Greek Mythology

Aphrodite

APHRODITE
(Roman: VENUS)

Aphrodite was the goddess of love, desire, eternal youth and beauty. Apart from her natural beauty, she also had a magical girdle that compelled everyone to desire her.

There are two accounts of her birth. According to Hesiod's Theogony, she was born from the foam in the waters of Paphos, on the island of Cyprus. She supposedly arose from the foam when the Titan Cronus slew his father Uranus and threw his genitals into the sea.
(The most prevalent version) Which makes Aphrodite one of the earlier gods.

However, according to Homer, in Iliad, Aphrodite may instead be the daughter of Zeus and Dione.

Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus; however, she had an affair with her brother Ares, god of war.

When Hephaestus found out about the affair, he devised a plan and managed to humiliate his wife and her lover to the other Olympians. Her holy tree was the myrtle, while her holy birds were the dove, the swan, and the sparrow.

Despite this marriage to Hephaestus, Aphrodite had many lovers. Her lovers include both gods and men - including the god Ares and the mortal Anchises.

She also played a role in the story of Eros and Psyche in which admirers of Psyche neglected to worship Venus (Aphrodite) and instead worshipped her. For this, Aphrodite enlisted Eros (Cupid) to exact her revenge but the god of love instead falls in love with the girl.

FACTS ABOUT APHRODITE

- She was the mother of Hermaphroditus while Hermes is the father.

- Aphrodite and her son Eros (Cupid) teamed up to cause Zeus to fall in love with a human named Europa.

- Aphrodite was both Adonis's lover and his surrogate mother. Aphrodite loved Adonis. She saw him when he was born and determined then that he should be hers. She assigned Persephone to his care, but Persephone fell in love with Adonis also and would not give him back. Finally, Zeus had to mediate. He judged that Adonis should spend half the year with each.

- Aphrodite used a swan-drawn car to glide easily through the air.

- Although Aphrodite and Hera were not friends, Hera went to the Goddess of Love for help as she endeavored to assist the heroes in their Quest of the Golden Fleece.

- Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena were the top three contenders for a gold apple marked "For the Fairest." They asked Zeus to judge the contest, but he refused.
Paris, son of the King of Troy, judged the contest instead.
Each of the three goddesses promised him something in return; he chose Aphrodite as the winner of the apple. This story of the Judgment of Paris was considered to be the real reason behind the Trojan War.

- During the Trojan War, Aphrodite fought on the side of Paris.

- Aphrodite rescued Paris from Menelaus by enveloping him in a cloud and taking him back to Troy.

- Aphrodite owned a girdle that contained her enchantments; Hera borrowed it once to seduce Zeus in order to distract him from the Trojan War.

- Aphrodite gave Harmonia a necklace that brought disaster to a later generation.

- Prostitutes considered the Goddess of Love their patron.

- Aphrodite had a few mortal lovers. One of the most notable was the Trojan shepherd Anchises. The two of them conceived Aeneas.

- Corinthian was the center of Aphrodite's worship.

- Early Greek art depicted the goddess as nude.

- She was the model for the famous sculpture Venus de Milo.

- Aphrodite and Cupid initiated the love between Jason (hero of the Quest of the Golden Fleece) and the daughter of the Colchian King.

Symbols:
dove
seashells
sea foam
mirrors
Girdle
Rose
Lettuce
Apple
Goose
Rabbit

Sacred animals: Dove

Parents:
Uranus, or Zeus and Dione

Consort:
Hephaestus
Ares
Poseidon
Hermes
Dionysus
Adonis
Anchises

Children:
Eros
Phobos
Deimos
Harmonia
Pothos
Anteros
Himeros
Hermaphroditos
Rhode
Eryx
Peitho
Eunomia
The Graces
Priapus
Aeneas
Tyche (possibly)

Credits:
All About Mythology

Link:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=481876709235718&id=476695146420541

Please like and follow their page,
thank you!