In Greek mythology , Hymen was described as the god of marriage ceremonies, inspiring feast and song.
According to Greek mythology, Hymen was supposed to attend every wedding. If he did not then the marriage would supposedly prove disastrous. In Greek art Hymen was described as a young man wearing a garland of flowers and holding a burning torch in one hand. Hymen was the son of Apollo and one of the Muses or Dionysus and Aphrodite.
According to other version, Hymen was described as an Athenian youth of such delicate beauty, that he might be taken for a girl. Hymen fell in love with a beautiful girl, who refused to listen to him. So Hymen in the disguise of a girl, followed her to Eleusis to the festival of goddess Demeter. He, together with the other girls, was carried off by pirates into a distant and desolate country. Hymen encouraged the women and plotted strategy with them, and together they killed pirates .
Hymen returned to Athens, requesting the citizens to give him his beloved in marriage, if he restored to them the maidens who had been carried off by the pirates. His request was granted, and his marriage was extremely happy. For this reason he was invoked in the hymeneal songs.
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Hymen, Aphrodite and Eros................ |
According to Greek mythology, Hymen was supposed to attend every wedding. If he did not then the marriage would supposedly prove disastrous. In Greek art Hymen was described as a young man wearing a garland of flowers and holding a burning torch in one hand. Hymen was the son of Apollo and one of the Muses or Dionysus and Aphrodite.
Hymen and Eros |
According to other version, Hymen was described as an Athenian youth of such delicate beauty, that he might be taken for a girl. Hymen fell in love with a beautiful girl, who refused to listen to him. So Hymen in the disguise of a girl, followed her to Eleusis to the festival of goddess Demeter. He, together with the other girls, was carried off by pirates into a distant and desolate country. Hymen encouraged the women and plotted strategy with them, and together they killed pirates .
Hymen returned to Athens, requesting the citizens to give him his beloved in marriage, if he restored to them the maidens who had been carried off by the pirates. His request was granted, and his marriage was extremely happy. For this reason he was invoked in the hymeneal songs.
Index......