The Goddess of Love and Beauty

During this time, a significant event occurred in the ocean. A very special goddess was born. Legend has it that in the endless ancient times, the first generation of the king of gods was Uranus, the god of the sky and the stars. He was born from the fingertips of Gaia, the primordial mother goddess of the earth, and was the deity who governed the sky and stars. He was both the son and the husband of Gaia. In the beginning, Uranus and Gaia shared a deep bond, and at that time, the sky and the earth were closely connected. Uranus and Gaia continually united, resulting in the birth of twelve Titan gods—six sons and six daughters. Uranus himself existed as their leader—the first generation king of gods. Unfortunately, this original sky father was not a kind or easygoing character, even though his divine essence also represented the future and hope. The personality of the first king of gods, Uranus, was as unpredictable and violent as the endless starry sky. His autocratic rule not only oppressed all life under his dominion but also included his own mother and wife, the powerful goddess Gaia. Uranus bound the children that Gaia was about to give birth to—the Hundred-Handed Giants and the Cyclopes—within Gaia's body, preventing them from being born. This undoubtedly angered the goddess who had existed since the world's inception. She commanded her children to help her resist Uranus's tyrannical rule. However, the Titans had lived under the oppression of their father Uranus for too long, so long that they had lost the courage to rebel. They could not bear the thought of losing everything, even their lives, should they fail. Only Gaia's youngest son, Cronus, the god of time and space, stepped forward. Among all her children, he was the only one who earnestly said to Gaia, 'Mother, I want to try." Those familiar with divine history know that Cronus's attempt was successful. Under Gaia's guidance, Cronus took advantage of the moment when Uranus was uniting with their mother and used the stone sickle she provided to sever the symbol of the first king's patriarchal power. The immense pain caused Uranus to cry out and struggle, ultimately separating from Gaia. He was uncontrollably propelled upward, fixed by Gaia and Cronus at the highest point of the universe, never to rise again. With the overthrow of Uranus's reign, Cronus ascended to the throne with his mother's support, becoming the second generation king of gods. The symbol of Uranus's patriarchal power was long since cast far away, thrown into the Aegean Sea. The flesh and blood of the gods, unless the gods themselves die, will never lose their vitality. The flesh and blood of the first king of gods, deep within the Aegean Sea, nurtured over countless ages, gave birth to a goddess renowned in mythological history. On this day in the Aegean Sea, the sky remained clear and bright, while the sea surface was turbulent with hidden currents. Rays of light burst forth from the water, and countless bubbles surged up from the depths of the ocean, forming shimmering pearls. The shattered remnants transformed into an unknown pure white flower, releasing a rich and enchanting fragrance that enveloped the entire sea. This was the goddess's accompanying holy flower, the rose, symbolizing love and desire. A pillar of light shot up into the sky, proclaiming to the world that a goddess with divine power at the level of a chief deity had been born. This sudden transformation drew the attention of all the gods to the sea. Those gods who were nearby even appeared directly at the shoreline to witness the event. The sea surface churned with foam, continuously producing lustrous pearls and blooming roses, celebrating the birth of the goddess. Playful dolphins gathered in groups, escorting a massive white shell as it emerged from the ocean, its pristine surface shimmering with a gentle glow. Soon after, the shell slowly opened, and a goddess of unparalleled beauty stepped out gracefully. 'Hiss!" The gods observing both openly and secretly couldn't help but gasp in awe upon seeing the glory of this goddess. Her long, thick golden hair, resembling flowing seaweed, cascaded casually over her stunning figure, exuding an enchanting luster. Beneath her golden locks was a dreamlike face, with jade-like eyes that seemed eternally filled with a captivating tenderness. Her delicate skin sparkled like porcelain in the sunlight, and her tall, athletic figure was perfectly proportioned—neither too much nor too little, striking a flawless balance. Around her well-defined waist was a beautifully crafted golden belt, its dazzling divine radiance leaving no doubt in the minds of the gods that it was an incredibly powerful artifact. All gods in the world were favored by the Creator, each possessing their unique beauty: the stunningly regal Hera, the intelligent and athletic Athena, the agile and pure Artemis, and the exquisitely lovely Hebe. Yet even these renowned beauties of the divine mountain appeared to be veiled in a thin layer of mist in the presence of this newly born goddess. For she was the embodiment of all that is beautiful, the incarnation of beauty and desire birthed from the flesh and blood of Uranus, the god of the sky. In later legends, she was known as the goddess of love and beauty, who navigated the affections of her two brothers, as well as the powerful male gods on Mount Olympus—Aphrodite. The gods peered from the clouds at this newly born powerful goddess. The goddesses looked at her with a tinge of jealousy, their gazes inadvertently revealing a hint of rivalry. Meanwhile, the male gods gazed at her with infatuation, their minds likely already conjuring up hundreds of passionate scenarios involving the goddess. The Aegean Sea seemed to soften in response to her birth, gently pushing the shell that bore the goddess towards the shore with its waves. The moment the goddess set foot on land, the Mother Earth also manifested her favor upon her. A warm spring breeze caressed her flowing hair, and the holy flowers—roses—born alongside her blanketed the ground where she stood. The goddess of seasons, Horae, had already received the Mother Earth's divine decree and had been waiting here for some time. With a smile, she adorned the newly born goddess with a radiant golden crown and dressed her in vibrant, elegant attire, making her even more enchanting. 'The goddess of love and beauty, the noble Aphrodite, in accordance with the Mother Earth's divine decree, as a naturally born chief deity, you shall reside on Mount Olympus. Please follow me." Horae guided the newly born Aphrodite, leading her to a chariot drawn by doves, flying towards the divine mountain of Olympus. Aphrodite's arrival was met with a warm welcome from the many gods residing on the mountain, who had long been captivated by her dreamlike charm. 'The goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite, we greet the king and queen of the gods." The enchanting goddess's grace was flawless, each gesture radiating an indescribable beauty. 'Ah, Aphrodite, the Mother Earth has long proclaimed that you shall be the ninth chief deity of Olympus, governing love and desire." Zeus, captivated by her beauty, found himself drawn to her, but despite any inner thoughts, he maintained an admirable demeanor, both dignified and approachable. If the gods did not already know his true character, they might have mistaken him for an upstanding gentleman. '…" Hera sat beside Zeus, her slender hand lifting a golden goblet to take a sip, a cold glint passing through her eyes. 'Aglaea, Euphrosyne, Thalia," Zeus called out loudly. 'Your esteemed majesty." 'From this day forth, you shall serve as Aphrodite's attendants, assisting her in governing love in the world." The three enchanting goddesses stepped forward in turn; they were the daughters of Zeus and his third wife, the ocean goddess Eurynome, each representing a different feminine quality: charm, grace, and beauty. Thus, they were collectively known as the Graces, deities of blessings and the arts. It was evident that they were not particularly powerful, and they were famously regarded as the 'vase goddesses" of Olympus. However, no matter how decorative they were, they could not hide the fact that they were of noble royal blood. Sending his daughters to serve another goddess was considered an immense honor among the gods. 'Thank you, my king," Aphrodite said, her smile as sweet as honey. A single captivating glance nearly revealed Zeus's weakness. It must be said that if this goddess's powers of love were wielded correctly, they could indeed be a formidable weapon. After all, 'a character of passion can be as sharp as a knife…"