In Greek mythology Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty. From the aphros (sea foam), Aphrodite arose.

After her birth Zeus (supreme ruler of Mount Olympus and of the pantheon of gods who resided there) was afraid that the gods would fight over Aphrodite's hand in marriage, so he married her off to the smith god, Hephaestus, the steadiest of the gods. Zeus gave many beautiful gifts to Aphrodite, but she was not pleased with the plain, hardworking Hephaestus and preferred gaiety and glamour.

Aphrodite was originally an old-Asian goddess similar to the Mesopotamian Ishtar, the ancient Sumero-Babylonian goddess of love and fertility. Aphrodite’s attributes are the dolphin, the dove, the swan, and the pomegranate and lime tree.