what is aphrodite the god of

Aphrodite is the ancient Greek goddess of sexual love and beauty, identified with Venus by the Romans. She is also the goddess of desire, sexual pleasure, fertility, and grace. According to Greek mythology, she was born from the foam in the waters of Paphos, on the island of Cyprus. Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus, the god of fire, blacksmiths, and metalworking, but she was frequently unfaithful to him and had many lovers, including the god of war, Ares, and the mortal shepherd Anchises. She played a major role in the story of Eros and Psyche and was the surrogate mother and lover of the mortal shepherd Adonis. Aphrodite's worship came to Greece from the East, and she was widely worshipped as a goddess of the sea and of seafaring. She was also honored as a goddess of war, love, and fertility, and she was associated with Eros, the Graces, and the Horae, emphasizing her role as a promoter of fertility