Creative Writing at The Haven - Goddesses 2

Greece and Rome - 12th October  2012

So many goddesses; so little time.  So sticking to our triple theme I went for the Judgement of Paris and the Apple of Dischord.  BEAUTY was much discussed. 

Venus/Aphrodite; Minerva/Athena ; Juno/Hera

The Judgement of Paris

The gods and goddesses, as well as various mortals, were invited to the marriage of Peleus and Thetis(the eventual parents of Achilles). Only the goddess Eris (Discord) was not invited, but she arrived with a golden apple inscribed with the word kallistēi ("to the fairest one"), which she threw among the goddesses.  Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena all claimed to be the fairest, and thus the rightful owner of the apple.

We also wondered how poor Venus felt when she arrived at Cyprus with not a stitch on her and no past!

The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, circa 1485

Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation. Her Roman equivalent is the goddess Venus.

According to Hesiod's Theogony, she was born when Cronus cut off Uranus' genitals and threw them into the sea, and from the sea foam (aphros) arose Aphrodite. Thus, Aphrodite is of an older generation than Zeus.

Aphrodite is usually said to have been born near Paphos, on the island of Cyprus, for which reason she is called "Cyprian", especially in the poetic works of Sappho. Her chief centre of worship was at Paphos, where the goddess of desire had been worshipped from the early Iron Age in the form of Ishtar and Astarte.

Because of her beauty, other gods feared jealousy would interrupt the peace among them and lead to war, so Zeus married her to Hephaestus, who was not viewed as a threat. Aphrodite had many lovers, both gods such as Ares, and men such as Anchises. Aphrodite also became instrumental in the Eros and Psyche legend, and later was both Adonis' lover and his surrogate mother. Many lesser beings were said to be children of Aphrodite.

A game we played was to Design a Goddess - what characteristics and attributes would you give to the ideal goddess?  

Sue came up with this and we all liked this deity:

Designer Goddess

Sue

I am the goddess to heal broken hearts.

I carry with me: rescue remedy,

Chocolates (in any flavour you desire)

Soft, snuggly blankets to envelop you in a hug

A limitless credit card

So you can buy whatever you desire

I am an expert needlewoman

And will stitch your heart together

With beautiful golden threads, so fine

That they cannot be seen

By the naked eye.

I am the goddess to heal broken hearts.