Aphrodite

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Αφροδιτη

Goddess of Love

The Birth of Aphrodite

The birth of Aphrodite was not a simple matter ... the creation of the Goddess of Love was the result of sheer brutality and revenge. To understand Aphrodite’s birth we must return to one of the primal goddesses, Gaia (Earth).

Gaia was the mother of many of the Immortals. Her child and consort, Ouranos (Uranus), was the ruler of the heavens in the same way that Gaia was the master of the earth. His dominion was absolute but he became too concerned with the affairs of Gaia and tried to dominate her. In desperation, Gaia begged her Titan children to slay Ouranos but only Kronos (Cronos) was willing to step forth and do the deed. Gaia created slate and formed a sickle for Kronos to use as a weapon ... Kronos attacked Ouranos with the enormous sickle and castrated him. From the blood of Ouranos’ injury were born a race of Giants, the Eumenides (Furies) and the Nymphs of the Ash Trees (the Meliae). When the immortal flesh of Ouranos mingled with the water of the sea, a circle of white foam formed ... from this foam, Aphrodite was created. Her name literally means Foam-Born. She was attended by Eros (the primal god of Love) and Himeros (Desire) when she was first born but when she stepped ashore on the island of Cyprus she was a modest and lovely Goddess, since known as the Lady of Cyprus (or simply, Kypros). Her gentle domain was intended to be the sweetness of love and the whispering of girls but her adventures and exploits caused as much misery and bloodshed as any of the Immortals except for Ares (god of War) and the Grim-Goddess, Athene (Athena) ... they thrived on the sanguine.

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Aphrodite and Anchises

There are only three goddesses who can resist the charms of Aphrodite: Athene (Athena), Histia (Hestia) and Artemis ... she can cast a spell of irresistible love on all mortals, Immortals and every type of beast. In order to humble the goddess so that she could not deride the other Immortals who fell in love with mortals, Zeus caused Aphrodite to fall in love with a mortal man named Anchises.

Aphrodite dressed in her finest clothing and adorned herself with beautiful jewelry ... she then went to the glades of Mount Ida, near Troy, and presented herself to Anchises. He saw the fine clothing and sensed her irresistible charm and knew that she was a goddess and no moral woman ... he asked if she was Leto or Athene or Themis or Aphrodite or one of the Graces or a Nymph but the goddess pretended to be a mortal maiden who had been taken from her home in Phrygia by Hermes and left on Mount Ida ... she claimed that she had been raised by a Trojan nurse and could therefore speak Greek ... she said that she had been dancing at the rites of Artemis with other marriageable girls and that Hermes had snatched her up so that she could become the wife of Anchises and have many fine children.

Anchises willingly believed the lies because she was so beautiful ... he took her into his house and consummated their love. While Anchises was still sleeping, Aphrodite arose and put aside all pretence ... she called to Anchises and, when he looked upon her, he trembled in fear ... he saw her for the goddess she was and there was no doubt in his mind that he would be punished for having loved her. Aphrodite told him not to be afraid and that he would not be harmed ... she told him that he would become the father of a noble prince of the Trojans with many fine heirs ... she said that their son would be named Aineias (Aeneas), meaning Awful, because she had been made to love a mere mortal and, even though Anchises was righteous and handsome, she found their union to be offensive and beneath her station. (Hymn to Aphrodite, lines 45-201)

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The Judgment of Paris

The roots of the animosity between the Greeks and the Trojans might be traced to one defining moment ... this incident has become known as the Judgment of Paris ... although Paris was generally called Alexandros in Greek literature, the artist, Peter Paul Rubens, immortalized the event in a painting which he named The Judgment of Paris (circa 1635-38) and thus the name has endured to this day.

The Nereid, Thetis, was given to Peleus (a mortal) because of his undying devotion to the gods on Mount Olympos (Olympus) ... the marriage was also a punishment for Thetis because she had rejected Zeus’ amorous advances.

