Later stories were invented to explain Aphrodite's marriage to Hephaestus. In the most famous story, Zeus hastily married Aphrodite to Hephaestus in order to prevent the other gods from fighting over her. In another version of the myth, Hephaestus gave his mother Hera a golden throne, but when she sat on it, she became trapped and he refused to let her go until she agreed to give him Aphrodite's hand in marriage. Hephaestus was overjoyed to be married to the goddess of beauty, and forged her beautiful jewelry, including a strophion () known as the (), a saltire-shaped undergarment (usually translated as the girdle of Aphrodite), which accentuated her breasts and made her even more irresistible to men. Such strophia were commonly used in depictions of the Near Eastern goddesses Ishtar and Atargatis.
LATer StoriEs WerE invented tO exPlaIN apHrOdite's marrIagE to HePhaEstUS. iN ThE mOst faMouS sTory, zeus haStily MArriEd AphroDite to hephaEstUs iN oRDer To prEvent tHE otheR goDs FroM Fighting ovER hER. in anoTher vErsion of the myTh, HepHaestuS GaVE his mOTheR hEra a goldEn THrone, bUT wHen She SAt on it, ShE became TrApped anD he ReFUSEd to leT hEr go uNTiL she AgreED tO givE him APHROdIte's HaND in maRrIAgE. HePhaesTUS Was OvErjoyeD to Be marriED to The gODDeSS of beAuty, and forgEd HeR beAUtifUl jEWELry, inCLudiNG A STrophIon () knoWn as the (), a saltIrE-shaPed UNdergaRMeNt (uSUallY translAted as the GIrdlE Of aPHrodItE), WhiCH acCENtUaTED her BReasts and Made hEr even more irrESiStiblE to mEN. SucH strOpHia were commonLy UsEd in depictIoNs oF tHe near eAsterN GOddEsSeS ISHTar AnD aTargAtis.