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dimi_pat

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Ahead of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share some things that I thought were interesting about Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love:

1. Aphrodite Was Born from Sea Foam.
In Greek mythology, it's said that Aphrodite was born from the sea foam that formed when Cronus cut off Uranus's genitals and threw them into the ocean. As the spirit of desire and physical attraction, Aphrodite's birth story reflects the power of nature and the irresistible force of passion.

2. She Was Married to Hephaestus.
Despite her reputation as the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite had a less-than-romantic marriage with Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths and volcanoes. Hephaestus was unattractive and had a limp, and Aphrodite had several affairs with other gods and mortals. To me, this seem like an unlikely match.

3. She Possessed a Magic Girdle.
To make herself even more desirable and seductive, Aphrodite had a magic girdle that could make anyone fall in love with her. It's said that she used this girdle to win the hearts of both gods and mortals and cause conflicts and jealousy among them.

4. She Had Children with Several Gods and Mortals.
Aphrodite was famous for her many love affairs, and she had children with several gods and mortals. Her most famous son was Eros, the god of love and passion, who was sometimes depicted as her lover as well.

5. She Was Worshiped throughout Ancient Greece.
As the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite was a popular deity throughout ancient Greece and was worshiped in many cities and temples. She was also associated with fertility, sexuality, and even war, as seen in her role as a protector of soldiers and sailor.

6. Her Symbols Included Doves, Roses, and Mirrors.
Like most deities, Aphrodite had several symbols that represented her qualities and powers. Her most common symbols were doves, roses, and mirrors, which reflected her beauty, love, and vanity.
 
There are some tidbits here I didn't know about here, such as the part about the magic girdle.

Boy, if only love were that easy LOL.
 
Ahead of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share some things that I thought were interesting about Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love:

1. Aphrodite Was Born from Sea Foam.
In Greek mythology, it's said that Aphrodite was born from the sea foam that formed when Cronus cut off Uranus's genitals and threw them into the ocean. As the spirit of desire and physical attraction, Aphrodite's birth story reflects the power of nature and the irresistible force of passion.

2. She Was Married to Hephaestus.
Despite her reputation as the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite had a less-than-romantic marriage with Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths and volcanoes. Hephaestus was unattractive and had a limp, and Aphrodite had several affairs with other gods and mortals. To me, this seem like an unlikely match.

3. She Possessed a Magic Girdle.
To make herself even more desirable and seductive, Aphrodite had a magic girdle that could make anyone fall in love with her. It's said that she used this girdle to win the hearts of both gods and mortals and cause conflicts and jealousy among them.

4. She Had Children with Several Gods and Mortals.
Aphrodite was famous for her many love affairs, and she had children with several gods and mortals. Her most famous son was Eros, the god of love and passion, who was sometimes depicted as her lover as well.

5. She Was Worshiped throughout Ancient Greece.
As the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite was a popular deity throughout ancient Greece and was worshiped in many cities and temples. She was also associated with fertility, sexuality, and even war, as seen in her role as a protector of soldiers and sailor.

