Aphrodite (Venus to the Romans) is the goddess of love and beauty.
She was thought of as the goddess of eternal spring, flowering and fertility. She patronized beauty and lovers, poets glorifying love, and artists embodying beauty. Everything beautiful in this world was the creation of Aphrodite. She preferred life and peace to war and death, which is why she was praised when they wanted quiet prosperity or deliverance from death.
The goddess was subject not only to people and animals, but also to the gods themselves.
“Golden” is the most common epithet among the Greeks when describing Aphrodite, meaning “beautiful” for them. According to Paul Friedrich, a famous expert on Aphrodite, the words golden honey, golden speech, golden seed linguistically related, symbolizing childbirth and verbal creativity - Aphrodite's deepest values.
Myth
There are two mythological versions of the birth and origin of Aphrodite. Hesiod and Homer tell two contradictory stories.
According to Homer, Aphrodite was born in the usual way. She was the daughter of Zeus and the sea nymph Dione.
According to Hesiod, Aphrodite was born as a result of violence. The treacherous Kronos took a sickle, cut off the reproductive organs of his father Uranus and threw them into the sea. They were covered with snow-white foam, mixed with the seed, from which Aphrodite was born, emerging from the sea waves as a fully grown goddess.
According to myths, Aphrodite first set foot on the shore of either the island of Cythera or the island of Cyprus. Then, accompanied by Eros, she was taken to Olympus and became the most beautiful of the goddesses in the host of gods.
Many of the gods, smitten by her beauty, competed as contenders for her hand and heart. Unlike other goddesses who did not choose their spouses or lovers, Aphrodite was free in her choice. She chose Hephaestus, the lame god of fire and blacksmithing. Thus, the rejected son of Hera becomes the husband of Aphrodite - and will often be deceived by her. Aphrodite and Hephaestus had no children. Their marriage may represent the union of beauty and craftsmanship from which art is born.
Aphrodite preferred to choose her lovers from the second generation of Olympians - the generation of sons, not fathers (Zeus, Poseidon and Hades).
Archetype
The Aphrodite archetype governs a woman's ability to enjoy love and beauty, sexuality and sensuality. Contact with the sphere of love activates powerful forces in many women. As a truly feminine force, Aphrodite can be as demanding as Hera and Demeter (two other strong instinctive archetypes). Aphrodite encourages women to perform both creative and reproductive functions.
beauty
When a girl first feels like a beauty, the archetype of the goddess Aphrodite awakens in her. The feeling or awareness of one's own beauty gives inspiration and strength, a feeling of unreality (“floating above the earth”) and a sense of power over the world around us. This is an unreal, truly archetypal feeling that completely transforms a woman. Without such experiences and experiences, our world would be much more boring, sadder, gloomier. We also enjoy seeing such beauty; we are able to admire others, dissolving in this experience. And such an experience is also from the Aphrodite archetype: it is this goddess who teaches us to see beauty in the world and Other people, to admire and appreciate it, to enjoy the fact that it simply exists.
The Aphrodite archetype largely dictates the image of the ideal woman. So we can observe a certain cult of bodily perfection. When a woman goes on a diet, undergoes cosmetic surgery, goes to a beauty salon, desperately fights cellulite, carefully applies makeup, she is trying to create some kind of bodily perfection, the likeness of a goddess. If the archetypes of independent goddesses are not sufficiently developed, then a woman’s own appearance becomes the only value in the world.
Peacefulness
Aphrodite was a purely peaceful goddess. She never got involved in wars: the Trojan War was an exception, and even then the immortal only wanted to protect her favorites. This archetype and the people included in it are deeply alien to the idea of violence, aggression and war. Although Aphrodite was in a love affair with the god of war, Ares, the bed of love is perhaps the only place where Aphrodite would like to see him. She loves love captures, not political ones, and gentle struggles in bed, and not on the battlefield. It gives people passion, the ability to love and give life, and not to torture and kill. The hippie slogan of the 1960s and 70s is also characteristic in this regard: “Make love, not war.”
Love
The state of falling in love is a state of “here and now”, which from the inside seems like an amazing and amazing eternity, into which you can plunge as into a life-giving source. This feeling of being filled with love, this feeling of an internal aching “breaking” of the body from the inability to connect, merge, simply get closer or, conversely, in anticipation of this. All these signs of “sweet flour” are both very similar and individual. But invariably recognizable. This is also what Aphrodite gives. A woman under the influence of this facet of the archetype does not pay attention to anything around her, only love is important to her. All people in love become like this.
Two lovers see each other in the special, uplifting, “golden” light of Aphrodite, which attracts them with its beauty. The air is saturated with magic; a state of enchantment or passionate love arises. Everyone feels wonderful and special. The energy field between them becomes emotionally charged, generating erotic “electricity”, which in turn creates a mutual magnetic attraction. In the “golden” space around them, sensory receptivity increases: they hear music more clearly, smells more clearly, the lover’s taste and touch are enhanced.
Mistress
Every woman who is in love with a man who reciprocates her feelings becomes at this moment the personification of Aphrodite. Temporarily transformed from an ordinary mortal to a goddess of love, she feels like an attractive and sensual archetypal lover.
If Aphrodite is the main archetype in the female personality, then a woman falls in love often and easily.
When sensuality and sexuality in women are devalued - as in many patriarchal cultures - the woman embodying Aphrodite the lover is seen as a temptress or harlot. This archetype, when pronounced, can lead a woman to conflict with moral standards. Aphrodite women can be expelled from society.
The well-known “virgin and whore complex” is associated precisely with the existence - and opposition - of the archetypes Aphrodite and Hestia. All existing or encountered women are subject to the projection of only these two archetypes, each of which is expressed in an extremely extreme and primitive way. And until a man sees that the same women combine different images and archetypes, or - even better, but less likely - understands that these are his own fantasies and projections, he will look for extremes.
However, some men are fascinated by this particular version of the Aphrodite archetype, the so-called Aphrodite Pandemos (“of the people”). They are looking for women who best suit him.
