In “Against Celsus”, Origen analyzes a a mural from Samos in which Hera is showing fellating Zeus by explaining it thus: “…he is misinterpreting the painting of the unspeakable act. It is symbolic. Here is receiving the words of the God Zeus, his seed of wizdom, and keeping these words within her in order to adorn the Universe with them.”
Yeah right.
(A more detailed scientific inquiry into the Stoics and this matter can be found in this paper.)
At a place called Elis, there was a building in the marketplace. It looked like a temple, had no walls and its roof was supported by columns of oak. I asked the local people about this and they all agree it is a memorial, but nobody remembers what it is commemorating!
Guide to Greece – Pausanias
According to Photius’ Lexicon, Zeus was said to have laughed for seven days non stop when he was born. (Reliably told to us by Theodorus of Samothrace)
Alexander the Great, when addressed by people as “God” replied that there were at least two reasons he thought this not to be true. His need for food and his need for sex!
How to Tell a Flatterer from a Friend – Plutarch
(The image is Mesopotamian and represents the person asking for the help of a God.)
Aphrodite was of course know for her beauty. She was often referred to as “callipigos”, ie “lovely rumped” Aphrodite and her sacred tree was the box tree, again in honor of her buttocks! ( πύξος [ pyxos ]) the tree, (πυγαί [ pygae ] the buttocks)