Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty. Her birth was mysterious.
When the Olympian gods first rose to power, a sacred light shone upon the sea's floating foam. From the waves emerged a radiant maiden, glowing with warmth and charm. Ocean nymphs carried her to Cyprus, which became her sacred island. Her beauty was beyond words, earning her the name "the Beautiful." She wore a golden crown, with deep, soft eyes and warm brows. Her long hair flowed over a delicate neck and fair bosom. Slender fingers and rosy-white feet added to her grace. Her lily-like figure inspired admiration among the gods and jealousy among the goddesses when she first arrived on Olympus.
She was made the goddess of Love and Marriage. Riding a chariot drawn by sparrows, doves, or swans, she traveled widely, inspiring love throughout nature and prompting all living things to reproduce. With her son Eros, the god of love, she created many tales of joy and sorrow for gods and mortals. She was less strict about fidelity and introduced the idea of free love into marriage. She was unfaithful to her husband, Hephaestus, who once caught her with Mars in a net and exposed them to the ridicule of the gods. Yet, she was also kind and responsible, always ready to help young lovers in distress. She loved Adonis, brought the statue Galatea to life, and aided young Hippomenes in his race.