6. Her Symbols Included Doves, Roses, and Mirrors.
Like most deities, Aphrodite had several symbols that represented her qualities and powers. Her most common symbols were doves, roses, and mirrors, which reflected her beauty, love, and vanity.
Aphrodite [froth/Purattu/Euphrates/Aditi] was the Greek name for Inanna/Ishtar/Astarte, the daughter of Anu [Uranus/Sin] .
Anu and Uranus both mean sky or heavens. She is also called Ino in Greek myth. Ino was also called Halia meaning salty and Leucothea meaning white goddess. At Thalamae in Laconia, near Sparta, was the oracular shrine of Ino-Pasiphae.
Tammuz is called Athamas and Adonis in Greek myth.Tammuz is also Greek Cronus
[Baal Hammon] and Pan [ Egyptian Min ; Greek name Minos/Hindu Daksha-Prajapati/Priapus]. Rhea Silvia is Rhea Pitys [Repit, wife of Min in Egypt].
Aphrodite also corresponds to Tamtu/Tiamat [Tanit] and Nammu in Babylonian mythology. Tamtu Halia was called Thetis Halosydne in Greek myth and as such was the daughter of Nereus [ Nireus/Nirah/
Triton]. Triton is Anu or Sin in Babylonia.
Abzu is Abas/Apollo Abae/Cycnus/Varuna in Greek mythology. Abzu/Abas/Apsu/Apas represented spring water/fresh water while Tamtu represented salt water/sea water. Nammu was the mother of Enki [Nudimmud] and grandmother of Anu.
Lynceus [Lug/lynx] also signifies Apollo.
Tamtu Halia/Aphrodite was also regarded as the daughter of Tantalus and Dione.
Dione was the wife of Tantalus [Mercury/Thanatos] and Hermes [Anu/Sin/Moon god]. Dione by either was the mother of Aphrodite.
Inanna boasted of taming horses and was given the name Hippodamia in Greek myth, meaning horse-tamer.
Ops is an alternative name for Rhea and is punned with Area, a title of Aphrodite, as lover of Ares. Peleus and Pelias are names of Ares [Mars/Nergal/Aplu Enlil/Apollo].
Achilles [Pelides] is Pelops ,the son of Peleus and Ops [Ide/Ida/Idaea/Cybele/Rhea].
Oenomaus is Anum/Anu, and has numerous alternative names in Greek myth such as Centaurus [Chandra],Minotaur,Chiron and Pirithous. Anu's symbol was a Maltese cross [constellation Crux].
Phaedra is a name for Persephone/Eos.
Oenomaus was the son of Poseidon
[Enki/Ea-Nudimmud/Endymion] and Tyro [Sterope] rather than Pelias [Cycnus].
Thyia, naiad of the Castalian spring at Delphi was Theia [Thia].
Hephaestus is Wepwawet [Ptah], husband of Sekhmet [Bast/Ubastis/Artemis].
Tammuz/Dumuzi is Duamutef/Wepwawet. Inanna changed an unnamed shepherd [Tammuz the Shepherd/Sipad] into a wolf [Lycus/Autolycus].
Antiope [Anahita Aban/Inanna/Naiad/Nycteis/Nut/Artemis/
Callisto] was the daughter of Belus [Bel Enlil/Aeolus/Tantalus/Nycteus/Night/God of Winter/Boreas] and was the mother of Pelops/Amphion and Niobe [Nebthet/Nephthys/Nephele/navel/Omphale/umbilicus/'Um Phl daughter of Shapash/Latin Nubes/Chryseis/Ma of Chryse/Ninmah/Maia/Hebe/Dia/Hebat/
Hera]. Because Zeus was confused with Amun-Ra [Cronus/Saturn/Ammon] and Hera was confused with Mut [Demeter], there was great confusion. Hera [Nyx/Hebe/Dia/Lyssa] does appear in Egypt as Nephthys,
whereas Zeus was notable by his absence in Egypt. Amphion's brother was Zethus [Seth/Sutekh/Sydyk/Zadok/Telipinu/
Delphinus/Poseidon].
Mars [Apsu/Apis/Hapi/Epaphus/Epopeus] and Aphrodite
[Nerio/Nereid] were the god and goddess of Spring [March and April marked the beginning of the Roman Spring].
Antiope was also called Antigone and Euryale.
Actaeon [Actaeus] son of Aristaeus is Actis son of Helios. Acte/Akte means coast [Cote].Actaeon is the Egyptian god Shu [Brahma] who strives to keep Geb [Keb/Cepheus] and Nut [salt sea] apart. Brahma [Greek Priam/Branchus/Welsh Bran] became a stag/hart/heorot/Erotes[sons of Eros]. In this myth Prajapati [Priapus/Daksha/Skillful/Medraut/Paris/
Pan/Min/Faunus/Fawn/Oisin/'Little deer' ] was often mistaken for Brahma. Brahma is Lycaon/
Nycteus and Prajapati is Lycus. Actaeon was the lover of Semele [Zemelo/Zemlya/
Mother Earth and Samal,a vulture goddess [Phene],and Aramaean kingdom of Samal,now Zincirli,near the Karasu Creek/Western Euphrates]].The Lyra constellation is depicted with a vulture. Cercyon is Ares. Alope [vixen] is Selene/Amphitrite/Aoife/Nephthys.
