Briana O’Brien
Final Research Project
ENG 230

Aphrodite: Goddess of love

In Greek mythology, each god or goddess has a unique affinity. For example, Athena is the Goddess of war, Poseidon is the God of the sea, and Aphrodite is a famous goddess known for representing beauty, love, and fertility. Aphrodite is quite popular in our world as she is the symbol of the infinitely desirable female. Aphrodite is very mysterious; there is no definite reason of how she was conceived, although there are two stories. One is that she is the result of a fight between the gods Ouranos and Cronus. Cronus rips off and throws Ouranos’ genitals into the sea and when his flesh mixes with the sea foam, Aphrodite is conceived. “And so soon as he had
With a realm that includes the deepest feelings of the heart and the basis of human passion, Aphrodite has power unlike any other god. Such power is revealed in her actions toward both her faithful supporters and those who influence her anger. For example, when she gave birth to Aeneous, his father, Anchises, let it be known that the mother of his son was the goddess Aphrodite. As punishment, he was made lame and deprived of his eyesight. Aphrodite also uses her powers to destroy those who try to disrupt or prevent the natural works of love and sexuality. She had possession of a magic girdle which imposed arousal for whoever saw the wearer, who would look irresistible to the viewer. She once let Hera borrow this to get Zeus’ attention. (“Aphrodite History”) Animals, especially birds, such as the swan, dove, and goose, would flock to Aphrodite. This symbolizes that she is a heavenly goddess who also has a hold on the Earth. (Lombardi)
Aphrodite is still present in our modern world. Not only has she influenced art and poetry, but she has a hold on many things. An “aphrodisiac” is a substance that causes sexual desire. The word obviously comes from Aphrodite’s name since she is the goddess of love and sexuality. In classical art she has no distinguishing features other than her beauty. The flowers and greenery depiction suggest her connection to fertility. The poet Hesiod’s reference to Aphrodite having been born from the