Aphrodite— Greek God"Goddess of Love"

Born from the Sea

Aphrodite's birth is unique among the Olympians. When Kronos castrated his father Uranus and threw the severed parts into the sea, white foam gathered around them, and from this foam arose Aphrodite—fully grown and impossibly beautiful. She floated to shore on a scallop shell, first touching land at Cyprus (hence her title "the Cyprian"). The Horae dressed her in gold and brought her to Olympus, where every god desired her.

The Power of Love

Aphrodite's power is perhaps the most dangerous of all the gods, for even Zeus himself is not immune to desire. She wears a magic girdle (the cestus) that makes anyone who wears it irresistible. Her influence extends to all living things—gods, mortals, and beasts alike. Only three goddesses resist her power: Athena, Artemis, and Hestia, the virgin goddesses.

Marriage to Hephaestus

Zeus, to prevent war among the gods over Aphrodite, married her to Hephaestus, the lame smith god. It was an ill-matched union. Aphrodite took many lovers, most famously Ares, the god of war. When Hephaestus discovered their affair, he trapped them in an unbreakable golden net and displayed them to the other gods—who laughed, while Poseidon bargained for their release.

The Judgment of Paris

Aphrodite's vanity helped spark the Trojan War. When Eris threw a golden apple "for the fairest" among the goddesses, Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all claimed it. Paris, prince of Troy, was chosen to judge. Each goddess offered him a bribe: Hera offered power, Athena offered wisdom, but Aphrodite offered the most beautiful woman in the world—Helen of Sparta. Paris chose Aphrodite, claimed Helen, and brought destruction to Troy.

Mortal Loves

Aphrodite was not content with divine lovers alone. She loved the mortal Anchises, by whom she bore Aeneas, future founder of Rome. She adored the beautiful Adonis, sharing him with Persephone until a boar killed him—from his blood sprang the anemone flower. These myths reveal both her tenderness and the tragedy that often follows in love's wake.

Worship and Legacy

Aphrodite was worshipped throughout the Greek world, especially at Cyprus and Cythera. Her Roman counterpart Venus became one of the most important Roman deities. She remains the archetype of love and beauty in Western culture—the Venus de Milo and Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" immortalize her image. Her name gives us the word "aphrodisiac."