The Birth of Aphrodite (Two Accounts)
In the Theogony, Aphrodite is born from the sea-foam around Ouranos's severed member at Cythera. In the Iliad, she is the daughter of Zeus and Dione. Both accounts are canonical and incompatible [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S2]S2 · Homer, Iliadc. 750 BCEtextOpen source ↗.
Ancient Greek religion is a historical religion. Its myths are attested in primary literary and material sources; disagreements between authors (Hesiod vs. Orphic vs. local cults) are preserved as variants, not resolved.
These are genuinely incompatible accounts; we present both, not a merge [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S2]S2 · Homer, Iliadc. 750 BCEtextOpen source ↗.
Theogony Version
Iliad Version
Variants of this story (2)
Born of Ouranos's severed member [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗.
Daughter of Zeus and Dione [S2]S2 · Homer, Iliadc. 750 BCEtextOpen source ↗.