Who is Adonis? Explore the story of Adonis and Aphrodite. Learn about the death of Adonis, Greek god of rebirth, as well as his powers and significance.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Adonis, Greek God of Mythology | Story, Death & Rebirth
Table of Contents
- Who is Adonis?
- Adonis in Greek Mythology
- Adonis: Patronage and Powers
- Worship and Influence of Adonis in Greek Culture
- Similarity of Adonis to Other Deities
- Lesson Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Adonis the God of?
Adonis was the god of rebirth, the changing of the seasons, vegetation, beauty, and youth. He was a popular god in Greek mythology.
What is Adonis famous for?
Adonis is famous for being the most handsome mortal man on Earth. His good looks rivaled that of the gods.
Aphrodite fell in love with Adonis. When he died, she petitioned Zeus to bring him back to life.
Why was Adonis killed?
There are multiple versions to this fable. The most popular version was that Adonis was killed because he boasted that he was the best hunter. This angered Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, and she sent a boar to kill him.
What does Adonis mean in Greek?
The Greek name Adonis is derived from a Hasidic word meaning "The Lord."
When a person calls someone an Adonis, they mean that he is a handsome man.
Is Adonis a god or mortal?
Adonis was a mortal man born of an incestuous relationship between two humans. When he died, Aphrodite pleaded with Zeus to give him immortality. He did so, thereby making Adonis a god.
Who fell in love with Adonis?
Adonis was an exceptionally handsome mortal man, who was popular with the female gods. Both Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and Persephone, the goddess of the ancient underworld, fell in love with Adonis.
Table of Contents
- Who is Adonis?
- Adonis in Greek Mythology
- Adonis: Patronage and Powers
- Worship and Influence of Adonis in Greek Culture
- Similarity of Adonis to Other Deities
- Lesson Summary
Adonis was a handsome mortal with whom the Greek goddess Aphrodite fell in love. Adonis took many lovers and was closely associated with love, beauty, and lust. After his transition from mortal to god, Adonis was celebrated for his connection to death and rebirth.
The mortal Adonis died one day while out on a hunt. Aphrodite, distraught by his death, coerced Zeus to bring him back to life. Through his rebirth, Adonis is related to the four seasons of the Earth. The fall and winter represent the death of Adonis, a depressing time for Aphrodite and the other gods. Zeus's resurrection of Adonis, meanwhile, represents spring, summer, and the rebirth of vegetation.
Adonis is said to be the god of the following:
- Vegetation
- Beauty
- Youth
- The seasons
- Rebirth
- Fertility
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Definition of Adonis
Adonis's name is steeped in tradition dating back to the time of Phoenicia. "Adon" is a religious term, Canaanite for "the Lord." Adonis is also only a few letters off from "Adonai," which is a devoutly religious word used in Judaism to describe their monotheistic god. The term is so holy that worshipers refrain from saying it out loud, choosing to write it down instead. In modern times, Adonis has been taken as a reference for male beauty and attractiveness and has inspired a large number of literary works and paintings that use the name of the god Adonis to express the physical beauty of men.
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Adonis was a popular, handsome figure in Greek mythology. The story of Adonis spans multiple Greek mythological classics. He was born out of an incestuous relationship and was quickly cast out as a result. Beautiful from birth, Adonis attracted the attention of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and desire, and she quickly became enamored with him. When Adonis died prematurely in a tragic hunting accident, Aphrodite was devastated. She pleaded with Zeus to bring him back, and he obliged. Adonis became synonymous with reincarnation, the seasons, and farming.
The Story of Adonis
Adonis was born out of wedlock, the result of an incestuous night between a beautiful princess named Myrrha and her father, King Theias, of Syria. It is important to note that there are a few versions of Adonis's birth story, and some state that Cinyras was the father. In the most common version of the myth, however, King Theias would boast that his daughter, Myrrha, was more beautiful than Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Aphrodite heard of Theias's claim and decided to trick Myrrha into falling in love with her father. Myrrha, in turn, tricked her father.