In order to honor Thetis, Hera invited all the Immortals to the wedding. The goddess Eris (Discord) was in attendance but she did not come to celebrate ... she came to do what she does best, cause trouble. Eris cast down a golden apple with the inscription, “For the most beautiful one.” Hera, Athene (Athena) and Aphrodite all assumed that the prize was for them and when the intended conflict arose, the Trojan prince Paris (Alexandros), was asked to make the final decision as to which goddess deserved the golden apple. Aphrodite promised Paris the hand of the most beautiful mortal woman in Greece, Helen ... Paris could not refuse such a prize ... he chose Aphrodite as the most beautiful goddess. Hera and Athene never forgave the insult ... the walls of Troy toppled and all of Paris’ family paid with their lives for his greed and desire. (Kypria, fragment 1)

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Aphrodite in The Trojan War

Aphrodite’s love of Alexandros (Paris) helped move the Trojan War into its bloodiest and saddest phase. The Trojans and the Achaeans (Achaians) , i.e. the Greeks, agreed that Menelaos (Menelaus) (Helen’s Achaean husband) and Alexandros (Helen’s Trojan lover) would fight for Helen and her possessions in single combat. The assembled armies swore oaths that they would abide by the results of the duel and all declared an end to their ten year quarrel. The duel began ... (Iliad, book 3, line 380) Alexandros was dealt a deadly blow and should have died on the battlefield, but Aphrodite covered him in mist and removed him to his perfumed bedchamber unharmed. Aphrodite then went to Helen (Iliad, book 3, line 426) and threatened to encompass her with hard hate if she did not go to Alexandros and comfort him.

The Trojan War was, of course, not Aphrodite’s fault but her love for Aineias (Aeneas) and Alexandros as well as her meddling caused considerable misery and death among both armies. Later (Iliad, book 5, line 311), Aphrodite, once again, entered the fray to save the life of her son Aineias. As she was shielding her staggering son from the thunderous assault of Diomedes, she was wounded in the hand. Athene (Athena), another meddler in the Trojan War, had given Diomedes the power to see the Immortals on the battlefield. She advised him (Iliad, book 5, line 129) to avoid all the gods except Aphrodite, “her at least you may stab.” Diomedes lunged at Aphrodite and his pitiless bronze spear tore through the robe that the Graces had carefully woven and cut the flesh of her immortal palm. The blood of the goddess, ichor, poured darkly on her perfect skin as she fled the battlefield and went to Mount Olympos (Olympus) to seek comfort from Dione. Zeus advised her, “No, my child, not for you are the works of warfare. Rather concern yourself only with the lovely secrets of marriage.” (Iliad, book 5, lines 340 and 428)

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Aphrodite and Ares

In The Odyssey of Homer (book 8, line 266), the singer, Demodokos (Demodocus), tells the tale of how Aphrodite and Ares secretly laid together in the bed of her husband, Lord Hephaistos (Hephaestus), the smith of the gods. Helios (the Sun) secretly observed the lovers and told Hephaistos of Aphrodite’s betrayal. The smith went to work and devised clever fastenings which would ensnare and hold the lovers in an unbreakable trap. The careless lovers fell into the trap and Hephaistos stood before the other Olympians and demanded that his gifts of courtship be returned. Only after Poseidon (lord of the Sea) offered to pay the adulterer’s damages if Ares defaulted would Hephaistos loose the bonds. After being freed, Aphrodite went to her sacred precinct on the island of Kypros (Cyprus) where she was bathed by the Graces ... Ares went Thraceward. Seeing the two lovers in the indignity of the snare, Apollon asked Hermes how he would feel in such a situation. Hermes answered that he would suffer thrice the number of bonds if only he could share the bed of Aphrodite the Golden. (Odyssey, book 8, line 342)

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Aphrodite and Adonis

There are conflicting stories as to Adonis’ life and death but all three stories revolve around the goddess of Love, Aphrodite.

Adonis was the son of Kinyras (Cinyras) king of the island of Cyprus and the king’s daughter Myrrha (Zmyrna). The unholy union of father and daughter was the result of Aphrodite’s, revenge for Myrrha’s disrespect.

At this point, the story of Adonis is unclear, either:

1) Myrrha was turned into a myrrh tree and Adonis was born from this tree. He grew to be a beautiful young man and Aphrodite fell in love with him; or

2) Aphrodite put Adonis in a chest and sent him to the Underworld. When Zeus discovered Adonis’ fate, he had sympathy for the beautiful young man and allowed him to live half of the year with Persephone in the Underworld and the other half with Aphrodite on the earth’s surface; or perhaps

3) Adonis was raised by nymphs and met Aphrodite while he was hunting. Her affection for him was short lived because he was killed by a wild boar sent by Ares (god of War) and from Adonis’ blood sprang the red rose.

