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A History of "In the Venusburg" 
a Painting, a Legend, a Poem
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A German legend relates how Tannhäuser, the poet and wandering knight, discovered the Venusburg, the subterranean home of Venus, goddess of love, and spent a year there with her completely lost to her enchantments. 

Released and filled with remorse for his sinful behavior, he travelled to Rome to seek absolution from Pope Urban, who told him that forgiveness would be as impossible as the possibility that his papal staff would sprout blossoms. Tannhäuser returned to Vienna, and three days later the Pope's staff miraculously flowered. 

William Morris retold the legend as 'The Hill of Venus' in his Earthly Paradise (1868-70). Algernon Swinburne's poem 'Laus Veneris' published in 1866 explored the theme of the destructive power of Venus's love: 

'Her little chambers drip with flower-like red, ...
Her gateways smoke with fume of flowers and fire,
With loves burnt out and unassuaged desires
Between her lips the steam of them is sweet
The languor in her eyes of many lyres... ...
Her beds are full of perfumes and sad sound,
Her doors are made with music, and barred round
With sighing and with laughter and with tears,
With tears whereby strong souls of men are bound.' 

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