Baths of Aphrodite
Situated about 18 miles from the coastal town of Paphos, the natural cavern here features a caved shallow pool encompassed by ferns and a large fig tree which caters for the shade.
A natural spring supplies the water to the pool. According to myth, Aphrodite would bathe in this pool and is where she first met her great love- Adonis. The waters here are said to hold special rejuvenating powers.
Aphrodite was the daughter of Uranus and Dione. Her birth is the subject of many famous artworks. Believed to have emerged from the foam of the sea at the renowned archaeological site, Petra tou Romiou, Aphrodite then went on to Mount Olympus, accompanied by Eros and Pothos, to claim her place among the assembly of gods. It was here where the goddess of love and beauty was named “Aphrodite,” meaning born from the foam of the sea, and Cyprus, the land where she first appeared. Aphrodite is also the goddess of joy, laughter and passion. She is the guardian of young girls and governess of the fertility of animals and plants. Her symbols include rabbits, sparrows, goats, pomegranates and apples.
Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus, god of fire and patron of metalworkers. Unlike Aphrodite, Hephaestus had an ugly appearance and for this reason, Zeus chose him to marry Aphrodite, but despite this, she had many affairs with both gods and men.
The greatest of all artisans, Hephaestus’ wedding gifts to his beloved spouse included golden palaces, precious stones, and a piece of land surrounded by a golden fence. Located on a mountaintop in Cyprus, and inaccessible to mortals, the Baths of Aphrodite is today a popular tourist attraction and one of the most important ancient sites related to Aphrodite. A small grotto, shaded by an old fig tree, this historical site is renowned for its sweet climate, fertile soil, natural springs and green foliage.
Ares, the god of war, had a long love affair with Aphrodite, which lasted for the duration of her marriage to Hephaestus and beyond. When Hephaestus learned of the affair, he placed a strong and invisible net on top of the bed and caught the lovers in the act. His wrath woke the other gods and brought them to the scene. Hephaestus demanded that Ares should suffer the consequences of his adulterous crime; it was Poseidon, god of the sea, who came to Ares’ rescue and offered to pay a fine in exchange for his freedom. Aphrodite returned to her famous baths, anointed with oils and perfume; her beauty and radiance restored, unknowingly that she was carrying Ares’ child, Harmonia.
THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW: Aphrodite was, in fact, widely worshipped as a goddess of the sea and of seafaring; she was also honoured as a goddess of war, especially at Sparta, Thebes, Cyprus, and other places. However, she was known primarily as a goddess of love and fertility and even occasionally presided over marriage.
THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO SAVE: Nude pictures of Aphrodite as she creates love spell: caution nuddity not permitted on youtube.
ZENTRAVELER SAYS: Take a bath in cyprus and maybe Aphrodite will emerge from the sea and join you?
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