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Aphrodite is often confused with the Roman goddess, Venus.

Aphrodite in The Iliad

(listed by book and line)

The line numbers listed here correspond fairly well with the Lattimore and Murray/Wyatt translations of The Iliad. Other translations (Fitzgerald, Fagles et al) do not correspond as well but, with a small amount of effort, you should be able to find the reference you need regardless of the translation you use. Lattimore (ISBN 0226469409); A.T. Murray/William F. Wyatt Vol. I & II (ISBN 0674995791 and 0674995805); Robert Fitzgerald (ISBN 0374529051); Robert Fagles (ISBN 0140275363)

• 02.820 - Aineias (Aeneas), son of Aphrodite and Anchises, a mortal
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• 03.054 - Hector warns Alexandros (Paris) that the favors of Aphrodite will not protect him in hand to hand combat with Menelaos (Menelaus)
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• 03.064 - Alexandros (Paris) tells Hector that the sweet favors of golden Aphrodite are given by her own will
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• 03.374 - As Menelaos (Menelaus) was dragging Alexandros (Paris) from the battlefield by his helmet plume, Aphrodite broke the chinstrap so that Alexandros could escape
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• 03.380 - Aphrodite wrapped Alexandros (Paris) in a mist and lifted him from the battlefield and put him safely in his bedchamber
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• 03.383 - Aphrodite, disguised as an old woman, found Helen in a high tower of Troy and spoke to her
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• 03.389 - Disguised as an old woman, Aphrodite bids Helen to join Alexandros (Paris) in his chambers
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• 03.396 - Helen does not recognize Aphrodite because she is disguised as an old woman but knows that she is a goddess and questions her
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• 03.399 - Helen speaks to the ‘strange divinity’ and says that she will not go to comfort Alexandros (Paris); she suggests that the goddess either marry Alexandros or become his slave
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• 03.413 - Aphrodite angrily threatens Helen with ‘hard hate’ if she does not obey
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• 03.420 - Aphrodite leads Helen from the high tower unseen by bystanders
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• 03.424 - Aphrodite places a chair in front of Alexandros (Paris) so that Helen can sit facing him
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• 04.010 - Zeus rebukes Hera and Athene (Athena) for not protecting Menelaos (Menelaus) and the other Achaeans (Achaians) saying that Aphrodite forever stands by her son, Aineias (Aeneas)
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• 05.131 - Athene (Athena) urges Diomedes to stab Aphrodite
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• 05.248 - Sthenelos (Sthenelus) urges Diomedes to fight Pandaros (Pandarus) and Aphrodite’s son, Aineias (Aeneas)
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• 05.312 - Aphrodite shields her son, Aineias (Aeneas), with her robe
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• 05.318 - Aphrodite carried her son, Aineias (Aeneas), safely from the battlefield
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• 05.343 - Aphrodite is stabbed by Diomedes
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• 05.348 - The wounded Aphrodite is taunted by Diomedes
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• 05.352 - The wounded Aphrodite withdraws from the battlefield assisted by Iris
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• 05.359 - The wounded Aphrodite begs Ares on bended knee for his chariot so that she can escape the battlefield
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• 05.363 - Ares gives the wounded Aphrodite his chariot so that she and Iris can flee the battlefield
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• 05.370 - After arriving on Mount Olympos (Olympus), the wounded Aphrodite fell to her knees before the goddess, Dione
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• 05.375 - Aphrodite tells Dione that it was Diomedes who stabbed her on the battlefield
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• 05.416 - Dione wiped away the ichor and pain from Aphrodite’s wounded arm
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• 05.422 - Athene (Athena) teases Aphrodite and says that she must have cut herself on a golden needle while attending the Trojan women
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• 05.427 - Zeus speaks to Aphrodite and tells her to concern herself with the secrets of marriage and leave war-craft to Athene (Athena) and Ares
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• 05.459 - Apollon rebukes Ares for allowing Diomedes to attack Aphrodite who he refers to as Lady of Kypros (Cyprus)
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• 05.760 - Hera speaks to Zeus and asks why Ares is allowed to rage against the Achaeans (Achaians) while Kypros, i.e. Aphrodite, and Apollon take their ease on Mount Olympos (Olympus)
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• 05.820 - Diomedes reminds Athene (Athena) that she encouraged him to stab Aphrodite
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• 05.883 - Ares reminds Zeus that he is responsible for the war at Troy and the violence that has caused the wounding of the Kyprian, i.e. Aphrodite
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• 09.390 - Achilles says that he would not marry a daughter of Agamemnon even if she was as lovely as Aphrodite or as skilled as Gray-eyed Athene (Athena)
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• 14.187 - Hera asks Aphrodite if she is angry because they have taken opposing sides in the Trojan War
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• 14.193 - Aphrodite assures Hera that she will do anything in her power to help her
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• 14.197 - Hera asks Aphrodite for loveliness and desirability so that she can seduce Zeus
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• 14.211 - Aphrodite gives Hera a love-charmed corset so she can enchant Zeus
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• 14.219 - Aphrodite tells Hera to hide the love-charmed corset in her bosom and that she will get her hearts desire
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• 14.224 - Aphrodite enters her home on Mount Olympos (Olympus) as Hera flies to meet Zeus on Mount Ida
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• 19.282 - The loveliness of the captive girl, Briseis, is compared to the beauty of golden Aphrodite
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• 20.040 - Apollon, Artemis, Aphrodite, Leto and Xanthos (Xanthus) fought on the side of the Trojans
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• 20.106 - Apollon addresses Aineias (Aeneas) and confirms that Aphrodite is his mother and that Thetis is the mother of Achilles
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• 20.107 - Apollon tells Aineias (Aeneas) that his mother, Aphrodite, is the daughter of Zeus
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• 20.209 - Aineias (Aeneas) boasts to Achilles that his mother is Aphrodite
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• 21.416 - After Athene (Athena) knocked Ares to the ground, Aphrodite helped him flee the battlefield
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• 21.421 - Hera refers to Aphrodite as a dog-fly for assisting Ares and urges Athene (Athena) to attack her
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• 21.425 - Athene (Athena) hits Aphrodite in the breast and knocks her and Ares to the ground and tells them that the same fate will befall any Immortal who sides with the Trojans
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• 21.430 - Aphrodite is injured by Athene (Athena) as she helps Ares flee the battlefield
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• 22.470 - Andromache fainted when she saw her dead husband, Hector, being dragged through the dirt; she let the veil that Aphrodite had given to her fall to the ground
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• 23.185 - Aphrodite drove the dogs from the corpse of Hector and anointed his body with immortal oils so that it would not be torn as Achilles dragged the lifeless body around the burial mound of Patroklos (Patroclus)
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• 24.699 - Kassandra (Cassandra), a girl like Aphrodite, was the first to see Priam returning the body of Hector to Troy

