----------------- THE SIX GODDESSES ----------------- ASTARTE Astarte was to goddess of Byblos, from which our word "bible" originated. She was known as the Star, the Moon, the Heavenly Virgin, Queen of the Stars and the Queen of Heaven. Some of her other names were Tanit, Ishtar ("the star"), Astroarche ("Queen of the Stars) and Attar-Samayin ("Morning Star of Heaven). The Israelites burned incense, offered wine and baked cakes in her honor. Her great shrines were at Byblos and Aphaca (known today as Afka). King Solomon built a sanctuary to her in Jerusalem. Her preiestesses were famous astrologers. ATHENE She is best known as the Greek Goddess sacred to the city of Athens. Originally, she was a Libyan goddess imported from North Africa. In the Greek legends she was born from the head of Zeus. She has dozens of attributes which include: warrior-goddess and protectress of heroes; patron of architects, sculptors, spinners and weavers; protectress of horses and oxen; and a counsellor-goddess famed for her wisdom. The owl is associated with her. Sulphur is an element identified with her because it was believed that burning brimstone (sulphur) would drive away the evil spirits that caused disease. Athene's major temple was the Parthenon which means "virgin-house." CERES Was a Roman goddess with the title "Mother of the Harvest." Her Greek name was Kore, the virgin aspect of Demeter. She rules over all grains and the words "cereal, kernel, core, corn" come from her name. Her major early-summer festival was called the Cerealia celebrated on April 19th. Farmers performed rituals to her to safeguard their crops. One of her other titles was "Ceres the lawgiver" and her priestesses were important in founding the Roman legal system. Her sacred "matronae" ("women of rank") ruled Rome from 600-200 B.C. ISIS She was the major Great Goddess of Egypt, known also as Hathor. She was considered the mother of every other god created in the primeval time. Two of her titles were "Giver of Life" and "The One Who Is All." She gave birth to the sun. The Pharaohs believed she would grant them immortality by resurrecting them after death, as she did her husband Osiris. Some Egyptians believed that the yearly flood of the Nile was caused by her teardrops. She was enormously popular with the Romans who called her "the eternal savior of the race of men." Her son was Horus, the Egyptian Divine Child. The word "pastor" comes from "Pastophori" meaning "servants of Isis." VENUS She was the Roman version of Aphrodite. Her sign represents the female gender in both plants and animals. She is associated with love and sexuality. Mirrors are objects considered sacred to her. The morning and evening "star" (in reality, a planet) was named after her. Her sacred day was Friday on which her followers would eat fish. Juilius Caesar built a marble and gold temple in her honor. In alchemy, her symbol stands for copper. Her main shrine was on Cyprus, which was a center for mining copper. She was once also a Lady of Animals; the word "venison" means literally "Venus' son." VESTA She was the Roman version of the Greek goddess, Hestia. She was considered the "guardian of the innermost things" -- home hearth. Her names comes from "vas," a Sanskrit word meaning approximately "shining." She personnified earth, and domestic and religious fire. The perpetual sacred fire of her temples was tended by six women known as the Vestal Virgins. Young girls who entered their order took strict vows of chastity for thirty years, after which they could marry. The fire of her hearth/altar was considered to be the center of the earth. -------------------------- THE MYTHOLOGY OF APHRODITE -------------------------- Aphrodite is a fundamental Goddess known by scores of names with dozens of attributes. 'Aphrodite' is simply the name by which she came to be known via the Greeks, but she was an ancient diety even then. She was variously considered the goddess of life, ideal or chaste love, sexuality, marriage, childbirth, fate, death, arts, crafts, culture, hunting and the sea. She was truly a queen among goddesses. From 70 A.D., her cult dominated the mail temple of Jerusalem. There is a legend that in the 4th century the Empress Helena, mother of Constatine, found the true cross (on which Christ was crucified) hidden in a crypt beneath the temple of Aphrodite in Jerusalem. The sacred number of Aphrodite is six. Symbols associated with her and representing fertility are the dove and the apple. APHRODITE AND ADONIS Adonis was a youth of such extraordinary beauty that he was adored by Aphrodite. When he was but a child, she hid him inside a chest which she left in the care of Persephone, goddess of the underworld. But Persephone disobeyed Aphrodite and opened the chest. Seeing Adonis, she too fell in love with him. When Aphrodite came to fetch the young man, Persephone refused to release him. The warring goddesses ended their dispute when Zeus decreed that Adonis would spend half of the year in the underworld with Persephone. But Ares, the god of War, was jealous of Aphrodite and her passion for Adonis. He transformed himself into a boar, waited for the young man to go hunting, and fatally gored him, leaving Aphrodite to bitterly mourn her lost love. APHRODITE AND PYGMALION Pygmalion was a sculptor who lived on the island of Cyprus. Aphrodite was displeased with the women of his town, who had refused to accept she was divine. She cursed them so that they lost all sense of modesty, and would give themselves to any man who came along. Because of their behavior, Pygmalion disdained the company of women, but nonetheless he devoutly worshipped Aphrodite. He remained alone, carving his statues. One such statue carved of ivory, was of a woman so beautiful he feel deeply in love with her image. But she was only a statue... until Aphrodite heard his prayers and pleas. Pygmalion was rewarded for his devotion; the cold ivory turned to warm flesh as his statue came to life and embraced him. APHRODITE AND HIPPOLYTUS Hippolytus was the son of King Theseus. He was an avid hunter who rode out every day in his chariot. Aphrodite loved him because of his handsome from, but he scorned her love and the love of all women. Furious at being rejected by the handsome prince, Aphrodite caused his stepmother, Phaedra, to fall in love with him, but Hippolytus rejected her as well. Phaedra convinced Theseus that his son had raped her, whereupon the King called upon the sea-god, Poseidon, to exact vengeance. While Hippolytus drove his chariot along the shore of the Saronic Gulf, Poseidon sent a fierce bull from the waves to panic the horses. They stampeded, and Hippolytus was dragged to his death behind the chariot.