Thirst for love
An unquenchable thirst for love overcomes us when we are already in love, but we do not know whether this feeling is mutual or whether there is at least some possibility for it to become so. Or when there is no love or its object yet, but the soul yearns for this feeling, for the demand for desires and the body, for passionate outbursts and spiritual harmony. The Aphrodite archetype often appears to us in exactly this guise. This is what motivates us to commit various follies and oddities, stupidities and great deeds or big mistakes.
Instinct for procreation
Aphrodite represents the urge that ensures the continuation of the human race. As an archetype associated with sexual urge and the power of passion, Aphrodite can turn a woman into a “generative vessel.”
Unlike a Demeter woman who enters into intimate relationships for the desire to have a child, a woman under the influence of Aphrodite has a child because she feels passion for a man or desires a sexual or romantic experience. They gladly give birth to children from their beloved men - they do not associate childbirth with the legal ties of Hymen like Hera, but they also do not consider children the meaning of their whole life, like Demeter. For Aphrodite, children are wonderful “fruits of love.”
Creation
Aphrodite represents the great power of change. Thanks to it, attraction, connection, fertilization, gestation and the birth of a new life occur. When this process between a man and a woman takes place solely on the physical level, a child is conceived. But in all other creative processes the sequence is the same: attraction, union, fertilization, gestation and new creation. An abstract creative product can be presented as an inspired combination of two ideas, which ultimately gives birth to a new theory.
Creative work occurs in a state of intense and passionate involvement - almost like with a lover, where one (the artist) interacts with the "other" to bring something new to life. This “other,” all-consuming and enchanting for a period of time, may be a painting, a dance form, a musical composition, a sculpture, a poem or manuscript, a new theory or invention. Creativity for many people is also a "feeling" process; it is an “in-the-moment” sensory experience that includes touch, sound, sights, movement, and sometimes even smell and taste. An artist, immersed in the creative process, often, like a lover, finds that all her sensations are intensified and she perceives sensory impressions through many channels. When she works on a visual image, a verbal phrase, or a dance movement, multiple sensory sensations can interact to produce the result.
Just as Aphrodite the lover can move through a chain of love affairs, so Aphrodite the creative force can draw a woman from one intense creative act to another. When one project ends, another opportunity arises that attracts her.
Muse
It is known that Aphrodite gave inspiration to poets, musicians, artists, and sculptors. Likewise, women in whom this archetype is strong play the role of muses for creative, intelligent and educated people.
Such a woman plays a special role in making a man’s Dream come true. It gives you the opportunity to give shape to your Dream and helps you live for it. She shares it, believes in him as the hero of the Dream, gives her blessing and provides refuge, helping to express his ambitious desires and nurture his hopes.
This particular woman is similar to Toni Wolfe's description of the "heterosexual woman" (the ancient Greek equivalent of courtesans, who was educated, cultured and unusually free for those days; in some respects she was similar to a Japanese geisha), whose close relationships with men have both erotic and friendly overtones. She could be his muse. According to Woolf, the hetaera fertilizes the creative side of a man and helps him in his creativity. Sometimes a woman has the gift of attracting several or many men who perceive her as a special woman; she has the ability to see their potential, believe in their dreams and inspire them to achieve.
Breaking the rules
Sometimes both aspects of Aphrodite are present in one woman - both creative and romantic. In this case, she enters into intense intimate relationships, moving from one relationship to another, and immerses herself in creative work. Such a woman follows her enchanting passions in love and creativity and can lead a life alien to convention, like the dancer Isadora Duncan and the writer George Sand.
Aphrodite breaks the rules. The goddess not only cheated on her husband, shared men with other women and indulged in love even with mortals, but also forced other gods to do this.
“It is better to be a bad woman, but happy, than a decent woman, but unhappy,” is, of course, the motto of Aphrodite.
Aphrodite Woman
The Aphrodite archetype radiates personal charm - magnetism or electricity - which, combined with external characteristics, makes a woman an “Aphrodite”.
An ordinary-looking woman does not attract men from a distance, but if her active archetype is Aphrodite, then when they get closer, they find her charming and charming. Many women with Aphrodite qualities who are not particularly beautiful attract men with the magnetic warmth of their personality and their natural, unconscious sexuality. These "simps" are always surrounded by men, while their more gifted, really pretty sisters may be waiting by the phone or sitting alone at a dance, wondering, "What does she have that I don't have?"
Childhood and parents
As a child, little Aphrodite can be an innocent little flirt. She has unconscious sexuality, the ability to arouse interest and response in men. She enjoys being the center of attention and enjoys wearing nice clothes and dressing up. She is not usually a shy, timid child, and may even be called a "little actress" for her impromptu performances and other attention-grabbing acts that even then captivate her audiences.
By awakening the Aphrodite archetype, parents can raise a girl like a little princess, dressing her in the most wonderful dresses, or inspire her to perform creative feats such as reading poetry or singing songs in front of guests. If both loving parents do this, then the girl grows up in an atmosphere of friendliness and acceptance. Sometimes this is the result of one parent's vanity efforts. By imposing on the child the role of “mom’s (or father’s) sunshine,” parents demand that the girl always look content, joyful and happy, otherwise she will be reproached for malicious ingratitude. Parents can also wish their child fame and glory, literally “pushing” him onto the stage or podium, tormenting him from an early age with discipline, training and hours of vigil in front of the mirror in the hands of a hairdresser or makeup artist.
Unfortunately, the vigorous encouragement of the development of this archetype ina girl can lead to too early “adulthood”, to experiences and experiences that are appropriate at an older age. Including traumatic experiences. In order for a girl to begin to show direct interest in sexual life too early (not a naturalistic one, like asking “Where do children come from?”) interest in sexual life, there usually must be someone who will provoke her to this, teach her, perhaps force her. This does not happen as rarely as one might think. And close relatives are most often responsible for this.
The best parents do not overestimate or place too much importance on Aphrodite's qualities and do not treat their daughter as a pretty object. Parents rate their daughter's attractiveness in the same way as other qualities, such as intelligence, kindness, and artistic abilities. In the case of a dating situation, parents impose restrictions appropriate to the age and maturity of the daughter. Attractiveness to men is seen as a fact that a girl should be aware of (not condemned).
Adolescence and youth
Adolescence and young adulthood are a crucial time for the Aphrodite woman, who may find herself caught between the excitement of Aphrodite within herself and the reactions of those around her.
Young women receive little help in dealing with their persistent inner Aphrodite. Their main choice, which can have serious consequences, is how to express their sexuality. Some of them simply suppress it. At the same time, those who feel strong religious pressure may in any case feel guilty, blaming themselves for “unacceptable” feelings. Others express sexuality in a stable, intimate relationship - a good choice if Hera is also a strong part of the personality, although early marriage may result.
If both Athena and Aphrodite are both strong elements in a young woman, she can use a combination of strategy and sexuality, including for self-defense.
When an Aphrodite woman goes to college, perhaps the social aspects will be most important to her. She may choose a "party school" - a college marked by social activity rather than academic pursuits.
She usually does not focus on long-term academic goals or career goals. Her renewed interest in a professional career is undermined by the dull prospect of accepting the difficult conditions required. She is able to plunge into college work only by shining in some - most often creative - field, including interaction with people
Job
Work that does not emotionally captivate the Aphrodite woman is of no interest to her. She enjoys variety and intensity, and finds repetitive tasks, like housework, office work or laboratory work, boring. She only does a job well when she can be completely creative in it. Thus, she can be found in the fields of art, music, writing, dance, drama, or among people who are especially significant to her, such as a teacher, therapist, editor.
Forced to choose a profession for herself (or having decided to do so because “otherwise it’s boring”), a young woman will go where she has the opportunity to communicate with a large number of people, shine with her appearance and make an impression.
As a result, she either hates her job and probably does a mediocre job, or she loves it and puts in the effort and time. She almost always prefers a job that she finds interesting to one that pays better but is not as attractive to her. She can achieve success, but, unlike Athena and Artemis, she is not focused on achievement.
Relationships with women: friendship or rivalry
A woman who vividly embodies the Aphrodite archetype has many friends and many envious women. Her friends like her spontaneity, dynamism and charm. Some can only dream of such a life and therefore live it indirectly “through a friend.” Others have the same qualities of Aphrodite, perhaps “diluted” properties of other goddesses, and live the same cheerful and joyful life, welcoming each new day.
Other women tend not to trust the Aphrodite woman, which is especially true for women of the Hera type. The less Aphrodite is aware of and responsible for her effect on men, the more destructive she becomes. When women (especially the jealous and vindictive Hera) are angry with her, the Aphrodite woman is often shocked. She rarely shares the hostility of other women, and since she is not jealous or possessive herself, it is usually difficult for her to understand the reason for the hostility towards herself.
Envious women can also be found among the same Aphrodite rivals, perhaps fixated on their own appearance and the presence of fans more than anything else.
Relationships with men:
Aphrodite women are attracted to men who are not necessarily suitable for them. If not influenced by the archetypes of other goddesses, their choice is often similar to the choice of Aphrodite herself - these are men who are creative, complex, easily susceptible to mood swings or emotional, like Hephaestus, Ares or Hermes. Such men do not strive for professional heights or positions of power, do not want to head a family or be husbands and fathers.
Sometimes all the attention of a woman dominated by the Aphrodite archetype can be concentrated on herself: her appearance, success with the opposite sex and on a well-deserved reward - a “beautiful life.” A partner or lover is valuable only when he can provide for her, give her the life that she believes she deserves. These women know what they want and know how to get it.
There is a type of Aphrodite woman who loves many. This is a very bright and, perhaps, the most famous type of woman. Often they seem to live one day at a time, abandoning permanent relationships and stability, in a thirst for new hobbies and adventures. In each new romance, they can be extremely passionate and emotionally demanding. They enjoy the intoxication of love - they expect constant confirmation of their sexual attractiveness from their partner.
But there are women with a strong Aphrodite archetype, who fall in love quickly and passionately, but are able to find themselves, if not good husbands, then some “special” lovers. They choose charismatic, bright, strong men. Often these are “the powers that be” (or about the same thing, but on a smaller scale). These may also be the “great talents” of their time. Women are not looking for benefits here - they are attracted by the special strength and energy of a powerful or talented man. Like a true Aphrodite, such a woman knows how to see, understand and appreciate the beauty, strength or genius of a man.
If Aphrodite is one of several powerful archetypes, including Hera, then her presence enhances and enlivens the marriage with sexuality and passion. However, it can be very difficult for an Aphrodite woman to endure a monogamous marriage. If the other goddesses have little influence over the married Aphrodite, or the marriage is simply a casual coupling, she will likely follow the pattern of a series of intimate liaisons.
Children
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The Aphrodite woman likes children, and vice versa. The child feels that this woman is looking at him with eyes that do not judge, but are able to appreciate. She brings out the child's feelings and abilities in such a way that the child feels beautiful and accepted. Often she gradually instills in him a feeling of being chosen, giving the child confidence and helping to develop abilities and talents. She can very easily get into the spirit of play and fantasy. She charms children with her demeanor and inspires them with her infectious enthusiasm for everything that interests her. These are wonderful qualities for a mother. The children of an Aphrodite woman thrive and develop their own individuality, especially if she also has Demeter-like qualities.
Mother Aphrodite can enchant her children, who see her as beautiful and seductive, but if (due to the lack of the Demeter archetype) she does not take into account their needs for emotional security and constancy, she will be inconsistent, contradictory, which threatens negative consequences for them. In this case, her children revel in her full attention one moment, but when her attention shifts to something else at another moment, they feel abandoned and unhappy.
Average age
The inevitability of aging can be a devastating reality for an Aphrodite woman if attractiveness was her main source of satisfaction. In her middle years, the Aphrodite woman often makes mistakes in her choice of partners. She may realize how often she is attracted to unconventional and sometimes unsuitable men. Now she may want to calm down, a possibility she previously dismissed with contempt.
However, middle age is not difficult for Aphrodite women engaged in creative work. It is typical for such women to retain their enthusiasm and still throw themselves headlong into the work that interests them. And now they have more experience to feel inspired and more highly developed skill to express themselves.
Old age
Some Aphrodite women retain the ability to see beauty in the object of their focus and always be a little in love. They enter old age with grace and vitality. Their interest in others or involvement in creative work remains the most important part of life. They continue to be in a youthful position as they unconsciously move from experience to experience, from person to person, fascinated by what comes in the next moment. Young at heart, they attract others and have friends of all ages.
Psychological problems
s
It is not easy to have Aphrodite as a leading archetype. Women who follow the instinctive sexuality of Aphrodite are often caught between their own desire for sexual intimacy and the tendency to generate erotic energy in others, on the one hand, and a culture that views women as promiscuous
, if she acts according to her desires, on the other.
Aphrodite woman growing into an atmosphere of condemnation of female sexuality, may try to suppress her interest in men, downplay her attractiveness, and consider herself bad for her sexual desires. But the guilt and inner conflict that accompany the manifestations of her Aphrodite nature lead to depression, anxiety and depression.
Aphrodite women tend to live in the present, experiencing life as if it were only a sensory experience. Under the pressure of the moment, such a woman can react, being unaware of the consequences of one’s actions, and/or not being faithful, thereby giving rise to conflicts. This orientation entails impulsive actions that are destructive to everything it touches.
Men can become victims of an Aphrodite woman when she "loves them and leaves them" . She falls in love very easily, convinced every time that she has found the perfect man. The magic of the moment allows him to feel like a god, loved by a goddess, until she leaves him and starts dating someone else. As a result, she leaves behind a chain of wounded, offended, indignant, depressed or angry men who feel used and abandoned.
Modern victims of Aphrodite are women bound by their unhappy love
. Some of them seek psychiatric help to free themselves from suffering.
A woman may be in a loving relationship with a man who treats her poorly or humiliates her
. She makes her whole life dependent on the “crumbs” of attention that fall from him from time to time. Her involvement may be short-lived, but it can also last for years.
Also sometimes a woman in love with a man who makes it clear he doesn't want to be with her . He avoids her as much as possible and feels the curse of her unrequited love. Once again, her tormenting obsession with him can continue for years, effectively preventing the possibility of any other intimate connection.
It takes great effort to avoid the temptation to see it and get caught in your own snare again. But she must do this in order to be able to direct her emotions to another goal.
Photo materials taken from the resource pinterest. com
. Jean Shinoda Bohlen “The Goddesses in Every Woman: The New Psychology of Women. Archetypes of Goddesses”, publishing house “Sofia”, 2007.
. Galina Borisovna Bednenko “Greek goddesses. Archetypes of femininity." - Series: Library of psychology and psychotherapy of the independent company “Class”, 2005
You can also convert the electronic edition of the book to http://halina. livejournal. com/1849206.html
czarstvo-diva.livejournal.com 2013
SS late 5th century. BC e. and especially during the Hellenistic period, Aphrodite throughout the Greek ecumene began to primarily personify the goddess of love and beauty. That’s why her sculptors loved to create statues of this beautiful goddess.Aphrodite of Knidos
Aphrodite was not always depicted naked, as we are used to seeing her. The first who decided to dare and depict the goddess naked was the Greek sculptor Praxiteles, the best of sculptors (350-330 BC). According to legend, the master's partner was his beloved hetaera Phryne, which caused a big scandal.Athenaeus continues: “But even more beautiful were those parts of Phryne’s body that are not customary to be shown, and it was not at all easy to see her naked, because she usually wore a tight-fitting tunic and did not use public baths. But when all of Greece gathered in Eleusinia for festival of Poseidon, she took off her clothes in front of everyone, let down her hair and went naked into the sea; this is what prompted Apelles the plot for his Aphrodite Anadyomene. The famous sculptor Praxiteles was also one of Phryne’s admirers and used her as a model for his Aphrodite of Cnidos" .
His famous marble statue stood in the temple on the island of Cnidus. Pliny, who called it the best sculpture in the world, wrote that many went to Knidus just to see this brilliant work. Looking at the statue, everyone understood why Aphrodite defeated Athena and Hera in the famous myth of the court of Paris.
As the ancient Roman writer Pliny reports, Praxiteles simultaneously sculpted two statues - one, as was customary, covered with clothes, the other naked. The residents of Kos, for whom the order was made, did not understand Art Nouveau, so they bought the statue in clothes. Rumors about this work then disappeared.
"Aphrodite Braschi". I century BC e. Glyptothek.Munich
Praxiteles. Head of Aphrodite of Knidos (Kaufman's Aphrodite). Louvre
Cytharea-Cypris came to Knidus through the depths of the sea,
To look at your new statue there,
And, having examined it all, standing in an open place,
She screamed: “Where did Praxiteles see me naked?”
No, it wasn’t Praxiteles who sculpted you, it wasn’t the chisel, but you yourself
It seemed to us like you were at the trial.
Aphrodite of Knidos from the collection of the Vatican Museum is perhaps the most faithful copy.
Palazzo Nuovo
Aphrodite Anadyomene
No less famous was the painting by Apelles, who painted Aphrodite Anadyomene (emerging from the sea). Leonid of Tarentum (III century BC) described this picture as follows:
Cypris, who rose from the bosom of the waters
And still wet from the foam, Apelles
Didn't write here, no! - reproduced live,
In all its captivating glory. Look:
She raised her hands to wring out her hair,
And the gaze already sparkles with tender passion,
And - a sign of blossoming - the chest is round, like an apple.
Athena and Kronidas' wife say:
“O Zeus, we will be defeated in a dispute with her.”
Inspired by the painting of Apelles, the sculptor Polycharmus made a statue of Aphrodite Anadyomene. Like the work of Praxiteles, it was reproduced in various free copies over several centuries.