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Aphrodite in The Odyssey

(listed by book and line)

The line numbers listed here correspond fairly well with the Lattimore and Murray/Dimock translations of The Odyssey. Other translations (Fitzgerald, Fagles et al) do not correspond as well but, with a small amount of effort, you should be able to find the reference you need regardless of the translation you use. Richmond Lattimore (ISBN 0060931957); A.T. Murray/George E. Dimock Vol. I & II (ISBN 0674995619 and 0674995627); Robert Fitzgerald (ISBN 0374525749); Robert Fagles (ISBN 0140268863)

• 04.014 - The daughter of Helen and Menelaos (Menelaus), Hermione, was as lovely as Aphrodite the golden
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• 04.261 - Helen says that she was in the grip of the madness of Aphrodite when she deserted her home and went to Troy with Alexandros (Paris)
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• 08.267 - The poet Demodokos (Demodocus) sang of the illicit love between Ares and Aphrodite
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• 08.289 - Ares entered the house of Hephaistos (Hephaestus) to make love to Kythereia, i.e. Aphrodite
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• 08.308 - Hephaistos (Hephaestus) shows the other Immortals how he has trapped Aphrodite and Ares in their secret love affair
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• 08.338 - Apollon asks Hermes if he would suffer the embarrassment that Ares endured at the hands of Hephaistos (Hephaestus) in order to share the bed of Aphrodite the golden
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• 08.342 - Hermes tells Apollon that he would suffer thrice the bindings of Ares at the hands of Hephaistos (Hephaestus) if he could share the bed of Aphrodite the golden
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• 08.362 - After Aphrodite was caught being unfaithful to her husband, Hephaistos (Hephaestus), she went to Paphos where the Graces pampered her
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• 17.037 - Penelope was as lovely as Artemis or golden Aphrodite
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• 18.193 - Athene (Athena) used salves, such as Kythereia (Aphrodite) uses, to make Penelope look youthful
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• 19.054 - Penelope was as lovely as Artemis or golden Aphrodite
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• 20.068 - Shining Aphrodite nurtured the orphaned daughters of Pandareos (Pandareus)
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• 20.073 - While shining Aphrodite was trying to get Zeus to agree to the marriages of the orphaned daughters of Pandareos (Pandareus), the storm-winds carried the girls away and gave them to the merciless Furies
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• 22.444 - Odysseus orders Telemachos (Telemachus) to murder the maidservants because they had Aphrodite with them when they seduced Penelope’s suitors

