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fountains of youth markh98 asked this question on 5/16/2002: What were the fountains of youth called that aphrodite visited and where were they located?

beainsc gave this response on 5/16/2002: APHRODITE, GODDESS OF LOVE, BEAUTY, FERTILITY & DESIRE Aphrodite appears to have been originally identical with Astarte, the Phoenician goddess of fertility and reproduction, whom the Hebrews called Ashtoreth Probably of Eastern origin, she was similar in many of her attributes to the ancient Middle Eastern goddesses Astarte (the Phoenician goddess of fertility and reproduction, whom the Hebrews called Ashtoreth) and Ishtar. Her parentage is uncertain. The poet Homer, in the book called the 'Iliad', claimed that she was the daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Dione. She may also have been a daughter of Amphitrite by Triton or perhaps Cronus, father of many Olympians. But later myths and poems say that the goddess of Love had risen from the sea foam on a seashell after Cronus tossed his father Uranus' severed genitals there. Depending on the source, any of these versions may be considered accurate. Her name was thus explained as "foam-risen" coming from the Greek word 'Aphros', which means 'foam'. The actual "sea-birth" is said to have taken place near the island of Cythera, but supposedly she first walked ashore on Paphos in Cyprus. The South Wind claimed to have seen her floating in a scallop shell off the island of Cythera, and steered her gently ashore. That's why she was called 'Cytherea' or 'The Cyprian' as often as by her proper name. Aphrodite each year would return to PAPHOS, in Cyprus, and swim in the sea for good luck and to rejuvenate herself. Worshiped throughout Greece, she was the goddess of love, marriage, and family life; she was also worshiped as a war goddess, as at Sparta, and as a sea goddess and patroness of sailors. Aphrodite had important cults at Cythera on Crete, at Paphos and Amathas on Cyprus, at Corinth, and at Mt. Eryx in Sicily. The Romans identified Aphrodite with Venus. The seas & grotes in Paphos are refered to as "Aphrodite's Fountain of Youths" here is where she bathed (and showered after her bath) - today it is being called "Aphrodite's Bath" and is a tourist attraction in Cyprus. Speculation about longevity, aging, and rejuvenation has flourished since antiquity. Most of us have heard of the myth of Shangri-La, where people live for a thousand years, free from all earthly ills, in a land of perpetual sunshine. This is just one example among many. People in all places in all times, including our own; have woven facts, fantasy and fallacy into the theories of longevity that come down to us not only in folklore and mythology but also newspapers, books, and on the TV screen. It is important that we be able to intelligently separate the accurate, useful information from the inaccurate, exaggerated and distorted. Many interesting claims about longevity can be found in ancient writings. In the book of Genesis, Adam and six of his direct descendants are said to have lived for more than 900 years. The oldest, Methuselah, was said to have lived 969 years. The famous legend of the Fountain of Youth can be traced back to at least 700 BC In the fable of Cyavana, an elderly Hindu priest revealed certain religious secrets to two demigods in exchange for rejuvenation in the Fountain of Youth. This Fountain theme is elaborated in ancient Hebrew, Greek, and Roman writings. In 1513 Ponce de Leon went searching. He discovered Florida, but he never found the Fountain of Youth. In more recent times there have been tales of people living extremely long lives in primitive and mountainous regions of Pakistan, Ecuador, and Russia. These areas include the province of Hunza in northwestern Pakistan, the isolated village of Vilcabamba in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador, and the district of Abkhazia in the Caucasus Mountains of the USSR Life extension has always been a much-desired goal, but the concept of a longer life without the preservation of health is repugnant. The fear of infirmity is found in legends past and present. The Greek legend of Eos and Tithonus is a good example. The goddess Eos asks Zeus to give her mortal lover Tithonus eternal life. Unfortunately, Eos forgets to also request eternal youth for him. Needless to say, she is less than pleased with the outcome.

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