Aphrodite- god of beauty

Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, and sexuality. Apparently she was born when Cronus cut off Uranus' genitals and threw them into the sea and from the sea foam a rose Aphrodite. 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. Aphrodite had many lovers, like Ares and Adonis. Aphrodite was associated with, and often depicted with, the sea, dolphins, doves, swans, pomegranates, scepters, apples, myrtle, rose trees, lime trees, clams, scallop shells, and pearls. She was also called Kypris or Cytherea after her birth-places in Cyprus and Cythera, respectively, both centers of her cult. Some of her sons are Eros, Anteros, Hymenaios and Aeneasand in every sculpture or image she is an adult and apparently was born as an adult. Although she is one of the few gods that is married, she is frequently unfaithful to her husband. She is also so fixed on herself and not others as well as easily offended.

She also had a major part in the cause of the Trojan War. She offered Helen of Troy to Paris and the abduction was accomplished when Paris, seeing Helen for the first time, was inflamed with desire to have her, cause by Aphrodite. She caused the war between Greece and Troy which eventually led to the fall of Troy.

Her festival is the Aphrodisiac which was celebrated in various centers of Greece and especially in Athens and Corinth. Her priestesses were not prostitutes but women who represented the goddess and sexual intercourse with them was considered just one of the methods of worship. Aphrodite was originally an old-Asian goddess, similar to the Mesopotamian Ishtar and the Syro-Palestinian goddess. Aphrodite was one of the most unique of the Greek deities in the freedom of her sexual life. Aphrodite's charms came from her magic cestus, an embroidered girdle that, in both gods and men, aroused passion for the wearer. So great were Aphrodite's seductive abilities that every god, including the great Zeus, desired her as his wife. However, Aphrodite was too proud for any of her suitors and rejected them all. As a punishment, Zeus made her the wife of Hephaestus, the homely and lame smith-god. This union did nothing to curb Aphrodite's actions, and she discouraged Hephaestus from sharing her bed in addition to being unfaithful to him.

Aphrodite was often pictured sitting or riding on a variety of animals, particularly birds such as swans or geese. This association with the sky reinforces the existence of Aphrodite Urania, the heavenly goddess who also portrayed animals. In addition, such images also support Aphrodite as the Queen of Heaven, with an important place in the natural world. This also portrays that Aphrodite is a very powerful and important god.