Aphrodite Character Analysis in Hippolytus

Aphrodite is the goddess of love and desire. In the play’s opening, she announces what will happen: Hippolytus has failed to respect her, as he is too much devoted to virginity, and will pay the consequences. Though she does not appear again after that. She is depicted as a jealous, vengeful goddess.

Aphrodite Quotes in Hippolytus

The Hippolytus quotes below are all either spoken by Aphrodite or refer to Aphrodite. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Desire, Sexuality, and Chastity Theme Icon

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Oxford University Press edition of Hippolytus published in 1992.

The power I possess is sex, passion, love,
Which you mortals, in honoring me,
Celebrate in your diverse ways.

Related Characters: (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 1-3

Explanation and Analysis:

Because I prize my purity
I keep clear of [Aphrodite]…

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 164-165

Explanation and Analysis:

Aphrodite,
Sea goddess, share this adventure with me,
Though I have my own tactics
And these, once set in motion,
Once I share them inside with a certain young friend,
Will carry our affair to its climax.

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 811-816

Explanation and Analysis:

Aphrodite Character Timeline in Hippolytus

The timeline below shows where the character Aphrodite appears in Hippolytus. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...from Athens. The audience sees the palace doors, in addition to two statues, one of Aphrodite and another of Artemis. Aphrodite herself appears to the audience, high above the stage, to... (full context)

Aphrodite vents her anger about Hippolytus, the bastard son of Theseus. Her charge is that Hippolytus... (full context)

...gods just as it is to humans, he urges Hippolytus to worship the statue of Aphrodite standing next to the one of Artemis, lest he appear arrogant to that powerful goddess.... (full context)

Truth, Falsehood, and Reputation Theme Icon

...wishes for the end of her own life, so great is Phaidra’s crime, and mentions Aphrodite’s great power. The chorus agrees that the situation is miserable, but they show more sympathy... (full context)

...that the nurse will reveal the truth. Meanwhile, the nurse utters a secret prayer asking Aphrodite to help her achieve success in her secret plan. (full context)

...palace, the chorus sings an ode that elaborates on the enormous powers of desire and Aphrodite. The Greeks, the chorus sings, pile up huge sacrifices of cattle in shrines in order... (full context)

When the messenger exits, the chorus sings a brief song to Aphrodite, recognizing her power over all things. Then Artemis, high above the stage, appears suddenly. The... (full context)

...guilt. When Theseus now wishes for death, Artemis offers some condolence, revealing that it was Aphrodite who devised the entire plot, and Theseus had no choice but to believe the accusation... (full context)

...mind”, and Hippolytus feels moved to hear her voice. Both father and son agree that Aphrodite has caused the ruin of the entire house, and Hippolytus empathizes with Theseus, telling him... (full context)

Artemis promises to take revenge on Aphrodite by shooting one of Aphrodite’s most beloved mortals with an arrow. Meanwhile, to redeem the... (full context)