How did Eros become the God of love? Aphrodite was jealous of the beauty of mortal princess Psyche, as men were leaving her altars barren to worship a mere human woman instead, and so she commanded her son Eros, the god of love, to cause Psyche to fall in love with the ugliest creature on earth. What is the moral of Psyche and Eros?
What are some interesting facts about eros?
- He has the power to make anyone fall in love by shooting them with an arrow from his golden bow.
- Eros was full of mischief and he was romantic.
- He fell in love with Psyche (a mortal) when he grazed himself with his own magic arrow.
- Eros often got his amusement by making poorly matched people fall in love.
What is Eros personality?
Personality Eros is genuinely sweet and caring, but has a mischievous streak as well. Like his mother Aphrodite, he has a refined taste when it comes to necessities and clothing. Unlike his mother, he has more empathy for others, and dislikes doing anything mean-spirited.
What is the story of Eros?
The story of Eros, the God of Love is one of the fantastic stories featured in ancient mythology and legends. Such stories serve as a doorway to enter the world of the Ancient Greeks and Romans. The names of so many of the heroes and characters are known today through movies and games but the actual story about such characters are unknown.
What is Eros myth?
The myth of Eros and Psyche is probably one of the best love stories in classical mythology. Eros, son of Aphrodite, was the personification of intense love desire and he was depicted throwing arrows to people in order to hit their heart and make them fall in love. Psyche, a beautiful maiden, personifies the human soul.
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How did Eros become a god?
700 bce), Eros was a primeval god, son of Chaos, the original primeval emptiness of the universe, but later tradition made him the son of Aphrodite, goddess of sexual love and beauty, by either Zeus (the king of the gods), Ares (god of war and of battle), or Hermes (divine messenger of the gods).
How did Eros become Cupid?
And when the Romans conscripted the Eros mythology, they chose to bring over the more recent iteration of the god as a cute little kid. They named him Cupid, a synonym for Eros that also translates to “desire.” (His mother was likewise Venus, the Roman version of the Greek Aphrodite.)
Who is Eros the god of love?
Eros was the Greek god of carnal love. In Latin he is called Amor (love) or Cupid (desire). Eros was the assistant, and according to some the son, of Aprhodite, the goddess of love and fertility. He made people fall in love by shooting an arrow into their heart.
Why was Eros created?
EROS was the primordial god (protogenos) of procreation who emerged self-formed at the dawn of creation. He was the driving force behind the generation of new life in the cosmos. The Orphics named him Phanes, a primal being hatched from the world-egg.
What is the story of Eros?
The myth of Eros and Psyche is probably one of the best love stories in classical mythology. Eros, son of Aphrodite, was the personification of intense love desire and he was depicted throwing arrows to people in order to hit their heart and make them fall in love.
Is Cupid and Eros the same god?
The mention of Cupid typically conjures up images of a cherubic infant wielding a bow and arrow, but this wasn't always the case. Long before the Romans adopted and renamed him—and way before his association with Valentine's Day—Cupid was known to the Greeks as Eros, the handsome god of love.
What is Eros weakness?
Hedone. (goddess of sensual pleasures) Eros' Weaknesses: He is blind.
What are Eros 3 important powers?
Telekinesis: Eros has the ability to move objects & mortals with his mind. Conjuration: Eros has the powers to conjure anything or any being he wants. Shape shifting: Eros has the ability to alter his appearance to take whatever form he likes whether mortals or monsters or Gods.
Why is Eros not purple?
Thanos' brother Eros aka Starfox looks nothing like him despite them being Eternals; the reason (and Thanos' purple look) lies with the Deviant gene. Thanos' brother Eros aka Starfox looks nothing like the Mad Titan due to an Eternals Deviant gene.
Why is Eros blind?
Out of love and desperation she accomplishes everything and gets to see Cupid and discovers that he is blind because of her oil spill.
Was Eros beautiful?
Eros is most often represented in Greek art as a carefree and beautiful youth, crowned with flowers, especially of roses which were closely associated with the god.
Why did Eros not show his face?
So to shield his identity and his true self from Psyche, he only appears in the dark so that she doesn't see the true majesty that he is and so that the message would not get back to Venus who is his mother that he in fact betrayed her trust and orders by not killing Psyche.
Did Eros have a bow and arrow?
It was he who lit the flame of love in the hearts of the gods and men, armed with either a bow and arrows or a flaming torch. Eros was often portrayed as the disobedient but fiercely loyal child of Aphrodite.
How did Eros become blind?
Out of love and desperation she accomplishes everything and gets to see Cupid and discovers that he is blind because of her oil spill.
