Anadyomene
The wide, bright temple of the world I found,
And entered from the dizzy infinite
That I might kneel and worship thee in it;
Leaving the singing stars their ceaseless round
Of silver music sound on orbed sound,
For measured spaces where the shrines are lit,
And men with wisdom or with little wit
Implore the gods that mercy may abound.
Ah, Aphrodite, was it not from thee
My summons came across the endless spaces?
Mother of Love, turn not thy face from me
Now that I seek for thee in human faces;
Answer my prayer or set my spirit free
Again to drift along the starry places.
The title 'Anadyomene' is an epithet of Aphrodite (Venus), which was expressive of her having sprung from the foam of the sea. There was a famous painting by Apelles where she was represented under this title as if she just emerged from the sea and in the act of wringing her hair. The painting was created for the temple of Asclepius at Cos, which was taken to Rome, Augustus in part gave payment of tribute and set it up in the temple of Cæsar.There have been several paintings of this from that period on.The painting above is said to be painted by Titian (Tiziano Vecellio) (1485-1576)
