Those who desire to give up Freedom in order to gain Security,
will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.
-Thomas Jefferson
Aphrodite
Goddess of Love
Aphrodite is the beautifil Greek Goddess of Love. The Romans adopted Her as Venus, but Her cult never stopped there and continues to this day. There are two legends of Her birth: one being She was the daughter of Zeus and Dione and the other (and much more popular) being She was created when Cronus cut off the genitals of Uranus. When the genitals fell into the sea, a great foam arose and lovely Aphrodite stepped out from it and floated to the shores of Cyprus: forever more regarded as Her island of love.
When Aphrodite arrived at Olympus to claim Her rightful place, She was given the lame God Hephaestus as Her husband. Aphrodite soon tired of Him and turned to the much more exciting Ares, God of War, as Her lover and had several children by Him. As such, She became the overseer of lust, illicet and married sex, love (forbidden as well as accepted) and was often portraid as punishing those mortals who refused to Heed Her call, even when it could destroy nations or marriages. She was the winner of the Golden Apple that caused the Trojan War, and Her son Eros has been often blamed for love affairs that should never have happened.
Aphrodite has Her roots in old fertility religions dating back to Innana and Astarte. When the Greek religions created their religion, they adopted/absorbed this fertility image and softened Her image for the male dominated society. To assist Her in Her love duties, She was in possession of a girdle/belt that caused whomever She wanted to fall in love with Her. She feels no remorse for causing love among mortals, and takes great pleasure in tormenting those who fail to respond.
Aphrodite is the most beautiful of the Goddesses. She is often shown nude, either alone, with Her son Eros, or with dolphins. Apples, the ancient symbol of fertility is sacred to Her, along with the swan, dolphin, myrtle, dove and cinnamon.
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