Jackson’s Deception of Zeus or Cyrino’s Inferiority of Hera?

While researching for my other blog entries about the relations between Aphrodite and Zeus I read Cyrino’s Aphrodite[i] and Jackson’s Father-Daughter Dynamics in the Iliad: the Role of Aphrodite in Defining Zeus’ Regime[ii]. Both works have an account of the Dios Apate episode in Book 14 of the Iliad but the two interpretations are polar opposites. But in this entry I want to voice a third option.

 Hera Campana. Marble, Roman copy of an hellenistic original, 2nd century AD. Louvre Museum, Paris

Jackson believes that Hera is using Aphrodite’s seductive power to subdue Zeus in order that the other gods could fight unhindered and give advantage to the Greeks in battle. Hera asks Aphrodite if she can borrow the “ornate sash” which contains Aphrodite’s powers of desire and seduction because she wants to unite the quarrelling Tethys and Okeanos. But Hera had “every intention to deceive”[iii]; she used Aphrodite’s power on Zeus giving Poseidon the chance to assist the Argives in bettering the Trojans. Jackson states that whilst this scene recognises Aphrodite’s “awesome power”[iv] it also removes Aphrodite’s power from her control then turns it against Aphrodite and her beloved Trojans. Jackson’s Aphrodite is naive and is easily depowered by Hera.

Jackson's article is printed in this book published by Brill

However, Cyrino believes that Aphrodite recognised that Hera was lying, and knew that Hera would use the charm on Zeus. Hence why she answered Hera’s request by saying “How could I ... refuse someone Who sleeps in the arms of almighty Zeus?”[v] Cyrino views it that Aphrodite has gained the upper hand because Hera has had to come to her effectively to ask for help in her marriage to Zeus; as without Aphrodite’s powers she could not guarantee seducing Zeus and distracting him.[vi]

The cover of Cyrino's book published by Routledge

I however believe that Aphrodite knew exactly what she was doing and allowed Hera to use her power to seduce Zeus so that she could gain the upper hand over both of them. Zeus had forbidden the gods to intervene in the Trojan War and it was a strain for the gods to obey. By helping Hera distract Zeus it left the gods open to completely rebel against his rule.

Jupiter and Juno on Mount Ida by James Barry, 1773 (City Art Galleries, Sheffield.)

But Aphrodite would have also liked getting one over Hera. Relations between them were often hostile for example Hera (with Athena) mocked Aphrodite’s efforts in battle[vii] After Aphrodite fell pregnant by Zeus Hera cursed the unborn Priapus resulting in him being born with unnaturally large genitals leaving him exiled from Olympus. Whilst Aphrodite favoured the Trojans and would do almost anything for them, her pride was more important. Hera had been antagonistic so Aphrodite would have relished the chance to be superior. Aphrodite was a powerful goddess and would have liked that both she and Hera would have known Hera was subordinate to Aphrodite on this occasion.

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[i] Cyrino, Monica S. Aphrodite. London: Routledge (2010)

[ii] Jackson, Kassandra. Father-Daughter Dynamics in the Iliad: the Role of Aphrodite in Defining Zeus’ Regime. Brill’s Companion to Aphrodite. Eds. Smith, Amy C. and Pickup, Sadie. Brill (2010)

[iii] Homer, Iliad, Book 14, lines 197-207 trans. Stanley Lombardo. Indianapolis: Hackett (1997) pp. 271

[iv] Jackoson, Father-Daughter Dynamics, pp. 157

[v] Homer, Book 14, lines 212-14 pp. 271

[vi] Cyrino, Aphrodite, pp. 36-7

[vii] Homer, Iliad, Book 5 lines 419-426


Bibliography


Cyrino, Monica S. Aphrodite. London: Routledge (2010)
Homer, Iliad, Book 14, lines 197-207 trans. Stanley Lombardo. Indianapolis: Hackett (1997)
Jackson, Kassandra. Father-Daughter Dynamics in the Iliad: the Role of Aphrodite in Defining Zeus’ Regime. Brill’s Companion to Aphrodite. Eds. Smith, Amy C. and Pickup, Sadie. Brill