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Boucher - Venus and Vulcan
Identifier
007544
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Vénus demande à Vulcain des armes pour Énée
François BOUCHER; Paris, 1703 - Paris, 1770
This painting illustrates a passage from Virgil's Aeneid in which Venus asks Vulcan for weapons in order that she can give them to her son Aeneas: "Lo! the presents perfected by my lord's promised skill! so that thou mayest not shrink, my child, from challenging anon the haughty Laurentines or brave Turnus to battle."
Ah Venus sweet Venus, you lie there so soft
Your skin white, your hair loose, looking down from aloft
Who would guess, as you beg and on me your pleas pour
That your voice speaks of love, but your heart speaks of war
You have only one son, but you want him to fight
And for what? What cause merits such action. He might …
Have you thought of this Venus? Might die for your cause
When you say you are right and they’re wrong, take a pause
And consider that statement, - in this world at least
What is right can change quickly, what’s wrong can be ceased
With diplomacy- talking, there’s no need for war
And you save countless lives, far more wrong, that’s for sure
So I’ll show you the weapons I make, but hear this
My weapons aren’t there to be used, they’re a myth
They are there to show strength, to those who believe
That such things are important, they’re there to deceive
For take one and use it, t’will melt like the snow
You’ll be left standing naked of force, power will go
But wear it and flaunt it, meet your foe’s long release
And with it you can talk of compromise, peace
A description of the experience
