Aleksandra Wacławczyk
Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznań
What is Aphrodite laughing at?
An attempt at interpretation of the epithet
F9;?<<594.T in the archaic Greek poetry
The Greek epithet C68<99261+O, usually placed beside the name of Aphrodite, is
most frequently translated as “laughter-loving” or “willingly laughing.” There are
however two problematic aspects of such a translation. The more conspicuous
one is the inconsistency related to the meaning of the verb 9261)F or 92616)F.
Consulting a Greek dictionary leads to the conclusion that the primary (if not the
only) meaning of this verb is “to smile.” “To smile” is the basic meaning of the
word 9261)F given by Liddell, Scott and Jones1. Abramowiczówna2 translates it
as „uśmiechać się” (“to smile”) and Dvorietskiy3 renders it with the term ø îíÿ þ
(“to smile”). Pape4 not only translates 9261)F as “grinsend, höhnisch lächeln” (“to
grin mockingly, to sneer”) or “lächelnd, freundlich aussehen” (“to seem smiling,
friendly”), but also marks the difference between this word and 028)F: “the difference from 028)F is that the latter means loud, sounding laughter, while 9261)F
corresponds to silent, tender smile.” Only in Bailly’s dictionary5 one can find “rire
doucement” (“to chuckle quietly”) beside the usual “sourire” (“to smile”).
Paradoxically, in some of the abovementioned dictionaries their authors
propose such a translation of C68<99261+O, as if the primary meaning of 9261)F
1
Liddell H. G., Scott R., Jones H.S., A Greek-English Lexicon. A New Edition, Oxford 1953,
p. 1092.
2
Abramowiczówna Z., Słownik grecko-polski, vol. 3, Warszawa 1962, p. 92.
3
Dvoreckij I.H., Drevnegrečesko-russkij slovar’, vol. 2, Moskva 1958, p. 1063.
4
Pape W., Handwörterbuch der Griechischen Sprache, vol. 2, Braunschweig 1843, p. 108.
5
Bailly A., Dictionnaire Grec Français, Paris 1950, p. 1239.
133
Święto – Zabawa – Uroczystość w świecie starożytnym
was “to laugh.” And so according to Liddell, Scott and Jones6 the adjective
means “laughter-loving.” Abramowiczówna7 points to the meaning “lubiący się
śmiać, skory do śmiechu” (“who likes laughing, eager to laugh”). The Russian dictionary8 seems to be more consistent with its proposition: “ïþòðñí ø îí ï õöþ
ø î õï ö”(“constantly smiling, smiling”), along with the French one9, where
the meaning given is “qui aime à sourire, aimable, gai” (“who likes smiling,
amiable, cheerful”). Pape10 also sticks to the strongly emphasised difference
between 9261)F and 028)F, translating C68<99261+O, as “lächeln liebend, gern
lächelnd, freundlich und heiter” (“loving to smile, eager to smile, friendly and
merrily”).
Although the German lexicographer quite hastily and rather erroneously derives the word of Proto-Indoeuropean origin meaning “soundless laughter” from
the Greek phrase 9 U.í1&: (“not to hear”), he accurately points to the verse 204
of the second Homeric hymn to Demeter as perfectly displaying the difference
between this word and 028)F. This fragment describes a scene in which Iambe
makes Demeter laugh, when the latter is mourning her daughter. Demeter first
starts to smile, and then to laugh ([email protected])@.6UA2). The same difference is
also visible in Homer’s works, where 028)F expresses joy and amusement or derision. The latter manner is characteristic of the suitors in Ithaca11, but this verb
(and also its derivatives) appears also in the Iliad when the Greeks deride Thersites
humiliated by Odysseus12 and Paris is mocking wounded Diomedes13. In a positive sense, as laughter expressing joy, it is present among the Greeks taking part in
funeral games in honour of Patroclos14. Odysseus listening to Demodocus’ song is
also enjoying himself15. Earth also can laugh (028&:)16, laughter is heard in Zeus’
6
Liddell, Scott, Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon. A New Edition, p. 1937.
Abramowiczówna, Słownik grecko-polski, vol. 4, p. 525.
8
Dvoreckij, Drevnegrečesko-russkij slovar’, p. 1730.
9
Bailly, Dictionnaire Grec Français, p. 2076.
10
Pape., Handwörterbuch der Griechischen Sprache, p. 1213.
11
Homer, Odyssey, XVIII 40, 100, 111, XX 8, 347, 358, 390. Ed. A. T. Murray, The Odyssey with
an English Translation, Cambridge 1919.
12
Id. Iliad, II 270. Ed. D. B. Monro, T. W. Allen, Homeri Opera in Five Volumes, Oxford 1920.
13
Ib. XI 378.
14
Ib. XXIII 784.
15
Hom. Od. VIII 344.
16
Id. Il. XIX 362; Homeric Hymns II 14. Ed. Hugh G. Evelyn-White, The Homeric Hymns and
Homerica with an English Translation, Cambridge 1914.
7
134
What is Aphrodite laughing at?...
homesteads17. We should also pay attention to a fragment of the pathographic
song by Sappho in which the poetess writes about listening to a girl’s laughter
(í=.7<J26 (...) 028.,@.O18) – we see that the action in question can be received
by means of hearing.
The verb 9261)F is less common in archaic poetry, but this is also the case of
the examples presenting the use of the word explicitly. Apart from the instances
where it could be interpreted in both ways, there are phrases which point to
the face or the eyes as the localisation of the smile. In the tenth Homeric hymn
to Aphrodite the goddess is presented as the one who “constantly has a smile
on her charming face” (-CÉUà92>ADU.ß2 U92616)2619), in the seventh book of the
Iliad Ajax enters combat “with a smile on the wild face” (92616IF:U/8<@B><5@6U
=><@K=.@620). All the doubts are dispelled by the Homeric hymn to Dionysos,
in which the god sits on a pirate ship “with a smile in the black eyes” (92616)F:U
-7)54A<Uë99.@6U7B.:*<6@621).
Thus it seems that the better rendering of the meaning of C68<99261+? is
given by those lexicographers who translate it as “eager to smile.” It is done by
the majority of etymologists. Boisacq22 in his dictionary translates C68<99261+?
in a way analogous to the abovementioned Greek-French dictionary “qui aime à
sourire, aimable, gai” (“who likes to smile, amiable, merry”). Chantraine23 limits
himself to short “souriant” (“smiling”). Thus, from the two types of “subordinate”
compounds distinguished by Brugmann24, the researchers are more favourable to
the translation of C68<99261+? based on case government. In such a case C68*F
(“love, like”) will be the superordinate element, while 9261)F (“smile”) will be the
subordinate one.
Only Frisk25 sees the structure of the compound C68<99261+? differently.
He notices the fact that the verb C68*F is a derivative of the adjective C,8<?,
17
Hesiod, Theogony, 40. Ed. Hugh. G. Evelyn-White, The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an
English Translation, Cambridge 1914 .
18
Sappho XXXI 5. Ed. Jerzy Danielewicz, Liryka starożytnej Grecji, Warszawa 2001.
19
H. Hom. X 2s.
20
Hom. Il. VII 212.
21
H. Hom. VII 14s.
22
Boisacq E., Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque, Heidelberg 1950, p. 620.
23
Chantraine P., Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque. Histoire des mots, Paris 1999,
p. 677.
24
Brugmann K., Griechische Grammatik. Lautlehre, Stammbildungs- und Flexionslehre, Syntax,
München 1913, p. 203.
25
Frisk H., Griechisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, vol. 2, Heidelberg 1973, p. 1018.
135
Święto – Zabawa – Uroczystość w świecie starożytnym
from which, according to this etymologist, one should derive the compound in
question. Hence this element would constitute a specification of the basic meaning of the word, which is “to smile”. This implies that the whole compound
should be understood as “hold lächelnd” (“smiling kindly”). As an example for
such a structure of a compound with C,8<?, Frisk gives the epithet C68IC>F:
– “kind-hearted”, “friendly-inclined.” He regards epithets like C68I@<C<? (“wisdom-loving”) or C68I;26:<? (“guest-loving”, “hospitable”), in which the morpheme C68 governs the second element of the compound, as belonging to a later
period and derivative of those which were mentioned earlier. Hence it seems that
it is more reasonable to translate C68<99261+? as “smiling kindly” rather than the
usual “laughter-loving.”
