When I consider the Gods I do, unavoidably, consider the many
representations (written, painted, sculpted) that mankind has made of them. If
I think of Venus in corporeal terms I imagine her as an immensely beautiful
woman with full hips and breasts, and no hint of prudishness about her. I
confess that I imagine her as ethnically European – whether her hair be blonde
or dark. The more I think of Venus in this way the more absurd my imaginings
seem for being so hopelessly centred in Western perspectives on this mighty
Goddess. If I see her as merely a European Goddess of sex and fertility then
perhaps my imaginings can be forgiven, but I do not live in Europe so why
should I revere a specifically European Goddess? Or do I imagine that,
regardless of place, she hears the prayers of those who call her Venus or
Freyja or Aphrodite (or some other European title given to her) but not those
who may call her Rati (Hindu), Ishtar (middle eastern), Qetesh (Egyptian) or
some other name? If the Goddess of sex and fertility is universal why should I
not also imagine her in the image of these Goddesses? But the images I have
seen of these non-European Goddesses are for the most part alien to me – they
do not resonate. Like Cicero, I imagine the Gods from a perspective of cultural
bias. Under the guise of an Epicurean philosopher he wrote:
