Greek
goddesses play a very important role in Greek
mythology by adding a twist of feminine elegance as well as
highlighting the
significance of women throughout ancient storytelling.
Aphrodite has been committed to most people’s
memory as being both extraordinarily beautiful and extremely
desirable. Aphrodite has remained an
unforgettable
addition to Greek mythology because she is the goddess of the most
precious and
essential emotions, including both love and lust. Aphrodite is also the
goddess
of beauty, as she was considered to be exceedingly beautiful herself.
In
addition to being a character in ancient myth, it is important to
understand
that Aphrodite was really a goddess and was so significant that her
worshipers
would gather to honor her in temples dedicated to the goddess.
Aphrodisias is a small city in Caria near Geyre, Turkey,
that
was named after Aphrodite. This is a place that you can visit today to
witness
the substantial remains of the Temple of Aphrodite.
The temple
of Aphrodite is
extraordinarily beautiful
and provides the perfect tranquil setting for the tales of this
Storybook to
unfold.
Temple of Aphrodite. Web Source: Flickr.
The stories presented in this Storybook will be told by a young woman
who is on
an archaeological dig in Greece
when she discovers a diary written by the goddess herself. The woman
immediately realizes the magnitude of what she has uncovered and
decides the
best place to experience the diary is to bring it to the goddess's
house of
worship. The girl, Valentina, travels to Aphrodisias and is surrounded
in a
magically overwhelming surrounding. She immediately feels a rush of
emotion and
a connection with her surroundings because of the exquisite loveliness
of the
temple and all that surrounds it. She returns to the temple day after
day
to
relive the stories written by the goddess herself by reading the diary
in the
place it was meant one day to return.
The stories that I will include are
"The Birth of Aphrodite", "Aphrodite's Marriage to
Hephaestus", "Aphrodite's Adulterous Affair with Ares", and
"Aphrodite's Love for Ankhises." It is important to understand that
Aphrodite does not have
a
mother and father in the conventional sense at all. Therefore, the
story of her
birth is extremely fascinating. .
We will also
meet Hephaestus, Aphrodite's
husband. He was the god of technology, volcanoes, and craftsmen.
Hephaestus was
cast from heaven by his mother Hera because he was born crippled. He
was then
rescued by Thetis and Eurynome and was raised by them in a cave where
he became
a skilled blacksmith. Hephaestus remains angry at his mother Hera, and
this is
where the story of how his marriage to Aphrodite began.
Aphrodite is arranged to marry Hephaestus because of an agreement with
Zeus, but she clearly loves Ares, the god of warfare. You will read
about her affair with Ares in the third story.
Aphrodite had numerous affairs, but an imporant one to read about is
her affair with the mortal, Ankhises. This affair is important for
several reasons, mainly because he is a mortal and she is an
immortal godsess. There is also a little surprise bundle of joy towards
the end of this story, so be sure to check it out!
This Storybook will use the ancient Greek myths found at a great online
source. This is an incredible source
containing an
abundance of information on the goddess and all of her encounters, so
check it out if you want to learn more. And now...let's go met
Valentina!
Continue to the First Story.
Skip ahead to the Second Story.
Skip ahead to the Third Story.
Skip to the Final Story.
Back to Cover Page.