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The three Graces - Peter Paul Rubens

THE GRACES

In ancient Greece, the Graces symbolized all that was noble, beautiful and pure that had ever existed on the face of the earth. They represented the ideal of modesty, of impeccable behavior and affability. "Grace" (in Greek, Charis) meant, first of all, the joy radiated by one who exemplifies nobility of sentiment, as well as the joy and pleasure he spreads not only throughout the external world but also in the hearts of men. It was also synonymous with grace and amiability, beneficence and gratitude.

The Graces were said to be the daughters of Zeus and Eurynome (one of the daughters of Oceanus), although other versions of their parentage mentioned Hera, Eunomia, Lethe and Aphrodite, and Uranus or Dionysus. There was also some ambiguity as to their number and their names, which varied from place to place. In the most distant past, their number was either one or two, and they were known as the wives of major gods or as divinities who rendered services to Aphrodite.

Homer first mentions a Grace who was the wife of Hephaeastus. He also tells the story of one of the Graces who was married to Hypnos (=Sleep): Hera had promised her to this god, in exchange for his service in putting Zeus to sleep so that the gods could involve themselves in the Trojan War. At a later period, the Graces were generally considered to be three inseparable sisters, daughters of Zeus and Eurynome, named Aglaia (Brightness), Euphrosyne (Joyfulness) and Thalia (Bloom). They inhabited the summit of Mount Olympus, from where they arranged all things, ceaselessly singing hymns of praise to their father, the king of the gods. They spent much of their life feasting, as their presence was essential at the banquets of the gods: without the Graces, there could be neither pleasure nor dancing. They usually sat next to Apollo, praising Zeus and adorning the assemblies with their presence and their melodious voices.

They were also, with Hebe, Ganymede, the Horses, Harmony and Aphroditr, the dancers of the Olympian company. They were besides extremely fond of music, singing, poetry, dancing and rhetoric, and are very often found in company with the Muses. It was the Graces who bestowed on mortals all the wealth and the virtues they possessed: beauty, wisdom, glory - even entertainment, pleasure, joy and happiness were their doing. But above all they were the goddesses of physical grace and of the beauty which enchants. It was they who bestowed upon mortals the allurements that encourage love and pleasure, in the noblest and most seemly dimension of these terms. In this way, human life acquires substance and significance. Moreover, the Graces themselves had many gifts, and were able to excite desire: their hair, face and hands shone with an effulgent beauty, and their deportment was everything that is graceful. The Graces may be likened to a "Triple Aphrodite", for their Venus-like character is both evident and effusive. Aphrodite, for her part, is the divinity with whom mythology mainly associates them, as she was the goddess of love and beauty; together with Eros and Peitho, the Graces were her most constant companions.

Once Aphrodite had an unpleasant adventure: she had been caught in the net of Hephaestus, together with her lover, Ares; afterwards, she sought refuge in Paphos, on the island of Cyprus, where the Graces assumed her care - bathing her, anointing her body with everlasting oil, robing her in wonderful garments and adorning her. In the same manner and with equal care they set off her celestial beauty, when she was preparing to seduce the Trojan Anchises. This 'aphrodisiac' character is also seen in their mastery of the art of preparing perfumed oils to make the skin smell sweet, thus reinforcing erotic desire. They were in fact renowned for their skill as perfumers.

The Graces had good relationships with many other gods, and no dispute could ever affect them. They often accompanied Zeus and Hera, together with Dionysus, Demeter, Hermes, Hephaestus and Athena. When the infant Apollo began to play his lyre, the Graces and the other goddesses at once began to dance. And when Artemis entered her brother's temple at Delphi, the Graces joined with the Muses in singing the praises of their mother. Without these divinities, Mount Olympus would have been entirely lacking in grace. Indeed, at the divine banquets the first cup was dedicated to the Graces, to Dionysus and to the Hores.

There were several places of worship dedicated to the Graces, throughout the length and breadth of Greece: in Athens, indeed, they had a temple on the Acropolis and statues in the heart of the city. The most ancient sanctuary of the Graces was located in Orchomenus in Boeotia, where as legend has it, three rough stones were dropped from heaven. These stones were regarded as representing the three Graces, and people made their offerings there, later dedicating statues to the goddesses. The cult of these "heaven-sent stones" shows that the concept of their celestial origin was general. Indeed, many held that their father was Uranus; this is reinforced by the fact that in many places their names and worship have been associated with, the goddess of the Moon. In Boeotia, special festivities, called "Charitiae", were held in honor of the Graces; these included both music and poetry. At night, the assembled multitude would dance and offer up cakes made of flour and honey. These festivities were very similar to real "mysteries", with the Graces venerated as natural deities, offering fertility to the plant kingdom.


