A-Z: General definitions: Aphrodite

Definition

Greek goddess of erotic love; awarded the Golden Apple of Discord as 'the fairest', by Paris; mother of Eros. She was married to Hephaestus but had no children with him. Her regular lover was Ares. With him, she had several children, including, some sources say, Eros. Hephaestus set a trap of a magic, invisible net over the bed, trapping the two lovers and inviting the other gods to see them. Aphrodite had many other lovers, including Adonis. With Anchises, she had Aeneas. She habitually interfered in human love affairs. There are two versions of the birth of Aphrodite (Venus). In one, she is the daughter of Zeus and Dione. In the better known version, Cronos cut off his father's genitals and flung them into the sea. As they were carried by the waves, foam (aphros) gathered round them, and Aphrodite sprang from this foam.

Related Topics

Apple of Discord and Judgement of Paris; Adonis

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