ADONIS IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Adonis in Greek Mythology
Adonis was one of the most handsome of mortals written about in Greek mythology. Adonis would be loved by both Aphrodite and Persephone, but his life was cut short when he was killed by a boar.
Adonis Son of Cinyras
In Phoenician mythology Adonis was regarded as a god of love, birth and resurrection, but in Greek mythology, Adonis was simply a mortal man.
Most commonly, Adonis was said to be the son of King Cinyras of Cyprus, born out of an incestuous relationship the king had with his own daughter Smyrna (also known as Myrrha).
Most commonly, Adonis was said to be the son of King Cinyras of Cyprus, born out of an incestuous relationship the king had with his own daughter Smyrna (also known as Myrrha).
The Birth of Adonis
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Smyrna had been cursed to fall in love with her father by Aphrodite, after Smyrna’s mother, Cenchreis, had proclaimed Smyrna to be superior in looks to the goddess.
Smyrna’s nurse would aide her mistress by convincing the king that a young maiden wished to have sex with him, but only in complete darkness. Thus, for nine nights King Cinyras and Smyrna lay together, but then the king became curious about who he was sleeping with. |
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When he found out it was his own daughter, he took up his sword, and would have killed Smyrna, but she fled quickly from the palace.
Wishing to be invisible, Smyrna prayed to the gods, who answered her prayer, by turning her into a tree, the Myrrh tree.
After nine months, the Myrrh tree burst open and Adonis was born.
Wishing to be invisible, Smyrna prayed to the gods, who answered her prayer, by turning her into a tree, the Myrrh tree.
After nine months, the Myrrh tree burst open and Adonis was born.
Goddesses Fight Over AdonisAphrodite discovered the new-born and was taken by its beauty, she gave him over to Persephone to be raised.
Adonis would grow into one of the most handsome of mortal men, with a beauty comparable with Hyacinth or Ganymede. When a young man, Aphrodite came to Persephone to take Adonis away, but the goddess of the Underworld refused to release him; and Zeus would have to mediate to resolve the goddesses’ disagreement. Zeus decided that for a third of the year Adonis would be with Persephone, a third of the year with Aphrodite, and for the remaining third of the year, Adonis could decide who he stayed with. Adonis would decide to stay with Aphrodite. |
Adonis - Benjamin West (1738–1820) - PD-art-100
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The Death of AdonisAside from his beauty, Adonis was known for his hunting ability, and he would often be found on the hunt; though Aphrodite warned him of the dangers of hunting wild beasts.
One day, near to Babylos though, Adonis was gored by a wild boar, which was potentially Ares in disguise; Ares being jealous of the time Aphrodite was spending with Adonis. Aphrodite heard Adonis’ screams of pain, but despite administrating nectar to the wound, Adonis would die. The tears of Aphrodite and blood of Adonis would mix to bring forth the anemone flower. Some say the red rose was also brought forth at the same time, for Aphrodite pricked herself on the thorn of a rose bush, which until that time had been white. In antiquity, it was also said that the Adonis River (now the Abraham River), ran red each February because of the blood of Adonis. Beroe Daughter of AdonisIn some versions of the Adonis myth, Adonis fathered a daughter with Aphrodite before his death. This daughter of Adonis was Beroe, after whom the city of Berytus (Beirut) was named.
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The Awakening of Adonis -
John William Waterhouse (1849–1917) - PD-art-100
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Colin Quartermain - Adonis - 26th February 2020