Aphrodite (deity)
Aphrodite is a significant goddess in Greek mythology, known primarily as the deity of love, beauty, and desire. In Roman culture, she is identified as Venus. The origins of Aphrodite's birth are debated, with two main narratives being prominent. One account, from Homer's "Iliad," suggests she is the daughter of Zeus and Dione, while the more famous version from Hesiod's "Theogony" describes her emergence from the sea foam after the Titan Cronus castrated Uranus. Despite her association with the sea, Aphrodite’s primary role centers around love and beauty, which often entangled her in various affairs among gods and mortals, including her passionate relationship with Ares, the god of war.
Aphrodite was also involved in pivotal myths, such as the love affair between Paris and Helen, which precipitated the Trojan War. Throughout ancient Greece, Aphrodite was worshipped in various locations, including Paphos and Corinth, with rituals that often included offerings and celebrations like the festivals of Aphrodisia and Adonia. Her influence extends into modern culture, where she is frequently depicted in art, including the renowned sculptures and paintings that illustrate her beauty and divine origins.
Aphrodite (deity)
Symbols: Dove; pomegranate; swan; scallop shell
Culture: Greek
Mother: None or Dione
Father: Uranus or Zeus
Siblings: Ares; Athena; Apollo; Artemis; Hermes
Children: Eros; Phobos; Deimos; Harmonia; Hermaphroditos; Aeneas
Aphrodite was one of the principal goddesses in Greek mythology; in Roman mythology, she is known as Venus. Aphrodite is primarily known as the goddess of love, beauty, and desire. The events of Aphrodite’s birth have been the subject of much debate, but two main versions of the story are accepted. One version comes from Book V in Iliad, Homer’s epic. In this telling of the story, the Greek poet states that Aphrodite was the daughter of Zeus and Dione, who was one of Zeus’s ancient wives. The most well-known story of Aphrodite’s birth, however, is detailed by the Greek poet Hesiod in his epic poem Theogony. In this version, Aphrodite is born from the sea. According to this myth, the Titan Cronus castrates his father Uranus and throws the severed parts into the sea, where they begin to produce foam. Aphrodite emerges out of this sea spray as a naked adult, and she floats to shore in a large scallop shell. The Greek word aphros, meaning "foam," is the goddess’s namesake. Due to the manner in which Aphrodite was born, she is sometimes considered to be a goddess of the sea, although this was not her primary role in mythology.
In Mythology
As the Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite was heavily involved in the affairs of both immortals and mortals. Due to her enrapturing beauty, she possessed a great deal of power that she often used to her own benefit. Knowing that Aphrodite’s irresistible nature and beauty could pose problems—or even a war—among the gods, Zeus decided that he would marry her to Hephaestus, the blacksmith god, Zeus believed that Hephaestus was the perfect choice to hold off any conflict between the gods because he was deformed and unattractive. Although Hephaestus was quite pleased with his luck at marrying the beautiful Aphrodite, the goddess herself was certainly not happy with the arrangement. Hephaestus was so thrilled with the marriage that he crafted many beautiful gifts and jewels for his new bride, including an ornate golden girdle, or cestus, that was woven with magic. When Aphrodite wore this girdle, no one, man or god, could resist her—an especially dangerous gift considering her innate irresistibility. Unfortunately for Hephaestus, when the opportunity presented itself, Aphrodite took advantage of her husband’s distraction to seek out a lover. Ares, god of war, became this lover. Ares and Aphrodite’s affair continued for a long time and resulted in the birth of three children: Harmonia, Phobos, and Deimos.
Aphrodite had many other lovers, both mortal and immortal, but perhaps her most well-known affair was with Adonis. Aphrodite cursed the mother of Adonis, Myrrha, out of jealousy that she could be even more beautiful than the most beautiful goddess. Out of jealousy, therefore, she turned Adonis’s mother into a myrrh tree. Adonis was born from this tree, and once found by Aphrodite, he was taken to Persephone in the underworld for safekeeping. When Aphrodite returned many years later and found that Adonis has grown into a strikingly gorgeous man, she became determined to take him from Persephone. The two quarrelled, but Adonis ultimately chose Aphrodite, and the two remained together until a boar killed him during a hunt. To mark the sorrow resulting from his death, women celebrated Adonis, Aphrodite, and their love during the festival of Adonia.
According to myth, Aphrodite was also involved in instigating the legendary romance between Paris and Helen. Prince Paris of Troy was selected to judge a competition between the three most beautiful goddesses of Olympus—Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena. Burdened with the task of choosing which of the three was the most beautiful, Paris was bribed by each goddess. For her bribe, Aphrodite promised that he would have the love and affection of the most beautiful mortal woman, Helen of Sparta. This competition led to the love affair of Paris and Helen—and subsequently, the Trojan War.
Origins and Cults
Many scholars of ancient Greek mythology believe that the goddess Aphrodite had early origins in East Asian culture, and many of her attributes and inspiration came to the Western world via Cyprus and Cythera. Many believed Aphrodite’s birth occurred near these islands, as well, because her other names, Cytherea and Cypris, appear to be derived from these island names. Eventually, philosophers began to see Greek mythology’s Aphrodite as a combination of two distinct versions of her origin story. According to this view, the two versions of her birth story relate to two separate figures. One of these distinct figures was referred to as Aphrodite Ourania ("heavenly Aphrodite"), and this Aphrodite was born from the sea and represented spiritual love. The other figure, Aphrodite Pandemos ("common Aphrodite"), who was the daughter of Zeus and Dione, was the goddess of desire, or physical love.
Aphrodite was primarily worshipped at Paphos, on the island of Cyprus, and at Amathus, on the island of Cythera, sites closest to the goddess’s birth. However, she also had temples throughout the Greek mainland, most notably at Corinth and Athens. The common public worshipped Aphrodite; so too did prostitutes and courtesans, who considered the goddess their patron. Performing intercourse with the priestesses located at the temples of Aphrodite was considered an act of worship. Aphrodite was celebrated with several festivals throughout the year, including the festivals of Aphrodisia and Adonia. In addition to intercourse as a display of worship, followers of Aphrodite brought ceremonial offerings to her temples, which included fruit and flowers (a symbol of fertility), as well as incense and sweet wine.
In Popular Culture
Aphrodite is often depicted in sculpture and painting as nude, either standing or sitting. The goddess was the inspiration and model for one of the most famous sculptures, the Venus de Milo, which was sculpted around 100 BCE. Additionally, the famous Botticelli Renaissance painting, The Birth of Venus, which depicts the goddess emerging from the sea in a scallop shell, represents Aphrodite’s birth scene.
Bibliography
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