Aphrodite, (Anadyomene), Roman copy, 1st century BC
Aphrodite emerging from the water (Anadyomene), Roman copy
Aphrodite of Rhodes, 2nd century BC
Venus of Syracuse. 2nd century n. uh
Aphrodite Anadyomene, Rome (Aphrodite Chiaramonti)
Ve nera Callipyges (BEnera Beautiful Ass)
Original approx. 225 BC e., the statue lifts its clothes, showing off its beauty. Found in Nero's Golden House. The spiral-shaped composition allows the figure to look equally advantageous from any point. Kept in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples since 1802, a gift from Pope Benedict XVII. During the Victorian period it was considered extremely indecent (one English artist needed special permission to be allowed to sketch it in an album).
Venus of Arles (Venus of Arlesian)
Kept in the Louvre, it was found in 1651 on the ruins of the ancient theater of Arles (France) in the form of three scattered fragments. The head was separated from the body, and the arms were lost. It was brought to its current form by Francois Girardon. Apparently, “Venus of Arles” goes back to the second famous Aphrodite by Praxiteles - Aphrodite of Kos.
Aphrodite in the gardens (Aphrodite I en Kipois)
It came to us only in not always intelligible replicas. The work of Phidias' student Alkamenes represented a calmly standing goddess, slightly bowing her head and with a graceful movement of her hand throwing back the veil from her face; in her other hand she held an apple, a gift from Paris. The statue was created in the 2nd half. 5th century BC e., antiquity is also felt in the fact that the goddess is not completely exposed, even if her clothes fit her quite openly. In Attica there was even a special cult of Aphrodite Urania in the Gardens. Aphrodite was represented as the goddess of fertility, eternal spring and life. Hence the epithets of the goddess: “Aphrodite in the gardens”, “sacred garden”, “Aphrodite in the stems”, “Aphrodite in the meadows”.
The Aphrodite type in the gardens includes a statueVenus the Progenitor . Sheappears here as the ancestress of the ruling Yuli family. It was to her that Caesar installed it at the Forum. Sometimes it is also called "Aphrodite Frejus" after the place where it was found. Refers to the type "Aphrodite in the Gardens", chosen, apparently, due to the noticeable modesty and chastity that distinguished the 5th century statue from images of the goddess in another function.
Venus de Medici (Mediceiskaya)
It was excavated in 1677 on Octavian's portico in Rome in the form of 11 fragments. Roman copy from the original by Cleomenes 1st century. BC e. Sandro Botticelli took the pose of his nascent Aphrodite from her.
Venus de Milo
It was found in 1820 on Milos, one of the Cyclades islands of the Aegean Sea, from which it took its name. Her hands were lost after the discovery, during a conflict between the French, who wanted to take her to their country, and the Turks, who had the same intention. The Venus de Milo is the most famous of all the statues in the world. Kept in the Louvre. The inscription says that it was made by Alexander - or Agesander, illegible. OK. 130-120 BC The proportions of the Venus de Milo are 86x69x93 with a height of 164 (in terms of height 175, the proportions are 93x74x99).
Aphrodite, Pan and Eros
Sculpture from the island of Delos. OK. 100 BC e. National Archaeological Museum of Athens.
Bathing Venus, also known as the Venus of Daidolas
Presented in copies. The original was created in the 2nd half. 3rd century BC.
Vatican
She's from Bithynia
Venus Mazarin
Dating back to approximately 100-200 B.C. g.e. this Roman copy was found in Rome around 1509 (disputed). Equally controversial is the fact that this sculpture once belonged to the famous Cardinal Mazarin, which did not prevent it from receiving such a nickname. It stands out, perhaps, because it is one of the few that has a name and is located in the United States. Getty Museum.
Venus of Equilina
It was excavated in Rome in 1874, and has been in storage ever since. Capitoline Museums(1st century BC). There is also an option in the Louvre. They did not restore her hands. The English artist Edward Poynter tried to reconstruct them at least visually in his painting " Diadumene", suggesting that the statue depicted a woman picking up her hair before bathing. The assumption is based on the fact that on the back of the goddess’s head there is a remnant of a hand - a little finger. It should also be mentioned that this statue is an image of Cleopatra - since on the vase on which the draperies, a cobra is depicted - an attribute of the Egyptian queen
Aphrodite of Sinuessa
Found in 1911 in the town of Mondragone (ancient city of Sinuessa) while cultivating a vineyard, this statue, which dates back to the 4th century. BC. currently located in Naples, National Museum.
Venus of Capua
A variant of what the Venus de Milo might look like. In this version, the goddess rests on her helmet with one leg, which apparently should express the idea of her victorious power - the idea that nothing can resist her power (Aphrodite-Nikiforos, i.e. the Victorious). In her hand, presumably, she held a polished shield, in which she looked as if in a mirror. Stored in Naples. It is believed that this statue may be a copy of Lysippos' work. 330 - 320 BC.
Venus Tauride Statu
I, found in the vicinity of Rome in 1718 and acquired by Peter I, is exhibited in the Hermitage and represents a revised type of Aphrodite of Knidos. According to written sources, the pope, who forbade the export of antiquities from Italy, eventually exchanged them for the relics of St. Brigitte, returned by Peter. The statue acquired the name “Tauride” from the name of the Tauride Garden, where it was exhibited upon arrival.
Khvoschinsky's Venus
The second Venus located in Russia is kept on Volkhonka, in the Pushkin Museum. Pushkin and also goes back to Praxitelean Aphrodite of Knidos. It received its nickname from the name of the collector who acquired it.
The ancient Hellenes revered many gods, among whom was the beautiful Aphrodite. It is known that she was part of the pantheon of the twelve supreme gods.
According to mythology, there are several versions of the birth of the goddess of beauty and love. So, in the myths of the ancient Greeks you can find information that Aphrodite is the daughter of the nymph Dione and the supreme god Olympus. Another version is that she is the daughter of the goddess Artemis and the main god Zeus. The ancient Greeks recognized both the earth goddess Gaia and the sky god Uranus as parents.
How was she different from other gods in the pantheon?
