Who Is the Roman Goddess Venus? Articles on Venus | Her Aspects | Her Profile The beautiful goddess Venus is probably most familiar from the armless statue known as the Venus de Milo, displayed at the Louvre, in Paris. The statue is Greek, from the Aegean island of Milos or Melos, so one might expect Aphrodite, since the Roman goddess Venus is distinct from the Greek goddess, but there is substantial overlap. You'll notice the name Venus is often used in translations of Greek myths. Fertility Goddess The goddess of love has an ancient history. Ishtar/Astarte was the Semitic goddess of love. In Greece this goddess was called Aphrodite. Aphrodite was worshiped especially on the islands of Cyprus and Kythera. The Greek goddess of love played a crucial role in the myths about Atalanta, Hippolytus, Myrrha, and Pygmalion. Among mortals, the Greco-Roman goddess loved Adonis and Anchises. The Romans originally worshiped Venus as goddess of fertility. Her fertility powers spread from the garden to humans.

continue reading below our video 10 Facts About the Titanic That You Don't Know The Greek aspects of the love and beauty goddess Aphrodite were added on to Venus' attributes, and so for most practical purposes, Venus is synonymous with Aphrodite. The Romans revered Venus as the ancestor of the Roman people through her liaison with Anchises. "She was the goddess of chastity in women, despite the fact that she had many affairs with both gods and mortals. As Venus Genetrix, she was worshiped as the mother (by Anchises) of the hero Aeneas, the founder of the Roman people; as Venus Felix, the bringer of good fortune; as Venus Victrix, the bringer of victory; and as Venus Verticordia, the protector of feminine chastity. Venus is also a nature goddess, associated with the arrival of spring. She is the bringer of joy to gods and humans.

Venus really had no myths of her own but was so closely identified with the Greek Aphrodite that she 'took over' Aphrodite's myths." Source: ( ~grandpa/rommyth2.html) Roman Gods: Venus The Parentage of the Goddess Venus/Aphrodite Venus was the goddess not only of love, but of beauty, so there were two important aspects to her and two main stories of her birth. Note that these birth stories are really about the Greek version of the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite: "There were actually two different Aphrodites, one was the daughter of Uranus, the other the daughter of Zeus and Dione. The first, called Aphrodite Urania, was the goddess of spiritual love. The second, Aphrodite Pandemos, was the goddess of physical attraction." Source: Aphrodite Portraits of Venus Although we are most familiar with the nude Venus artistic representations, this wasn't always the way she was portrayed: "The patron deity of Pompeii was Venus Pompeiana; she was always shown as being fully clothed and wearing a crown. The statues and frescos which have been found in Pompeian gardens always show Venus either scantily clothed or totally nude.

Pompeians seem to have referred to these nude images of Venus as Venus fisica; this may be from the Greek word physike, which meant 'related to nature'." ( Venus in Pompeiian Gardens Festivals of the Goddess Encyclopedia Mythica : "Her cult originated from Ardea and Lavinium in Latium. The oldest temple known of Venus dates back to 293 B.C., and was inaugurated on August 18. Later, on this date the Vinalia Rustica was observed. A second festival, that of the Veneralia, was celebrated on April 1 in honor of Venus Verticordia, who later became the protector against vice. Her temple was built in 114 B.C. After the Roman defeat near Lake Trasum in 215 B.C., a temple was built on the Capitol for Venus Erycina. This temple was officially opened on April 23, and a festival, the Vinalia Priora, was instituted to celebrate the occasion." Venus - Ancient History Encyclopedia Venus by Brittany Garcia published on 27 August 2013 In Roman mythology , Venus was the goddess of love, sex, beauty, and fertility.

She was the Roman counterpart to the Greek Aphrodite . However, Roman Venus had many abilities beyond the Greek Aphrodite; she was a goddess of victory, fertility, and even prostitution. According to Hesiod 's Theogony, Aphrodite was born of the foam from the sea after Saturn (Greek Cronus) castrated his father Uranus (Ouranus) and his blood fell to the sea. This latter explanation appears to be more a popular theory due to the countless artworks depicting Venus rising from the sea in a clam. Divine Lovers & Children Venus had two main divine lovers: her husband Vulcan ( Hephaistos ) and Mars ( Ares ). There is a myth concerning Venus' and Mars' love affair and how Vulcan cunningly trapped them in bed with a net. Therefore, Vulcan and Venus had a loveless marriage and no children. Albeit, the goddess of love and sex was not barren; she had many children from different gods.

With Mars, she gave birth to Timor (Phobos) the personification of fear who accompanied his father into battle , his twin Metus (Deimos) the personification of terror, Concordia (Harmonia) the goddess of harmony and concord, and the Cupids ( Erotes ) who were a collection of winged love deities who represented the different aspects of love. Remove Ads Advertisement The Roman poet Ovid recounts that Aphrodite bore Hermaphroditos by Hermes , who was the epitome of effeminacy and androgyny. She also bore with either Hermes or Zeus , Fortuna (Tyche) who was the personification of luck and fate within Roman religion . Venus is ascribed as the mother of the minor deity Priapus (a fertility god often characterized with an absurdly large phallus) by Bacchus. According to Pausanias , the Graces were thought to be the offspring of Venus and Bacchus, but more commonly their birth is credited to Jupiter and Euynome. However, the Graces were part of Venus' retinue along with the Cupids and Suadela, the goddess of persuasion in the realms of romance, love, and seduction.

Mortal Lovers, Children, & Descendants Venus had several mortal lovers as well. The two most famous would be Anchises and Adonis , but she was also the lover of the Sicilian king Butes and mother to their son Eryx and Paethon with whom she mothered Sandocus, who fathered Metamorphoses' Cinyras. Ovid's Metamorphoses (Book X) recounts how Venus fell in love with the mortal Adonis (either due to his beauty or Cupid's arrow) and besought Proserpina ( Persephone ) to care for him until she came for him. The two goddesses both grew enamored with the mortal, so they fought until Zeus decided that Adonis would spend one-third the year with each of them and a third wherever he pleased. Ultimately, he spent his time with Venus until he was killed by a boar. According to the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite, Anchises, a prince from Dardania and ally to Troy , was seduced by Venus. She disguised herself as a Phrygian princess and seduced him; it was only nine months later that she revealed her divine identity.

She presented Anchises with their son Aeneas. Venus warned Anchises never to brag about their affair lest he be struck by Jupiter. Unfortunately, Anchises did brag and was crippled by Jupiter's bolt. The Trojan Aeneas, according to Virgil's Aeneid , was fated to found Rome guided by his divine mother Venus. Aeneas' son Ascanius or Iulus, a king of Alba Longa, was credited, by Virgil, to be the ancestor of the founders of Rome: Romulus and Remus along with the Gens (family) Julia. The Gen Julia was the family that included Julius Caesar , Augustus ( Octavian ) Caesar and his descendants. Advertisement Temples, Cults, & Festival in Ancient Rome The first appearance of a temple to Venus was in 295 BCE. It was to Venus Obsequens (Obedient Venus) on the Aventine Hill by Q. Fabius Gurges. However, this temple was diffused with Greek aspects (Aphrodite's cults) and was not a new creation.