Let us accept this translation and discuss the context in which Aphrodite is
described as C68<99261+?. It should be marked that Hesiod26 uses this epithet in
a purely conventional way, and to such a degree as to apply it also to Glauconome,
the Nereid. Thus, the almost unnoticeable phonetic modification, in which Eustathios27 sees an influence of the Boeotian dialect, can be treated as a kind of play
with the convention. Hesiod is using the form C68<9941+?, which Lamberton28
translates as “she-who-is-intimately-associated-with-male-genitals” or “she-wholoves-male genitals”. In Theogony this epithet points to Aphrodite’s birth out of
the foam which gathered around the amputated phallus of Kronos, so it serves
the purpose of presenting a poetic etymology. Paradoxically, it seems that Hesiod’s creative approach to the highly conventionalised epithet C68<99261+? can
lead us to associations which it evoked in the minds of the Greek audience.
As we all know, Aphrodite was honoured as the goddess of love. Homer relates
her closely to “marital affairs” (±>0.U0)9<6<29). Yet, as noticed by Breitenberger30,
even a superficial reading of texts about the goddess leads to the conclusion that
she had not much in common with a legitimate marital bond. Giving examples
of adultery, she evokes irresistible associations with forbidden love, short-lasting
affair, cheating on a spouse or plain sexual act. If, then, the association between
Aphrodite and male genitals comes into mind naturally, one can wonder whether,
26
Hes. Th. 256.
Eust. Episcopus Thessalonicensis, Commentarii ad Homeri Iliadem et Odysseam, ad fidem exempli
Romani CCCCXXXIX 36. Ed. M. Van der Volk, 7 vols., Leipzig 1825–30.
28
Lamberton R., Hesiod, Yale 1988, p. 80.
29
Hom. Il. V 428.
30
Breitenberger B., Aphrodite and Eros. Development of Erotic Mythology in Early Greek Poetry and
Cult, New York 2007, p. 29.
27
136
What is Aphrodite laughing at?...
in Hesiod, it is the etymology which serves mythology or rather the other way
round. If then the fragment of Theogony in question is the earliest evidence of
a tradition competitive to Homer, who gave Zeus and Dione to Aphrodite as
parents, it seems not incongruous that Hesiod could create or just write down
the Boeotian version of the Kypris’ nativity myth. The dialectal form C68<9941+?
would then be an inspiration for associating Aphrodite with testicles (9+12.),
which would automatically come into minds of the Boeotians and seem to them
a natural consequence of the goddess’ image.
The close proximity31 of this peculiar etymology of the epithet C68<99261+?
and the word 92,149. (“a smile”) related to girls and love suggests that Hesiod
must have known the authentic origin of the compound. Seemingly, it appeared
so hackneyed to him as to make him attempt to play with its meaning. The thesis
about the strong conventionalisation of the adjective C68<99261+? is supported
by Privitera32, who quotes Homer and Homeric hymns. In fact the matter is not
that clear.
It is explicitly visible that the use of the epithet C68<99261+? in Homer is fully
justified when juxtaposed with the use of its more frequent (eight appearances
as compared to six appearances of the former) metrical equivalent 6 ?U5B0)A4>
(“Zeus’ daughter”). Kirk33, in his commentary to the Iliad, demonstrates that
the latter expression is used every time in more serious scenes when Aphrodite
departs from her role of the goddess of love and the emphasis is laid on her relation to the king of gods. Remarkably, both epithets often appear in different
contexts not far away from each other. In the third book of the Iliad34 Aphrodite
uses her power of a daughter of Zeus to rescue Paris by carrying him away from
the battlefield. A moment later35, however, when Helen, advised by the goddess,
dissuades her lover from fighting, which is followed by their going to bed, Aphrodite is again described as C68<99261+?. In the fourteenth book36, in the scene of
6 ?U•=)A2 (“deceiving Zeus”), Aphrodite is named 6 ?U5B0)A4> in relation to
the description of Hera as 5B0)A4>U920)8<6<U >I:<6< appearing in the following line, which is to accentuate the difference in their ranks37. A number of lines
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
Hes. Th. 205.
