Aphrodite
Her Name, Birth Characteristics, and Myths
Name
Aphros- Foam
This is a possible reference to her birth
Birth
The remains of Uranus were thrown into the ocean and turned into foam. From this foam Aphrodite was born.
Characteristics
Has power over love, beauty and sex
She is irresistible and beautiful.
Symbols are Roses and Doves.
Myths
Affairs of the gods:
- Aphrodite made all the gods have affairs with mortals thus making heroes.
- Zeus got made at her for this and made her fall in love with a mortal.
- She learned her lesson and stopped making the gods fall in love with mortals, thus ending the era of Heroes.
Aphrodite Marriage:
- She was married t Hephaestus because Zeus gave her to him so the gods wouldn't fight over her.
- She had an affair on Hephaestus with Ares.
Trojan War
- A golden apple prescribed to "the fairest one of all" was thrown between Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena; so they began to fight over it.
- They asked Zeus who was the fairest and he told them to ask Paris of Troy.
- Paris couldn't tell who was the fairest and so the ladies bribed him.
- Hera bribed him with control over Europe and Asia.
- Athena bribed him with military power.
- Aphrodite bribed him with Helen of Sparta.
- Paris chose Aphrodite.
- When Paris got his bribe, it caused a war between Greece and Troy.
- No one could win the war and so the Greeks tricked the Trojans with a hollow horse.
Citations
- Hansen, William. "Aphrodite." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 9 Nov. 2014.
- Ingri, and Edgar D’Aulaire. "Aphrodite, The Apples of Love and the Apples of Discord." D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths. New York: Delacorte, 2003. Print.
- "Aphrodite." Neokoroi. 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. <http://www.neokoroi.org/>.
- Cambell, Wll. "Aphrodite." Behind the Name. Will Cambell, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. <http://www.behindthename.com/name/aphrodite>.