Arthur Pendragon is Achilles/Krishna.
The Seth animal was a combination of a Fennec FOX [foxes slay chickens/chicken-hearted/cowards] and a hyena.
Epaphus is Epaphroditus meaning favourite of Aphrodite i.e. Ares.
Aeacus [Aiakos] is Mercury [ eagle-god/Aquilo/Boreas]
and was the father of Aegina [Artemis Aeginaea/Ino] by Athena Aphaea/Hecate. Ai means alas and was used as a prefix ; see Ailinus/Linus [Lynceus/Cycnus] and Aidoneus/Aides/much later AIDS pun I suspect/Celtic Donn/Hades. Aidoneus is from Adonai, a title of Yahweh/Jehovah
at Jerusalem [City of Shalim] who the Greeks usually assumed was Shalim, a name for Hesperus/evening star/Osiris/
Serapis [Evenus].
Given the Jewish soldiers' colony at
Elephantine accepted Anat-Yahu [Anuket] as the consort of Yahweh it is clear Yahweh/
Yahu(n) [Roman Janus Quadrifrons whose priest was the high priest of Rome/rex sacrorum] is a name for Yakin/Hyacinthus/
Mercury/Brahma/Abraham/Adam [see Bit-Yakin Chaldaean tribe]/Aeetes/Aiakos. Ibrihim looks like Ibri'im,
possibly meaning Hebrews. Sati [Io/Isis/Hathor] is Jocasta, wife of Shiva [Dionysus/Osiris] and Khnum of Elephantine [Horus/Oedipus/swollen-foot/Elephant-god/Ganesha/Ganymedon].
Janus was the husband of Circe and the father of Picus [Apollo/Abellio/Mars/Cycnus/Alcyoneus] and Canens [Diana]. Pomona [apple] was linked with Picus.
The serpent in the Garden of Eden was Shalim [Draco]. The Biblical story relates to each male god being overthrown by his son, or in the case of Osiris by his younger brother, in the original form that religion took. Sol/Atum was overthrown by Shu [
Eurytus/Hyacinthus/Yakin/Iakxne/Yahu/
Mercury/Musa/Mouse/Enlil/Kur/Zagreus/
Iakkhos/Legion Eagle/Budha/Bromius/Brahma/Liber Pater/Eleutherios/Bres the son of Elatha and Eri].Elatha is Helios and Eri is Eos Erigeneia. Shu/Danaus was overthrown by Apollo/Lug/Lynceus/Cycnus/Tiger/Tigris [rivers flow into the Tigris off the Zagros Mountains]. Yahweh/Yahu is being confused with Shalim/Dionysus/Shiva/
Hades/Hindu Vala/Norse Vali/Osiris.
Cycnus/Hector/Abel was killed by Achilles/
Osiris/Leo/Eden serpent/Mitra.
Set/Makara/Delphinus/Telipinu/Irish Delbaeth/Lir slew Osiris.
Areion/argent/arian/Pegasus/seahorse/
Lichas/Lugaid/Lleuad/Fionn/Hypnos/
Somnia/Hermes Hypnophoros/Asleep/
Sleep/Asclepius/Sleipnir/Fiacha/Raven slew Heracles/
Endymion/Ea-Nudimmud/Nuada/Nodens/
Castor Hippodamus [Horse-tamer]/Vritra
[supposedly killed by Indra Vritrahan for blocking the waters].
Salmoneus/salmon/Shulmanu/Cronus/
Solomon slew Uranus/Anu/Sin/Fionn/Gwyn/Da'ud/David/Djehuti/Thoth. Zeus/
Indra [Scorpio/scorpion-man/Man/Andros/Androgeos] slew Cronus/Minos. Each god rode on his successor providing a reason for his downfall.
Janus Quadrifrons had 4 heads. Brahma had 4 heads. Please note with the demise of the kings of Jerusalem the high priests of Yahweh [Thanatos/Geras/Apate] took leadership of the Jewish people, combined with a council of elders
[called Gerousia at Sparta and Senate at Rome]. Kings are linked to Horus/Sol/Ra.
Kings could be deposed if they failed to meet their obligation in the matter of water provision [Aquarius] to Man [Zeus],
meaning mankind/their subjects. See the origin story of Sargon [King-born] of Agade in relation to Aquarius. Epeius is Odysseus/Pegasus [ constellation has three legs/fish tail/Isle of Man's emblem].
Astarte was a 'daughter of the Night' [Mercury] and a 'daughter of Sin [Anu]'.
The name Jehovah is a Roman period attempt by the Jewish elite to curry favour with the Romans by making Yahweh/Yahu seem linked to Jove/Jupiter [Baal Hadad].
Bosheth ['Shame'] was substituted for Baal in the Old Testament by the priests of Yahweh.
For the Roman view of Venus [Inanna] see the Latin word inanis [inane].
On the Ninnion Tablet Iacchus is shown with one torch raised and the other inverted. An inverted torch was the symbol of Thanatos.
Aphrodite [Rhea Silvia/Rhea Pitys/Repit] is
Demeter [Deva-meter],the mother of Hades [Pluto],her first born in Greek myth;
Poseidon and Zeus.
Set [Satan/Enki/Lucifer] was the father of Sin [Anu].
 
