Aphrodite was the beautiful goddess of love. She was the only Olympian without a mother or father. No one knew were she came from. The North Wind had first seen her when she arose from the sea on a cushion of foam. She floated over gentle the waves, the wind almost lost his breath. With soft puffs, he blew her ashore to the island Cythera. The three Graces, goddesses of beauty, became her attendants. They dressed her in shimmering garments, bedecked her in a golden chariot drawn by white doves. They took her to Olympus, where all the gods rejoiced in her beauty, seated her in a golden throne and made her one of the gods. Zeus was afraid that the gods would fight over her hand in marriage. So he told Hephaestus that she would be his wife. He was honored. He made her jewels and a magic girdle. Their son was Eros (Cupid). He darted about with a bow and a quiver full of  arrows.  They were arrows of love and he was delighted when he was shooting them into the hearts of unwary victims.  Whoever he hit fell head over heels in love with the first person they saw.  Once a year Aphrodite returns to Cythera and dives in the sea.  When she comes up, she is as young and beautiful as the day she was first seen.