In 217 BCE, the Sibyline oracle suggested that if Rome (at that time losing the Second Punic War ) could persuade Venus Eyrcina (Venus of Eryx) to change her allegiance from the Carthagian Silician allies to the Romans, the war would be won. Rome laid siege to Eryx, offered the goddess a magnificent temple and took her image back to Rome. It was this foreign image that eventually became Rome's Venus Genetrix (Venus the Mother). The cult forming around Venus Genetrix on the Capitoline Hill was reserved for the higher-classes, but in 181 BCE and 114 BCE the temples and cult of Venus Eycina and Venus Verticordia (Venus the changer of hearts) were established for the plebeians. Venus' month was April (the beginning of spring and fertility) when most of her festivals were held. On the first of April a festival was held in honor of Venus Verticordia called Veneralia. On the 23rd, Vinalia Urbana was held which was a wine festival belonging to both Venus (goddess of profane wine) and Jupiter.

Vinalia Rusticia was held on August 10th. It was Venus' oldest festival and associated with her form as Venus Obsequens. September 26th was the date for the festival of Venus Genetrix, the mother and protector of Rome. Venus & Politics At the close of the Roman Republic , some Romans laid claim to Venus' favor and competed for it, such as: Sulla (adopting the name Felix, Latin for lucky, and accrediting Venus Felix to his divine favor), Pompey (who dedicated, in 55 BCE, a temple to Venus Victris - Venus of Victory), Julius Caesar (who claimed favor with Venus Victrix and Venus Genetrix), and Hadrian (who, in 139 CE, dedicated a temple to Venus and Roma Aererna - Eternal Rome - making Venus the protective mother of the Roman state). APHRODITE - Greek Goddess of Love & Beauty (Roman Venus) Aphrodite Venus Aphrodite riding goose, Athenian red-figure kylix C5th B.C., British Museum APHRODITE was the Olympian goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and procreation.

She was depicted as a beautiful woman often accompanied by the winged godling Eros (Love). Her attributes included a dove, apple, scallop shell and mirror. In classical sculpture and fresco she was usually depicted nude. MYTHS Some of the more famous myths featuring the goddess include:-- Her birth from the sea foam. << More >> Her adulterous affair with the god Ares. << More >> Her love for Adonis, a handsome Cypriot youth who was tragically killed by a boar. << More >> Her love for Ankhises (Anchises), a shepherd-prince. << More >> The judgement of Paris in which the goddess was awarded the prize of the golden apple in return for promising Paris Helene in marriage. << More >> The Trojan War in which she supported her favourites Paris and Aeneas and was wounded in the fighting. << More >> The race of Hippomenes for Atalanta, which was won with the help of the goddess and her golden apples. << More >> The death of Hippolytos, who was destroyed by the goddess for scorning her worship. << More >> The statue of Pygmalion which was brought to life by Aphrodite in answer to his prayers.

<< More >> The persecution of Psykhe (Psyche), the maiden loved by the goddess' son Eros. << More >> Many other myths are detailed over the following pages. APHRODITE PAGES ON THEOI.COM This site contains a total of 18 pages describing the goddess Aphrodite, including general descriptions, mythology, and cult. The content is outlined in the Index of Aphrodite Pages (left column or below).

FAMILY OF APHRODITE PARENTS [1] Born from the castrated genitals of OURANOS in the sea's foam (Hesiod Theogony 188, Cicero De Natura Deorum 3.21, Apuleius 6.6, Nonnus Dionysiaca 1.86, et al) [2] ZEUS & DIONE (Homer Iliad 5.370; Euripides Helen 1098; Apollodorus 1.13, Cicero De Natura Deorum 3.21, et al) [3] OURANOS & HEMERA (Cicero De Natura Deorum 3.21) OFFSPRING ENCYCLOPEDIA Aphrodite "Venus de Milo", Greek marble statue C2nd B.C., Musée du Louvre APHRODI′TE (Aphroditê), one of the great Olympian divinities, was, according to the popular and poetical notions of the Greeks, the goddess of love and beauty.

Some traditions stated that she had sprung from the foam (aphros) of the sea, which had gathered around the mutilated parts of Uranus, that had been thrown into the sea by Kronos after he had unmanned his father. (Hesiod. Theog. 190; compare Anadyomene.) With the exception of the Homeric hymn on Aphrodite there is no trace of this legend in Homer, and according to him Aphrodite is the daughter of Zeus and Dione. (Il. v. 370, &c., xx. 105.) Later traditions call her a daughter of Kronos and Euonyme, or of Uranus and Hemera. (Cic. De Nat. Deor. iii. 23; Natal. Com. iv.

13.) According to Hesiod and the Homeric hymn on Aphrodite, the goddess after rising from the foam first approached the island of Cythera, and thence went to Cyprus, and as she was walking on the sea-coast flowers sprang up under her feet, and Eros and Himeros accompanied her to the assembly of the other great gods, all of whom were struck with admiration and love when she appeared, and her surpassing beauty made every one desire to have her for his wife. According to the cosmogonic views of the nature of Aphrodite, she was the personification of the generative powers of nature, and the mother of all living beings. A trace of this notion seems to be contained in the tradition that in the contest of Typhon with the gods, Aphrodite metamorphosed herself into a fish, which animal was considered to possess the greatest generative powers. (Ov. Met. v. 318, &c.; comp. Hygin. Poet. Astr.

30.) But according to the popular belief of the Greeks and their poetical descriptions, she was the goddess of love, who excited this passion in the hearts of gods and men, and by this power ruled over all the living creation. (Hom. Hymn. in Ven. ; Lucret. 15, &c.) Ancient mythology furnishes numerous instances in which Aphrodite punished those who neglected her worship or despised her power, as well as others in which she favoured and protected those who did homage to her and recognized her sway. Love and beauty are ideas essentially connected, and Aphrodite was therefore also the goddess of beauty and gracefulness. In these points she surpassed all other goddesses, and she received the prize of beauty from Paris; she had further the power of granting beauty and invincible charms to others. Youth is the herald, and Peitho, the Horae, and Charites, the attendants and companions of Aphrodite. (Pind. New. viii. 1, &c.) Marriages are called by Zeus her work and the things about which she ought to busy herself. (Hom. Il. v. 429; comp. Od. xx. 74; Pind.