With her beauty, the goddess Aphrodite surpassed all goddesses in the pantheon. She was distinguished by the fact that she was the only goddess who was depicted naked. Her incredible beauty captivated the hearts of not only the gods, but also mere mortal men.
The girl was often depicted among many blooming flowers, surrounded by birds and plants, and next to dolphins. Her main attribute was considered a belt - bringing love and passion, which she gave to women with the goal of reuniting hearts. Therefore, it is associated with fertility, beauty and love.
Aphrodite in mythology
Ancient Greek myths say that she was the wife of a god who was engaged in blacksmithing. The goddess's husband did not have much beauty, and she sought consolation on the side. So, she fell in love with the god of war. She gave birth to children from him. Hephaestus found out about his wife’s betrayal and decided to teach them a lesson. He forged invisible nets and caught his wife and Ares in them.
The heart of the goddess of beauty was also conquered by a mere mortal youth named Adonis. He instilled in her a love of hunting. One day, while hunting a boar, Adonis died. The woman was very worried about the death of her lover. In the place where drops of Adonis’s blood fell, beautiful white flowers grew - anemones. Zeus saw how she was suffering for her beloved, and asked Hades, the god of the kingdom of the dead, to allow Adonis to stay there in the winter and to meet his beloved in the spring.
The Hellenes often associated Aphrodite and, considering them the feminine and masculine principles of life.
The ancient Romans liked the goddess of love and beauty so much that they began to call her Venus. The famous Roman commander Gaius Julius Caesar linked his kinship with the goddess Venus.
Legends also tell about the conflict between Athena and Aphrodite over hair. The first accused the goddess of beauty of encroaching on her possessions and powers. The girl, not wanting to get into a quarrel with the goddess of war, promised that she would never sit down to lock hair again.
The beautiful goddess was admired by many. The god of wine, Dionysus, has long been in love with the beauty. But winning her favor was not so easy. From the connection with Dionysus, a son was born, Priam, whom his mother abandoned because of his deformity.
Myths and legends
- The charming goddess did not tolerate competitors, and when she heard about the earthly beauty Psyche, she decided to deal with her. To realize her insidious plan, she sent her son, Eros. Psyche fell in love with Eros, but he left her. Without losing hope of returning her lover, Psyche turned to the mother of Eros, Aphrodite, for help. In turn, she came up with very cruel tests, which Psyche successfully passed. For his care, the god of love, Eros, asks Zeus to give Psyche immortality.
- Homer was also fascinated by the miraculous image of the beauty. In his work “The Iliad,” he mentioned her when talking about which of the three goddesses: Aphrodite, Athena or Hera is the most beautiful. Hephaestus gave the apple to Paris and asked the women to judge. Each of the women offered her own to Paris. He settled on Aphrodite's proposal - to gain the love of Helen the Beautiful. Gave the apple of discord to Aphrodite. She, together with Paris, kidnapped Elena and helped their union. This is how the Trojan War began.
- The god of the sea, Poseidon, also could not resist her beauty. He had been torturing bright feelings for her for a long time, but she did not reciprocate his feelings. Wanting Ares to make her jealous, the goddess responded to Poseidon's love feelings. They had a daughter, Rhoda, who became the wife of the sun god, Helios.
The image of the goddess of love, abundance and beauty also penetrated into other peoples and cultures. Whatever it is called, it is always associated with love, harmony and beauty, which unite loving hearts and give them joy.
The image of deity in world culture
Ancient Greek mythology penetrated very deeply into all branches of culture. The image of the goddess can very often be found in literature, sculpture, painting, and music. She represents luxury, fertility, and is the patroness of lovers.
The Hellenes claimed that the goddess had two images: on the one hand, she acted as the patron of lovers, and on the other, she cruelly dealt with those who did not recognize bright feelings or ignored them.
Nothing is known about her death. She is believed to be immortal.
The Greek pantheon is rich in divine beings, to whom ancient people attributed unusual abilities. Worshiping the gods, they believed that they protected them in their endeavors, important matters, everyday and personal life. The Olympians were asked for blessings in waging wars and making the right decisions. Greek mythology dubbed Aphrodite one of her favorite goddesses. Eternal spring accompanies the daughter in images and descriptions. Why is she so special?
Origin story
Aphrodite is one of the twelve supreme gods of Olympus. She is immortal, like most of her relatives. In addition, love does not have an ending, so even the myths of the Romans do not illuminate the death of Aphrodite, allowing the legend of eternal love to exist. In Rome the goddess was called Venus, in Syria - Astarte, the Sumerians believed in the goddess Ishtar.
"Birth of Venus"
The name of Aphrodite was first mentioned by the poet Hesiod in the 8th-7th century BC. The girl became the heroine of the work “Theogony”, where her description was very laconic. According to Hesiod, Aphrodite is the daughter of Gaia and Uranus. Uranus, who had tormented his wife, was attacked by his children. Kronos came to the mother's aid, wounding his father. The blood of the deity fell into the sea. This is how Aphrodite appeared, whose name translated from Greek means “foam.” The myth testifies that the goddess came ashore on the shores of Cyprus. In the city of Paphos, a large temple was founded in honor of the patroness of love.
Aphrodite patronizes fertility, beauty and is considered the goddess of marriage. Everything beautiful that surrounds a person is her creation. Lovers asking for blessings turned to Aphrodite for it. Lonely people prayed to her to find their other half. Artists sang the praises of the benevolent beauty. In the confrontation between war and peace, she is always on the side of the continuation of life, so those who longed for prosperity and tranquility asked for her attention. Aphrodite was able to influence people, animals and the Olympian gods. Only, and remained unsubject to her influence, since they took a vow of chastity.
Sculpture "Venus de Milo" Aphrodite in Greek mythology
In the epic work "Iliad", the poet claims that Aphrodite was the daughter of Zeus. The girl was the ruler of romantic feelings. Flowers bloomed at every step, and the patrons of attraction and passion - Eros and Himerot - accompanied the goddess on her journey. Aphrodite, a symbol of harmony, brought life to the world.