King Theias flew into a rage when he discovered what had transpired. Myrrha, pregnant with Adonis, fled, begging the gods to hide her from her murderous father. Aphrodite took pity on Myrrha upon seeing the chaos that she had caused, so she turned Myrrha into a Myrrh tree to save her. King Theias eventually found Myrrha and shot an arrow into the trunk of the tree. Then, Adonis was born. He was a stunningly beautiful baby, and Aphrodite was in love with him from birth.
Aphrodite vowed to protect such a handsome babe, so she delivered him in secrecy to Persephone, the goddess of the ancient underworld. Persephone protected and raised Adonis from childhood. She fell in love with the handsome mortal too, however, and refused to relinquish him to Aphrodite when he was grown. To settle the dispute, Zeus ruled that Adonis would spend four months with Persephone in the underworld and four months on the surface with Aphrodite. He would also have four months to himself. This ruling would go on to represent the changing of the seasons on Earth, with Adonis's time with Persephone representing the winter.
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Adonis and Aphrodite
Aphrodite played a role in Adonis's birth by tricking his mother into pursuing incestuous relations with his father, King Theias. She then saved Adonis from King Theias, and when she witnessed his birth, she realized that he was an exceptionally beautiful baby.
When Adonis was an adult, he and Aphrodite began a consensual, romantic relationship. Aphrodite and Adonis were great lovers, and Aphrodite was always concerned for his safety and well-being. She tried to warn the mortal Adonis of his impending death, about which she had dreamed.
Aphrodite was considered the most beautiful goddess, who represented desire and love, while Adonis was considered the most handsome mortal, who represented beauty and youth. The pairing of these two figures in Greek mythology signified two great beauties coming together.
Death of Adonis
Adonis was an astute hunter, known for his prowess, and he believed himself to be the best hunter in the world. Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, heard of his claims and grew angry. She took offense at his arrogant demeanor and sent a wild boar to impale him on a hunt.
Aphrodite dreamed of the hunting accident and forewarned Adonis about his death. He did not listen, however, and was impaled by the boar during his hunt. The boar killed him, much to the dismay of Aphrodite. Her tears mixed with the blood of Adonis, and on the ground, the red anemone flower bloomed. That is the origin story of the red anemone flower for the Greek people.
It should be noted that in other versions of this Greek myth, various different gods sent the boar. All the myths agree that Adonis was killed by a boar in the middle of a hunt, though, and that Aphrodite had tried to prevent it from transpiring.
After Adonis's death, a devastated Aphrodite appealed to Zeus to bring her lover back to life. Zeus eventually granted Aphrodite her wish — with one stipulation. Adonis would spend four months of the year in the underworld with Persephone and four months of the year amongst the living with Aphrodite. The other four months he had to himself, but more often than not, he chose to spend them with Aphrodite.
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The story of Adonis is an important part of Greek mythology. Though he was born a mortal, Adonis was later reborn when Zeus turned him into a god at the request of Aphrodite. Adonis is said to be the god of many things, such as fertility and vegetation, but he is best known for being the Greek god of rebirth, as well as the god of beauty and desire.
Greek God of Rebirth
Adonis is primarily known as the Greek god of rebirth. After he failed to listen to Aphrodite's pleas to be careful while hunting, he was killed by a wild boar that Artemis sent in retaliation for his boasts. When Zeus resurrected Adonis, he became associated with rebirth and the change of the seasons. Adonis also makes frequent trips between the underworld and the land of the living, which also prompts his association with rebirth.
Greek God of Beauty and Desire
Adonis is also widely known as the Greek god of beauty and desire, due to his handsome appearance and his romantic relationship with Aphrodite, the goddess of love. He was known to be the most handsome mortal on Earth, and his good looks rivaled those of the gods. Aphrodite quickly fell in love with Adonis, as did Persephone. He was widely worshipped by women, and his role in Greek mythology tends to be one of desire.
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The story of Adonis was one of beauty, lust, and rebirth. Adonis was an important figure in both Greek mythology and art. As a result, he had multiple important temples dedicated to him. He was also worshipped during the festival of Adonia, which was an annual celebration that the women of ancient Greece organized.