Pyth. ix. 16, &c.) As she herself had sprung from the sea, she is represented by later writers as having some influence upon the sea (Virg. Aen. viii. 800; Ov. Heroid. xv. 213; comp. Paus. ii. 34. § 11.) During the Trojan war, Aphrodite, the mother of Aeneas, who had been declared the most beautiful of all the goddesses by a Trojan prince, naturally sided with the Trojans. She saved Paris from his contest with Menelaus (Il. iii. 380), but when she endeavoured to rescue her darling Aeneas from the fight, she was pursued by Diomedes, who wounded her in her hand. In her fright she abandoned her son, and was carried by Iris in the chariot of Ares to Olympus, where she complained of her misfortune to her mother Dione, but was laughed at by Hera and Athena. (Il. v. 311, &c.) She also protected the body of Hector, and anointed it with ambrosia. (Il. xxiii.

185.) According to the most common accounts of the ancients, Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus (Odyss. viii. 270), who, however, is said in the Iliad (viii. 383) to have married Charis. Her faithlessness to Hephaestus in her amour with Ares, and the manner in which she was caught by the ingenuity of her husband, are beautifully described in the Odyssey. (viii. 266, &c.) By Ares she became the mother of Phobos, Deimos, Harmonia, and, according to later traditions, of Eros and Anteros also. (Hesiod. Theog. 934, &c., Scut. Herc. 195; Hom. Il. xiii. 299, iv. 440; Schol. ad Apollon. Rhod. iii. 26; Cic. De Nat. Deor. iii. 23.) But Ares was not the only god whom Aphrodite favoured; Dionysus, Hermes, and Poseidon likewise enjoyed her charms.

By the first she was, according to some traditions, the mother of Priapus (Schol. ad Apollon. Rhod. i. 933) and Bacchus (Hesych. s. v. Bakchou Diônês), by the second of Hermaphroditus (Ov. Met. iv. 289, &c.; Diod. iv. 6; Lucian, Dial. Deor. xv. 2), and by Poseidon she had two children, Rhodos and Herophilus. (Schol. ad Pind. Pyth. viii. 24.) As Aphrodite so often kindled in the hearts of the gods a love for mortals, Zeus at last resolved to make her pay for her wanton sport by inspiring her too with love for a mortal man. This was accomplished, and Aphrodite conceived an invincible passion for Anchises, by whom she became the mother of Aeneas and Lyrus. Respecting her connexions with other mortals see Adonis and Butes. The ancient story ran thus : Smyrna had neglected the worship of Aphrodite, and was punished by the goddess with an unnatural love for her father.

With the assistance of her nurse she contrived to share her father's bed without being known to him. When he discovered the crime he wished to kill her; but she fled, and on being nearly overtaken, prayed to the gods to make her invisible. They were moved to pity and changed her into a tree called smurna. After the lapse of nine months the tree burst, and Adonis was born. Aphrodite was so much charmed with the beauty of the infant, that she concealed it in a chest which she entrusted to Persephone; but when the latter discovered the treasure she had in her keeping, she refused to give it up. The case was brought before Zeus, who decided the dispute by declaring that during four months of every year Adonis should be left to himself, during four months he should belong to Persephone, and during the remaining four to Aphrodite. Adonis however preferring to live with Aphrodite, also spent with her the four months over which he had controul. Afterwards Adonis died of a wound which he received from a boar during the chase. Thus far the story of Adonis was related by Panyasis. Later writers furnish various alterations and additions to it.

According to Hyginus (Fab. 58, 164, 251, 271), Smyrna was punished with the love for her father, because her mother Cenchreis had provoked the anger of Aphrodite by extolling the beauty of her daughter above that of the goddess. Smyrna after the discovery of her crime fled into a forest, where she was changed into a tree from which Adonis came forth, when her father split it with his sword. The dispute between Aphrodite and Persephone was according to some accounts settled by Calliope, whom Zeus appointed as mediator between them. (Hygin. Poet. Astron. ii. 7.) Ovid (Met. x. 300, &c.) adds the following features: Myrrha's love of her father was excited by the furies; Lucina assisted her when she gave birth to Adonis, and the Naiads anointed him with the tears of his mother, i. e. with the fluid which trickled from the tree. Adonis grew up a most beautiful youth, and Venus loved him and shared with him the pleasures of the chase, though she always cautioned him against the wild beasts.

At last he wounded a boar which killed him in its fury. According to some traditions Ares (Mars), or, according to others, Apollo assumed the form of a boar and thus killed Adonis. (Serv. ad Virg. Ecl. x. 18; Ptolem. Hephaest. i. p. 306, ed. Gale.) A third story related that Dionysus carried off Adonis. (Phanocles ap. Plut. Sumpos. iv. 5.) When Aphrodite was informed of her beloved being wounded, she hastened to the spot and sprinkled nectar into his blood, from which immediately flowers sprang up. Various other modifications of the story may be read in Hyginus (Poet. Astron. ii. 7), Theocritus (Idyll. xv.), Bion (Idyll. i.), and in the scholiast on Lycophron. (839, &c.) From the double marriage of Aphrodite with Ares and Adonis sprang Priapus. (Schol. ad Apollon. Rhod. i.

9, 32.) Besides him Golgos and Beroe are likewise called children. of Adonis and Aphrodite. (Schol. ad Theocrit. xv. 100; Nonn. Dionys. xli 155.) On his death Adonis was obliged to descend into the lower world, but he was allowed to spend six months out of every year with his beloved Aphrodite in the upper world. (Orph. hymn. 55. 10.) Aphrodite possessed a magic girdle which had the power of inspiring love and desire for those who wore it; hence it was borrowed by Hera when she wished to stimulate the love of Zeus. (Hom. Il. xiv. 214, &c.) The arrow is also sometimes mentioned as one of her attributes. (Plnd. Pyth. iv. 380; Theocrit. xi. 16.) In the vegetable kingdom the myrtle, rose, apple, poppy, and others, were sacred to her. (Ov. Fast. iv. 15. 143; Bion, Idyll. i. 64; Schol. ad Aristoph. Nub.

993; Paus. ii. 10. § 4; Phornut. 23.) The animals sacred to her, which are often mentioned as drawing her chariot or serving as her messengers, are the sparrow, the dove, the swan, the swallow, and a bird called iynx. (Sappho, in Ven. 10; Athen. ix. p. 395; Horat. Carm. iv. 1. 10; Aelian, Hist. An. x. 34; Pind. Pyth. l. c.) As Aphrodite Urania the tortoise, the symbol of domestic modesty and chastity, and as Aphrodite Pandemos the ram was sacred to her. [Urania; Pandemos.] When she was represented as the victorious goddess, she had the attributes of Ares, a helmet, a shield, a sword : or a lance, and an image of Victory in one hand. The planet Venus and the spring-month of April were likewise sacred to her. (Cie. de Nat. Deor. iii. 20; Ov. Fast. iv.

