I'm doing my coursework final piece in A2 art at the moment, and i've studied Cy Twombly to get to this point, his pieces include a certain amount of classical referencing, like the metaphysical poets and loads of other poets, writers and artists throughout history.
Anyway ! This piece is called Aphrodite (Greek goddess of Love)
The little notes at the end will explain references.
Aphrodite
She says you will be mine,
my Helen, my adored.
I will take you
and
begin the battle
with the stone lion brothers whom roared,
the Flames will soar,
and so it will end
In Lead hate.
Aphrodite, the promise as her bait,
to follow the thread of Fate
as even She should
with Anchises, father of the beginner of the Empire, Trojan warrior, he who made Her mortal,
Aphrodite's bane,
Her Fate,
Her Love,
Her Life.
Ex 5th/2nd
line 2 Aphrodite was one of the three goddesses involved in the judgement of Paris, she won the golden apple.
line 5 the battle of Troy
line 6 the two brothers, Agamemnon and Menelaus (Helen's husband) Agamemnon inherited the family palace at Mycenae, over whose door is the carving of two lions. (the lion gate)
line 7 Troy was burnt when it was captured by the Greeks.
line 2-4 Aphrodite is fated (by her father Zeus) to love a mortal
line 4 Anchises is all of the things (the Empire being that of Rome)