Temples and Shrines Dedicated to Adonis
The god Adonis had an important temple built in his honor in the Middle East. In the Lebanon mountains, an ancient Doric-style temple was erected to honor Adonis in Faqra. Crumbling now, it was once a great structure that housed an altar for prayer and sacrifices to Adonis, as well as artwork and statues of the god. It was built in 3 BCE and sits at the site of a spring that feeds the River of Adonis.
In ancient Grecian times, there were multiple shrines set up for Greek people to worship Adonis. One was present in the Temple of Zeus for a time. Adonis was also frequently worshiped at shrines and temples that are dedicated to Aphrodite, due to their close association with one another. The temple of Astarte, for example, is a temple that was dedicated to Aphrodite, but it was a place at which people also celebrated Adonis.
The Festival of Adonia
Adonia was an ancient festival in Byblos that was celebrated every summer to worship Adonis. The participants were primarily women. This cultivation festival focused on women planting small gardens to honor Adonis, a god of agriculture and cultivation. The women originally began planting the gardens at ground level, but they would move the gardens to the rooftops, signifying Adonis's trips between Earth and the ancient underworld.
The gardens would consist of fast-growing plants, such as mint, spinach, and fennel, that would grow and then quickly wilt. This represented Adonis's death at a young age, before he could enter into marriage with Aphrodite. Marriage was an incredibly important milestone in ancient Greek culture. During the Adonia festival, the worshipers would mourn the death of their garden as they mourned the death of Adonis. This celebration of life, death, and rebirth would hopefully bring a plentiful season of rain and a bountiful harvest in the fall.
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The concept of Adonis is worshiped throughout the world, though with different figures and variations. The Etruscan god Atunis and the Phrygian god Attis both have names that are also phonetically akin to Adonis. These two gods rule over the idea of reincarnation, as well as the cultivation of crops.
Adon was a Canaanite god who was known for his handsome looks and eternal rebirth. Osiris, whose name is similar to Adonis, was a popular Egyptian god. Worshipers would pray to him for a bountiful harvest, as he represented fruitfulness and farming. It seems that the concept of Adonis was familiar in multiple cultures, though the concept was represented by different figures.
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In Greek mythology, Adonis was a stunningly handsome man born of an incestuous relationship. Aphrodite helped to cause this, as she tricked Adonis's mother into falling in love with her father. Seeing the chaos that ensued because of this, Aphrodite protected Adonis by bringing him to Persephone, the goddess of the underworld. Persephone raised him but soon fell for his beauty and refused to return him to Aphrodite when he was grown. Zeus ruled that Adonis would spend four months in the underworld and four months above ground with Aphrodite, signaling the change of the seasons.
When a wild boar that Artemis sent killed Adonis one day during a hunt, Aphrodite begged Zeus to make Adonis an immortal god. Zeus granted her this wish, and Adonis came to signify rebirth and plant cultivation, as well as the changing of the seasons. Adonia was an annual festival celebrated in the summer by planting a small garden of fast-wilting plants, which represented Adonis's early death. Worshipers believed that this festival would bring rain and plentiful harvests in the fall. Adonis has multiple temples and shrines in the Middle East that are dedicated to him.
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Video Transcript
The Myth
It is not uncommon to hear someone refer to a handsome young man as an ''Adonis.'' But how did this name, that originally meant ''lord'' or ''ruler,'' become the term used to describe a man who had reached hunk status? The story of Adonis, the god of beauty and desire, has its beginnings in the ancient civilization of Phoenicia, but it was adopted by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, as well. As would be expected, the story changed slightly as it spread from one culture to the next. However, jealousy, lust, and the struggle between love and death remained key themes in all stories. What follows is perhaps the most widely-accepted version that comes from the Greeks.
The Birth of Adonis
According to Greek mythology, Adonis was conceived after an infatuated daughter tricked her unsuspecting father into a sexual relationship, but it wasn't really her fault. The King of Assyria, Theias (or Cinyras depending on the source) boasted often about the beauty of his daughter, Myrrha. One day, he even went so far as to say she was more beautiful than Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Well, Aphrodite was not going to sit by while her title was called into question. Instead, she had her son Eros, the god of desire and attraction, help her carry out a plan of revenge.
