Key Takeaways
The worst - keep secret of womanhood is perhaps the unrelenting societal force per unit area to conform to arbitrary , cookie - cutterbeautynorms . And while woman today confront an unprecedented high bar when it come to appearance ( thank you filters , Instagram , Photoshop , enhancive subprogram , and all the rest ! ) , unreasonable looker monetary standard are nothing unexampled . In fact , they date back at least toaphrodite-006705">458 B.C.E.when the playwright Aeschylus dreamt up the ultimate embodiment of unattainable beauty : Aphrodite .
Born from the foam in the body of water of Paphos , on the island of Cyprus , Aphroditeaphrodite/">has a couple of origin account . According to Hesiod ’s " Theogony , " she rise from the sea when the Titan Cronus vote down his father Uranus and cast off his genitals into the sea ( um , yikes ) . But Homer ’s " Iliad " says Aphrodite is the daughter ofZeusand Dione . However she come into the creation of Hellenic mythology , the Goddess of Love and Beauty is well screw for her stunning aesthetical , but she ’s also a powerful , immortal deity capable of stirring up romance among gods and mortals . Here are seven of the most beautiful facts you may not do it about Aphrodite .
1. Her Belt Held Special Powers
Aphrodite was such a force , even her add-on held otherworldly abilities . Her swath ( sometimes call a " trick girdle")AphroditeTreasures.html">had the power to inspire desireand induce men and idol to dispiritedly devolve for whoever ’s fall apart it . She was generous with that trinket too — she loaned it to QueenHeraso she could disquiet Zeus from the Trojan War .
2. She Was Married … but Still Looking
Zeus married Aphrodite off to Hephaestus who was known for being … well , despicable . Apparently the King of the Gods feel some kind of poetic judge in matching the stunning goddess up with someone who was less than a mantrap . But wedlock did n’t stop Aphrodite from getting hers — her farseeing lean of lovers included graven image like Ares and men like Anchises . But she perhaps had the strongest connection to Adonis , who was alsokind of her surrogate son?Mythology is mad .
3. She Didn’t Take Rejection Well
Aphrodite could have had just about any idol or human she wanted — just about . The few who somehow resisted her allure did n’t meet very happy endings . TakeHippolytusfor model . He select Artemis over Aphrodite , so the latter made his stepmother Phaedra decrease in beloved with him and both wound up drained . No one said the goddess of beauty was merciful .
4. She Didn’t Have a Signature Style
Aphrodite is depicted in a multitude of unlike ways , and the array of classical artworks dedicated to her image all portray her otherwise . Aside from overwhelming lulu , she ’s not fuck for any typical features or attributes . But sheisoften give in dead symmetrical , totally nude glory . In accession to her magical belt , she ’s also oftendepicted withan Malus pumila , scallop carapace , dove or swan .
5. Artists Are Obsessed With Her
Aphrodite has inspired more works of artistic creation than any other physique in classic mythology , and you could pick out her in thousands of painting and sculptures , as well as literary tribute . She is perhaps most famously eff as the inspiration for the Venus de Milo , one of the Louvre ’s most prized opus of statuary .
6. Did We Mention She Was Fierce?
Aphrodite did n’t just have it out for those who refuse her advances — she also was n’t down for disrespect of any kind . A man namedGlaucusonce insulted her , so she spat back by give his horses sorcerous water that caused them to turn on him during a chariot race . The buck not only suppress him butatehis body . Aphrodite was not bothered in the slight .
7. She Wasn’t a Regular Mom, She Was a Cool Mom
It’sunclear whether his daddywas Zeus , Ares or Hermes , but Eros ( a.k.a . Cupid ) had one coolheaded mammy : Aphrodite . Although he ’s ordinarily depicted as a impish little bozo , Eros was afiercely firm kidwho Aphrodite often brought along with her on prescribed love concern . Cupid may not have been her only young — source sayshe was also momto Phobos , Deimos , Harmonia and Aeneas .
