"Aphrodite (Greek: Ἀφροδίτη) was the goddess of love and beauty. In most myths she rose from the ocean after Ouranos's genitals were cast into the sea by his son, Kronos. But in other myths she is the daughter of Thalassa (personification of the sea) and Uranus while in other she is the daughter of Dione and Zeus.
Myth
Birth
There are two forms of Aphrodite's birth. The first, and most common, is that after Ouranus was cut apart by Kronus, he threw most of Ouranos' body parts in Tartarus, though as a fail safe he also threw parts into the ocean. These divinities caused the sea foam to turn into a goddess, resulting in Aphrodite. She was clothed by the three Graces.
The second is less used. It states Aphrodite is the daughter of Zeus and Dione.
Adonis
Once while Aphrodite and her son, Eros, were hugging, one of Eros' arrows cut her. She pushed him away thinking it to be nothing. However, she saw a mortal named Adonis, and fell deeply in love with him. However, Persephone also loved him (This was before her kidnapping). The two fought, and Zeus found a solution to this situation. Adonis would spend one third of the year with Aphrodite, one third with Persephone, and the last third with whomever he chose. Adonis was later killed by the Erymanthian boar, which was sent by Apollo as revenge for Aphrodite blinding his son, Erymanthus. Aphrodite held him in her arms, and sprinkled Nectar on him. This caused his blood to become the Anemone genus.Her child with Adonis was Beroe and Aphrodite made her goddess of the city.
Trojan War
Aphrodite somewhat began the Trojan War. It began when Aphrodite tempted Paris to choose her as the fairest goddess with Helen, the fairest mortal of all. He did choose her, which caused war with the gods. Also, because Helen was already married to a ruler of Sparta. The two fell in love, causing not only a problem, but also a war between the Trojans and the Greeks.
Sphere of Control
Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, desire, grace, and sexuality. Even though she is only the goddess of love and beauty, she is one of the most powerful Olympians, because she has control over looks, love, and lust.
In early Rome, she was considered a goddess of vegetation. She protected gardens and vineyards but after the Romans met the Greeks, they realized that she wasn't meant to be an agricultural goddess. While the Greeks envisaged her as the proud and vain goddess of beauty, the Romans saw her as the stern forebearer of their country.
Personality and Appearance
Aphrodite is a vain goddess, proud of her looks and disdains ugliness. She is shallow, arrogant and jealous. Aphrodite is also faithless and has had relationships with many gods like Ares, Poseidon, Hermes and Dionysus. She can make anyone fall in love with anyone, even Zeus is not immune to her power. She has tremendous power over lust. She is often depicted as a beautiful young woman, in revealing outfits.
Each divine lover of Aphrodite represents a trait which are desirable to attract women:
- Ares (Strength)
- Poseidon (Masculine Power)
- Hermes (Humor)
- Dionysus (Pleasure)
Symbols & Attributes
Aphrodite had several sacred animals as well as other attributes below is a small list
- Turtle Dove (symbol, attribute & sacred bird)
- Swan (symbol, attribute & sacred fruit)
- Magic Girdle (symbol)
- rose (symbol)
- mirror (symbol)
- Dolphin (sacred)
- Goose (sacred)
- Hare (sacred)
- Sparrow (sacred)
- Myrtle Tree (sacred)
- Apple Tree (sacred)
- Lettuce (sacred)
- Pomegranate (sacred)
Gallery of Symbols and Attributes
Gallery of Images of Aphrodite
.jpg "The Birth of Venus by William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1879).jpg (243 KB)")
Relationships
- None or Dione (Mother)
- Uranus or Zeus (Father)
- Hephaistos (Husband)
- Ares (Lover)
- Aeneas (child by Anchises)
- Deimos, Anteros, Himeros, Harmonia, Phobos and Pothos (Children with Ares)
- Herophile, Rhodos and Eryx (Children with Poseidon)
- Hermaphroditos (Child with Hermes)
- Priapos (Child with Dionysos (or Zeus in some versions))
- Eros has lots of fathers, these could be one of them, Ares, Hephaistos, Hermes, or, She was born pregnant
- Roman name for her is Venus
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| Olympians : | Aphrodite • Apollo • Ares • Artemis • Athena • Demeter • Dionysus • Hades • Hephaistos • Hera • Hermes • Hestia • Poseidon • Zeus | |
| Related Articles : | Mount Olympus • Protogenoi • Titans • Gigantes • Demigods | |