defining as both are depicted as passionate but without very sharp perceptions. Actually, both are generally portrayed as being down right slow and silly (Graves pg. 67). In one barely mentioned but notable myth, Aphrodite even has a run in with the noble Athena. The Fates only function for the goddess Aphrodite was love making thus her single mindedness and rather redundant brand of stories. One day Athena discovered the goddess weaving affectedly on a loom. Feeling that the promiscuous goddess misused her craft, Athena made quite a ruckus and was ready to even denounce the act of weaving. As a result, Aphrodite ceased to weave and apologized with much earnestness to the goddess and never took up a weaving loom again. Because of Athenas nature, this myth is not meant to be a story about competition between the two goddesses, but rather is a revealing moment that shows Aphrodite can only exist outside of the realm of domesticity. In fact, she can only wear the mask of lover and lovemaker, even despite her own wants.In relation to the spectrum of power between the gods and goddesses, Aphrodites place falls rather low. Her actions are looked upon as prankish and trouble starting as she is later linked with the child Cupid. Her reputation becomes a bit of a joke between the male gods and the female goddesses generally disapprove of her. Her own ill matched husband acquired her from her adoptive father Zeus only because of material wealth, meaning that she is a goddess easily acquired by those who should have been her equal. Thus the seemingly powerful Love Goddess is actually relatively powerless.Writes Wollstonecraft:[Women] have been drawn out of their sphere by false refinement, and not by an endeavor to acquire masculine qualities. Still the regal homage which they receive is so intoxicating, that till the manners of the times are changed, and formed on more reasonable principles, it may be impossible to convince them that...
