Key Points

- Ideal of male beauty

- Mortal lover of Aphrodite and Persephone 

- After death transformed to the Anemone Flower by Aphrodite's tear.

Brief Bio

Adonis, a figure of breathtaking beauty and tragic destiny, was a mortal beloved by both Aphrodite and Persephone.  Known for his exceptional hunting skills and unparalleled physical prowess, he was a desirable figure, drawing both admiration and jealousy.  His short, passionate life was marked by a love affair with Persephone and a deep connection with Aphrodite.

The myth goes that Adonis was gored by a wild boar during a hunting trip and died in Aphrodite's arms as she wept; his blood mingled with her tears and became the anemone flower. The Adonia festival commemorated his tragic death, celebrated by women every year in midsummer. During this festival, Greek women would plant "gardens of Adonis", small pots containing fast-growing plants, which they would set on top of their houses in the hot sun. The plants would sprout but soon wither and die. Then, the women would mourn the death of Adonis, tearing their clothes and beating their chests in a public display of grief.