August 20: Summer Month

The goddess of love, Aphrodite, had a very special mirror. It would not reflect what was truly there, but transform it to an image of pure beauty. No wonder she never got tired of looking at it. Nor did her toy boy Adonis, whose handsomness couldn’t be perfected, but who liked to check on it, just to be sure. But as we all know, perfection is boring, and one day, Adonis carelessly left Aphrodite’s mirror behind. When she sent him back to retrieve it, it had already been found by a passing sheperd, who was stunned by the gorgeous face with the radiant smile staring back at him. Who was this dapper creature? Never in his life had he met with such captivating beauty. Never in his life had he felt this attraction, this love, this passion… He didn’t even hear Adonis friendly asking to get the mirror back. And he fiercely held on to it when Adonis tried to take it away. The mirror smashed to the ground and the shiny pieces transformed into little seeds. Purple flowers rose up, in the form of little stars. They have been called “Venus’ Looking Glass” ever since.

Engraved gemstone, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK

Woman with Mirror, Lekythos, Museo Archeologico Nazionale Taranto Apuglia, Italy

Did you know?

• About Aphrodite/Venus and Adonis: cfr. “Thorny”, “Not to Last”.