What was Cupid the god of?
In the 15th century, the iconography of Cupid starts to become indistinguishable from the putto....CupidGod of desire, erotic love, attraction, and affectionClassical statue of Cupid with his bowSymbolBow and arrowMountDolphin6 more rows
What are Eros 3 important powers?
Telekinesis: Eros has the ability to move objects & mortals with his mind. Conjuration: Eros has the powers to conjure anything or any being he wants. Shape shifting: Eros has the ability to alter his appearance to take whatever form he likes whether mortals or monsters or Gods.
Who was Eros tied to?
It made more sense, then, for Eros to be recast as one of the gods of Olympus. He was tied by his function to Aphrodite, who was imagined to be his mother.
Why was Eros reimagined?
Over time, Eros was reimagined because of the role he played in the lives of the Greek people and in the stories of the gods. He was more present in daily life than the abstract primordial gods, but more influential than the highly-specific daimones.
How long did it take for Eros to develop?
A thousand years passed between the time of Hesiod and the Roman Empire. In that span, Eros developed from a distant and unknowable force into a personal and relatable member of the pantheon.
How was Uranus different from other primordial beings?
He was different from the other primordial beings in that he still played an active role in daily life. While Uranus was far removed from the world, for example, the influence of Eros could be felt by people every day.
What is the best example of the development and expansion of a deity in Greek mythology?
The character of Eros is one of the best examples of the development and expansion of a deity in Greek mythology.
What are the Erotes?
This set him apart from his brothers. The Erotes, as the gods of love were called, were a group of minor gods who represented very specific forms of the emotion.
When was the story of Eros and Psyche written?
While the story of Eros and Psyche seemed to have existed in folklore for many years, it was not written in full until the 2nd century AD.
What is Eros in Greek mythology?
In the earliest sources (the cosmogonies, the earliest philosophers, and texts referring to the mystery religions ), he is one of the primordial gods involved in the coming into being of the cosmos. In later sources, however, Eros is represented as the son of Aphrodite, whose mischievous interventions in the affairs of gods and mortals cause bonds of love to form, often illicitly. Ultimately, in the later satirical poets, he is represented as a blindfolded child, the precursor to the chubby Renaissance Cupid, whereas in early Greek poetry and art, Eros was depicted as a young adult male who embodies sexual power, and a profound artist.
Who offered sacrifices to Eros?
The Lacedaemonians offered sacrifices to Eros before they go to battle, thinking that safety and victory depend on the friendship of those who stand side by side in the battle. In addition, the Cretans offered sacrifices to Eros in their line of battle.
What is the story of Cupid and Eros?
The story tells of the quest for love and trust between Eros and Psyche.
What does Eros mean?
For other uses, see Eros (disambiguation). Eros. God of love, lust and sex. Member of the Erotes. The Eros Farnese, a Pompeiian marble thought to be a copy of the colossal Eros of Thespiae by Praxiteles. Abode.
How tall is Eros' bow?
Eros Stringing his Bow, a Roman copy from the Capitoline Museum of a Greek original by Lysippos; 2nd century AD; marble; height: 123 cm; Capitoline Museum (Rome) The Victory of Eros; by Angelica Kauffman; 1750–1775; oil on canvas; Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Where did the cult of Eros originate?
A cult of Eros existed in pre-classical Greece, but it was much less important than that of Aphrodite. However, in late antiquity, Eros was worshiped by a fertility cult in Thespiae. In Athens, he shared a very popular cult with Aphrodite, and the fourth day of every month was sacred to him (also shared by Herakles, Hermes and Aphrodite).
Who is the son of Aphrodite?
Son of Aphrodite and Ares. In later myths, he was the son of the deities Aphrodite and Ares: it is the Eros of these later myths who is one of the erotes. Eros was depicted as often carrying a lyre or bow and arrow. He was also depicted accompanied by dolphins, flutes, roosters, roses, and torches.
Who is Eros in Greek Mythology?
According to some Greek traditions, Eros was the god of love and son of Erebus and Nyx (Night), while in others, he was the son of Ares, god of war. As the youngest of the gods and the companion of Aphrodite, he appeared to enjoy making as much mischief as he could by firing his arrows of passion into the hearts of the gods and human alike. His Roman counterpart is CUPID.
Where did Eros come from?
The exact origins and where Eros came from do slightly vary. In some accounts, Eros is a primordial being, a child of Chaos. He was also responsible for blessing the union between Gaia and Uranus, who then created the universe as we know it in Greek mythology.
Why didn't Eros show himself to Psyche?
