Dialogues of the Gods

[1] The work was translated into Latin around 1518 by Livio Guidolotto (also called Guidalotto or Guidalotti), the apostolic assistant of Pope Leo X.

Eros suggests that to be more desirable, Zeus should grow long locks, wear fashionable clothes, and participate in dances.

Zeus explains that due to Hera's jealousy, Io has been transformed into a cow and placed under the strict guard of Argus.

Zeus then orders Hermes to descend to Nemea, kill Argus, and lead Io to Egypt, where she will be worshiped as the goddess Isis.

Zeus has just abducted Ganymede from earth, and the youth is distressed, asking to be returned and revealing his shock that the eagle who took him has transformed into a man.

[note 6] Hera is further upset by Zeus's frequent public displays of affection towards Ganymede, including kissing him at every opportunity.

Apollo advises him to search in the baby's cradle, noting that Hermes is highly skilled in thievery and has also pilfered Aphrodite's girdle and Zeus' sceptre.

[note 8] Hephaestus reluctantly agrees but warns that this task will not be as clean and bloodless as Eileithyia's work, the goddess of childbirth.

Hephaestus, captivated by her beauty, asks for her hand in marriage, but Zeus declines, stating that Athena will remain a virgin for all time.

Hermes explains that Zeus is in love with Alcmene, the wife of Amphitryon, and wants to spend time with her to father a great hero, Heracles, who will be mightier than any other.

[note 9] Hermes advises the Sun to be quiet to avoid trouble if anyone overhears and then proceeds to deliver the same message to the Moon (Selene) and Sleep (Hypnos).

Aphrodite asks the Moon (Selene) if the rumors are true that she often abandons the sky to meet her mortal lover Endymion.

He even has Rhea, the mother of the gods, under his influence, making her fear what might happen if she orders the Corybantes or her lions to attack him out of frustration.

Apollo replies that it’s due to his unfortunate love life and his mourning over the death of his lover, Hyacinthus, the son of Oebalus.

Hermes expresses disbelief that the physically impaired Hephaestus has managed to marry two of the most beautiful goddesses, Aphrodite and Grace.

Apollo reflects on his own lack of success in love, noting that he had deep feelings for both Daphne and Hyacinthus, but lost them.

Hera mocks this response, citing Apollo’s brutal treatment of Marsyas for challenging him in a music contest and Artemis’s killing of Actaeon for accidentally seeing her naked.

Hermes replies that he has just witnessed something incredibly ridiculous: Hephaestus has caught Aphrodite and Ares in bed together, naked.

Apollo asks how this happened, and Hermes explains that Hephaestus, who had long been trying to catch them, set a thin net over the bed.

Ares and Aphrodite, unaware of the trap, lay down, and the Sun alerted Hephaestus, who then summoned the other gods to witness the embarrassing scene.

[note 12] Hera tells Zeus that she would be embarrassed if she had a son as feminine and prone to drunkenness as Dionysus, who spends his time with the Maenads, indulging in wine and revelry.

Zeus defends his son, citing his many accomplishments: leading a campaign in India, gaining control over Lydia, commanding the Thracians and the people of Tmolus, all while adorned with ivy, wielding his thyrsus, and engaging in frenzied dances.

Hera is irritated by Zeus praising Dionysus for discovering wine, especially given the tragic fate of Icarius, who was killed by his drinking companions.

Apollo marvels at how different the three sons of Aphrodite are: Eros is a stunningly beautiful bowman, Hermaphroditus is a blend of male and female traits, and Priapus is strikingly unattractive.

Due to Phaethon's mishandling, the earth was scorched and then frozen; the world would have been destroyed entirely if Zeus hadn't intervened with a lightning bolt.

Zeus is not convinced, arguing that the Sun should have known that the horses required a strong, experienced hand and would run wild under an inexperienced driver.

Apollo considers this arrangement unfair, feeling that the twins contribute less compared to his own significant roles in providing prophecies and how Artemis serves as a midwife.

While Aphrodite suggests that they should appoint Momus as the judge, believing he would find no fault in her, Hera prefers Zeus' choice.

Finally, Aphrodite reappears, allowing Paris to take his time examining her and promising him the hand of Helen of Sparta, daughter of Zeus and Leda, in marriage.

Despite never having heard of Helen before and knowing she is married to Menelaus, Paris chooses Aphrodite's offer and awards her the apple.

Zeus takes Ganymede in the form of an eagle
Athena is born from Zeus's forehead as he grasps the clothing of Eileithyia on the right; black-figured amphora , 550–525 BC, Louvre.
Selene and Endymion, antique fresco from Pompeii .
The Death of Hyacinthus , oil painting by Méry-Joseph Blondel.
Mars and Venus Surprised by Vulcan by Alexandre Charles Guillemot (1827)
The fall of Phaethon
The Love of Helen and Paris by Jacques-Louis David (oil on canvas, 1788, Louvre, Paris)