Wednesday, 29 August 2007

Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, Beauty and Sexual Rapture


Aphrodite was the Greek Goddess of Love, Beauty and Sexual Rapture.
Anyhow, she had a strange creation. The Titan Kronos castrated his father Ouranos, (a subject for another tale), and flung his Bobbitted privates into the sea. The ocean began to toss and churn around the member and caused a lot of foam ( apros = sea foam), and from this foam Aphrodite arose. She floated around on the sea for a long time before landing at Cyprus.
Most of the fables concerning her have to do with love and desire, and the consequences thereof. She was irresistible to men, and had a vast number of lovers. Her exploits are numerous.
There is one story that is often written relating to the doubled edged sword of love.
When Adonis was born, Aphrodite wanted this beautiful boy for herself and had him placed in a box, (some say coffin), and delivered to Persephone, the Goddess of the Underworld, to raise on her behalf. Persephone fell in love with Adonis, and refused to give him back. Zeus was asked to intervene, and an arrangement was made that Adonis would spend a third of the year with Aphrodite and the second third with Persephone, and the final third where he wished. (He decided to spend his free time with Aphrodite).
Aphrodite upset Artemis, and in revenge he had Adonis killed by a wild boar while hunting.
Aphrodite had no childhood as she was born an adult. Her Roman counterpart is Venus

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