Blessing:
Aphrodite gives to her worshippers the blessings of joy, passion,
freedom, whimsy, and appreciation of beauty in all of its forms. She
presides over all types of love - from the primal stirring of the loins
to the noblest kind of patriotism and love of the gods. The bonds of
friendship and family and lovers are especially sacred to her. She
brings together instead of tears apart, creates as opposed to destroys.
Epithets:
Aligena (Sea Born), Ambologera (She Who Postpones Old Age), Anaduomene
(Rising from the Sea), Androphonos (Killer of Men), Anosia (Unholy),
Apostrophia (She Who Turns Herself Away), Areia (of Ares), Basilis
(Queen), Eleemon (Merciful), Enoplios (Bearing Weapons), Epipontia (On
the Sea), Epitragidia (She Upon the Buck), Epitumbidia (She Upon the
Graves), Euplois (Fair Sailing), Genetullis (Genetrix), Heteira
(Courtesan), Kallipugos (of the Beautiful Buttocks), Kallisti (the
Fairest), Khruse (Golden), Kupris (Cyprian), Kuprogenes (Cyprus-born),
Kuthereia (Kytherean), Melainis (Black), Morpho (Shapely), Ourania
(Heavenly), Pandemos (of All People), Pasiphaessa (the Far-Shining),
Pelagia (of the Sea), Philomeides (Laughter-Loving), Porne (Fleshy;
Prostitute), Skotia (Dark), Summakhia (Ally in War), Tumborukhos
(Gravedigger)
Equated with:
Hathor, Isis, Nephthys, Ariadne, Persephone, Venus, Astarte, Ishtar,
Inanna, Anat, Arsinoe, Berenike.
Associations:
seashell, roses, mirror, dove, swan, sparrow, lynx, copper, emerald,
turquoise, rose, myrtle, clover, benzoin, sandalwood, apple
Festivals:
Adonia (9-10 Lôios)
Aphrodisia (4 Lôios)
Arsinoeia (6 Lôios)
Berenikeia (5 Dios)
Naukrateia (13 Pançmos)
Ways to honor:
The best way to honor Aphrodite is to love. If you are in a
relationship, remember why you originally fell in love with that
person. Then show them: seduce them all over again! If you're not, find
someone to love. Or help other people to do so. Become a match-maker.
Be flirtatious. Make your surroundings beautiful with perfumes,
flowers, elegant fabrics, and exotic foods. Learn new sexual
techniques. Write erotic stories or poetry, or take naughty pictures of
yourself or a loved one. Support sex-workers. Promote safer sex
practices.
Ancient hymns and poetry
Ancient
texts
Modern
hymns and poetry
Modern devotional texts -
forthcoming
Essays
The
Goddess of Love, Beauty and Sexuality by Jeremy J. Baer, aka
"Ursus"
Venus: A
Review by Jeremy J. Baer,
aka "Ursus"
Links
Wikipedia entry
on Aphrodite
Theoi.com
entry on Aphrodite
Aphrodite
by Carlos Parada
EncyclopediaMythica
entry on Aphrodite
Aphrodite's Apples
UNRV History:
Venus