90.) All the surnames and epithets given to Aphrodite are derived from places of her worship, from events connected with the legends about her, or have reference to her character and her influence upon man, or are descriptive of her extraordinary beauty and charms. All her surnames are explained in separate articles. The principal places of her worship in Greece were the islands of Cyprus and Cythera. At Cnidus in Caria she had three temples, one of which contained her renowned statue by Praxiteles. Mount Ida in Troas was an ancient place of her worship, and among the other places we may mention particularly the island of Cos, the towns of Abydos, Athens, Thespiae, Megara, Sparta, Sicyon, Corinth, and Eryx in Sicily. The sacrifices offered to her consisted mostly of incense and garlands of flowers (Virg. Aen. i. 416; Tacit. Hist. ii. 3), but in some places animals, such as pigs, goats, young cows, hares, and others, were sacrificed to her.

In some places, as at Corinth, great numbers of females belonged to her, who prostituted themselves in her service, and bore the name of hierodouloi. (Dict.of Ant. s. v. Hetairai.) Respecting the festivals of Aphrodite see Dict. of Ant. s.v. Adônia, Anagôgia, Aphrodisia, Katagôgia. The worship of Aphrodite was undoubtedly of eastern origin, and probably introduced from Syria to the islands of Cyprus, Cythera, and others, from whence it spread all over Greece. It is said to have been brought into Syria from Assyria. (Paus. i. 14. § 6.) Aphrodite appears to have been originally identical with Astarte, called by the Hebrews Ashtoreth, and her connexion with Adonis clearly points to Syria. But with the exception of Corinth, where the worship of Aphrodite had eminently an Asiatic character, the whole worship of this goddess and all the ideas concerning her nature and character are so entirely Greek, that its introduction into Greece must be assigned to the very earliest periods. The elements were derived from the East, but the peculiar development of it belongs to Greece.

The Roman goddess Venus was identified with the Greek Aphrodite. Aphrodite, the ideal of female graec and beauty, frequently engaged the talents and genius of the ancient artists. The most celebrated representations of her were those of Cos and Cnidus. Those which are still extant are divided by archaeologists into several classes, accordingly as the goddess is represented in a standing position and naked, as the Medicean Venus, or bathing, or half naked, or dressed in a tunic, or as the victorious goddess in arms, as she was represented in the temples of Cythera, Sparta, and Corinth. (Paus. iii. 23. § 1, ii. 5. § 1, iii. 15. § 10.) Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Birth of Aphrodite, Greco-Roman fresco from Pompeii C1st A.D., Naples National Archaeological Museum CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES I) THE HOMERIC HYMNS Homeric Hymn 5 to Aphrodite (trans.

Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th to 4th B.C.) : "Moisa (Muse), tell me the deeds of golden Aphrodite Kypria (Cyprian), who stirs up sweet passion in the gods and subdues the tribes of mortal men and birds that fly in air and all the many creatures that the dry land rears, and all the sea: all these love the deeds of rich-crowned Kythereia. [The story of the love of Aphrodite and Ankhises follows.] . . . Hail, goddess, queen of well-builded Kypros (Cyprus)! With you have I begun; now I will turn me to another hymn." Homeric Hymn 6 to Aphrodite : "I will sing of stately Aphrodite, gold-crowned and beautiful, whose dominion is the walled cities of all sea-set Kypros (Cyprus). There the moist breath of Zephyros the western wind wafted her over the waves of the loud-moaning sea in soft foam, ad there the gold-filleted Horai (Horae, Seasons) welcomed her joyously.

[The story of the birth of Aphrodite follows.] . . . Hail, sweetly-winning, coy-eyed goddess! Grant that I may gain the victory in this contest, and order you my song. And now I will remember you and another song also." Homeric Hymn 10 to Aphrodite : "Of Kythereia (Cytherea) [Aphrodite], born in Kypros (Cyprus), I will sing. She gives kindly gifts to men: smiles are ever on her lovely face, and lovely is the brightness that plays over it. Hail, goddess, queen of well-built Salamis and sea-girt Kypros; grant me a cheerful song. And now I will remember you and another song also." II) THE ORPHIC HYMNS Orphic Hymn 55 to Aphrodite (trans. Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. to 2nd A.D.) : "To Aphrodite.

Ourania (Urania) (Heavenly), illustrious, laughter-loving (philommeideia) queen, sea-born (pontogenes), night-loving (philopannyx), of awful mien; crafty, from whom Ananke (Necessity) first came, producing, nightly, all-connecting dame. 'Tis thine the world with harmony to join, for all things spring from thee, O power divine. The triple Moirai (Fates) are ruled by thy decree, and all productions yield alike to thee: whatever the heavens, encircling all, contain, earth fruit-producing, and the stormy main, thy sway confesses, and obeys thy nod, awful attendant of Bakkhos [Dionysos] God. Goddess of marriage, charming to the sight, mother of the Erotes (Loves), whom banquetings delight; source of Peitho (Persuasion), secret, favouring queen, illustrious born, apparent and unseen; spousal Lukaina, and to men inclined, prolific, most-desired, life-giving, kind.

Great sceptre-bearer of the Gods, 'tis thine mortals in necessary bands to join; and every tribe of savage monsters dire in magic chains to bind through mad desire. Come, Kyprogenes (Cyprus-Born), and to my prayer incline, whether exalted in the heavens you shine, or pleased in odorous Syria to preside, or over the Aigyptian (Egyptian) plains they care to guide, fashioned of gold; and near its sacred flood, fertile and famed, to fix they blest abode; or if rejoicing in the azure shores, near where the sea with foaming billows roars, the circling choirs of mortals thy delight, or beauteous Nymphai (Nymphs) with eyes cerulean bright, pleased by the sandy banks renowned of old, to drive thy rapid two-yoked car of gold; or if in Kypros (Cyprus) thy famed mother fair, where Nymphai unmarried praise thee every year, the loveliest Nymphai, who in the chorus join, Adonis pure to sing, and thee divine.

Come, all-attractive, to my prayer inclined, for thee I call, with holy, reverent mind." PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONS OF APHRODITE Aphrodite and Ares, Athenian red-figure kylix C5th B.C., Tarquinia National Archaeological Museum Classical literature offers only a few, brief descriptions of the physical characteristics of the gods. Homer, Iliad 3. 396 ff (trans. Lattimore) (Greek epic C8th B.C.) : "She [Helene of Troy] recognized the round, sweet throat of the goddess [Aphrodite] and her desirable breasts and her eyes that were full of shining." Stasinus of Cyprus or Hegesias of Aegina, Cypria Fragment 6 (from Athenaeus 15. 682) (trans.

Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th or 6th B.C.) : "She [Aphrodite] clothed herself with garments which the Kharites (Charites, Graces) and Horai (Hours) had made for her and dyed in flowers of spring--such flowers as the Horai (Horae, Seasons) wear--in crocus and hyacinth and flourishing violet and the rose's lovely bloom, so sweet and delicious, and heavenly buds, the flowers of the narcissus and lily. In such perfumed garments is Aphrodite clothed at all seasons." Homeric Hymn 5 to Aphrodite 78 ff (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th to 4th B.C.) : "Aphrodite, the daughter of Zeus stood before him [Ankhises (Anchises)], being like a pure maiden in height and mien, that he should not be frightened when he took heed of her with his eyes. Now when Ankhises saw her, he marked her well and wondered at her mien and height and shining garments.

