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him. Upon her travels, she met Demeter who told her that to win Eros, Psyche would need to win the blessing of Aphrodite. Psyche then traveled to Aphrodite's temple, not knowing of the goddess' jealousy. Once there, Aphrodite gave her an impossible task to accomplish. Eros learned of Psyche's determination and arranged to have the task finished by the deadline. Aphrodite became enraged. She bid the girl to go to a meadow full of killer sheep. Again, Eros intervened and aided the completion of the task.

After another more terrible task, which Eros, again, intervened. Unfortunately, she was almost overdone by her own curiosity. Eros rescued her again and begged a blessing from Zeus. Zeus agreed, making Psyche immortal. Aphrodite had no choice but to give her blessing as well.

Another instance of Aphrodite's anger came when a mother declared that her daughter was even more beautiful than the goddess. In rage, Aphrodite cursed the daughter to lust after her own father. The girl, named Myrrha, dressed as a prostitute and lay with her father. Soon she became pregnant and her father realizing the foul deed tried to kill her. Myrrha, in fear of her life, flees. As she does, she begs the gods for protection. The gods hear and transform the maiden into a tree as to evade her father, who then commits suicide to regain the family honor.

The baby who was born from the union was destined to become one of Aphrodite's lovers. As she walked by the Myrrh Tree, she spotted the baby and knowing how it came to be, she took it to the underworld. In Persephone's care, the boy grew into an amazing young man, named Adonis. Amazed by his beauty, Aphrodite returns to the underworld to claim him, however Persephone denies her charge.

As the argument grows, Zeus is forced to intercede to stop the two goddesses from engaging in a battle. Zeus remembered an arrangement that he had used in the past to please two separate gods decided to try it a second time (see Hades for details about the arrangement that Zeus made for Persephone.). He offered the two goddesses and the young Adonis equal shares of his time. One third of his year, he would live with Persephone in the underworld; One third of the year, he would spend with Aphrodite; And for the final third of the year, he could have wherever he wished. They all agree and Aphrodite ends up with Adonis for two thirds of every year.

Aphrodite has the beauty and grace that almost every woman desires. However, the price that comes with beauty is too much for some. Like many women who have beauty, she is materialistic and quick to anger. Aphrodite is a great example of an ego you do not want to be around.

Learn more about this author, Chrystina Trulove.
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