“Chrysis had appeared through the western door on the first terrace of the ruddy monument. She was naked, as was the goddess. In each hand she held a corner of the scarlet veil which the wind raised against the evening sky while the mirror, held in her right hand, reflected the setting sun.
    Slowly, her head bowed, moving with infinite grace and majesty, she went up the outer steps which wound like a spiral around the high vermilion tower. Her veil trembled like a flame. The fiery afterglow reddened the pearl necklace so that it seemed a river of rubies. She mounted, and in this glory her resplendent skin took on all the magnificence of flesh, blood, fire, blue carmine, velvety red, bright pink. Revolving upwards with the great purple walls, she took her way towards the sky.”

—Pierre Louys, Aphrodite, 1896; translated by Lewis Galantiere, 1933.