The Three Graces
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Silifke is not a well-known part of Turkey. But is a home of many historical and cultural heritages. In Narlikuyu, which is a town of Silifke, you may find very interesting remains of ancient culture. Narlikuyu is on the 20th km of Silifke-Mersin highway. It is famous for fish restaurants and a small bay with a nice beach. It was called Porto Calamie in the middle ages.
Narlikuyu is famous with a bath remaining near the seashore. This bath was built by Poimenius in the 4th century during the Roman period. You can see the beautiful mosaics of bath even today. It is a must to pay a visit there. In this mosaic there are three naked girls dancing with partridges and doves. Those three girls are semi-god semi-human daughters of Zeus. The Turkish locals call them "Üç Güzeller" (Three Beauties) namely: Aglaia, Euphrosyne and Thalia
They are called Kharides or Tharits in Greek mythology. Singular form is Kharit or Tharit which means charity. They are the daughters of Zeus and Eurynome. Eurynome was the daughter of Okeanos.
Aglaia is the youngest daughter which means brightness. Euphrosyne means happiness and Thalia is blossom time. First they were presented in long dresses with flowers as crown on their heads. After the 4th century they were presented naked.
The virtue of Charity is depicted in the character of a goddess, seated in a chair of ivory, with a golden tie upon her head, set with precious stones: her vesture like the light of heaven, represented universal benevolence; her throne was unpolluted and unspotted by passions and prejudices; and the gems of her filet represented the inestimable blessings which flowed variously from her bounty.
They also represented the charities, called the Graces, under three personages: one of these was painted with her back towards us, and her face towards, as proceeding from us; and the two with their faces looks toward us to denote, that for one benefit done, we should receive double thanks: they were painted naked, to intimate that good offices should be done without dissembling and hypocrisy: they were presented young, to signify that the remembrance of benefits should never wax old: and also laughing to tell us that we should do good to others with cheerfulness and alacrity.
They were presented linked together, arm in arm, to instruct us that one kindness should prompt another; so that the knot and band of love should be indissoluble. The poets tell us, they used to wash themselves in the fountain Acidalius, because benefits, gifts and good turns, ought to be sincere and pure, and not base and counterfeit.(William Hutchinson, "The Spirit of Masonry", New York 1982, originally published in 1775,p.180)
An English artist Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898) painted also The Three Graces. Today we have three original naked Kharites statues in the Siena Fine Arts Academy. It is said that the statues was carved by a Greek artist called Kyrene. There are several copies of those statues in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
The Three Graces inspired also many artists such as Tintoretto, Raffaello,
Zuccari, Rubens, Natoire, Leonard Kern, Falconetti, Thorvaldsen and Pradier.
Borticelli painted in Florance "The Spring". There is also a mosaic
of "The Three Graces of Pompeii" in Italy.