The goddess of love, beauty, and sexual rapture, her name derives from the word for sea foam. In one story, she was born when Kronos the Titan was castrated and his genitals were thrown into the ocean. The sea began to roil and from the foam Aphrodite took shape. In contrast, Homer says she was the daughter of Zeus and Dione. Regardless of her ancestry, she was beautiful beyond words.
Seeking Olympian tranquility, Zeus gave Aphrodite in marriage to hard-working and reliable Hephaestus. With his metal working skills he fashioned for her wonderful jewels, including a golden magical girdle. The combination of her personal charms and her jewels made her irresistible. She took advantage of her gifts, loving glamour and flirting, and was not particularly happy with a dirty, boring husband. She took many lovers, including Adonis, and bore several children, including Eros. The festival of Aphrodisiac was celebrated, especially in Athens and Corinth. Coupling with her priestesses was a form of Aphrodite worship.
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