In addition to the writers whose works are today considered bearers of the traditions and culture of Ancient Greece, there were many storytellers who composed legends and myths about the deities living on Olympus. Many legends are dedicated to Aphrodite. In accordance with them, after her birth, the girl conquered and charmed everyone she met along the way. The goddess is always young and fresh. She often presented generous gifts to her chosen ones and those who needed help. One day, a girl gave Hera an exquisite belt containing love and desire. The attributes in her possession endowed her with enchanting power. Among them is a golden cup, the wine from which gave eternal youth.
The Greeks imagined Aphrodite as a very beautiful girl. Her hair had a golden hue, her head was crowned with flowers, and her body was covered with a snow-white toga. The heroine was served by Ora and Harita - patroness of beauty and grace. According to legend, the goddess had affairs with equals in origin and mere mortals.
Few could resist her image. Aphrodite's husband, a god not famous for his attractiveness, tolerated his wife's adventures. The union produced no heirs, but five children were born from an extramarital affair with Aphrodite. Another of her admirers became the father of Priapus, and the suitor received the heir Hermaphroditus. Aphrodite was also connected by love bonds with King Anchises, to whom she gave birth to a son, Aeneas, who became famous in the Trojan War.
In the Odyssey, Homer describes Aphrodite's romance with Ares. The author tells how Hephaestus forged the thinnest golden net, which helped to catch lovers hiding under it in the absence of their spouse.
The myth telling about the love of Aphrodite and Adonis, the son of the king of Cyprus, tells that the young people went hunting together. Adonis promised not to indulge in chasing wild animals and to prefer chamois. One day he met a boar. The dogs caught up with the animal, but it managed to wound the prince to death. Inconsolable Aphrodite searched for his body, wandering barefoot through the thorny thickets. Where drops of blood fell from her feet, roses grew. According to legend, he made a deal with Zeus and released Adonis from the underworld to Aphrodite for six months. At this time, spring and summer reigned on the earth.
Aphrodite in culture
Individual films are not dedicated to the goddess of fertility, love and beauty. But she is often present in science fiction films, the plot of which is connected with the Olympians and ancient Greek mythology.
But Aphrodite remains a popular character for artists. She inspired sculptors, painters and writers. In visual images, the girl was depicted surrounded by fragrant flowers and birds, and she was accompanied by dolphins in the sea.
He mentioned Aphrodite in the play “Hippolytus”, and Apuleius - in romantic stories collected in the collection “Metamorphoses”. Lucretius, in his work “On the Nature of Things,” talked about Venus and her ability to breathe soul into all living things, to give fertility to the earth and the female race.
In philosophy he spoke about the girl from Olympus. He described the duality of the image, which combined the base with the sublime: eroticism with love. Zeno of Cetia described the goddess as gathering together, and Plotinus, on the contrary, saw in her the personification of the triad of mind, spirit and soul.
Aphrodite, Greek, Lat. Venus is the goddess of love and beauty, the most beautiful of the goddesses of ancient myths.
Its origin is not entirely clear. According to Homer, Aphrodite was the daughter of Zeus and the rain goddess Dione; according to Hesiod, Aphrodite was born from sea foam, fertilized by the sky god Uranus, and emerged from the sea on the island of Cyprus (hence one of her nicknames: Cypris).
One way or another, but in any case, thanks to her beauty and all kinds of charms, Aphrodite became one of the most powerful goddesses, before whom neither gods nor people could resist.
In addition, she had a whole squad of assistants and assistants: the goddess of female charm and beauty - Harita, the goddess of the seasons - the mountains, the goddess of persuasion (and flattery) Peyto, the god of passionate attraction Himer, the god of love attraction Pot, the god of marriage Hymen and the young god love Eros, from whose arrows there is no salvation.
Since love plays a huge role in the lives of gods and people, Aphrodite has always been held in high esteem. Those who showed respect for her and did not skimp on sacrifices could count on her favor. True, she was a rather fickle deity, and the happiness she bestowed was often fleeting. Sometimes she performed genuine miracles that only love is capable of. For example, for the Cypriot sculptor Pygmalion, Aphrodite brought to life a marble statue of a woman with whom he fell in love. Aphrodite protected her favorites wherever she could, but she also knew how to hate, because hatred is the sister of love. Thus, the timid young man Narcissus, whom the jealous nymphs reported that he was neglecting their charms, was forced by Aphrodite to fall in love with himself and take his own life.
Oddly enough, Aphrodite herself was not very lucky in love, since she was unable to keep any of her lovers; She was not happy in her marriage either. Zeus gave her the most homely of all gods, the lame, always sweaty blacksmith god Hephaestus, as her husband. To console herself, Aphrodite became close to the god of war Ares and bore him five children: Eros, Anterot, Deimos, Phobos and Harmony, then with the god of wine Dionysus (to whom she gave birth to a son, Priapus), and also, among others, with the god of trade Hermes. She even consoled herself with a mere mortal, the Dardanian king Anchises, from whom she gave birth to Aeneas.
In the world of myths, life has always been rich in events, and Aphrodite often took a very active part in them; but the most far-reaching consequences were her favor towards the Trojan prince Paris. In gratitude for the fact that Paris called Aphrodite more beautiful than Hera and Athena, she promised him the most beautiful of mortal women as his wife. She turned out to be Helen, the wife of the Spartan king Menelaus, and Aphrodite helped Paris kidnap her and take her to Troy. Thus began the Trojan War, which you can read about in the articles “Menelaus”, “Agamemnon” and many others. Naturally, in this story, Aphrodite helped the Trojans, but war was not her thing. For example, as soon as she was scratched by the spear of the Achaean leader Diomedes, she ran away from the battlefield crying. As a result of a ten-year war, in which all the heroes of that time and almost all the gods participated, Paris died, and Troy was wiped off the face of the earth.
