The World Is Mine: A fanmix for the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite
Despite the name, the Homeric Hymns are 33 anonymous poems for Greek gods. In the past, they were erroneously attributed to Homer, which is why the hymns are known as Homeric Hymns.
The Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, tells of her pride in being able to make anyone except three goddesses, Athena, Artemis and Hestia, fall in love. As a result of her pride, Zeus makes her fall in love with Anchises. After copulating, she is pregnant with his son, Aeneas. Before she leaves Anchises, she compares her fate to that of Zeus and Eos and their mortal lovers. She promises to bring his son back to him after he is born, and the Hymn ends.
Tracks (along with excerpts from the Hymn):
1. Hooverphonic: "The World Is Mine"
Cause the world is mine
I won't stop this time
Cause the world is mine
And I'm feeling so divine
Muse, tell me the deeds of golden Aphrodite the Cyprian, who stirs up sweet passion in the gods and subdues the tribes of mortal men and birds that fly in air and all the many creatures that the dry land rears, and all that the sea: all these love the deeds of rich-crowned Cytherea.
2. Massive Attack: "Better Things"
That's freedom without love,
Magic without love, magic without love
Yet there are three hearts that she cannot bend nor yet ensnare. […]
Of these three Aphrodite cannot bend or ensnare the hearts.
3. Fever Ray: "If I Had a Heart"
This will never end 'cause I want more
More, give me more, give me more
But upon Aphrodite herself Zeus cast sweet desire to be joined in love with a mortal man, to the end that, very soon, not even she should be innocent of a mortal's love; lest laughter-loving Aphrodite should one day softly smile and say mockingly among all the gods that she had joined the gods in love with mortal women who bare sons of death to the deathless gods, and had mated the goddesses with mortal men.
And so he put in her heart sweet desire for Anchises who at that time among the steep hills of many-fountained Ida was tending cattle, and in shape was like the immortal gods. Therefore, when laughter-loving Aphrodite saw him, she loved him, and terribly desire seized her in her heart.
4. Goldfrapp: "Human"
Are you human or a dud?
Are you human or d'you make it up?
Anchises: “If you are a mortal and a woman was the mother who bare you, and Otreus of famous name is your father as you say, and if you are come here by the will of Hermes the immortal Guide, and are to be called my wife always, then neither god nor mortal man shall here restrain me till I have lain with you in love right now; no, not even if far-shooting Apollo himself should launch grievous shafts from his silver bow. Willingly would I go down into the house of Hades, O lady, beautiful as the goddesses, once I had gone up to your bed.”
5. Royksopp: "Happy Up Here"
You know I really like it
I know I'll always be here
You know it makes my heart beat
You know I'm happy up here
Aphrodite, telling Anchises the tale of Zeus and Gayenmede: "Verily wise Zeus carried off golden-haired Ganymedes because of his beauty, to be amongst the Deathless Ones and pour drink for the gods in the house of Zeus - a wonder to see-,honored by all the immortals as he draws the red nectar from the golden bowl."
6. Thievery Corporation: "Heaven's Gonna Burn Your Eyes"
Do you applaud fear
Do you hold it near
Are you afraid to live your life
The way I perceive
In my arms I'll catch you
Do you mind If I always love you
Heaven's gonna burn your eyes
Aphrodite, telling the tale of Eos and Tithonus: "So also golden-throned Eos rapt away Tithonus who was of your race and like the deathless gods. And she went to ask the dark-clouded Son of Cronos that he should be deathless and live eternally; and Zeus bowed his head to her prayer and fulfilled her desire. Too simple was queenly Eos: she thought not in her heart to ask youth for him and to strip him of the slough of deadly age. So while he enjoyed the sweet flower of life he lived rapturously with golden-throned Eos, the early-born, by the streams of Ocean, at the ends of the earth; but when the first grey hairs began to ripple from his comely head and noble chin, queenly Eos kept away from his bed, though she cherished him in her house and nourished him with food and ambrosia and gave him rich clothing. But when loathsome old age pressed full upon him, and he could not move nor lift his limbs, this seemed to her in her heart the best counsel: she laid him in a room and put to the shining doors. There he babbles endlessly, and no more has strength at all, such as once he had in his supple limbs."
7. Zero 7: "The Pageant of the Bizarre"
We will never be
A nuclear family
But a rainbow will begin at our feet
Aphrodite: "These Nymphs shall keep my son with them and rear him, and as soon as he is come to lovely boyhood, the goddesses will bring him here to you and show you your child. But, that I may tell you all that I have in mind, I will come here again towards the fifth year and bring you my son. So soon as ever you have seen him -a scion to delight the eyes -, you will rejoice in beholding him; for he shall be most godlike: then bring him at once to windy Ilion."
8. Telepopmusik: "Another Day"
From here on in, you're on your own. Have fun and good luck.
When the goddess had so spoken, she soared up to windy heaven.