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Role of Women in Greek Myths?

Greek mythology is full of powerful stories, but lately I’ve been thinking about the role of women within those stories and I’d love to hear everyone’s interpretations.

Women in Greek myth are everywhere: goddesses, queens, witches, victims, heroes, catalysts. Yet their roles can be wildly contradictory. We have figures like Athena, symbolizing wisdom and strategic power, alongside Aphrodite, who shapes fate through desire. Then there’s Hera, often portrayed as jealous, but also deeply tied to marriage and sovereignty. Mortal women, like Penelope, Helen, Medea, or Ariadne, each carry a different kind of strength, suffering, or agency.

Some myths elevate women as creators or protectors; others reduce them to cautionary tales. And in some stories, women seem to drive the entire narrative even when the focus is supposedly on male heroes. So what do you think? What is the role of women in Greek myths?

Creation Stories of Greek Mythology

I’ve been spending a lot of time researching the creation stories of Greek mythology, and I find them endlessly fascinating. What draws me in is how there isn’t a single, fixed origin story—everything shifts depending on the source. Between Hesiod’s Theogony, the Orphic traditions, and later philosophical interpretations, the beginning of the cosmos feels fluid rather than settled.

I’d love to hear how others approach these myths. Which version of creation resonates most with you, the emergence from Chaos, the role of Gaia and Uranus, or the more mystical Orphic egg? Are there lesser-known fragments, regional traditions, or scholarly sources you’ve found especially compelling?

I’m always excited to discover new angles, translations, or interpretations, especially ones that explore why the Greeks may have been comfortable holding multiple origin stories at once. Any recommendations, insights, or favorite passages would be greatly appreciated.

Did the Hero's Journey originate in Greek Mythology?

I’ve been reading more about the Hero’s Journey lately—it’s everywhere in fiction, movies, and even self-help books. It got me wondering: did this storytelling framework actually originate in Greek mythology?

When you look at the lives of heroes like Odysseus, Hercules, Perseus, or even Theseus, they all seem to follow that classic pattern: a call to adventure, trials, transformation, and return. But did the ancient Greeks consciously structure their myths this way, or are we just applying a modern lens (like Joseph Campbell’s) to something much older?

I’m curious if anyone here has thoughts on whether Greek mythology was the true origin of the Hero’s Journey, or if similar patterns show up in other cultures too. Why do you think this formula still resonates today—enough to be used in self-development books and personal growth programs?

Were there any power struggles amongst the Greek gods and goddesses?

A question for those more deeply steeped in Hellenic mythology: to what extent were there genuine power struggles among the Olympian gods?

While Zeus is often portrayed as the uncontested ruler of Mount Olympus, several myths hint at tension and rivalry — such as the attempted coup by Hera, Poseidon, and Athena in the Iliad, or Prometheus' defiance (even if Titan-born). Poseidon's claims to cities, Hades’ sovereignty over the underworld, and even Athena’s intellectual authority suggest a more complex divine order than simple hierarchy.

Were these conflicts metaphorical, tied to natural forces and societal values, or should they be read as actual political dynamics among the gods?

I’d be interested to hear perspectives on whether these stories reflect an evolving theology or cultural commentary on leadership, power, and justice within ancient Greek thought.

Poseidon’s role beyond the sea?

We all know Poseidon as the god of the sea, storms, and earthquakes — trident in hand, stirring the oceans. But I’ve recently come across references suggesting his influence went far beyond just water. For instance, he was also known as the "Earth-shaker" and linked to horses and even fertility in older, pre-Olympian traditions.

This got me wondering: how much of Poseidon's identity was tied to older Earth-based worship? Was his role as a sea god a later evolution? I've also read that in some regions, he was considered a chthonic deity — tied to the underworld or the land itself.

Do you see him as more of a primal force of nature rather than just the god of the sea? And what do you make of his association with horses? Would love to hear how others interpret Poseidon's deeper role in the mythology!
Share and discuss Greek mythology!

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