the ancient Greeks and Venus by the Romans, she “acts as a barometer for the way the world has viewed desire and lust,” according to Hughes, and incarnates “fear as well as love.” Hughes traces Aphrodite’s origins to intersex fertility symbols in Copper Age Cyprus, her transformation in Greek and Roman mythology into a “laughter-loving” goddess often seen gazing into a mirror and emerging from sea shells, and her influence on Christian iconography of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Hughes enriches her wide-ranging analysis with images of archaeological findings and artworks by Botticelli, Rubens, and Titian, as well as references to Shakespeare’s plays, Sappho’s poems, and Lady Gaga’s songs. Among many interesting tidbits, readers will learn that the female sex symbol derives from a combination of Aphrodite’s mirror and the Christian cross, and that prostitutes were once called Venuses. This informative and entertaining history deserves a wide readership. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Bettany Hughes is out to convince you that the face of Venus familiar to us today—simultaneously salacious and saccharine—conceals a much darker and more complex character… Ms. Hughes’s book packs real punch, particularly when she turns to the ways in which this ferocious goddess has been domesticated.”—Wall Street Journal

"In this lively, wide-ranging book, Hughes paints a portrait of a darker Venus, a violent, vengeful 'shape-shifting' Venus, with salt in her hair and surf at her feet."—The Times

"An intriguing tale that tracks the gorgeous and omnipresent Venus of western civilisation back 6,000 years ... engrossing."—The Spectator

"A marvellous biography of a goddess that delves beneath her passive modern image."—BBC History Magazine

"This is a thoroughly enjoyable history of Venus, the goddess of love, and her many manifestations throughout history. From antiquity through modern day, historian Hughes artfully weaves together elements of myth, history, religion, philosophy, literature, art, and pop culture to demonstrate this deity's centuries-long impact... Fun and fascinating..."—Booklist

"Informative and entertaining."—Publishers Weekly

"Quick paced, insightful, and often times humorous,
this newest work by Hughes is an approachable look at the ancient legacy of the goddess, Aphrodite-Venus. The author provides an impressive exploration of over
4,000 years of human history, as well as the relationship between the goddess and the collective human psyche."—Library Journal

From the Publisher

09/04/2020

Quick paced, insightful, and often times humorous, this newest work by Hughes (history, New Coll. of the Humanities; Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities) is an approachable look at the ancient legacy of the goddess, Aphrodite-Venus. The author provides an impressive exploration of over 4,000 years of human history, as well as the relationship between the goddess and the collective human psyche. From Syria through the Greek islands, and south into Egypt, the journey of the goddess can be traced through prehistory and ancient history all the way to contemporary popular culture, as people continue to use her as a guide to understand the world around them. Hughes asserts that Aphrodite-Venus was, and continues to be, a symbol for humanity's relationship with sex, violence, power, and religion all wrapped up into this complex figure of feminine divinity. Even as her image changed to merge with other iconic figures, such as the Virgin Mary, and as various religious leaders tried to tarnish her memory for political gain, Aphrodite-Venus has not left the collective imagination. As Hughes notes, she continues to inspire generations of intellectuals and artists of all genres. VERDICT A lively work recommended for both researchers and casual readers with an interest in prehistory, ancient history, anthropology, religion, and popular culture.—Monique Martinez, Univ. of North Georgia Lib., Dahlonega

Library Journal

Read More