The golden apple is one of the most symbolic fruits in history, featuring in many stories and mythology legends throughout the centuries. It is considered to be a sign of beauty, linked closely with the Goddess Aphrodite.
Similarly, it is considered to be a symbol of the immortality of the Gods and Goddesses that ruled Ancient Rome and Greece.
The fruit is considered to be a magical fruit that exudes power and was cherished by the nobility and royalty during ancient times. The symbolism has remained pertinent even today, with many associating the golden apple with magic and Gods.

Golden Apple Meaning
1. Aphrodite and Beauty
Greek Gods and Goddesses along with regular humans desired the golden apple and saw it as the highest blessing. Mother Goddesses would gift their children with golden apples as a wedding gift to symbolize and promote a happy and prosperous marriage.
The Judgement of Paris was mayhem during the ancient Greek times, and in order to end the fight Paris was to choose the most beautiful Goddess.
The story of Aphrodite states that Paris, gifted a golden apple to Aphrodite who is the famous Goddess of love, beauty and fertility. This gift was given during the Judgment of Paris, in which Paris, a mortal was tasked to decide which Goddess was the most beautiful.
This gift was special to Aphrodite who promised to give him his future wife, Helen of Troy who was a beautiful woman. The apple was a symbolism of the beauty desired by Paris, as well as all of the other Greek Gods and Goddesses.
Related Article: Red Apple Symbolism & Meaning
2. Magic
Whilst being prevalent in many ancient myths and stories, the apple is commonly used as symbolism in modern pop culture references and stories.
Disney in particular often uses apples as symbolism, usually magic apples. This was seen in Snow White, and the poisoned apple became a well-known magical item.
Golden apples in mythology render great power and are visualised as solid gold and the key to the Gods and Goddesses strength, power and immortality. There are many renditions from all different cultures in which the apples are grown in a protected garden, by a God or other magical being who grows and harvests the apples for the Gods.
These golden apples often caused fights and attacks on the guards as many people wanted to get their hands on the golden apples to get a sense of its magical properties and the power they would gain after consuming one. The apples were the property of the Gods, and if attempts were made to take them by someone of mortal status, then the Gods would easily take them back, essentially preserving the magic of the golden apples for themselves only.
3. Immortality of Gods
Greek Gods and Goddesses viewed the golden apple as a symbol of immortality. It was believed that those who were blessed with the golden apple and ate it would never experience hunger, dehydration, illness or suffering of any kind.
The golden apple would hold a similar power over regular people who dreamt of being given one in order to reach the same immortal status of the Gods and Goddesses.
They also could symbolise wrath, and when the Goddess of Discord, Eris was not invited to the wedding of two other Gods, she threw a golden apple into the sea of guests inscribed with “To the fairest”, this caused chaos amongst the Gods and started a large rift, and later escalated to becoming the Judgment of Paris.
4. Power and Gods
Greek myth is the most common place to find stories of the golden apple, and in another Greek mythology story, the God Eurystheus commanded Hercules to steal golden apples from a dragon to prove his strength and power.
Celtic Mythology shows one of the most powerful Gods Lugh holding three apples as a sign and symbol of his immortality, power and strength. Norse myth tells of a “keeper of the apples” who protects them for the purpose of immortality and food for the Gods to keep them powerful and healthy.
She is later taken away due to her position and her absence causes the Norse Gods to age rapidly and lose a lot of their strength and power.
5. Youth
The golden apples are often considered a symbol of immortality, but they are also a symbol of eternal youth.
Not only did the golden apples grant those who consumed them immortality and strength, but also their youth. All of the Gods and Goddesses who ate the golden apples maintained their beauty, youthfulness and in turn their bodies ability to move and work freely without any constraints of age.
This reason was one of the main reasons that mortals often went out of their way and risked their lives to try and get the golden apples, as the prospect of staying young and healthy forever was one too good to miss.
Despite their many attempts, the golden apples were never granted or consumed by any mortals and remained a symbol for the power of the Gods.
Golden Apple Dream Meanings
Dreaming of a golden apple usually symbolises good health, immortality, strength, power and eternal youth.
The dream could be interpreted in many ways depending on the context in which you see the apple and how it is being used.
If you dream of eating a golden apple, it usually means that you are feeling content and satisfied with your life and feel that you have reached a level of success or stability.
It can also suggest that you are desiring more knowledge or understanding in some area of your life.
If you dream of someone else eating a golden apple, it can represent new beginnings or a change in circumstances.
It could also be a sign that someone close to you is going through a tough time and you need to be there for them.
If the apple is out of reach or unattainable, it suggests that there is something you desire but feel is out of your reach.
This could be related to an event, person or situation in your life.
Dreaming of a golden apple usually has positive connotations, however if the apple is rotting or spoiled in any way, it can suggest that there is something rotten in your life that needs to be addressed. It could also represent greediness, overindulgence or temptation.
Conclusion
The golden apple is a highly symbolic fruit and holds great importance in many ancient mythology, particularly Greek myth. The golden apple was a symbol of the Gods power and immortality, and the key to their strength and eternal youthfulness. Many people tried to get their hands on a golden apple to reap some of its magical properties, however the apples were fiercely guarded and protected, and only the Gods were able to have them. The power and magical abilities they held also made them a symbol of beauty, as in the story of the Judgment of Paris, Aphrodite was decided as the most beautiful Goddess and in turn granted Paris, a mortal to marry one of the most beautiful women, Helen of Troy. This act instilled rage amongst the other Goddesses and solidified Aphrodite’s place as the most beautiful Greek Goddess.

I’m Chris and I run this website – a resource about symbolism, metaphors, idioms, and a whole lot more! Thanks for dropping by.