Privitera G. A., La rete di Afrodite . Studi du Saffo, Palermo 1974, p. 59.
Kirk G. S., The Iliad: A Commentary. Volume 1: Books 1 – 4, Cambridge 1993, p. 326.
Hom. Il. III 374.
Ib. III 424.
Ib. Il. XIV 193.
Friedrich R., Formular Economy in Homer. The Poetics of the Breaches, Stuttgart 2007, p. 112.
137
Święto – Zabawa – Uroczystość w świecie starożytnym
later38 Aphrodite, excited at the perspective of cunningly pushing Hera into Zeus’
embrace, is again described as C68<9261+?. In the eighth book39 of the Odyssey,
in Demodocus’ song about her affair with Ares, Hephaistos appeals to Zeus’ fatherhood while complaining about his daughter’s misconduct. In the same story40
Aphrodite C68<99261+?, already freed from her bondage, appearing to be almost
amused by the altogether humiliating situation, goes to her homeland, Cyprus,
where she is bathed, anointed and beautifully clad.
As can be seen in all the abovementioned cases, the goddess is involved either
directly or indirectly in love affairs. At the same time in all these episodes there
is another important element, which is deception. Aphrodite appears to Helen
incognito, as a familiar spinster. Yet in the story by Demodocus, she is cunningly
punished for her secret dates with Ares. The scene of 6 ? •=)A4, in which the
goddess believes she is deceiving Hera, while in fact she is being deceived herself41
is a masterpiece. Hesiod42 also introduces Aphrodite’s domain combining both
aspects by mentioning “smiles, deceptions, sweet delight and love as sweet as
honey” together (“9261+9.A)U A2U -;.=)?U A2U cU A*>E6:U A2U 08B72>+:U C68IA4A)U A2U
92686D,4:UA2”). What is interesting is that, in the ancient world, cunning was not
necessarily regarded as evil. Beside the classic example of Odysseus =<8JA><=<?,
we can set his wife, who was admired because of her deception, consisting in ripping her work every night43.
An interesting example of this twofold connotation of the epithet C68<99261+?
is in the fifth Homeric hymn to Aphrodite, in which this adjective is used four
times, the last almost precisely in the middle of the poem. In line 49 Zeus wants
to punish Aphrodite C68<99261+?, who torments other gods by causing desire.
Seven lines later the goddess spots young Anchises, with whom she immediately
falls in love, and starts preparing to seduce him. The following nine lines are
occupied by Aphrodite’s making up and dressing, and then – again described
as C68<99261+? – she goes to Troy (one could add that she is going to conquer
Troy). Finally, in line 155, the goddess succeeds in her endeavours and Anchises
takes her to bed. After that scene the epithet is not used anymore. One can get
the impression that it is used exclusively in seduction scenes. From the decision of
38
39
40
41
42
43
Hom. Il. XIV 211.
Id. Od. VIII 308.
Ib. VIII 362.
Janko R., The Iliad: A Commentary. Volume IV: Books 13 – 16, Cambridge 1992, pp. 183s.
Hes. Th. 205.
Johnson M., Sappho, Bristol 2007, p. 45.
138
What is Aphrodite laughing at?...
Zeus till the final victory the author is creating suspense growing with Aphrodite
approaching her goal. In the second part of the poem the tension is released and
the famous smile is no longer needed.
It seems that the question of Aphrodite’s friendly attitude should be verified,
as the smile is to serve iniquitous purposes. The image of the goddess resulting
from the fragments related above seems to exclude perceiving her smile as honest, but rather assumes a kind of amusement or even malice. Some counterpoint
to this reception is, according to some researchers, the first song by Sappho, in
which the poetess describes the epiphany of the goddess. Aphrodite descends
from the heavens “with a smile on her immortal face” (92616.,@.@ÉU •5.:)AF6U
=><@K=F644) to help her protégée in her emotional need. Saake45 treats this smile
with utter seriousness, as kind and full of empathy. Page46, on the other hand, suggests a completely ironic reading of the poem, and also of the fragment describing
the smile. According to this scholar, song I is characterised by self-irony and the
poetess’ distance towards herself, which makes Aphrodite speak the following
raillery: “Why do you take the affair so seriously, and why do you keep plaguing
me, when you know very well that roles will soon be reversed?47” Probably this
judgement on the relationship between the goddess and Sappho is too harsh. If
Aphrodite has already helped the poetess a number of times, and she counts on
her help this time, then the smile in question must at least to some extent express
sympathy – yet not devoid of slight mockery and indulgent tone.
