CLA birth god female Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CLA birth god female - Essay Example Attention should be paid to their birth, first of all. It is worthy to begin with Aphrodite since she is known as the oldest Olympian god, at least according to Hesiod, a Greek poet whose works are a major source on  Greek mythology in general. According to his version, Aphrodite appeared from the sea foam (aphros) which gathered around Titan Ouranoss severed genitals. Ouranoss son Kronos revenged his father for seducing his wife and castrated him. Thus, it is believed that Aphrodite grew from Ouranoss blood and semen. As it also appears from this story, Aphrodite has no parents, in fact. Nevertheless, another version may be found in works by Homer, the author of the  Iliad  and the  Odyssey who lived around the same time as Hesiod. According to him, Aphrodite is a daughter of Zeus, the ruler of the Olympians, and goddess Dione who is sometimes claimed to be an ancient Zeuss wife. Diones personality is hard to define. In some myths, she is a Titaness. In others, she is referr ed to as an Oceanid. It is possible to mention some other myths which explain how Aphrodite was born, though Homers version still remains the best-known one. Athenas birth is believed to be among the strangest ones in ancient mythology. She is the daughter of Zeus and his first wife Metis, an Oceanid and the Titan goddess. It is also possible to assume that Athena and Aphrodite are sisters. According to prophesy made by an oracle of Gaea, Metis would give birth to a girl, whose wisdom and strength would be equal to Zeuss own, and then to a boy who would later overthrow Zeus, which had actually happened to his father and grandfather. This worried Zeus and he decided to prevent the threat. He opened his mouth and then swallowed his wife and their unborn child. Nine months later Zeus felt a strong headache which made him scream out of pain. Hephaestus tried to help and opened Zeuss skull with an ax. Zeus was not hurt, and the moment later