For she was clad in a robe out-shining the brightness of fire, a splendid robe of gold, enriched with all manner of needlework, which shimmered like the moon over her tender breasts, a marvel to see. Also she wore twisted brooches and shining earrings in the form of flowers; and round her soft throat were lovely necklaces . . . [later she revealed her true divine height and mien] and her head reached to the well-hewn roof-tree; from her cheeks shone unearthly beauty such as belongs to rich-crowned Kythereia (Cytherea). . .

[and] when he [Ankhises] saw the neck and lovely eyes of Aphrodite, he was afraid and turned his eyes aside another way, hiding his comely face with his cloak." Homeric Hymn 6 to Aphrodite 6 ff : "The Horai (Horae, Seasons) clothed her [Aphrodite] with heavenly garments: on her head they put a fine, well-wrought crown of gold, and in her pierced ears they hung ornaments of orichalc and precious gold, and adorned her with golden necklaces over her soft neck and snow-white breasts, jewels which the gold-filleted Horai wear themselves." Philostratus the Younger, Imagines 8 (trans. Fairbanks) (Greek rhetorician C3rd A.D.) : "[From a description of a Greek painting:] Three goddesses standing near them--they need no interpreter to tell who they are . . . the second one [Aphrodite] even in the painting shows the 'laughter-loving' (philomeides) disposition caused by the magic of her girdle." Orphic Hymn 57 to Chthonian Hermes (trans.

Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. to 2nd A.D.) : "Celestial Aphrodite, Paphian queen, dark-eyelashed Goddess, of a lovely mien." Apuleius, The Golden Ass 10. 30 ff (trans. Walsh) (Roman novel C2nd A.D.) : "[From a description of an ancient Greek play portraying the Judgement of Paris:] After them a third girl entered, her beauty visibly unsurpassed. Her charming, ambrosia-like complexion intimated that she represented the earlier Venus [Aphrodite] when that goddess was still a maiden. She vaunted her unblemished beauty by appearing naked and unclothed except for a thin silken garment veiling her entrancing lower parts. An inquisitive gust of air would at one moment with quite lubricous affection blow this garment aside, so that when wafted away it revealed her virgin bloom; at another moment it would wantonly breathe directly upon it, clinging tightly and vividly outlining the pleasurable prospect of her lower limbs.

The goddess's appearance offered contrasting colours to the eye, for her body was dazzling white, intimating her descent from heaven and her robe was dark blue, denoting her emergence from the sea . . . Each maiden representing a goddess was accompanied by her own escort . . . Venus [Aphrodite] was surrounded by a throng of the happiest children; you would have sworn that those little boys whose skins were smooth and milk-white were genuine Cupides [Erotes] who had just flown in from sky or sea. They looked just he part with their tiny wings, miniature arrows, and the rest of their get-up, as with gleaming torches they lit the way for their mistress as though she were en route to a wedding-banquet. Next floated in charming children, unmarried girls, representing on one side the Gratiae [Charites, Graces] at their most graceful, and on the other the Horae [Horai] in all their beauty. They were appeasing the goddess by strewing wreaths and single blossoms before her, and they formed a most elegant chorus-line as they sought to please the Mistress of pleasures with the foliage of spring.

The flutes with their many stops were now rendering in sweet harmony melodies in the Lydian mode. As they affectingly softened the hearts of onlookers, Venus [Aphrodite] still more affectingly began to gently stir herself; with gradual, lingering steps, restrained swaying of the hips, and slow inclination of the head she began to advance, her refined movements matching the soft wounds of the flutes. Occasionally her eyes alone would dance, as at one moment she gently lowered her lids, and at another imperiously signalled with threatening glances." Apuleius, The Golden Ass 2. 8 ff : "Venus [Aphrodite] . . . wearing that belt of hers around her waist, diffusing the scent of cinnamon and bedewing the air with balsam." Colluthus, Rape of Helen 82 ff (trans.

Mair) (Greek poetry C5th to 6th A.D.) : "Kypris (Cypris) [Aphrodite] of crafty counsels unfolded her snood and undid the fragrant clasp of her hair and wreathed with gold her locks, with gold her flowing tresses." ANCIENT GREEK & ROMAN ART Statius, Achilleid - Latin Epic C1st A.D. Statius, Silvae - Latin Poetry C1st A.D. Apuleius, The Golden Ass - Latin Novel C2nd A.D. BYZANTINE Photius, Myriobiblon - Byzantine Greek Scholar C9th A.D. Suidas, The Suda - Byzantine Greek Lexicon C10th A.D. OTHER SOURCES Source status of Aphrodite pages:- 1.

Fully quoted: Homer (Iliad & Odyssey), Hesiod, Homeric Hymns, Epic Cycle & Homerica, Apollodorus, Pausanias, Herodotus, Strabo, Orphic Hymns, Quintus Smyrnaeus, Callimachus, Aesop, Aelian, Ovid (Metamorphoses), Hyginus (Fabulae & Astronomica), Apuleius; 2. Partially or not quoted (Greek): Pindar, Greek Lyric (Fragments), Greek Elegaic (Fragments), Apollonius Rhodius, Diodorus Siculus, Antoninus Liberalis, Euripides, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Aristophanes, Plato, Theocritus, Lycophron, Plutarch, Philostratus & Callistratus, Oppian, Colluthus, Tryphiodorus, et. al.; 3. Partially or not quoted (Latin): Ovid (Fasti), Cicero, Statius, Propertius, Valerius Flaccus, et. al. Ancient Fertility and Love Goddesses 2.

Ishtar Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of love, procreation, and war, was the daughter and consort of the air god Anu. She was known for destroying her lovers, including a lion, stallion, and shepherd. When the love of her life, the farm god Tammuz, died, she followed him to the Underworld, but she was unable to retrieve him. Ishtar was the heir to the Sumerian goddess Inanna but was more promiscuous. She is called the Cow of Sin (a moon god). She was the wife of a human king, Sargon of Agade. [ Ishtar] "In From Ishtar to Aphrodite," Miroslav Marcovich; Journal of Aesthetic Education, Vol. 30, No. 2, (Summer, 1996), pp. 43-59, Marcovich argues that since Ishtar was the wife of an Assyrian king and since warfare was the main occupation of such kings, Ishtar felt it was his marital duty to become a war goddess, so she went with her husband on his military adventures to assure their success. Marcovich also argues that Ishtar is queen of heaven and associated with the planet Venus.

