The ancient gods of Rome and Greece were much different than any others in the world.
They had many mortal flaws, such as anger and jealousy, but above all else, love. It.
caused them as much sadness and happiness as the objects of their love, which were,.
for the most part, mortal humans. They had affairs with quite a few, and flirted with even.
more in their quest it. The problem was that almost all the gods and goddesses were.
already married, so their spouses would become exceedingly vengeful whenever an.
infidelity occurred. Yet this did not bother some of them. Greek and Roman gods and.
goddesses were promiscuous. .
The goddess of love, Aphrodite, is the first god to come to mind when promiscuity.
is mentioned. Known as Venus in Rome, she was married to her brother Hephaestus,.
or Vulcan as he was sometimes known. It is thought that they had an unhappy marriage.
arranged by their father Zeus, as well as no children (Guerber 39), which led Aphrodite.
to be unfaithful toward him. As stated in Classical Greece by C.M. Bowra, the one she.
chose to sleep with most often was another one of her brothers, Ares (180). Bowra also.
makes note that they had several children together, including Terror, Fear (180),.
Hermione, Deimos, Phobos, Eros and Anteros (Untangle). In another passage, Bowra.
speaks of her infidelity again when he describes Hephaestus catching the two of them.
during a "rendezvous" (181). Among her many lovers was a young Greek named.
Adonis, who her aunt Persephone was also smitten with, and consequently they fought.
over (Untangle). Aphrodite's favorite son, however, was the hero Aeneas. This son of.
the Trojan nobleman Anchises was bathed in her love and adoration. She saved him,.
his father and friends from a Greek ravaging of Troy, which few survived. Aphrodite.
then slowly led him to Italy where she married him and helped him become the patriarch.
of the entire Roman race (Guerber 69). Aphrodite certainly was not quiet about sleeping.