Hail, goddess, queen of well-builded Cyprus! with you have I begun; now I will turn me to another hymn.
now a streaming only mix
stream @ YouTube
The Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, tells of her pride in being able to make anyone except three goddesses, Athena, Artemis and Hestia, fall in love. As a result of her pride, Zeus makes her fall in love with Anchises. After copulating, she is pregnant with his son, Aeneas. Before she leaves Anchises, she compares her fate to that of Zeus and Eos and their mortal lovers. She promises to bring his son back to him after he is born, and the Hymn ends.
Tracks (along with excerpts from the Hymn):
1. Hooverphonic: "The World Is Mine"
Cause the world is mine
I won't stop this time
Cause the world is mine
And I'm feeling so divine
Muse, tell me the deeds of golden Aphrodite the Cyprian, who stirs up sweet passion in the gods and subdues the tribes of mortal men and birds that fly in air and all the many creatures that the dry land rears, and all that the sea: all these love the deeds of rich-crowned Cytherea.
2. Massive Attack: "Better Things"
That's freedom without love,
Magic without love, magic without love
Yet there are three hearts that she cannot bend nor yet ensnare. […]
Of these three Aphrodite cannot bend or ensnare the hearts.
3. Fever Ray: "If I Had a Heart"
This will never end 'cause I want more
More, give me more, give me more
But upon Aphrodite herself Zeus cast sweet desire to be joined in love with a mortal man, to the end that, very soon, not even she should be innocent of a mortal's love; lest laughter-loving Aphrodite should one day softly smile and say mockingly among all the gods that she had joined the gods in love with mortal women who bare sons of death to the deathless gods, and had mated the goddesses with mortal men.
And so he put in her heart sweet desire for Anchises who at that time among the steep hills of many-fountained Ida was tending cattle, and in shape was like the immortal gods. Therefore, when laughter-loving Aphrodite saw him, she loved him, and terribly desire seized her in her heart.
4. Goldfrapp: "Human"
Are you human or a dud?
Are you human or d'you make it up?
Anchises: “If you are a mortal and a woman was the mother who bare you, and Otreus of famous name is your father as you say, and if you are come here by the will of Hermes the immortal Guide, and are to be called my wife always, then neither god nor mortal man shall here restrain me till I have lain with you in love right now; no, not even if far-shooting Apollo himself should launch grievous shafts from his silver bow. Willingly would I go down into the house of Hades, O lady, beautiful as the goddesses, once I had gone up to your bed.”
5. Royksopp: "Happy Up Here"
You know I really like it
I know I'll always be here
You know it makes my heart beat
You know I'm happy up here
Aphrodite, telling Anchises the tale of Zeus and Gayenmede: "Verily wise Zeus carried off golden-haired Ganymedes because of his beauty, to be amongst the Deathless Ones and pour drink for the gods in the house of Zeus - a wonder to see-,honored by all the immortals as he draws the red nectar from the golden bowl."
6. Thievery Corporation: "Heaven's Gonna Burn Your Eyes"
Do you applaud fear
Do you hold it near
Are you afraid to live your life
The way I perceive
In my arms I'll catch you
Do you mind If I always love you
Heaven's gonna burn your eyes
Aphrodite, telling the tale of Eos and Tithonus: "So also golden-throned Eos rapt away Tithonus who was of your race and like the deathless gods. And she went to ask the dark-clouded Son of Cronos that he should be deathless and live eternally; and Zeus bowed his head to her prayer and fulfilled her desire. Too simple was queenly Eos: she thought not in her heart to ask youth for him and to strip him of the slough of deadly age. So while he enjoyed the sweet flower of life he lived rapturously with golden-throned Eos, the early-born, by the streams of Ocean, at the ends of the earth; but when the first grey hairs began to ripple from his comely head and noble chin, queenly Eos kept away from his bed, though she cherished him in her house and nourished him with food and ambrosia and gave him rich clothing. But when loathsome old age pressed full upon him, and he could not move nor lift his limbs, this seemed to her in her heart the best counsel: she laid him in a room and put to the shining doors. There he babbles endlessly, and no more has strength at all, such as once he had in his supple limbs."
7. Zero 7: "The Pageant of the Bizarre"
We will never be
A nuclear family
But a rainbow will begin at our feet
Aphrodite: "These Nymphs shall keep my son with them and rear him, and as soon as he is come to lovely boyhood, the goddesses will bring him here to you and show you your child. But, that I may tell you all that I have in mind, I will come here again towards the fifth year and bring you my son. So soon as ever you have seen him -a scion to delight the eyes -, you will rejoice in beholding him; for he shall be most godlike: then bring him at once to windy Ilion."
8. Telepopmusik: "Another Day"
From here on in, you're on your own. Have fun and good luck.
When the goddess had so spoken, she soared up to windy heaven.
Hail, goddess, queen of well-builded Cyprus! with you have I begun; now I will turn me to another hymn.
now a streaming only mix
stream @ YouTube