Star-Spangled Anacreon: In Heaven or on Mount Olympus?



(A Sketchy Likeness of Anacreon)

The gods to whom Anacreon composed his hymns did not live in

heaven.  Many lived on Mount Olympus.  Why his modern-day

followers continue to insist that Anacreon’s in Heaven is therefore

anyone’s guess.

What’s not just a guess is that Anacreon was a lyrical Greek poet

who lived from 582 BCE to 485 BCE.  He was particularly fond of writing drinking songs and hymns.  This thematic combination is not as odd as it first sounds – considering that at least one of

Anacreon’s hymns was for Dionysus (Bacchus), the god of wine. 

Another of his hymns was for Artemis (Diana), goddess of childbirth and virginity (not necessarily in that order).  Other deities he most likely waxed lyrically about were Eros (Cupid) and Aphrodite (Venus).

Anacreon’s probable association with Venus has literally been

reiterated (“bellowed” is more the word) thousands of times.  In

Ralph Tomlinson’s lyrics to John Stafford Smith’s melodious To Anacreon in Heaven (now the Star-Spangled Banner), the eyebrow-raising chorus goes like this:  And long may the sons of Anacreon intwine the myrtle of Venus with Bacchus’ vine. 

These “sons of Anacreon” were British members of the Anacreontic Society.  This group of professional (in fields other than music) gentlemen (at least some of the time) regularly got together (beginning in the mid 18^th-century) to celebrate the good old days of ancient Greece (translation: wine, wit and song).  Their home-grown “anthem” apparently became so popular that it crossed the Atlantic, and was stuck in Francis Scott Key’s psyche as he composed his now-famous War of 1812 lyrics.

The rest is well-known history.  All except that part about Venus’ myrtle…  It turns out that Venus had managed to get herself entangled (for a short time) with a lesser-known goddess named Murcia.  Murcia’s claim to fame was that she was slothful.  Even though Venus managed to disentangle before her own reputation was entirely shot, the name still stuck.  She began to be called “Venus of Murcia,” which somehow became translated into “Venus of Myrtle.”  It just goes to show:  If you’re an up-and-coming goddess, beware of those hangers-on.  They might try to get you to slow down and smell the wine and roses.

Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anacreon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_(mythology)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murcia_(mythology)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anacreontic_Society

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Anacreon_in_Heaven

Copyright June 13, 2011 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved