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Adonis was a handsome young hunter, beloved by Aphrodite
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The Story of Adonis
When Adonis was an infant, Aphrodite put him in a chest and gave him to the Greek goddess of the Underworld, Persephone, to be taken care of.
Persephone, however, was so much charmed by the extraordinary beauty of Adonis that, when he had reached manhood, she refused to give him back to Aphrodite.
In order to judge fairly, Zeus (or, according to another myth, the Muse Calliope) allowed Persephone to keep Adonis in the Underworld for four months every year. Four months Adonis should also spend with Aphrodite and the remaining four months he could stay with whomever his heart longed for. Adonis opted for Aphrodite.
The Adonia Festivals
The Adonia were festivals that were held in honor of Adonis to celebrate nature.
The celebrations were held all over Greece, usually during springtime. They lasted for two days and only women were allowed to participate.
On the first day, the women mourned over the death of Adonis. The god was represented with wax figures which were thrown into the nearby rivers by the end of the day.
On the second day, the mourning came to an end and the resurrection of Adonis was celebrated with great joy and wild dances.
Trivia about Adonis
 It is said that the blood-red anemone, commonly known as the poppy, was created by the blood of Adonis, when Aphrodite sprinkled it with nectar in the moment of his death.
Idioms of Adonis"the Adonis complex": the concern of one's own body image- a modern problem that may strike men of all ages
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Greek pronunciation
English pronunciation