More » 3. Inanna Inanna was the oldest of the love goddess of the Mesopotamian region. She was a Sumerian goddess of love and war. Although she is regarded as a virgin, Inanna is a goddess responsible for sexual love, procreation, and fertility. She gave herself to the first mythological king of Sumer, Dumuzi. She was worshiped from the third millennium B.C. and was still worshiped in the 6th century as a goddess driving a 7-lion chariot. "Matronit: The Goddess of the Kabbala," by Raphael Patai. History of Religions, Vol. 4, No. 1. (Summer, 1964), pp. 53-68. More » Ashtarte. Clipart.com 4. Ashtart Ashtart or Astarte is a Semitic goddess of sexual love, maternity and fertility, consort of El at Ugarit. In Babylonia, Syria, Phoenicia, and elsewhere, it used to be thought that her priestesses were sacred prostitutes.

"Recent research on the institution of sacred prostitution, however, shows that this practice did not exist at all in the ancient Mediterranean or Near East.19 The concept of selling sex for the profit of a deity was invented by Herodotos in Book 1.199 of his Histories...." "A Reconsideration of the Aphrodite-Ashtart Syncretism," by Stephanie L. Budin; Numen, Vol. 51, No. 2 (2004), pp. 95-145 Ashtart's son is Tamuz, whom she suckles in artistic representations. She is also a war goddess and is associated with leopards or lions. Sometimes she is two-horned. There has been what is called "interpretatio syncretism" or one-to-one correspondence between Ashtart and Aphrodite, according to Budin. More » Venus de Milo at the Louvre. Marie-Lan Nguyen/Wikimedia Commons 5. Venus Venus was the Roman goddess of love and beauty. Usually equated with the Greek goddess Aphrodite, Venus was originally an Italic goddess of vegetation and patron of gardens. The daughter of Jupiter, her son was Cupid.

Venus was a goddess of chastity, although her love affairs were patterned after Aphrodite's, and included a marriage to Vulcan and an affair with Mars. She was associated with the arrival of spring and bringer of joy for humans and gods. In the story of Cupid and Psyche, from "The Golden Ass," by Apuleius, Venus sends her daughter-in-law to the Underworld to bring back a beauty ointment. More » Hathor. Clipart.com 6. Hathor Hathor is an Egyptian goddess who sometimes wears a sun disk with horns on her head and sometimes appears as a cow. She can destroy mankind but is also a patron of lovers and a goddess of childbirth. Hathor nursed the infant Horus when he was being hidden from Seth. More » Isis Nursing Horus. CC Flickr user Jeff Kubina 7. Isis Isis, an Egyptian goddess of magic, fertility and motherhood, was the daughter of the god Keb (Earth) and the goddess Nut (Sky). She was the sister and wife of Osiris. When her brother Seth killed her husband, Isis searched for his body and reassembled it, making her also a goddess of the dead.

She impregnated herself from Osiris' body and gave birth to Horus. Isis is often depicted wearing cow horns with a solar disk between them. More » Freya. Clipart.com 8. Freya Freya was a beautiful Vanir Norse goddess of love, magic, and divination, who was called upon for help in matters of of love. Freya was the daughter of the god Njord, and the sister of Freyr. Freya herself was loved by men, giants, and dwarfs. By sleeping with four dwarfs she acquired the Brisings necklace. Freya travels on a gold-bristled boar, Hildisvini, or a chariot pulled by two cats. More » Nügua and Fuxi on a mural on a wall in Peterborough, East Anglia. CC Flickr User gwydionwilliams Roman Goddesses Goddess-Guide.com Roman Goddesses The original Roman Goddesses did not have distinctive personalities, human form, family histories or myths about their lives. Instead these deities were manifestations of what the Romans termed "numina", the divine essence that could be found in all living things and places.

An example of the Numina is Pomona the Goddess of Fruit trees, orchards and gardens. This belief in numina helps explain why there were so many early Roman deities, as each represented different aspects of the natural world. Early Roman mythology did not contain tales of the lives of magical gods. Instead they were presented as the history of Rome's creation and concentrated on the rituals and religious practices. The nature of these early Roman deities was also closely linked to the physical and spiritual needs of people, concentrating on areas like the agriculture and motherhood. The included Goddesses like Carmenta who was the Goddess of childbirth and prophecy. There were also many different local Goddesses and festivals who were mainly worshipped in the home and on the land. Later the Romans mythology borrowed heavily from other traditions. However it was the rule of Rome by the Etrusian kings that was first to influence Roman worship. They began by adapting three of the Etruscan gods and making them the focus of their religion. As the Roman Empire continued to expand they came into contact with new belief systems and ideas. Instead of destroying these religions and cults they absorbed and adopted many of them, including those of the Greeks.

For example they adapted the mythology of the Greek dawn Goddess Eos and re-named her Aurora. Another example of this is the agricultural Goddess Demeter whose Roman equivalent Ceres is where the word cereal is from. I have included these and other examples below. They also adopted the system of a pantheon of twelve major deities, similar to the model of the Olympians. These included: Juno (Queen of the Gods), Venus (Goddess of love and beauty), Vesta (Goddess of the hearth and home), Diana (Goddess of the hunt) Minerva (Goddess of war and wisdom). Roman Goddess Name Greek Equivalent Aurora Eos Venus *** Who was Venus? Venus was the Roman goddess of love and beauty, seen in the following picture with Pygmalion and her baby son Cupid by her lover Mars, the god of war . The first day of the month on the Roman calendar was the Kalends. On the kalends of April (April 1), the Romans celebrated a festival to honor Venus, known as the Veneralia. During the festival both women and men of all classes invoked the goddess for her assistance in affairs of the heart, sex, betrothal and marriage.

There were many myths and legends surrounding this beautiful goddess in ancient mythology, refer to the Apple of Discord, Proserpine, Adonis and the Goddess of Beauty. Picture of Venus and the sculptor Pygmalion Facts about Venus The following facts and profile provides a fast overview of Venus: Venus Profile & Fact File Roman Name: Venus Role & Function: The function of Venus is described as being the goddess of love, beauty, sexuality, passion and desire Status: Major Goddess and one of the 'Dei Consentes', the Council of Gods. Symbols: the dolphin, scallop shell, rose, dove, pomegranate, pearl, mirror and girdle. Gender: Female Greek Counterpart: The Greek name for this goddess was Aphrodite Name of Husband: Vulcan Name of Father: Jupiter Name of Mother: Dione Names of Children: None by her husband, but many children by her lovers including Cupid, god of love by Mars, the Roman god of war Facts about Venus in Roman Mythology Discover interesting information and facts about Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. The facts about Venus provides a list detailing fascinating additional info to increase your knowledge about Venus in ancient Roman history and Mythology.

History and Mythical Facts about Venus Fact 1 about Venus: She was the daughter of Jupiter and Dione and the wife of Vulcan. Dione was one of the Oceanides, a descendent of the Titans. Fact 2 about Venus: The names of her lovers who included Mars, Bacchus, Mercury, Neptune, Anchises, Adonis, Butes, Phaon and Phaethon. Fact 3 about Venus: The names of the children of Aphrodite included Anteros, Aeneas, Astynoos, Beroe, Deimos, Cupid , Eryx, the Erotes , Eunomia, Concordia, Hermaphroditos, Himeros, Iakkhos, Peitho, Phobos, Pothos, Priapos, Rhodoe, Tyche , Herophilos and Lyros. Fact 4 about Venus: The rose and the myrtle are sacred to Venus and connected with the Story of Adonis.

