Aphrodite

According to Homer, Aphrodite (Venus' Greek name) was the daughter of Zeus and Dione, the oak-goddess. This would more firmly make her a Olympian, but it was accepted in only a few areas, mainly Dodona, and no existing myths tell about it.

The most widely accepted version of Aphrodite's birth is that she was born from the sea. The events leading up to her birth go all the way back to the beginnings of the universe. Gaea (Mother Earth) and Uranus (Father Heaven) joined together to create three races of creatures, the Cyclops, the Hecatoncheires, and the Titans. The Cyclops, hideous giants who had only one large eye in the middle of their forehead, were strong, violent, and crafty creatures. They were Arges the Thunderbolt, Brontes the Thunderer, and Steropes the Lightning-Hurler. Uranus hated them and as they were born, he would take and cast them into Tartarus, the dark region under the Earth. He did the same to the Hecatoncheires, giants with fifty heads and a hundred hands, named Briarius, Cottus, and Gyes.

Gaea was angry at Uranus for doing this, and called together the twelve Titans. She begged for one of them to avenge their brothers, and Cronos accepted because he had always hated his father. Gaea told Cronos her plan, and he hid, waiting in ambush. As Uranus settled upon Gaea that night, Cronos jumped out with a sickle and castrated him. This is why there is a separation between the Earth and sky.

As Cronos threw his father's organs over his shoulder, the drops of blood created a race of Giants, a race of Nymphs, and the Furies. They landed in the sea, and white foam was created from the friction of water and flesh. The foam came together near the island of Cythera and formed the shape of a beautiful woman when it came to the island of Cyprus. The young maiden was Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty whose named means 'foam-born'. Due to her birthplace, she was also called Cytherea, Cypris, Cypria, and the Cypriate.

Aphrodite was not born like the other gods and goddesses. She rose out of the sea on a scallop shell, and was the most beautiful woman in the universe. Zeus saw her, and broght her back to Olympus. Hera immediatly decided the Aphrodite would cause nothing but trouble if she were not married immediatly. Poseidon, Apollo and Hermes all oresnted themselves as suitors, offering her the best the had. she just smiled and turned them away. Hera sugested that she marry Hephaestus, the lame god of the forge. Aphrodite agreed to this union, partly because he promised to mae her the most beautiful jewelry, and partly because she knew he would not watch over her carefully, and she could have affairs.

Aphrodite had several affairs, with such gods as Poseidon, Dionysus, Hermes and most often, Ares. Once, in fact, Hephaestus decide he would catch her and Ares in the act. He hung a net around her chamber, and when she and Ares came in, it dropped on to them, holding them. He tried to make Zeus taker her away from him, but Zeus refused,, because he did not want to give up the gifts Hephaestus had made for him on the marriage.

Aphrodite could attract all gods and humans with her beauty. She also had one other quality no being has had before or since. She could bathe in the sea, and become a virgin again, no matter how many affairs or children she had.

The Greeks generally saw Aphrodite as a mean and spiteful goddess, even though she was very beautiful. She never showed any respect or friendship for any other woman. The other goddesses hated her, and mortal women feared her. She was mean, vain and jealous, and in the end caused the greatest of all Greek tragedies- the Trojan War.

Romans, who called her Venus, allowed her to be less cruel, allowing her to help lovers as often as not.

� 1998

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