Aglaia, one of the Graces, tells Aphrodite that “War is desire made bloody.” (p. 20) What do you feel she means? Do you believe she’s correct?
I’m not sure what the author intended to communicate. I would have to agree with the statement in that it seems war is about the desire to overtake, to control, to exact revenge. However, there is so much more to it than that.
Since Aglaia never elaborates on her statement, I am not sure what the author meant.
War is envy, greed, and the pursuit of power over others, using every possible wicked means.
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It seems this sentence is designed to help us understand the relationship between love and war, or Aphrodite and Ares, before we see it happen. I actually think it’s a very concise way to explain war. What causes it? Someone desires something. Land, riches, honor, or perhaps the return of Helen? And that desire becomes bloody through the act of using weapons to fight.
When I read this statement I felt she was saying desire makes you do things you may not normally do. I can also say the same thing about war. We may be desperate to quench love and hope.
I think Aglaia is absolutely correct. War is defined by the willingness to kill hoards of people in order to fulfill the desire for power, control, land, etc.
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I think this statement points out that desiring war leads to bloodshed. I think the key element is “desire” - there’s a lot about desire in this book and actualizing desire of war to equate with blook is a pretty graphic description. Yes, I do agree with the statement.
War and desire both arise from the same human impulse to want or need something. Desire begins as longing, but it can bring with it jealousy and competition, and when those intensify, they may lead to aggression and destruction. In this way, what starts as simple wanting has the potential to grow into something harmful, even escalating into conflict or war.
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I like the statement. War is the result of desire. The desire for power, land oil etc. etc.I Aphrodite was desire. This made her the perfect companion for Ares
Agree with that quote, but I prefer the quote that dancing is the vertical expression of a horizontal desire.
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At its most basic level, yes- at least on the part of leadership & in various Greek myths, the pantheon itself. I think this was a preview for the Trojan War.
I do like this sentence as it makes me ponder about war vs desire. In my opinion war is more complex than desire but it sure seems to be the starting point, someone wants something, believes they should have and it then tries it to take it from them.
Many forms of desire can be a factor in war. A desire to conquer, to dominate, to destroy but the desire can be to maintain, protect, and defend. It requires the individual as war does not exist without an agent to wield the desire to go to war.
I think she was letting Aphrodite that war comes from desire and that being the manifestation of desire makes the goddess’ virtue lead to downfall. I think it was meant as a warning to Aphrodite to stay away from Ares. But throughout the novel, we find that war and love are connected and bear similar traits. They go together, just as Aphrodite and Ares do.