Using his powers, Eros made Myrrha fall desperately in love with her father. As the spell took hold, Myrrha tricked her father into uniting with her. Once the king discovered he had been duped, he was enraged and threatened to kill her. Afraid for her life and for the baby she was now carrying, Myrrha begged the gods for help. To protect her, they agreed to turn her into a myrrh tree. In one version of the story, the tree simply split nine months later. In others, Theias discovered where she was and shot at the tree with a bow that caused it to split. Either way, as the tree split, Adonis was born.
Love vs. the Underworld
Aphrodite was watching as the events of Adonis' birth unfolded and became amazed by the mortal boy's beauty. Wanting to keep all other goddesses away, she took Adonis and hid him away, putting Persephone, the queen of the Underworld, in charge of raising him. The plan backfired, however, because as Adonis grew older, he became so attractive that Persephone could not help but to fall madly in love with him. When the day came for her to return Adonis to Aphrodite, she refused. This conflict between the goddess of love and the goddess of the underworld eventually led Zeus, the king of all gods, to step in and settle it.
He ruled that Adonis would spend four months of the year with Persephone in Hades (the name given to the Underworld) and four months with Aphrodite. As for the remaining four months, Adonis could stay with whomever he wished. His heart's true desire was revealed when he chose to stay with Aphrodite.
The Death of Adonis
The story of Adonis' death also has varying accounts, but jealousy remains the motive in all of them. In one version, Artemis, the goddess of hunting and wild animals, became jealous of Adonis' skills as a huntsman and sent a wild boar to attack him on one of his hunts. In a separate version, it was Ares, the god of war and Aphrodite's lover, who was jealous of her love for the mortal. To eliminate his competition, he transformed himself into a wild boar and attacked Adonis. In both versions, Adonis falls bleeding into the arms of Aphrodite. Adonis' blood spilled from his body and flowed into a nearby river, turning the water blood red. As she wept over him, she poured a magical nectar into his wounds. His blood then mixed with the nectar and fell to the ground where a blood-red flower, known as the anemone, bloomed.
As he died, his spirit was sent to Hades. Aphrodite cried out in grief. Zeus, feeling sympathetic for the distraught goddess, declared that Adonis would be allowed to return from the underworld for half of the year. This arrangement became a metaphor for the changing of seasons on Earth. The time spent with Persephone in the underworld represented the death of nature brought on during the winter months, and his return each year symbolized the new life and plant growth that occurs during the spring and summer.
The Worship of Adonis
Because Adonis was considered the most beautiful of all men and became the standard of masculine beauty, it shouldn't be surprising to learn that he was most often worshiped by women. However, he was more than just a pretty face. Ancient civilizations depended on agriculture for survival, and since Adonis' death and resurrection symbolized nature's rebirth in the spring and summer, it is believed that he also served as god of vegetation and fertility. In the Greek world, for instance, he was worshiped as the god of corn and grain, their most important crops. He was also the honored god during many spring celebrations in Phoenicia, or modern-day Lebanon, where it's believed he was killed, and his blood turned the Abraham River (also known as the Adonis River) red.
Lesson Summary
Adonis was the Greek god of beauty as well as the god of corn and grain. His masculine beauty surpassed all others and sparked both desire and jealousy among the gods. While the goddess of beauty and love, Aphrodite, was the ultimate winner of his heart, their love story was short-lived due to a wild boar attack that left a young Adonis dying in her arms. From the blood spilling from his body, the anemone flower bloomed and the Adonis River turned red. Zeus's decision to allow Adonis to spend part of the year in the underworld and part of the year on Earth became a metaphor for the passing of the seasons and the annual death and rebirth of plants and vegetation. This became the basis of ancient rituals practiced in honor of Adonis as a god of vegetation and fertility.
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Adonis, Greek God of Mythology | Story, Death & Rebirth
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