Task 2- Greek Gods and Goddesses

Aphrodite

Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of sex, love and beauty. She is associated with dolphins, doves, swans and lime trees. Legend says that she was born from the sea foam. This occured when the father of the gods, Uranus was castrated by his son Cronus. When his severed genitals were thrown into the sea, the foam was created and Aphrodite was born. Other stories say that she is the daughter of Zeus and Dione. Following her birth she was married to the smith god Hephaestus, because Zeus feared the other gods would fight over her. Hephaestus doted on Aphrodite and made her a girdle of gold with magic woven into it. However this only made Aphrodite more irrestible to the other gods, and she was not pleased about being married to a smith. Aphrodite was not only loved by other gods, she was also loved by mortals. Her most famous mortal lover was Adonis. Her children include Eros and Aeneas. Aphrodite's festival is celebrated in various parts of Greece and is called the Aphrodisiac. Her priestesses were women who represented the goddesses of sex, and intercourse with them was considered a huge honor as well as a method of worship.