A Night With… The death of Adonis: love, death, rebirth
About this Event
Join us for the new session of our discussion series “A Night With…”, where we dive into timeless myths and their universal messages.
Let’s continue the conversation around Aphrodite, this time with one of Greek mythology’s most famous tragedies, binding together themes of intense love, jealousy, and the cycles of nature !
What to expect:
- I will open the meetup with a short introduction to Adonis’s death myth and share (or suggest) a few possible interpretations and connections.
- After that, the floor is yours! Bring your thoughts, reflections, and any links you see between this myth and other domains, e.g. literature, art, philosophy, psychology, history or even your own creative work.
- If you’re an artist and your work resonates with the divine twins' story, feel free to share it with the group.
Before the event:
Take 5 minutes to read the quick snippet of Adonis’ story (provided below👇🏽) and think of:
- A book, artwork, or personal reflection that relates to her story.
- Any modern parallels or insights you’d like to discuss.
This is a space for open dialogue, creativity, and shared exploration.
🥀The Death of Adonis in Brief
🙌🏿Chaper 1. The Forewarning
Adonis was a mortal youth of such extraordinary, breathtaking beauty that even Aphrodite (Venus), the goddess of love, fell deeply and helplessly in love with him. She left her home on Mount Olympus to wander the forests with him, abandoning her usual divine pursuits just to be near him.
Because he was mortal and loved the thrill of the hunt, Aphrodite was constantly terrified for his safety. She frequently warned him never to hunt dangerous, apex predators like lions, bears, or wild boars, telling him that courage against the savage is not safe.
🏿 Chaper 2. The Fatal Hunt
One day, while Aphrodite was away flying to Cyprus in her swan-drawn chariot, Adonis went hunting. His hounds caught the scent of a massive wild boar and flushed it out of the undergrowth.
Ignoring Aphrodite's warnings, Adonis threw his spear, but he only managed to wound the beast. Enraged and dripping blood, the boar charged at him. Before Adonis could escape, the beast gored him in the groin with its razor-sharp tusks, leaving him to bleed to death on the forest floor.
The Jealous Rumor: In many versions of the myth, the wild boar wasn't just a random animal. It was actually Ares (Mars), the god of war and Aphrodite’s jilted lover, who had transformed himself into the beast out of pure, blinding jealousy to eliminate his mortal rival.
🤦🏻♀️Chaper 3. Aphrodite's Grief & The Anemone
Aphrodite heard the distant groans of her dying lover and rushed back to the forest. She found him lifeless, his vibrant crimson blood soaking into the earth. Overwhelmed by grief, she wept bitterly, pouring nectar into his wounds.
As his blood mingled with the divine nectar and the tears of the goddess, a new flower burst forth from the soil: the anemone, or windflower. It features delicate crimson petals that mirror Adonis's blood, known for its fleeting beauty because the wind blows its petals away so easily.
🌱Chaper 4. Compromise
Adonis’s soul descended to the Underworld, where Persephone, the queen of the dead, was also charmed by his incredible beauty and refused to let him leave.
Eventually, Zeus (Jupiter) had to step in to settle the dispute between the two goddesses. He decreed a compromise: Adonis would spend one third of the year in the Underworld with Persephone, one third of the year on Earth with Aphrodite, and the final third wherever he pleased (which he always chose to spend with Aphrodite).
This seasonal division came to symbolize the cycle of nature: his descent into the Underworld brought the death of winter, while his return to Aphrodite brought the blooming rebirth of spring.
📃📜Principal ancient sources:
- Bion of Smyrna, Lament for Adonis
- Homer, Odyssey
- Ps. Apollodorus, Bibliotheca
- Theocritus, Idyl
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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