APHRODITIE -- FREYIA

APHRODITIE

Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, reproduction, laughter and

sexuality.
She was born from foam, which is what her name means.
She sprang fully-grown from this white foam as the severed genitals of Uranos
fell into the sea. As she is the god of sexuality and reproduction she has
mothered many children. One of her most famous lovers was Ares.
It is interesting to note that she was the patroness of prostitutes.

Her power over the heart was reinforced by a special belt or girdle.

FREYIA

Freyia is the goddess of love, fertility, war, and wealth.

She was the daughter of Njord, and the sister of Frey.
Her daughter, by her husband, Od, is named Hnoss,
who is so beautiful that whatever is valuable and lovely is named
"treasure" after her. She lived in Folkvang (battlefield) and each day
chose half of the slain warriors to split with Odin. She somehow lost her husband,
Od, and cried golden tears for him. Many believe Od is Odin.
Her chariot was drawn by cats and she owned the precious Brisinga-men's necklace,
which she acquired by sleeping with four dwarves.
She also owned a feather coat which she could use to fly between the worlds.

She was also known as the goddess of magic and divination.

Freyia was one of the few Norse female characters who had a major role,
an exception to the general rule of lower status for goddesses compared to gods.
She was revered by women.

Some sources say Friday is named after her.

DIRECT COMPARISON

Both Aphrodite and Freyia are goddesses of love and fertility/reproduction.

In keeping with the apparent Norse acceptance of infidelity,
Freyia is much more a goddess of lust, being identified with sexual freedom.
In this way she was almost identical to Aphrodite, as both were well-known
for their numerous partners.

While one of Freyia's prized possessions was her famous necklace, Aphrodite,
similarly, was renowned for her girdle. In many stories, both goddesses
were asked to "lend" these adornments to others.

Because of her association with divination, Freyia has some of the characteristics
which the Greeks assigned to Apollo.