Aphrodite
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| :''[[Aphrodite (disambiguation)]], [[Aphrodite Ourania and Aphrodite Pandemos]]'' | :''[[Aphrodite (disambiguation)]], [[Aphrodite Ourania and Aphrodite Pandemos]]'' | ||
| - | In Greek mythology '''Aphrodite''' is the [[goddess]] of [[beauty]] and [[love]], born when [[Cronus]] [[castrated]] [[Uranus]] and threw his [[genitalia]] into the sea. Aphrodite is also known as '''Kypris''' ('''Lady of Cyprus''') and '''Cytherea''' after the two places, [[Cyprus]] and [[Kythira]], which claim her birth. Her [[Roman mythology|Roman]] equivalent is the goddess [[Venus (mythology)|Venus]]. [[Myrtle]], [[dove]], [[sparrow]], and [[swan]] are sacred to her. | + | In Greek mythology '''Aphrodite''' is the [[goddess]] of [[beauty]] and [[love]], born when [[Cronus]] [[castrated]] [[Uranus]] and threw his [[genitalia]] into the sea. Aphrodite is also known as '''Kypris''' ('''Lady of Cyprus''') and '''Cytherea''' after the two places, [[Cyprus]] and [[Kythira]], which claim her birth. Her [[Roman mythology|Roman]] equivalent is the goddess [[Venus (mythology)|Venus]]. |
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| + | Because of her beauty other gods feared that jealousy would interrupt the peace among them and lead to war, and so [[Zeus]] married her to [[Hephaestus]], who was not viewed as a threat. However, Aphrodite became instrumental in the [[Eros and Psyche]] legend, and later was both [[Adonis]]' lover and his surrogate mother. | ||
| ==Aphrodite Ourania and Aphrodite Pandemos== | ==Aphrodite Ourania and Aphrodite Pandemos== | ||
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In Greek mythology Aphrodite is the goddess of beauty and love, born when Cronus castrated Uranus and threw his genitalia into the sea. Aphrodite is also known as Kypris (Lady of Cyprus) and Cytherea after the two places, Cyprus and Kythira, which claim her birth. Her Roman equivalent is the goddess Venus.
Because of her beauty other gods feared that jealousy would interrupt the peace among them and lead to war, and so Zeus married her to Hephaestus, who was not viewed as a threat. However, Aphrodite became instrumental in the Eros and Psyche legend, and later was both Adonis' lover and his surrogate mother.
Aphrodite Ourania and Aphrodite Pandemos
By the late 5th century BC, philosophers might separate Aphrodite into two separate goddesses, not individuated in cult: Aphrodite Ourania, born from the sea foam after Cronus castrated Ouranos, and Aphrodite Pandemos, the common Aphrodite "of all the folk," born from Zeus and Dione. Among the neo-Platonists and eventually their Christian interpreters, Aphrodite Ourania figures as the celestial Aphrodite, representing the love of body and soul, while Aphrodite Pandemos is associated with mere physical love. The representation of Aphrodite Ouranos, with a foot resting on a tortoise, was read later as emblematic of discretion in conjugal love; the image is credited to Phidias, in a chryselephantine sculpture made for Elis, of which we have only a passing remark by Pausanias.
Thus, according to the character Pausanias in Plato's Symposium, Aphrodite is two goddesses, one older the other younger. The older, Urania, is the "heavenly" daughter of Ouranos, and inspires homosexual male (and more specifically, ephebic) love/eros; the younger is named Pandemos, the daughter of Zeus and Dione, and all love for women comes from her. Pandemos is the common Aphrodite. The speech of Pausanias distinguishes two manifestations of Aphrodite, represented by the two stories: Aphrodite Ourania ("heavenly" Aphrodite), and Aphrodite Pandemos ("Common" Aphrodite).
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