— Ch. 1 · Divine Seduction On Mount Ida —
Anchises.
~5 min read · Ch. 1 of 7
Aphrodite descended to the hills of Mount Ida while Anchises herded his cattle. The mortal man possessed beauty that rivaled an immortal god. She bathed in Cyprus before returning to the Troad disguised as a Phrygian princess. Hermes had supposedly brought her there to marry him, she claimed. Anchises felt immediate desire and demanded she stay with him. They made love inside a small hut on the mountain slopes. Afterward Aphrodite put him into a deep sleep and dressed herself. When he woke she revealed her true identity as the goddess of love. He trembled with terror and regret at having slept with a deity. She comforted him by promising they would have a son named Aeneas. Her warning was clear: Zeus would strike him down if he told anyone about their union. He ignored the threat and spoke of the encounter to others. Thunder struck him from the sky and left him either blind or dead.
Carrying The Household Gods From Troy
The city of Troy burned as Aeneas rushed home to save his father. Anchises refused to flee the destruction and ordered his son to leave without him. Aeneas declared they would all die together within the walls of the burning city. His wife Creusa argued against this decision while they stood amidst the chaos. A painless flame appeared on the head of young Ascanius during their argument. This sign convinced Anchises to pray to Jupiter for guidance. Thunder rumbled and a falling star streaked across the dark sky above them. He finally agreed to go willingly with his family out of the ruins. Aeneas carried his elderly father upon his back through the smoke and fire. Anchises held their household gods in his hands as they walked away. Their small son Ascanius followed beside them into the night. Creusa trailed behind but was killed during the escape attempt. They eventually met other fleeing Trojans who joined their group.Death In Sicily And Funeral Games
Storms forced the Trojan refugees to stop at Sicily many years after leaving Troy. It had been one full year since Anchises died there. Aeneas declared that a festival must be held in honor of his deceased father. Rituals were performed and sacrifices made at the tomb of Anchises. On the ninth day he organized funeral games for the dead man. These events included a boat race, foot race, mock battle, boxing match, and archery contest. The Trojan women grew tired of traveling and set fire to their ships. Most vessels were saved by Jupiter but Aeneas lost heart over the loss. The ghost of Anchises appeared to encourage him to continue the journey. He told Aeneas to leave the weary people in Sicily and take only the strongest to Italy. Before departing Aeneas established that a priest should attend to his father's tomb. That tract of land became designated woodland for future generations.