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Other Text References

Three Homeric Hymns to Aphrodite

Works and Days

• line 65 - Aphrodite shed grace, longing and cares upon Pandora, the first woman
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• line 521 - The North Wind (Boreas) may bend an old man but will not touch a maiden unlearned in the works of Aphrodite

Theogony

• line 16 - Hesiod calls upon the Muses to sing of Aphrodite and the other Immortals
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• lines 178-206 - This part of the poem describes the creation of Aphrodite from the severed members of Kronos (Cronos)
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• line 822 - With the aid of Aphrodite, Typhoeus was born to Gaia (Earth) and Tartaros (Tartarus, the Pit)
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• line 962 - Through golden Aphrodite, Medeia (Medea) was born to King Aietes (Aeetes) and Idyia
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• line 975 - Harmonia, the daughter of Aphrodite, had two children with Kadmos (Cadmus); Ino and Semele
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• line 980 - Joined in love by Aphrodite, Kallirhoe (Callirhoe) and Chrysaor had a son Geryon (Geryones)
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• line 989 - Aphrodite took Phaethon, the son of Eos (Dawn) and Kephalos (Cephalus), and made him the keeper of her shrine
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• line 1005 - Through golden Aphrodite, Phokos (Phocus) was born to Psamathe and Aiakos (Aeacus)
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• line 1014 - By the will of golden Aphrodite, Kirke (Circe) and Odysseus had three sons: Agrios (Agrius), Latinos (Latinus) and Telegonos (Telegonus)

Catalogues of Women and the Eoiae

• fragment 12 - Through golden Aphrodite, Persepolis was born to Polykaste (Polycaste) and Telemachos (Telemachus)
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• fragment 14 - Atalanta scorned the gifts of golden Aphrodite
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• fragment 67 - Tyndareus neglected Aphrodite while sacrificing and she cursed his daughters, Helen, Klytemnestra (Clytemnestra) and Timandra
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• fragment 68 - Helen had the beauty of golden Aphrodite and the sparkling eyes of the Graces

The Shield of Herakles

• line 8 - The face and dark eyes of Alkmene (Alcmene) exuded charms endowed by Aphrodite
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• line 47 - Amphitryon delighted in the gifts of golden Aphrodite with his wife Alkmene (Alcmene)

The Great Eoiae

• fragment 6 - Through golden Aphrodite, Euphemos (Euphemus) was born to Mekionike (Mecionice) and Poseidon (lord of the Sea)

Homeric Hymn to Demeter

• line 102 - Demeter assumed the guise of an old woman who was too old to share the gifts of garland-loving Aphrodite

Homeric Hymn to Pythian Apollon

• line 195 - The Graces, the Seasons, Harmonia, Hebe and Aphrodite dance on Mount Olympos (Olympus)

The Kypria

• fragment 1, line 6 - At the wedding of Thetis and Peleus, Eris (Discord) starts a dispute between Athene (Athena), Hera and Aphrodite; the result is the Trojan War
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• fragment 1, line 9 - Alexandros (Paris) decides that Aphrodite is more beautiful than Athene (Athena) or Hera
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• fragment 1, line 11 - Alexandros (Paris) builds his ships at the suggestion of Aphrodite
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• fragment 1, line 13 - Aphrodite orders Aineias (Aeneas) to accompany Alexandros (Paris) to Sparta
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• fragment 1, line 22 - Aphrodite brings Helen and Alexandros (Paris) together
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• fragment 1, line 89 - Aphrodite and Thetis arrange a meeting between Achilles and Helen
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• fragment 6 - Aphrodite is clothed in perfumed garments at all seasons

The Contest of Homer and Hesiod

• section 317 - Homer says that Hesiod was conceived with the aid of golden Aphrodite

The Argonautika

Note: In The Argonautika, Aphrodite is also referred to as Kypris (Cypris), Kythereia and the Kytheraian Goddess.