Fact 5 about Venus: The pomegranate was sacred to the goddess symbolizing the consummation of marriage and the loss of female virginity Fact 6 about Venus: Vulcan made Venus a beautiful golden carriage that was drawn by doves. Fact 7 about Venus: Her children by Mars were Phobos (fear), Deimos (terror), Concordia (harmony), Cupid (love) Himeros (desire), Pothos (passion), and Anteros (mutual love) Fact 8 about Venus: She ordered Psyche to go to the infernal regions of Underworld to ask Proserpina, the consort of Pluto for a box of precious ointment. Fact 9 about Venus: All of the gods were charmed with her beauty and each one demanded her for his wife. Jupiter gave her to Vulcan, in gratitude for the service he had rendered in forging thunderbolts. The most beautiful of all the goddesses became the wife of the ugliest of the gods.

Fact 10 about Venus: Venus was often associated with lust, whereas Verticordia was the goddess of chastity Fact 11 about Venus: The Veneralia was the Ancient Roman festival of Venus Verticordia and was held on April 1. Fact 12 about Venus: The Veneralia included rites such as the ritual bathing of the cult statue of Venus. The jewelry, which included beautiful golden necklaces was removed from her statue and then she was offered sacrifices of flowers, especially roses. Fact 13 about Venus: The other sacrifices offered to Venus, were white and female goats and swine, with libations of wine, milk and honey with crushed poppies. Fact 14 about Venus: The Veneralia was a day for Roman women to seek divine support and aid in their love lives. Fact 15 about Venus: Pygmalion was a sculptor who made a statue that was more beautiful than any woman that had ever lived. He prayed to the goddess of love to change his statue into a real woman and she granted his wish. Fact 16 about Venus: Suadela was one of her train of attendants; the god of the soft speech of love.

Pothos, the god of the amities of love was also part of her retinue Venus and her lover, Mars, the god of war Venus (Greek Counterpart was Aphrodite) The Romans habitually assimilated various elements from other cultures and civilisations, including the gods and goddesses that were worshipped by the Greeks and other nations. When the Roman Empire conquered the Greeks in 146BC many of the Greek gods and goddesses were adopted by the Romans. The Romans simply changed the Greek gods names to Latin equivalents. The Greek counterpart of Venus was Aphrodite. The Roman religion significantly differed from the Greeks in that it was officially endorsed by the state and exerted influence over the government of Rome. Politicians took the offices of influential priests, called pontiffs, to gain control of the popular worship, Roman gods and goddesses like Venus were worshipped at every public event, including the gladiatorial games, where blood sacrifices were made to the gods. In ancient Rome, the pantheon of 12 major gods, including Venus, were called the 'Dei Consentes' meaning the Council of Gods.

Venus and the Roman Gods Family Tree and Genealogy The Roman gods family tree provides an instant overview of the genealogy and the family connections and relationships between the main deities, including Venus, who feature in the legends and mythology of the ancient Romans. The Primeval gods and deities, the Titans and the Roman Olympians. Venus Goddess of Love and Beauty Interesting information and Facts about the Roman goddess of love The Roman goddess of love, beauty, sexuality, passion and desire Stories and Legends in Roman Mythology associated with Venus Facts and information about the Gods and Deities of the Ancient World for schools and kids The Roman goddess of love, beauty, sexuality, passion and desire Goddess Names and Their Meanings Goddess-Guide.com Goddess Names Goddess names are found in all of our ancient cultures. This area of my site is dedicated to unravelling the origins and meanings behind these ancient figures. The list contains the main Greek Goddess names as well as the names of many Celtic, Egyptian, Nordic, Hindu, Roman and Sumerian Goddesses. This listing will be useful to you if you are choosing a name for your daughter or for businesses looking for a name that will encapsulate the nature of their product.

It is also a great resource for discovering the main features of the Goddesses and as a navigational tool to find more in-depth information contained within this site about the individual Goddesses. A-Z List of Goddess Names Aphrodite (Greek) - The beautiful Goddess of love and fertility. No man could resist Aphrodite when she wore her magic girdle. Her name means foam born or raised from foam as she was birthed from the churning sea. Arianrhod (Celtic) - Goddess of fertility, rebirth and the weaving of cosmic time and fate. The last aspect of her nature is contained within her name which means “silver wheel” or “round wheel,” suggesting her importance in the cycles of life. Other common spellings of her name are Aranhod and Arianrod. Artemis (Greek) - An independent spirit, she is Goddess is of the hunt, nature and birth. There are several different theories about the origin of her name, one school of thought says it comes from an ancient word for “safe” and another argues that it means “strong limbed.” Either way the suggestion is that this maiden Goddess has the strength and ability to protect herself from any unwanted attention.

Athena (Greek) - Goddess of war and wisdom and domestic crafts. Plato believed her name meant "mind of God" whilst others suggest it comes an ancient word meaning “sharp.” Both these words point to Athena's great intellectual ability to see the true nature of a situation and to develop successful strategies. Bast (Egyptian) - The famous cat Goddess, she protected pregnant woman and children. Bast was a very sensual Goddess who enjoyed music, dance and perfume. Her name comes from the bas jars used to store perfumes and ointments. Other versions of this Goddess names include: Bastet, Baset, Ubasti and Pasht. Ceres (Roman) - This Goddess of agriculture and grains name comes from the Indo European word root, ker meaning “to grow.” In turn her name has become the origin of our modern word cereal. Cerridwen (Celtic) - Goddess of moon, magic, agriculture, nature, poetry language, music, art, science and astrology. She was also keeper of the cauldron. Her name means “chiding love.” Ceridwen, Caridwen, Kerritwen, Keridwen, Kyrridwen are other variations of her name.

Demeter (Greek) - Goddess of the harvest who possessed great knowledge of the best way to grow, preserve and harvest grain. She was also the devoted mother of Persephone. Her name reflects her nurturing personality as it means “earth mother” in Greek. Diana (Roman) - Goddess of the hunt and wild animals. She later took over from Luna as the Roman Goddess of the moon, responsible for fertility and childbirth. Her name means "heavenly divine," reflecting her celestial role. Eirene (Greek) - This Greek Goddess name means peace in her native language, expressing her diplomatic nature. Her name also often appears as Irene. Eos (Greek) - A sunny natured Goddess whose name means dawn. Epona (Celtic) - Protector of horses, donkeys, and mules. She was also an ancient fertility Goddess. Epona's Goddess name comes from the Gaulish word epos meaning "great mare." Ereshkigal (Sumerian) - Goddess of Attalu, the land of the dead and ancestral memories. Her name translates as "great lady under the earth." Irkalla is an alternative name by which this Goddess is identified.