In the face of such significance of texts describing Aphrodite’s smile, we should
search for an explanation for the inconsistency between the morpheme C68 and
the overtones of mockery, which appear every time we deal with the deceptions
of the goddess of love. We have at least a few possibilities of interpretation. Firstly,
we can assume that the kindness in Aphrodite’s smile is dishonest and describing
it as “friendly” merely corresponds to the addressee’s point of view. Yet, when we
look at the characters to which the goddess directs her smile, we can hardly find
any whom the goddess does not like at least a bit. It seems that the hypothesis of
some mix of kindness and delicate, friendly mockery is closer to the truth. Even if
we do not deal with the goddess’s favourites: Paris, Sappho or Anchises, Aphrodite
44
Sapph. I 14.
Saake H., Zur Kunst Sapphos. Motiv-analytische und kompositionstechnische Interpretationen,
München 1971, p. 51.
46
Page D., Sappho and Alcaeus. An Introduction to the Study of Ancient Lesbian Poetry, Oxford 1955,
pp. 14s.
47
Ib. p. 15.
45
139
Święto – Zabawa – Uroczystość w świecie starożytnym
seems to be amused with all kinds of unusual love situations. Although she is not
in a close friendship with Hera, at least since the time of Peleus and Thetys’ wedding, when she thinks of provoking a secret date of the divine spouses, she is as
amused as a child who prepares a trick with a roguish smile.
There is also a third option, which could be successfully connected to the
previous one. We should not forget that “kind, friendly”, which is the translation
we accepted for the adjective C,8<?, is not the primary one in the Homeric language. As demonstrated by Chantraine48, this word appears in the passive meaning of “beloved”, which derives from the earlier “one’s own”. Thus probably in
the old, as it seems from the structure, compound C68<99261+?, resounds the
reminiscence of the original use of the adjective C,8<?, which Frisk49 relates to
Slavic and Celto-Germanic cores. In such a case the epithet C68<99261+? would
gain another shade of meaning, which could be rendered as “smiling in her own
way”. The characteristic feature of this “smiling in her own way” would be precisely the mixture of liking and mocking. However, we should not forget that the
grounds for this thesis are not strong enough to force it as a main proposition of
interpretation.
Before we finish, let us mention the cases in the Iliad where yet another view
on the epithet should be adapted. In the fifth book50 Aphrodite is complaining
to her mother about the fact that she has been injured by Diomedes. At this moment the adjective C68<99261+? seems to emphasise the incompatibility of the
personality of the sensitive, merry goddess with the situation of war in which
she is involved. Similarly, in the fourth book51 by means of the usual epithet the
attitudes of the stronger, more determined goddesses: Hera and Athena towards
Menelaus and Aphrodite’s relationship to her favoured Paris are contrasted. Finally, the twentieth book52 brings the catalogue of deities supporting Troy, in
which the name of the goddess of love appears with the adjective C68<99261+? for
the last time. This epithet could be again regarded as another attempt at presenting the goddess in a situation unnatural to her. Friedrich53, on the other hand,
sees here an allusion to causing war by Aphrodite playing with love. In all these
fragments it seems more adequate to translate C68<99261+? as “eager to smile”, as
48
49
50
51
52
53
Chantraine, Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque. Histoire des mots, p. 1204.
Frisk, Griechisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, vol. 2, p. 1020.
Hom. Il. V 375.
Ib. X 41.
Ib. XX 39.
Friedrich, Formular Economy in Homer. The Poetics of the Breaches, p. 111.
140
What is Aphrodite laughing at?...
they highlight the distance between the goddess’ personality and the conditions
of war. Yet, it seems that in the whole surviving archaic Greek poetry such cases
are in the minority. Probably then, the mixture of both possible meanings of
C68<99261+? in Homer is an evidence for the conventionalisation and a change
of the way of understanding this kind of compounds, which must have happened
in that epoch.
141