The story of Venus - Andrew Dalby

The fabulous story of the goddess Venus, also known by her Greek name Aphrodite, begins with her mysterious birth in the Aegean Sea. She emerges on the coast of Cyprus full-grown, shapely and desirable. With one hand she wrings her long, wavy hair, still wet from the waters of the sea, and with the other she pretends to conceal the secret places of her body. She stands on a scallop-shell, perfect and beautiful, as in the famous Botticelli painting. In fact, the ancient love goddess has many origins and many histories. The Minoans of Crete, the Sumerians of Mesopotamia, the Romans who adopted her from the Greeks - all were fascinated by the beautiful female in whose keeping were the hearts of mere mortal men and women. Her son Eros(Cupid), her many lovers and her amorous adventures have taken root in our collective consciousness ever since. This 'biography' of Venus is ideal reading for all who enjoy mythology and storytelling.