Birth of Venus (Botticelli)
Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
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According to Greek myth, after Aphrodite's birth the West Wind, Zephyrus, used a gentle breeze to push her out to sea on a large shell where the Hores (seasons of the year) made dresses for her out of purple silk embroidered with flowers. This particular event is depicted most elegantly by Botticelli in the painting above.
After she was properly made up she was taken to Mt. Olympus where all the gods marveled at her beauty and accepted her into their ranks. She would later prove a valuable ally, for example in the war against the Giants when she used her charms to lure many of them into a trap where they were slaughtered by Herakles.
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