▷ Aphrodite. Goddess Of Love, Desire And Beauty +15 Facts (2024)

Today we explain the myth of Aphrodite. Learn about her origins and most seductive legends, a Greek goddess of great power and unparalleled beauty.

Aphrodite Greek Goddess

Aphrodite goddess of love, desire and beauty, was a Greek goddess. She was physically stunning, but she also wore a magical girdle that made everyone fall in love with her. To the Greeks, she represented affection, sex and all kinds of attractions. Although she might have been the most beautiful of all the goddesses, she was far from being the strongest. In some accounts of Greek mythology, she is described as weak and frightened, especially in times of war.

Origins

There are several myths about the origins of Aphrodite. Many hint that she had Eastern origins, possibly as a fertility goddess, and may have been inspired by the Phoenician goddess Astarte.

Legends and Stories

The myths surrounding Aphrodite show how powerful her looks were and solidify her symbolism of love and attraction. There are many myths about the goddess, most of which speak of her love affairs, but here are some of the most popular.

The birth of Aphrodite

There are a couple of main myths surrounding the birth of Aphrodite, one is quite shocking, while the other is simpler. The first begins with Uranus. After treating his children with disrespect, they decided it was time to dethrone their father. Their mother, Gaia, sided with the children and told the youngest, Cronus, to fight him. He armed himself with a sickle and dethroned his father, telling him to leave the kingdom. Before Uranus left, Cronus castrated him with the sickle.

The blood fell from his body into the sea and from this combination Aphrodite was born. The wind and waves carried her to the island of Cythera and she walked to the shore. The Seasons were waiting for her and were amazed at the beauty of the woman. She emerged from the foam and walked to the sandy beach where the Seasons dressed her in golden robes and jewels. They took her to Mount Olympus, where her reign began. The second myth is not as entertaining, but comes from The Iliad. Homer claims that Aphrodite had parents, unlike what the first myth suggests.

Her mother’s name was Dione. There is not much information about her, but we know that her name means “divine queen”. Some publications say that Dione was a Titaness, while others say she was an Oceanid. It has also been suggested that she was the goddess of the oak tree. Aphrodite’s father was Zeus. Although neither myth has been completely accepted or rejected in Greek mythology, many tend to lean toward the former because Aphrodite’s name means “one who has risen from the foam,” which aligns with the former myth.

The Trojan War

Some blame Aphrodite for the Trojan War, which lasted ten years and was devastating to both the Greeks and the Trojans. Peleus married a sea nymph named Thetis. All the gods and goddesses were invited to the ceremony except one. The rejected goddess maliciously made a golden apple and placed it on the banquet table. The apple was inscribed with a message that read “For the most beautiful”. The goddesses at the wedding celebration began to argue over who deserved the golden apple.

It finally came down to three goddesses, including Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. Paris, the most handsome mortal in the world, was chosen to judge the goddesses and pick a winner. But they all tried to bribe him. Hera told Paris that she would help him rule the world. Athena told the young man that she would make sure he always won in battle, while Aphrodite told Paris that she could guarantee that the most beautiful woman in the world would fall in love with him. He was talking about Helen, the wife of the king of Sparta. Upon hearing this, Paris quickly gave the golden apple to Aphrodite, who kept her promise and allowed him to run away with Helen and marry her. She became Helen of Troy and the reason behind the beginning of the Trojan War.

The Sculptor

Aphrodite wanted everyone to feel true love, as shown in this myth. There was a sculptor named Pygmalion. He set out to sculpt the most beautiful statue in the world. He worked with only the finest ivory and worked on his sculpture for months. It slowly came to resemble a beautiful woman. Pygmalion was patient and continued to work on the statue until it was perfect. He rarely slept or ate. Finally, the statue was finished. Everyone who saw it said it was the most beautiful statue they had ever seen and that there had never been a more beautiful woman. Pygmalion was still not happy with his sculpture, no matter how many praised his work.

He spent the day sitting in front of the statue and staring at it, trying to see where he could improve. But as the days went by, he fell in love with the statue. He wished the statue would turn into a real woman. He went to the temple of Aphrodite and prayed for his wish to come true. When he finished his prayer, three flames came out of the altar. She knew that the goddess had heard her plea. He hurried home and could not believe his eyes. His precious statue had become a real woman. He was eternally grateful to Aphrodite for granting his wish and allowing him to experience love.

Aphrodite Family

Aphrodite had quite a large family. She was the daughter of Dione and Zeus (in some myths). She had many siblings, according to myth, including Apollo, Athena and Helen. Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus but had a secret love affair with Ares. She had nine children: Aeneas, Eros, Demon, Phobus, Anteros, Harmonia, Hermaphrodites, Priapus and Eryx.

Aphrodite Appearance

Aphrodite was known for her remarkable beauty and artistic depictions of her always show a stunning young woman. She is usually dressed in elegant clothes and wears gold jewelry. She had long wavy hair and a voluptuous figure.

Symbology

There are three main symbols associated with Aphrodite. They include the girdle, the shell and the mirror. It is speculated that the symbol of the female gender is a tribute to Aphrodite. The top circle is said to represent the mirror, while the bottom half is the handle.