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Of all deities, the CHARITES (GRACES) are the nearest
related to Aphrodite, who wore
in battle (during the Trojan
War) a clothing made by them when she was wounded by
Diomedes 2. As the CHARITES
glance, love flow from their eyes. They were given the
adornment of personal appearance, and the embellishment of
each part of the body; consequently, they are the very
incarnation of beauty and grace. Near the topmost peak of
Olympus, there are the dancing-places of the
MUSES, and beside them the CHARITES
and Himerus (Desire) live in delight.
The eldest of the CHARITES, Pasithea 2, was promised by
Hera to
Hypnos (Sleep) as a bride if he
would help her in making Zeus fall
asleep. Aglaia 1, the youngest, was a messenger of
Aphrodite.
It is told that Eteocles 2 of
Minyan Orchomenus was the first to
sacrifice to the CHARITES according to Pausanias [9.35.3],
who says that "it was from Eteocles of
Orchomenus that we learned the custom of praying to three
Graces" (and not to any other number of
them), as also Theocritus says:
"O holy Graces first adored of Eteocles ..."
[16.104]
Eteocles 2 built a temple of the
CHARITES, either for receiving
graces or for giving them or for both (says Strabo 9.2.40).
In the sanctuary, the CHARITES
were worshipped in the form of stones that fell from heaven
in the time of Eteocles 2 [Pau.9.38.1].
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