Venus - Roman Goddess of Love

The Roman Goddess Venus
Goddess of Love

Day of the Week: Friday
Sacred Month: April
Family ties: Daughter of Jupiter and Dione, wife of Vulcan, mother of Cupid (with Mercury)
Symbol: Doves, swans, the rose and the myrtle and a Seashell
Name of equivalent Greek Goddess: Aphrodite

Venus is the Roman goddess of love, beauty, sex, fertility, prosperity and victory. However she was originally a vegetation goddess and patroness of gardens and vineyards. Later, under Greek influence, she was equated with Aphrodite and assumed many of her aspects. In Roman mythology, she was the mother of the Roman people through her son, Aeneas, who survived the fall of Troy and fled to Italy. Julius Caesar claimed her as his ancestor. Venus was central to many religious festivals, and was venerated in Roman religion under numerous cult titles.

Some say Venus' parents were unknown, and that she was born of sea foam and came to the shores of Cyprus floating on a scallop shell. Others, like the poet Homer, said she was the daughter of the mighty Jupiter, king of all the gods.

One of the most remarkable adventures of this goddess was her contest with Juno and Minerva for the superiority of beauty.
At the marriage of Peleus and Thetis, the goddess Discordia, who resented not being invited, threw a golden apple among the company, with this inscription, “Let the fairest take it”. Venus, Juno and Minerva all wanted it, so Jupiter referred them to Paris, who then led a shepherd's life on Mount Ida. Before him the goddesses appeared and asked him who was most fair between them. Each of the goddesses offered him a gift if he would choose her, Juno offered him empire or power, Minerva said she would make him wise, and Venus promised him the possession of the most beautiful woman in the world. Fatally for himself and family, the shepherd, more susceptible of love than of ambition or virtue, decided the contest in favour of Venus so that he could choose Helen. Unfortunately Helen was married to someone else, and when Paris carried her off to his home at Troy, her husband came with his allies to get her back. Paris and all his family were killed and Troy was destroyed. One of the few Trojans to survive the Trojan War was Aeneas, the son of Venus. He went to Italy, and was the ancestor of the Romans.