Aphrodite was clearly a goddess of Asia Minor origin and, apparently, goes back to the Phoenician-Syrian goddess Astarte, and she, in turn, to the Assyrian-Babylonian goddess of love Ishtar. The Greeks adopted this cult already in ancient times, most likely through the islands of Cyprus and Cythera, where Aphrodite was worshiped especially zealously. Hence such nicknames of the goddess as Cypris, Paphia, Paphos goddess - from the city of Paphos in Cyprus, where there was one of the most magnificent temples of Aphrodite (see also the article “Pygmalion”), from Cythera (Cythera) - Kythera. Myrtle, rose, apple, poppy, doves, dolphin, swallow and linden tree were dedicated to her, as well as many magnificent temples - not only in Paphos, but also in Knidos, Corinth, Alabanda, on the island of Kos and other places. From the Greek colonies in Southern Italy, her cult spread to Rome, where she was identified with the ancient Italian goddess of spring, Venus. The largest of the Roman temples of Aphrodite-Venus were the temples at the Forum of Caesar (Temple of Venus the Progenitor) and at the Via Sacre (Sacred Road) to the Roman Forum (Temple of Venus and Roma). The cult of Aphrodite fell into decline only after the victory of Christianity. However, thanks to poets, sculptors, artists and astronomers, her name has survived to this day.
Beauty and love attract artists of all times, so Aphrodite was depicted, perhaps, more often than all other characters of ancient myths, including in vase paintings and frescoes of Pompeii; unfortunately, about the fresco “Aphrodite Emerging from the Waves,” created at the end. 4th century BC e. Apelles for the Temple of Asclepius on Kos, we know only from the words of ancient authors who call it “unsurpassed”. The most famous of the reliefs is the so-called Aphrodite of Ludovisi, Greek work of the 460s. BC e. (Rome, National Museum of Baths).
Statues of Aphrodite are among the masterpieces of ancient sculpture. This is primarily the “Aphrodite of Cnidus,” probably created by Praxiteles for the Cnidus Temple in the 350s. BC e. (its copies are available in the Vatican Museums, the Louvre in Paris, the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and other collections), “Aphrodite of Cyrene” is a Roman copy of a Hellenistic statue of the 2nd-1st centuries. BC e. (Rome, National Museum in Baths), "Aphrodite Capitoline" - a Roman copy of the Hellenistic statue of the Ser. 3rd century BC e. (Rome, Capitoline Museums), “Venus of Medicea” - a Roman copy of the statue of Cleomenes from the 2nd century. BC e. (Uffizi Gallery, Florence), etc. The highest level of skill of the Greek sculptors who sculpted Aphrodite is evidenced by the finds of several Greek statues, which ancient authors do not mention at all, for example, “Aphrodite of Sol” (2nd century BC, Cyprus museum in Nicosia) or the famous “Aphrodite of Melos” (late 2nd century BC, found in 1820, Paris, Louvre).
Modern artists were no less fascinated by Aphrodite than ancient ones: their paintings and sculptures are almost impossible to count. The most famous paintings include: “The Birth of Venus” and “Venus and Mars” by Botticelli (1483-1484 and 1483, Florence, Uffizi Gallery, and London, National Gallery), “Sleeping Venus” by Giorgione, completed after 1510 by Titian ( Dresden Gallery), “Venus and Cupid” by Cranach the Elder (c. 1526, Rome, Villa Borghese), “Venus and Cupid” by Palma the Elder (1517, Bucharest, National Gallery), “Sleeping Venus” and “Venus and the Lute Player” (Dresden Gallery gallery), “The Birth of Venus”, “The Triumph of Venus” and “Venus and Mars” by Rubens (London, National Gallery, Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Genoa, Palazzo Bianco), “Sleeping Venus” by Reni (after 1605) and Poussin (1630, both paintings in the Dresden Gallery), Venus with a Mirror by Velazquez (c. 1657, London, National Gallery), Toilet of Venus and Venus Consoling Cupid by Boucher (1746, Stockholm, National Museum, and 1751 , Washington, National Gallery). Among contemporary works, let us name at least “Aphrodite” by R. Dufy (c. 1930, Prague, National Gallery), “Venus with a Lantern” by Pavlovich-Barilli (1938, Belgrade, Museum of Modern Art), “Sleeping Venus” by Delvaux (1944, London , National Gallery) and the engraving “The Birth of Venus” by M. Shvabinsky (1930).
From the field of plastic arts, one should at least mention “Venus” by G. R. Donner, created during his stay in Bratislava in 1739-1740, “Venus and Mars” by Canova (1816) and, perhaps, also his portrait sculpture “ Paolina Borghese in the form of Venus" (1807, Rome, Villa Borghese), "Aphrodite" by B. Thorvaldsen (c. 1835, Copenhagen, Thorvaldsen Museum), "Venus the Victorious" by O. Renoir (1914), "Venus with a Pearl Necklace" A. Maillol (1918, in the Tate Gallery London), “Venus” by M. Marini (1940, USA, private collection). In the collection of the Prague National Gallery - “Venus” by Choreitz (1914) and “Venus of Fertile Fields” by Obrovsky (1930); The sculpture “Venus Emerging from the Waves” was created in 1930 by V. Makovsky. In this regard, it is interesting to note that the famous statue of J.V. Myslbek “Music” (1892-1912) is a creative reworking of an antique model. As it turned out from his creative heritage, he created it based on a careful study of the “Venus of the Esquiline” (1st century BC). Of course, composers also sang Aphrodite. At the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Vranitsky wrote the program symphony “Aphrodite” at the beginning of the 20th century. The orchestral “Hymn to Venus” was created by Magniard; Orff wrote it in 1950-1951. stage concert "The Triumph of Aphrodite".
Of the many poetic works dedicated to Aphrodite, the oldest are, apparently, the three “Hymns to Aphrodite,” which tradition attributes to Homer. In poetry, Aphrodite is often called Cythera (Kitherea), the Queen of Paphos, Paphia:
"Run, hide from sight,
Cytheras are a weak queen!..”
- A. S. Pushkin, “Liberty” (1817);
"At the Queen of Paphos
Let's ask for a fresh wreath..."
- A. S. Pushkin, “To Krivtsov” (1817);
“Like a faithful son of the pathos faith...”
- A. S. Pushkin, “To Shcherbinin” (1819). Here the pathos faith is love.