As a bonus to 10 facts about Venus, it is the closest planet to Earth. It is also the hottest planet in the solar system, with an average surface temperature of 462°C, which is more than hot enough to melt lead.
A hostile planet, Venus is home to thousands of volcanoes, and it is covered by a thick layer of toxic clouds. These clouds are constantly being swept across the planet with hurricane-force winds.
The planet has strong links to ancient Greek and Roman mythology. With that in mind, here are 10 facts about these ties and the mythological background (we sometimes use Venus and Aphrodite interchangeably, as they are essentially the same).
1 Venus is named for the Roman goddess
Venus, in Roman mythology, is the goddess of love and beauty. The planet Venus is named for the goddess because it was the brightest of the planets that ancient astronomers could observe.
Venus was originally thought to be two different bodies because it is so bright: Hesperus, the star observed at night, and Eosphorus, the star observed in the morning.
2 Venus is also the Roman name for Aphrodite
In Greek mythology, Aphrodite was the goddess of love. Venus and Aphrodite are the same goddesses of love; they are essentially one and the same.
The ancient Romans, as the empire grew, assimilated other cultures. When it came to Venus/Aphrodite, they just changed the name; the myths and stories remained the same.
3 Venus has no moons but the goddess had children
Venus is just one of two planets in the solar system that doesn’t have any natural moons. Moons of other planets are named after deities or other beings that are associated with them.
If Venus did have moons, there is a good chance they would have been named Timur, Metes, or any other of the many (17) children Venus/Aphrodite had.
4 The Greek name Aphrodite derived from the word for ‘sea-foam’
The Ancient Greeks named Aphrodite for the word ‘Aphros’, which in English is ‘foam’. The word connects the birth story of Aphrodite; in the story, she is made from foam.
Aphrodite was formed when Cronus killed his dad, Uranus, and threw ‘bits’ of him into the sea. The foam that was made created Aphrodite.
5 Venus/Aphrodite is associated with roses, sparrows, doves and swans
In Greek, and so Roman, mythology, the dove was chosen to symbolise romance and still is in many parts of the world. Swans are also associated with elegance and beauty.
It is said that the swan was Venus/Aphrodite’s favourite animal, and that is why it is often associated with her.
6 From myth to play to movie
There is a movie named Mighty Aphrodite, which was inspired by the play Pygmalion, which in turn was inspired by the goddess of beauty.
The play Pygmalion is a story about a beautiful sculpture brought to life by the goddess Venus/Aphrodite.
7 Venus/Aphrodite was once in a relationship with Mars/Ares
This myth is considered to be one of the more interesting in mythology. Mars/Ares fell in love with Venus/Aphrodite and decided to try and win her over.
The relationship resulted in the birth of Eros. There is an asteroid named after him, and it was the first asteroid to have a spacecraft land on it.
8 There are more artworks of her than any other figure from mythology
The goddess of love and beauty can be found in a lot of artwork throughout the centuries, including sculptures, paintings and literature.
She is famously known for inspiring the sculptor Alexandros to create the Venus de Milo in 150 BCE.
9 Olympian goddesses were jealous of Venus
Because she was the goddess of love and beauty, she attracted a lot of attention. This, however, caused jealousy in the goddesses when their partners entered into relationships with her.
Many of the gods and goddesses would try to seek out and punish others that they thought were a threat, as opposed to trying to hurt Venus herself.
10 Venus/Aphrodite created Pandora
In Greek mythology, the first woman was named Pandora. She was formed from the gifts bestowed upon the goddess by lots of other gods and goddesses.
Be First to Comment