Book One. Chapter Two. On The Jetty : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 28 Chapter Two ON THE JETTY ON the jetty of Alexandria, a girl stood singing. Beside her, seated on the white parapet, were two flute-players. "Deep to the woods the satyrs drove The oreads; And helpless to the mountains fled The water nymphs. Hot forms...
Book Two. Chapter Six. The Rose Of Chrysis : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 112 CHAPTER SIX THE ROSE OF CHRYSIS IT was a procession white and blue, yellow and rose and green. Thirty courtesans advanced carrying baskets of flowers, snow-white doves with red feet, veils of the most fragile azure, and precious ornaments. An old...
Book Three. Chapter Seven. Cleopatra : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 171 CHAPTER SEVEN CLEOPATRA QUEEN BERENICE had a young sister named Cleopatra. Many other princesses of Egypt were called by this name, but this one was later the great Cleopatra who slew her empire and killed herself upon its corpse. She was then twelve...
Book Four. Chapter Five. The Garden Of Hermanubis : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 212 CHAPTER FIVE THE GARDEN OF HERMANUBIS CHRYSIS'S first movement was to shrug. She would not be so nave as to keep her oath! The second was to go and see. A growing curiosity impelled her toward the mysterious place where Demetrios had hidden the three...
Book Five. Chapter Two. The Dust Returns : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 229 CHAPTER TWO THE DUST RETURNS TO THE EARTH "DEMETRIOS!" she cried. And she sprang forward... But after having carefully closed the wooden latch, the young man had not moved, and he maintained in his look so profound a tranquillity that Chrysis w...
Book Four. Chapter Two. Terror : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 192 CHAPTER TWO TERROR OVER the sea and the gardens of the Goddess, the moon erected her mountains of light. Melitta, the young girl, so delicate and slender, whom Demetrios had taken for an instant and who had offered to lead him to Chimairis...
Author's Preface : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 7 APHRODITE AUTHOR'S PREFACE The erudite Prodicos of Ceos, who flourished toward the end of the first century before our era, is the author of the celebrated apologue which St. Basil recommended to Christian meditation: "Herakles between virtue...
Book One. Chapter Seven. Chrysiss Hair : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 66 CHAPTER SEVEN CHRYSISS HAIR "HA!" cried Rhodis. "Look! Someone." The singer looked. A woman, far from them, was walking rapidly down the quay. "I recognize her," continued the child. "It is Chrysis. She is wearing her yellow robe." "What, is she...
Book One. Chapter Three. Demetrios : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 37 CHAPTER THREE DEMETRIOS ON the plaza abandoned by the musicians Demetrios remained alone, resting on his elbows. He heard the sea murmur, the vessels creak slowly, the wind pass beneath the stars. The whole town was lighted by a little dazzling cloud...
Book Five. Chapter One. The Supreme Night : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 220 p. 221 BOOK FIVE p. 222 p. 223 CHAPTER ONE THE SUPREME NIGHT THOU art loved of the gods," said the old gaoler. "If I, a poor slave, had done the hundredth part of thy crimes, I would have seen myself tied on a wooden horse, hung by the feet, torn by...
Book Three. Chapter Six. Enthusiasm : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 166 CHAPTER SIX ENTHUSIASM SO the thing was done. Chrysis had the proof. If Demetrios had resolved to commit the first crime, the two others must have followed without delay. A man of his rank would consider murder and even sacrilege to be less...
Book One. Chapter Six. The Virgins : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 59 Chapter Six THE VIRGINS THE faint dawn rose over the sea. All things were tinted with lilac. The flame-streaming brazier lighted on the tower of the Pharos was extinguished with the moon. Fugitive yellow glows appeared in the violet waves like faces...
Book Three. Chapter One. The Arrival : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 126 p. 127 BOOK THREE p. 128 p. 129 CHAPTER ONE THE ARRIVAL BACCHIS had been a courtesan for more than twenty-five years. That is to say, she was approaching her fourth decade and the character of her beauty had changed several times. Her mother who...
Untitled : * On the heels of Bilitis, Pierre Louys published his first novel, Aphrodite (Murs Antiques) in 1896. It was a bestseller, selling 350,000 copies, sealing Louys' reputation as a popular author of erotic literature. Set in Ptolemaic Alexandria, at a much later date than Bilitis, Aphrodite is...
Book Five. Chapter Three. Chrysis Immortal : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 234 CHAPTER THREE CHRYSIS IMMORTAL WHEN Demetrios found himself alone in his workshop encumbered with red marbles, with stands and scaffoldings, he desired to set himself at work. The chisel in his left hand and the mallet in his right, he took up...
Book Three. Chapter Four. Bacchanalia With Bacchis : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 153 CHAPTER FOUR BACCHANALIA WITH BACCHIS WHEN she arrived once more before Bacchiss doorway, she was filled with the delicious sense of relaxation and cooling. The clouds were gone from her brow. Her mouth had softened. She mounted the steps and crossed...
Book Two. Chapter Seven. The Enchanted Lyre : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 119 CHAPTER SEVEN THE ENCHANTED LYRE HE walked rapidly in the hope of finding Chrysis still upon the road which led to the town, fearing, if he delayed longer, lest he again lose his courage and desire. The road, white with heat, was so bright th...
Book One. Chapter Four. The Passer By : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 45 CHAPTER FOUR THE PASSER-BY SHE came slowly with her head on one side, over the deserted jetty where the moonlight fell. A little flickering shadow frisked before her steps. Demetrios watched her advance. Diagonal folds furrowed the little that could be...
