Aphrodite and Ares

Sandro Botticelli: "Venus and Mars." The painting shows Venus (Aphrodite) resting contentedly. Little satyrs honk horns and play about Mars (Ares), as he sleeps, unaware. Click image for larger gif (53.4K GIF) Image courtesy of the Trustees, The National Gallery, London

Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty. Aphrodite was known to the Romans as Venus. With her exquisite features and pleasant smile she attracted many suitors, gods and mortals alike. However, she was married to the graceless and lame Hephaestus, the god of fire. Her true love was Ares, the god of war. Their child was the beautiful goddess Harmonia. One day while Aphrodite and Ares were together they were caught in an invisible but strong net forged by Hephaestus, and exposed to the ridicule and laughter of the other gods at Mt. Olympus.