The Story of Aphrodite
According to Hesiod, Aphrodite was born in a way no other god was. When the Titan Cronus attacked his father Uranus, he cut him and threw the severed parts into the sea. White foam gathered around them, and from that foam rose Aphrodite, fully grown and breathtakingly beautiful.
The winds carried her across the waves, and she stepped ashore on the island of Cyprus, where grass and flowers sprang up beneath her feet. The Seasons dressed her in fine clothes and jewels and led her to Mount Olympus. When the gods saw her, every one of them wished to make her his wife.
To keep peace among the gods, Zeus gave Aphrodite in marriage to Hephaestus, the lame god of the forge. The match was an unhappy one, and Aphrodite fell in love with Ares, the god of war. Together they had several children, including Phobos and Deimos, who stood for fear and terror, and Harmonia, who stood for harmony. Eros, the winged god of desire, is often called her son and constant companion.
Aphrodite was the goddess of love, beauty and desire, and her power reached even the mightiest gods. With her magic girdle she could make anyone fall in love, and she often made Zeus himself chase after mortal women. Her own heart was not safe either, and she loved the mortals Adonis and Anchises, with whom she had a son, the Trojan hero Aeneas.
Her most fateful deed came at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, when a golden apple marked for the fairest set three goddesses against one another. Aphrodite won the contest by promising Paris the love of Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris carried Helen off to Troy, and the long Trojan War followed, with Aphrodite fighting to protect the Trojans and her son Aeneas.
The Greeks worshipped Aphrodite in sanctuaries all over the Mediterranean. Paphos on Cyprus and the island of Kythira both claimed to be where she first came ashore, and Corinth was home to one of her most famous temples. Festivals in her honor, called the Aphrodisia, were celebrated in many cities, and sailors prayed to her for calm seas.
Aphrodite has remained an enduring symbol of love and beauty. The Romans called her Venus, and the planet Venus, shining bright in the evening sky, carries that name. Countless works of art, from ancient statues like the Venus de Milo to Renaissance paintings, show her as the ideal of beauty.
Famous Myths About Aphrodite
Born from the Sea Foam
When Cronus overthrew Uranus, he threw the severed parts of his father into the sea. White foam gathered around them, and from it rose Aphrodite, who came ashore fully grown on the island of Cyprus.
Caught with Ares
Though married to Hephaestus, Aphrodite loved the war god Ares. Hephaestus trapped the two lovers in an invisible golden net and called all the gods to see, leaving them red-faced and laughed at.
The Golden Apple
Aphrodite competed with Hera and Athena for a golden apple marked for the fairest. She promised the judge, Paris, the most beautiful woman in the world, won the apple, and set the Trojan War in motion.
Aphrodite and Adonis
Aphrodite fell deeply in love with the handsome mortal Adonis. When he was killed by a wild boar while hunting, she wept over his body, and from his blood grew the red anemone flower.
Pygmalion's Statue
The sculptor Pygmalion carved an ivory woman so beautiful that he fell in love with her. Moved by his prayers, Aphrodite brought the statue to life, and the two were married.
Where to See Aphrodite in Greece
Aphrodite's Family Tree
Parents of Aphrodite
Children of Aphrodite
Frequently Asked Questions About Aphrodite
Who is Aphrodite in Greek mythology?
Aphrodite is the Olympian goddess of love, beauty, desire and pleasure.
How was Aphrodite born?
According to Hesiod, Aphrodite rose from the sea foam after Cronus threw his father Uranus's severed parts into the sea, and she came ashore on Cyprus. In Homer, she is the daughter of Zeus and Dione.
Who was Aphrodite's husband?
Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus, the god of the forge, but she had a long affair with Ares, the god of war.
What was Aphrodite's role in the Trojan War?
Aphrodite won the golden apple in the Judgment of Paris by promising him Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world. His taking of Helen started the war.
What are Aphrodite's symbols?
Aphrodite's symbols include the dove, the myrtle, the rose, the scallop shell and the mirror.
What is Aphrodite's Roman name?
The Romans called Aphrodite Venus.
