Aphrodite was the goddess of extreme beauty．Her birthwas a mysterious one．On one of those days when the
Olympians had begun to enjoy power in the universe，the floating bubbles of the sea glowed with holy brightness．Out of the wave rose a fair and lovely maiden，shining forth warmth and charm．She was then taken by the ocean fairy maiden to Cyprus which became her sacred island．Her beauty was beyond description，and she was rightly called the Beautiful．Over her deathles shead was a golden crown，her eyes were deep and soft，and herbrows warm．Her long halr flowed over her dellcate neck and white bosom ．Her slender fingers and rosy-white feet all added to her attractive grace and elegance ．Her slim lily form of a figure caused both the enthusiastic admiration of the gods and the burning jealousy of the goddess when she first took her place on Olympus．
She was appointed goddess of Love and Marriage．Sitting inher carriage drawn by sparrows，doves or swans，she travelledfar and wide to inspire love in the hearts of all nature and move man and beast and animal and plant to reproduction． with the help of her little son，Eros，the god of love，she made many a tale of happiness and sadness in the life of gods and men．Being less serious，she introduced the idea of free love into marriedlife． She was never faithful to her husband Hephaestus． Herhusband on one occasion caught her in a net as she was lying with Mars． Then he held them both up to fun in front of the gods．She was kind and responsible and was ever ready to helpyoung lovers in trouble．She loved Adonis， breathed life into thestatue of Galatea and lent a helping hand to young Hippomennes in his race．
