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APHRODITE GODDESS ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ

GENERAL INFO

I) What was Aphrodite the goddess of?

II) What were her symbols, attributes,
sacred plants and animals?

III) Who were the family & attendants of Aphrodite?

IV) Where and how was she worshipped?

V) What were some of the popular myths about Aphrodite?

PICTURES

I) Depictions of Aphrodite in Greek Vase Painting

These images of Aphrodite come from Ancient Greek Vases, painted approximately 2,500 years ago. NB Click on thumbnails to view full-size images.

II) Other Classical Depictions of Aphrodite

Aphrodite was also depicted in classical statues, stone reliefs, frescoes and coins.

SELECTED MYTHS (short versions)

I) The Birth of Aphrodite

"Ouranos (the Sky) came, bringing on night and longing for love, and he lay about Gaia (the Earth) spreading himself full upon her. Then the son [Kronos] from his ambush stretched forth his left hand and in his right took the great long sickle with jagged teeth, and swiftly lopped off his own father's members and cast them away to fall behind him ... and so soon as he had cut off the members with flint and cast them from the land into the surging sea, they were swept away over the main a long time: and a white foam spread around them from the immortal flesh, and in it there grew a maiden. First she drew near holy Kythera, and from there, afterwards, she came to sea-girt Kypros, and came forth an awful and lovely goddess, and grass grew up about her beneath her shapely feet. Her gods and men call Aphrodite, and Aphrogeneia (the foam-born) because she grew amid the foam." Source: Hesiod, Theogony 176

II) Aphrodite and her Love for Adonis

"Because of Aphrodite’s wrath (for she did not honour Aphrodite), Smyrna developed a lust for her father, and with the help of her nurse slept with him for twelve nights without his knowing it. When he found out he drew his sword and started after her, and as he was about to overtake her, she prayed to the gods to become invisible. The gods took pity on her and changed her into the tree called the Smyrna. Nine months later the tree split open and the baby named Adonis was born. Because of his beauty, Aphrodite secreted him away in a chest, keeping it from the gods, and left him with Persephone. But when Persephone got a glimpse of Adonis, she refused to return him. When the matter was brought to Zeus for arbitration, he divided the year into three parts and decreed that Adonis would spent one third of the year by himself, one third with Persephone, and the rest with Aphrodite. But Adonis added his own portion to Aphrodite’s. Later on, while hunting, he was attacked by a boar and died." Source: Apollodorus 3.184-185

IV) Aphrodite and the Race of Atalanta

"You may perchance have heard how in the races a girl [Atalanta] outran the men who ran to win. That was no idle tale; she always won. Nor could one say her girt of glorious speed was more surpassing than her loveliness ... she lived alone, unwedded in the shady woods, and angrily repulsed the pressing throng of suitors with a challenge: ‘No man’s wife am I’, she said, ‘unless he wins the race. Contend with me in speed. For speed the prize is wife and wedlock; for the slow the price is death: upon that rule the race is run.’ Her heart was pitiless, yet, such power of beauty, on that rule rash lovers thronged. To watch the unequal race Hippomenes sat in his seat and scoffed ... But when he saw her face and, now unrobed, her body’s beauty - he marvelled and ... with his praise love burgeoned and he prayed that none would run faster than she ... ‘But why’, he thought, ‘do I not try myself my fortune in this rivalry? The gods help those who dare.’ ... And now her father and the townspeople called for the usual race, and Hippomenes, with anxious voice, invoked my [Aphrodite’s] help and prayed: ‘Come, lovely Cytherea [Aphrodite], prosper the deed I dare and with thy grace nourish the flame of love that thou has lit.’ A kindly breeze wafted his charming prayer; it moved me [Aphrodite], I admit, and little time was left to succour him ... On my way thence it chanced that in my hand I held three golden apples I had picked and I stood by Hippomenes, unseen except by him, and taught the apples’ use. The trumpets sound the start; both crouching low flash from their marks and skim the shady course with flying feet; it seemed that they could race dry-shod across the surface of the sea and over the standing heads of harvest corn ... Many a time she [Atalanta] slowed when she might pass and gazed into his eyes, and with heavy heart left him behind. And now he flagged, his breath came fast and dry and there was far to go; so then he threw one of the three gold apples from the tree. She was amazed and, eager to secure the gleaming fruit, swerved sideways from the track and seized the golden apple as it rolled. He passed her and the benches roared applause. She with a burst of speed repaired her waste and soon again left him behind. He threw the second apple and again she stopped, and followed, and again ran past. And so the last lap came. ‘Be with me now, Goddess’, he prayed, ‘who gavest me the gift.’ And then with all the strength of youth he threw the shining gold far out across the field, the longer to delay the girl; and she seemed undecided, but I [Aphrodite] made her chase the rolling apple and increased its weight, and by its weight alike and loss of speed I hindered her [and in the end Hippomenes won the race and won his bride]." Source: Ovid, Metamorphoses 10.560

V) Aphrodite and the Judgement of Paris

"Eris tossed an apple [at the wedding of Thetis] to Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, in recognition of their beauty, and Zeus bade Hermes escort them to Alexandros
[Paris] on Ide, to be judged by him. They offered Alexandros gifts: Hera said if she were chosen fairest of all women, she would make him king of all men; Athena promised him victory in war; and Aphrodite promised him Helene in marriage. So he chose Aphrodite." Source: Apollodorus E3.2

FURTHER INFO (16 detailed pages on Aphrodite)

PART 1: INDEX & ILLUSTRATIONS
Index of Aphrodite pages
Illustrations from Greek Vase Paintings
Quotes - Descriptions, Hymns

PART 2: APHRODITE GODDESS OF
Quotes - describing her various divine functions

PART 3A: MYTHS GENERAL 1
Quotes - general stories about Aphrodite

PART 3B: MYTHS GENERAL 2
Quotes - stories about Aphrodite and the Trojan War

PART 3C: MYTHS GENERAL 3
Quotes - stories about Aphrodite as the inspirer of love

PART 4A: MYTHS WRATH 1
List of those Punished
Quotes - stories of those punished by the goddess

PART 4B: MYTHS WRATH 2
List of those Punished
Quotes - stories of those punished by the goddess

PART 5: MYTHS BLESSINGS
List of those Blessed
Quotes - stories of heroes blessed or assisted by the goddess

PART 6A: MYTHS LOVES 1
List of Lovers
Quotes - stories of the gods loved by Aphrodite

PART 6B: MYTHS LOVES 2
List of Lovers
Quotes - stories of the men loved by Aphrodite

PART 6C: MYTHS CHILDREN
List of Children
Quotes - children of Aphrodite

PART 7: TREASURES
Lists of divine Possessions
Quotes - items owned by the goddess; sacred plants and animals

PART 8: ATTENDANTS
Lists of divine Attendants
Quotes - attendants of the goddess

PART 9A: CULT OF APHRODITE 1
Quotes - cult of the goddess organised by region
(southern Greece: Athens, Korinthos, Argos, Sparta, Messenia)

PART 9B: CULT OF APHRODITE 2
Quotes - cult of the goddess organised by region
(rest of Greece, Asia, Italy)

PART 10: TITLES & EPITHETS
List of Cult Titles and Poetic Epithets

PAGE BORDER: Derived from on an ancient Greek vase painting