La Venere di Cheronea plot
"She was Aphrodite...The Goddess of Love!...and on the field of battle men risked death - for the promise of her favors!"
Athens and her allies are at war with King Philip II of Macedon. Luciano, captain of the Macedonian army, is wounded in battle and is saved by Iride, a model of extraordinary beauty who poses for the sculptor Prassitele. Iride takes Luciano to the sculptor's house where he falls in love with her. Until then, Prassitele had only considered Iride as a model to use for inspiration for the statue of Aphrodite, but now he too feels a passion for the young woman. Iride decides to run away with Luciano and try to return to the Athenian camp.