Venus is the planet of love, attraction, beauty, and cooperation. It also represents what we value in life and is linked to the kidneys (Bruce-Mitford 113).

In Greek mythology, Aphrodite is the counterpart to Venus in Roman mythology. She was born from Uranus, when his son Cronus castrated his genitals. Cronus then threw them into the ocean where they then churned and foamed. Aphrodite then rose from the sea foam. The sea had carried her to either Cyprus or Cythera. This leads to a couple of her many names. She was referred to as Kypris (Derived from Cyprus), Cytherea (derived from Cythera), Dione, and the daughter of Zeus. Aphrodite was the goddess of love, beauty and sexual rapture. Zeus married her off to Hephaestus in fear of a quarrel among the gods. Hephaestus gave here everything she wanted. He made a special girdle which proved to make her absolutely irresistible to any man. She was a goddess which loved glamour and resented the fact of being married to Hephaestus. Aphrodite often found comfort in the arms of mortal men, not making for a very suitable wife. (Lindermans "Aphrodite")

In Roman mythology, Venus was born unto Jupiter. She was the goddess of vegetation and patroness of gardens and vineyards. She, like many other secondary divinities, was in charge of aspects of nature. Venus then took on the role of goddess of love and beauty. Venus took on many of the characteristics and aspects of her counterpart Aphrodite with the influence of the Greeks. Venus very much paralleled the path in with Aphrodite took. She had affairs with both Mars and Vulcan, just as Aphrodite did. The most important role that Venus played was one of political influence. She had great influence over political figures like Julius Caesar, Emperor Augustus, and dictator Sulla.(Lindermans "Venus")