Aphrodite of the Gardens

{{Short description|Ancient Greek mythological epithet}}

File:Leaning Aphrodite Louvre Ma414.jpg.{{cite web|url=http://www.mam.gov.mo/photodetail.asp?productkey=2008041201120&lc=3|title=Leaning Aphrodite known as Aphrodite of the Gardens|publisher=The Macao Museum of Art}}]]

Aphrodite of the Gardens ({{langx|grc|Ἀφροδίτη ἐν κήποις|{{grc-tr|Ἀφροδίτη ἐν κήποις}}}}) is an epithet of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. The epithet describes her patronage over vegetation and garden fertility.{{cite book|author=Elisabeth B. MacDougall|date=1981|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0884021009|title=Ancient Roman Gardens|publisher=Dumbarton Oaks|isbn=0-88402-100-9|page=24}}

According to Pausanias,Pausanias 1.19.2 there was a sanctuary of Aphrodite of the Gardens near the Ilisos river, holding a famous cult statue of Aphrodite by Alcamenes and a herm of Aphrodite near the temple. It is unsure whether the statue of Aphrodite and the herm of Aphrodite were the same sculpture or two separate sculptures.{{cite book|author=Arthur Bernard Cook|date=1925|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y_43AAAAIAAJ|title=Zeus: A Study in Ancient Religion|publisher=Cambridge University Press|page=171}}

The herm of Aphrodite may be linked to the later mythological character, Hermaphroditos.{{cite book|author=Yulia Ustinova|date=1999|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=9004112316|title=The Supreme Gods of the Bosporan Kingdom|publisher=Brill|isbn=90-04-11231-6|page=38}}{{cite book|author=Simon Goldhill|date=2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0521862124|title=Rethinking Revolutions through Ancient Greece|publisher=Cambridge University Press|page=63}} There are numerous references to a male aspect of Aphrodite, called Aphroditos, which was imported to Athens from Cyprus in the late 5th century BC and also a temple of Hermaphroditos was spoken of by Alciphron at Athens.{{cite book|author=Alciphron|url=https://archive.org/stream/alciphronliteral00alcirich#page/283/mode/2up|title=literally and completely translated from the Greek, with introduction and notes|year=1896 |publisher=Athenian Society|page=142}}