	LeKnight Image Directory \| home EM1 \| EM2 \| EM3 \| EM4 \| EM5 \| EM6 \| EM7 \| EM8 \| EM9 \| EM10 \| EM11 \| EM12 \| EM13 \| EM14 \| EM15 \| EM16 \| EM17 \| EM18 \| EM19 \| EM20 \| EM21 \| EM22 \| EM23 \| EM24 \| EM25 \| EM26 \| EM27 \| EM28 \| EM29 \| EM30 \| EM31 \| EM32 \| EM33 \| EM34 \| EM35 \| EM36 \| EM37 \| EM38 \| EM39 \| EM40 \| EM41 \| EM42 \| EM43 \| EM44 \| EM45 \| EM46 \| EM47 \| EM48 \| EM49 \| EM50 \| EM51 \| EM52 \| EM53 \| EM54 \| EM55 \| EM56 \| EM57 \| EM58 \| EM59 \| EM60 \| EM61 \| EM62 \| EM63 \| EM64 \| EM65 EM1 back < < The three Graces - Peter Paul Rubens THE GRACES In ancient Greece, the Graces symbolized all that was noble, beautiful and pure that had ever existed on the face of the earth. They represented the ideal of modesty, of impeccable behavior and affability. "Grace" (in Greek, Charis) meant, first of all, the joy radiated by one who exemplifies nobility of sentiment, as well as the joy and pleasure he spreads not only throughout the external world but also in the hearts of men. It was also synonymous with grace and amiability, beneficence and gratitude. The Graces were said to be the daughters of Zeus and Eurynome (one of the daughters of Oceanus), although other versions of their parentage mentioned Hera, Eunomia, Lethe and Aphrodite, and Uranus or Dionysus. There was also some ambiguity as to their number and their names, which varied from place to place. In the most distant past, their number was either one or two, and they were known as the wives of major gods or as divinities who rendered services to Aphrodite. Homer first mentions a Grace who was the wife of Hephaeastus. He also tells the story of one of the Graces who was married to Hypnos (=Sleep): Hera had promised her to this god, in exchange for his service in putting Zeus to sleep so that the gods could involve themselves in the Trojan War. At a later period, the Graces were generally considered to be three inseparable sisters, daughters of Zeus and Eurynome, named Aglaia (Brightness), Euphrosyne (Joyfulness) and Thalia (Bloom). They inhabited the summit of Mount Olympus, from where they arranged all things, ceaselessly singing hymns of praise to their father, the king of the gods. They spent much of their life feasting, as their presence was essential at the banquets of the gods: without the Graces, there could be neither pleasure nor dancing. They usually sat next to Apollo, praising Zeus and adorning the assemblies with their presence and their melodious voices. They were also, with Hebe, Ganymede, the Horses, Harmony and Aphroditr, the dancers of the Olympian company. They were besides extremely fond of music, singing, poetry, dancing and rhetoric, and are very often found in company with the Muses. It was the Graces who bestowed on mortals all the wealth and the virtues they possessed: beauty, wisdom, glory - even entertainment, pleasure, joy and happiness were their doing. But above all they were the goddesses of physical grace and of the beauty which enchants. It was they who bestowed upon mortals the allurements that encourage love and pleasure, in the noblest and most seemly dimension of these terms. In this way, human life acquires substance and significance. Moreover, the Graces themselves had many gifts, and were able to excite desire: their hair, face and hands shone with an effulgent beauty, and their deportment was everything that is graceful. The Graces may be likened to a "Triple Aphrodite", for their Venus-like character is both evident and effusive. Aphrodite, for her part, is the divinity with whom mythology mainly associates them, as she was the goddess of love and beauty; together with Eros and Peitho, the Graces were her most constant companions. Once Aphrodite had an unpleasant adventure: she had been caught in the net of Hephaestus, together with her lover, Ares; afterwards, she sought refuge in Paphos, on the island of Cyprus, where the Graces assumed her care - bathing her, anointing her body with everlasting oil, robing her in wonderful garments and adorning her. In the same manner and with equal care they set off her celestial beauty, when she was preparing to seduce the Trojan Anchises. This 'aphrodisiac' character is also seen in their mastery of the art of preparing perfumed oils to make the skin smell sweet, thus reinforcing erotic desire. They were in fact renowned for their skill as perfumers. The Graces had good relationships with many other gods, and no dispute could ever affect them. They often accompanied Zeus and Hera, together with Dionysus, Demeter, Hermes, Hephaestus and Athena. When the infant Apollo began to play his lyre, the Graces and the other goddesses at once began to dance. And when Artemis entered her brother's temple at Delphi, the Graces joined with the Muses in singing the praises of their mother. Without these divinities, Mount Olympus would have been entirely lacking in grace. Indeed, at the divine banquets the first cup was dedicated to the Graces, to Dionysus and to the Hores. There were several places of worship dedicated to the Graces, throughout the length and breadth of Greece: in Athens, indeed, they had a temple on the Acropolis and statues in the heart of the city. The most ancient sanctuary of the Graces was located in Orchomenus in Boeotia, where as legend has it, three rough stones were dropped from heaven. These stones were regarded as representing the three Graces, and people made their offerings there, later dedicating statues to the goddesses. The cult of these "heaven-sent stones" shows that the concept of their celestial origin was general. Indeed, many held that their father was Uranus; this is reinforced by the fact that in many places their names and worship have been associated with, the goddess of the Moon. In Boeotia, special festivities, called "Charitiae", were held in honor of the Graces; these included both music and poetry. At night, the assembled multitude would dance and offer up cakes made of flour and honey. These festivities were very similar to real "mysteries", with the Graces venerated as natural deities, offering fertility to the plant kingdom.