Aphrodite
Aphrodite
Regarding the birth of the Goddess, there are two legends. The first is that Aphrodite was the daughter of Dione and Zeus. He was the king of the Gods and Dione was the Goddess worshiped at the Oracles of Dodoni.
In the second account, more prevalent, we are informed that Aphrodite arose from the sea on a giant scallop. When Cronus, castrated Uranus and tossed his several genitals into the sea, Aphrodite walked to the shore of Cyprus.
There is an another twist saying that when Aphrodite was born near the island Cytherea, hence her maiden name "Cytherea," she was married to Hephaestus. Aphrodite though had an additional affair with Hephaestus brother, Ares, the God of War. It is when Hephaestus discovers the affair that he devised a plan and managed to humiliate his wife and his brother in front of all of the Olympian Gods.
Aphrodite was strongly identified with the myrtle tree while her sacred birds were the dove, the sparrow, and the swan. She was the icon of sexuality, affection and the energy of attraction that bound couples together.