• book 1, line 615 - The wrath of Aphrodite was on the women of Lemnos
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• book 1, line 742 - The image of Aphrodite ( Kythereia) wielding the shield of Ares (god of War) was one of the images on the elaborate shield of Jason
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• book 1, line 803 - Aphrodite caused the men of Lemnos to drive their lawful wives from their homes
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• book 1, line 850 - In the women of Lemnos, Aphrodite stirred sweet desire for the companionship of the Argonauts
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• book 1, line 860 - When the women of Lemnos and the Argonauts began to celebrate, they praised Apollon and Aphrodite
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• book 1, line 1233 - Aphrodite made a water-nymph feel faint at the sight of handsome Hylas
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• book 3, line 3 - The poet compares the Muse Erato to Aphrodite in matters of love
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• book 3, line 25 - Hera suggests that she and Athene (Athena) ask Aphrodite to help them assist Jason
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• book 3, line 37 - Hera and Athene (Athena) arrive at the palace which Hephaistos (Hephaestus) built for Aphrodite
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• book 3, line 76 - Aphrodite is speechless when Hera asks for her help in assisting Jason
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• book 3, line 79 - Aphrodite says that she will help Hera in assisting Jason
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• book 3, line 90 - Aphrodite suggests that Hera and Athene (Athena) personally ask Eros (the primal god of Love) for his help in enchanting Medeia (Medea)
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• book 3, line 108 - Hera tells Aphrodite (Kythereia) not to contend with or vex Eros (the primal god of Love)
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• book 3, line 112 - Aphrodite searches for Eros (the primal god of Love) in the glens of Mount Olympos (Olympus)
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• book 3, line 127 - Eros (the primal god of Love) did not see Aphrodite when she approached him on Mount Olympos (Olympus)
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• book 3, line 559 - Idas reprimands the Argonauts for calling on Aphrodite instead of relying on their strength
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• book 3, line 936 - Hera uses the voice of a crow to chide the seer Mopsos (Mopsus)
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• book 3, line 942 - The seer Mopsos (Mopsus) tells Jason that Aphrodite will be his helper in the ordeals to come
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• book 4, line 918 - Aphrodite saves Boutes (Butes) from drowning when he succumbed to the singing of the Sirens

The Histories

• 1.105 - The Scythians plundered the Temple of Aphrodite Ourania (Urania) in Ascalon, Syria
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• 1.131 - The Persians learned from the Assyrians and the Arabians to make sacrifice to Aphrodite Ourania (Urania); the Assyrians call Aphrodite Mylitta, the Arabians call her Alitta and the Persians call her Mitra
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• 1.199 - It was the custom in Babylon for all women to go to the Temple of Aphrodite and willingly have commerce with any man who offered a silver coin; Mylitta was the name given by the Assyrians to Aphrodite
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• 2.41 - In the Egyptian city of Atarbechis there is a holy Temple of Aphrodite
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• 2.112 - In Memphis, Egypt there was a temple called the temple of the Foreign Aphrodite which Herodotus assumed to be dedicated to Helen
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• 2.181 - King Amasis of Egypt married a woman from Kyrene (Cyrene) named Ladike; she swore to Aphrodite that if Amasis consummated the marriage, she would send an image to be dedicated to Aphrodite at Kyrene
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• 3.8 - The Arabians make pledges of friendship by drawing blood and calling on Dionysos (Bacchus, god of Wine) and Aphrodite Ourania (Urania) to witness their oaths
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• 4.59 - The Scythians worship Histia (Hestia, goddess of the Hearth), Zeus, Gaia (Earth) as the wife of Zeus, Apollon, Aphrodite Ourania (Urania), Herakles (Heracles) and Ares (god of War)
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• 4.67 - The Scythians said that they were given the art of divination by Aphrodite; they would twist and untwist the bark of the linden-tree as they uttered the oracle

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