Book Four. Chapter Three. The Multitude : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 197 CHAPTER THREE THE MULTITUDE IN the morning on which the bacchanalia at Bacchiss came to an end, there was an event at Alexandria: rain fell. Immediately, contrary to what usually occurs in countries less African, everyone was out of doors to welcome...
Book Two. Chapter Five. The Invitation : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 106 CHAPTER FIVE THE INVITATION TOWARD the middle of the night, Chrysis was awakened by three knocks at the door. She had slept the whole day between the two Ephesians; they might have been taken for three sisters together. Rhodis was cuddled against...
Book Five. Advertisements : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], The following advertisements appeared in the original volume. They are reproduced here for completeness.--JBH UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN, RASPE "With Illustrations by Gustave Dor" AGAINST THE GRAIN, JORIS KARL HUYSMANS "With...
Book Three. Chapter Five. The Crucifixion : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 159 CHAPTER FIVE THE CRUCIFIXION ALL together they repeated: "Aphrodisia has taken it! Wretch! Wretch! Filthy thief!" Their hatred for the favored sister was supplemented by their personal fears. Arete kicked her repeatedly about the body. "Where is it?"...
Book Two. Chapter One. The Gardens Of The Goddess : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 70 p. 71 BOOK TWO p. 72 p. 73 CHAPTER ONE THE GARDENS OF THE GODDESS THE temple of Aphrodite-Astarte was erected outside the gates of the city in an immense park full of flowers and shadowy places where the water of the Nile, brought through seven...
Book One. Chapter Five. The Mirror, The Comb : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 48 CHAPTER FIVE THE MIRROR, THE COMB AND THE NECKLACE SHE had a special beauty. Her hair seemed two masses of gold but it was too abundant and weighted her forehead with two deep shadow-laden waves which swallowed up the ears and wound seven-fold up...
Book Two. Chapter Four. Moonlight : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 99 CHAPTER FOUR MOONLIGHT HOWEVER, this woman would have given him her comb and even her hair as well, for love. If he did not ask it of her, it was because of his scruples; Chrysis had very precisely demanded a crime--not any ancient jewel, thrust...
Book Two. Chapter Three. Love And Death : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 93 CHAPTER THREE LOVE AND DEATH "THE blood of a woman. Then the blood of another woman. Last of all, thine own, but a little later." As he walked, Demetrios repeated these words and, in spite of all, a belief in them oppressed him. He had never placed...
Book Three. Chapter Three. Rhacotis : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 148 CHAPTER THREE RHACOTIS THE door scarcely closed, Chrysis laid her hand over her racing and burning heart as one presses a painful spot to lessen the throbbing. Then she leaned her shoulder against a column and wrung her fingers in an agony...
Book Four. Chapter Four. The Response : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 204 CHAPTER FOUR THE RESPONSE AND the Agora stood empty like a beach after the tide. Not entirely empty; a man and a woman remained, those who alone knew the secret of the great public emotion and who, one through the other, had caused it: Chrysis...
Book Three. Chapter Two. The Dinner : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 135 CHAPTER TWO THE DINNER AT these words an insignificant little man, with a gray forehead, gray eyes and a small gray beard, advanced with little steps and said, smiling: "I was here." Phrasilas was an esteemed writer on various subjects, yet one could...
Book One. Chapter One. Chrysis : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 14 p. 15 BOOK ONE p. 16 p. 17 APHRODITE CHAPTER ONE CHRYSIS LYING upon her bosom, her elbows forward, her feet apart and her cheek resting in her hand, she pierced little symmetrical holes in the pillow of green linen with a long golden pin. Since she had...
Book Five. Chapter Five. Piety : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 246 CHAPTER FIVE PIETY AFTER the turning of the second street, they put down the body a second time to do on their sandals. Rhodiss feet, too delicate to walk bare, were raw and bleeding. The night was very brilliant. All the town was silent...
Book Four. Chapter One. The Dream Of Demetrios : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 179 BOOK FOUR p. 180 p. 181 CHAPTER ONE THE DREAM OF DEMETRIOS NOW, having returned home with the mirror, the comb and the necklace, Demetrios was visited by a dream, during his sleep; and this was the dream: He is going toward the jetty, among the crowd...
Title Page And Front Matter : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], One day, Denys brought him three courtesans and told him to choose the one who pleased him most. Aristippos kept all three, saying in excuse that Paris had been none the happier by preferring one woman above all others. Afterwards, he conducted the girls...
Book Five. Chapter Four. Pity : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 241 CHAPTER FOUR PITY "GAOLER, open to us! Gaoler, open to us!" Rhodis and Myrtocleia were knocking at the closed door. The door partly opened. "What do you want?" "To see our friend," said Myrto. "To see Chrysis, poor Chrysis who died this morning." It...
Book Two. Chapter Two. Melitta : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 81 CHAPTER TWO MELITTA "PURIFY thyself, Stranger." "I shall enter pure," said Demetrios. Dipping the end of her hair in water, the young guardian of the gate touched first his eyelids, then his lips and fingers, that his glance, the kiss of his mouth...
Book Four. Chapter Six. The Walls Of Crimson : * "Aphrodite", by Pierre Louys, [1932], p. 216 CHAPTER SIX THE WALLS OF CRIMSON WHEN, from the mouths of the hierodules, the mob had learned for the second time the certainty of the sacrilege, it flowed out slowly across the gardens. The temple courtesans thronged by hundreds along the paths...