Hello and welcome back to another chapter of Greek mythology 101! Today’s chapter will be about Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. There are more stories about than any other god. So let’s read about the infamous Aphrodite.

The way Aphrodite was born is a weird one. After Cronus chopped up Uranus, Cronus threw the bits into the ocean and Aphrodite came out of those bits in the ocean. She is visualized emerging from the ocean in a seashell, that is why she is connected with them.

Because Aphrodite is the goddess of love, she is seen in a desired way. Also because she is the goddess of love she has had quite a few affairs and marriages. Her first husband is Hephaestus (the god of carpentry). One time Helios (the sun) caught Aphrodite having an affair with Ares (the god of war) in her and Hephaestus’s house!

Since Hephaestus is the god of carpentry, he has the best carpentry skills of all Olympian. Hephaestus continued to make a net to capture them both. Hephaestus then invited all of the gods to laugh at them. Most of the gods laughed except Poseidon, Hermes, and Apollo who felt some sympathy for Ares. They then bought Ares out of the net, freeing both of them. After Aphrodite’s affair Hephaestus, naturally, got a divorce and remarried. Aphrodite soon did the same with Ares.

Eros is an attendant of Aphrodite and sometimes seen as her son. Eros is also the god of desire and lewdness, taking after Aphrodite. Himeros is another attendant of Aphrodite, and another type of love god. There is an interesting story about Eros where he is Aphrodite’s son, but it’s a long one so it’s not this chapter.

As I have mentioned many times before in Athena and Hera’s chapter, Aphrodite plays a big role throughout the Trojan war and the judgment of Paris. First the judgment of Paris, during the wedding of Thetis and Peleus, Thetis was given an apple that said the fairest, so Aphrodite wanted it but so did Athena and Hera.

The three goddesses fought over the apple until Zeus sent Paris to decide which goddess got the apple. The three bribed him, Athena with glory, Hera with power, and Aphrodite with the most beautiful wife. Paris chose Aphrodite, granting him with the most beautiful woman as a wife (that wasn’t her). During that time Helen of Troy was the most beautiful woman, but she was already married. This is where Aphrodite comes in, she hypnotized Helen to come with her to Paris, kidnapping her. 

I want you to know I didn’t mention a lot of her stories here because there are too many. But I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day and look forward to our next chapter!