Aphrodite ".tell me the deeds of golden Aphrodite Kypria, who stirs up sweet passion in the gods and subdues the tribes of mortal men." --Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite (Hymn V) According to the classical narrative of her origins within Hesiod''s Theogony, Aphrodite (af-ruh-dahy-tee) famously emerged from seafoam following the death of the sky god Uranus. As the Greek goddess of sex, love, and beauty, she was said to be completely irresistible to any who laid eyes upon her, be it a god or mortal. Although she was adopted into the Greek pantheon, historians trace her worship under various names throughout ancient Mesopotamia and Phoenicia before the rise of the Greek Empire. The allure of Aphrodite was so captivating that in order to avert perpetual war between the gods over her favor, Zeus dictated that she must marry Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths. Despite the marriage, the goddess remained resolute in the belief that she could take a lover as she pleased. The most notable figure amongst her conquests was Ares, the god of war, with whom she would bear at least eight children, including Eros (Cupid).

Aphrodite also played a role in the instigation of conflict in other narratives. The promise of Helen''s love to Paris, a key event in Homer''s Iliad, ignited the fabled Trojan War. Although predominantly recognized for her dominion over infatuation and attraction, Aphrodite was also acknowledged as a protector of ancient seafarers. Due to her association with Venus, the planet that shines the brightest in the night sky and the name of her Roman equivalent, she was considered to be an invaluable point of reference for those voyaging across the oceans. Artists and sculptors frequently looked to Aphrodite for inspiration, and she became a common fixture amongst temples in the form of statues, paintings, and other assorted mediums. She was most often depicted nude, either standing in the company of birds and marine life or laying on her side within large clam shells adorned with flowing fabrics. Artio ".revolving forever as constellations around the Pole Star, axis mundi of the heavenly vault.

" --Historical Atlas of World Mythology, Joseph Campbell, 1988 Artio (ahr-tee-oh), the "She-Bear," is the illusive Celtic goddess of abundance and wildlife. With a name that traces back to the Gaulish artos and Welsh arth, both meaning "bear," Artio was also known for her power to seamlessly transition between the physical forms of a bear and a human. This dual nature likely informed her multifaceted symbolism, perhaps representing the raw, untamed power of the wilderness embodied by the bear coupled with the intelligence and connection to the human world. While little is known regarding her origins, Artio was presumably carried over into Europe along with the Celtic Helvetii tribe who made their way to Switzerland around 440-450 BC. The only known surviving image of Artio comes from a silver votive plaque found at the sanctuary of Bern-Münsingen in Switzerland. The plaque depicts a seated woman with a bear crawling over her lap. The woman is holding a basket of fruit in one hand and a cornucopia in the other. The cornucopia is a symbol of abundance and prosperity, and suggests that Artio was associated with these qualities.

The bear was a sacred animal to the Celts and was seen as a symbol of strength, courage, and fertility. The constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, or Great Bear and Little Bear, are considered to be indications of ancient European bear worship. Within Ursa Major is the star Arcturus, the constellation''s brightest light, and the name is derived from the Greek word for "guardian of the bears." The Celts were not a monolithic group, and their religious beliefs varied from region to region. Artio''s widespread worship across the ancient territories, despite limited surviving evidence, points to her importance for numerous peoples of that culture and confirms her significant place in their religion and mythology.