Freya (Nordic) - Goddess of love, beauty, fertility, war, wealth, divination and magic. Her name comes from the ancient Norse word for lady or mistress. There are several variations of the spellings of this Goddess name including: Freyja, Freyr and Freyja. Frigg (Nordic) - Goddess of marriage, childbirth, motherhood, wisdom, household management and weaving and spinning. Her name means "beloved" in ancient Norse and is derived from fri "to love." She is also known as Frige, Friia, Frija and Frea. Gaia (Greek) - Goddess of the Earth and prophecy. She is the primordial mother and a personification of Mother Earth. She gave birth to the Titans. Her name is also spelt Gaeo. Hathor ( Egyptian) - This heavenly cow's areas of influence included music, dancing, joy and fertility. Her name translates as "house of Horus".

Alternative names for this Goddess are Het-Hert, Hetheru, Mehturt, Mehurt, Mehet-Weret, and Mehet-uret, Hebe (Greek) – Hebe’s name literally means youth or in the prime of life. She was one of the daughters of Zeus and Hera. Her role was to serve the nectar and ambrosia to the Gods and Goddesses that prevented them from aging. Hekate (Greek) - Goddess of the wild places, childbirth and the crossroads. She is closely associated with magic and witchcraft. Her name is said to be derived from the Greek word hekas meaning "far off" describing her unworldly, shamanic nature. Also known as Hecate. Hella (Nordic) - The fearsome Goddess of the Nordic realm of the dead. Her name is derived from the word kel, meaning "to conceal." There are numerous spellings of her name including Halje Hell, Hel, Helle, Hela and Holle. Hera (Greek) - Queen of the Olympians and Goddess of marriage and birth. The meaning of her Goddess name has been lost.

One historian claims her name could be connected to the Greek word for seasons “hora,” suggesting she is ripe for marriage. Hestia (Greek) - The domestic Goddess of the Greek Pantheon, she rules over the hearth and home. Her name comes from the Greek word estia meaning "she that dwells or tarries." This reflects the importance of the role that the ancient Greeks attributed to this Goddess in sacrificing her position as an Olympian to guard the fire and maintain a happy home. Inanna (Sumerian) - Goddess of love, war, and fertility. Inanna was the personification of the morning and evening star. Her beautiful name means "lady of the sky." This Goddess is closely linked to Ishtar and Nin-anna. Indunn (Nordic) - Goddess of youth and springtime. Her name means she who renews and has several alternative spellings including Indun, Iduna and Idhunna. Iris (Greek) - Goddess of the rainbow and messenger to the Gods. Her name means rainbow in her native language. Isis (Egyptian) - This famous Goddess has so many different aspects, her most important roles are as Goddess of life and magic.

Isis’s name comes from the Egyptian word aset and means "she of throne" in other words the Queen of the Goddesses. Juno (Roman) - Goddess of marriage, pregnancy and childbirth. She protected the finances of the citizens of Rome. Her name is mystery, it speaks of a contradictory role for this Goddess, before her alignment to the matronly, Greek Goddess, Hera. This is because her name is derived from the root yeu meaning "vital force" indicating a more youthful, maiden Goddess. Kali (Hindu) - The fearsome demon destroying Goddess who represents death and rebirth. Her name means the "black one." Lakshmi (Hindu)- Goddess of abundance of material and spiritual wealth. Her name is derived from the Sanskrit word “laksya” meaning aim or goal Maat (Egyptian) - Goddess of truth, justice and balance. She prevented the creation from reverting to chaos and judged the deeds of the dead with her feather. This Goddess name stems from the word Mayet meaning “straight.” This reflects her unbending nature in upholding what is right and just. Minerva (Roman) - Goddess of wisdom, medicine and crafts.

Her name is linked to the Latin word mens which means "intellect," suggesting the intelligence and inventiveness of this ancient Goddess. Morrigan (Celtic) - The terrifying crow Goddess associated with war and death on the battlefield. She was queen of phantoms, demons, shape-shifters and patroness of priestesses and Witches. Her name means "great queen" in the old Irish language. Morrigan was also known as Morgane, Morrígu, Morríghan, Mor-Ríoghain and Morrígna. Nephthys (Egyptian) - Goddess of death, decay and the unseen. Her name speaks of her priestess role as it means "lady of the temple enclosure." Other variations of her title include Nebet-het and Nebt-het. Nike (Greek) - This Greek Goddess name means victory, she represented success especially in the sporting arena which is why her name was chosen for a famous brand of sportswear. Ostara (Germanic) - The spring Goddess whose name is linked to the East and the dawn. The early Christians took her fertility symbols of eggs and hares and incorporated them into the Easter celebrations.

Parvarti (Hindu) – Goddess of love and devotion, her name means “she of the mountain.” Persephone (Greek) - Daughter of Demeter and Queen of the Underworld. She was also none as Kore reflecting the Maiden aspect of this Goddess. Other variations of her name include Persephoneia, Persephassa, Persephatta and Pherepapha Pomona (Roman) –Protected fruiting trees and gardens. Her name is derived from the Latin word pomus, meaning “fruit tree.” Rhea (Greek) - The ancient Titan Earth Goddess, responsible for the fertility of the soil and women. The name is most likely a form of the word era meaning "earth", although it has also been linked to 'rheos' the Greek term for “stream.” Selene (Greek) – Selene was the Titan personification of the moon, unsurprising then that her name means moon in Greek. Seshat (Egyptian) - The great scribe and librarian Goddess who was responsible for accounting, architecture, astronomy, historical records and mathematics.

Her Goddess name means "she who scibes." It is also appears as Safkhet, Sashet, Seshata, Sesat, Sesheta and Sheshat. Themis (Greek) - Goddess of divine justice, order and customs. She also had the gift of prophecy. Her name simply means "law of nature" or "divine nature." Venus (Roman) - Goddess and love and beauty. Her Goddess name has become synonymous with her role as the woman who all men desire. Vesta (Roman) - Guardian of the sacred Flame. Vesta’s name and function is derived from the Greek Goddess Hestia. The Goddess Venus, Goddess of Romance and Beauty (Aphrodite) Venus, Roman Goddess of Romance and Beauty Venus meant "charm" and this Roman goddess certainly knew how to do that! Although she was a latecomer to Roman mythology, she rose quickly among the ranks. Like the Greek goddess Aphrodite whose mythology she inherited, the Roman goddess Venus assumed the divine responsibility for love, beauty, and sexuality, not to mention marriage, procreation, and domestic bliss. Venus was the ultimate multi-tasker!

She was also known as the Venus Verticordia, goddess of chastity in women, (despite her numerous randy affairs with gods and mortals), as Venus Victrix, the goddess of victory in war, and also a nature goddess, associated with gardens and the arrival of spring. When her son Aeneas fled Troy and founded the Roman race, Venus became known as the divine ancestor of the Roman people (the Venus Genetrix) and was treated with special honor.

Question: Who is the Roman goddess of love and beauty?
Answer: Venus