For those of you wondering why Eros didn’t show himself to Psyche from the very beginning, he believed that true love between a god and a human was impossible and that if he showed himself the Psyche, he would lose her. The story shows us that true love is by no means easy.
Why did Aphrodite pray to the goddess?
She visited Aphrodite’s temple and prayed to the goddess, asking her to persuade her son to take her back. Aphrodite was still overcome with jealousy and wanted her revenge. She told Psyche that to make sure that she was an appropriate wife for her son, she would have to prove herself by completing a series of tasks.
What are Anteros brothers' wings?
The two brothers are often depicted as long-haired males with wings carrying a bow, but depictions of Anteros slightly differ. At times, he can be seen carrying a golden club, and unlike his brother, his wings are more plumed, similar to that of a butterfly.
What did the Tragedians see in Eros?
The ancient Tragedians saw Eros as both positive and negative, as the unions he created would often lead to virtue as well as misery. In these older depictions, he’s often seen as a plump overweight child carrying a bow. You might be somewhat familiar with his Roman counterpart, Cupid.
What is Anteros's love?
Anteros was considered the god of a quieted love, essential ly, love that had been returned or rejected, and thus he was often associated with the concept of mutual love. He was also seen as quite a vengeful god, taking actions against those who rejected the love of others.
What is the origin of Eros?
If we look at the earlier myths pertaining to the origin of Eros, we can infer that he was perceived as a magnetic force, which attracted two virtually opposite entities towards each other, thus inspiring their union. The attraction between the electrons and the protons, the masculine and the feminine, and that of the human soul and the divine are all brought about by Eros.
Who were the three virgin goddesses that Eros could not trick?
Though Eros was the God of love and sexual desire and could make anyone fall in love, he notably could not use his tricks on the three virgin goddesses viz., Artemis, Athena, and Hestia. In fact, his arrows made no effect on these three goddesses.
What does the story of Eros and Psyche mean?
It is not a story of two individuals in love; rather it is a tale symbolizing the interconnection between love and human soul, Psyche being the Greek word for soul . Psyche, in Greek, also means a butterfly and so, she is often depicted with butterfly wings.
How many brothers did Eros have?
It has also been mentioned that Eros had three more brothers from the same parents. Collectively known as the Erotes, they include, apart from Eros, Anteros (God of requited love), Pothos (God of yearning), and Himeros (God of uncontrollable desire).
What is the attraction created by Eros?
It is the attraction created by Eros, that leads to their conjugal union, and gives birth to new life and energy.
What is the Greek god of love?
Love is an innate feeling existing in every individual, and has been regarded by many philosophers as the very foundation of all existence. The Greek god, Eros, representing love, romance, and sexual desire, is an attempt to link human emotion of love with the divine, and thus, in a way, to bridge the gap between human sentiments, ...
Does Psyche succeed in the task of Eros?
Psyche accepts and succeeds in the tasks, though with divine assistance. In fact, Eros himself guides her during her last labor. Psyche’s successful completion of all the labors and her determination to win Eros back, impresses Aphrodite who, with the intervention of Zeus, arranges for their official wedding.
Why is Eros so famous?
For some historians, Eros is responsible for inspiring love between men, while his mother Aphrodite is responsible for it between men and women. For this reason, in ancient Greece, his figure was revered in the arena, the fighting schools, where the encounters of many young people with their loved ones took place.
Who was the Greek god that arose after the primordial chaos?
In his poetic work Theogony (6th century BC), one of the oldest versions of the origin of the cosmos and the lineage of the gods in Greek mythology, Hesiod explained that Eros arose after the primordial Chaos together with Gaia, the Earth, and Tartarus, the underworld .
Why was Aphrodite worried about her son?
Another myth tells that Aphrodite was worried because time passed and her son did not grow, always remaining a rebellious and naughty child.
Who is responsible for the love between men and women?
For some historians, Eros is responsible for inspiring love between men, while his mother Aphrodite is responsible for it between men and women.
Who painted Eros and Psyche?
Also painting Eros and Psyche (1798) by the Frenchman François Gérard.
Who made the sculpture of Cupid blowing the torch of Hymenaeus?
One of the most famous works is sculpture Cupid blowing the torch of Hymenaeus to relight his flame (1831) by Scottish George Rennie, in which two teenagers hug each other with a certain sensual tone.
Who promised Paris the love of Helena?
Aphrodite promised the Trojan prince Paris the love of Helena, after he voted for her in a beauty contest in which the goddess confronted Hera and Athena.
What was Eros's main cause of the creation of the world?
According to the former, Eros was one of the fundamental causes in the formation of the world, inasmuch as he was the uniting power of love, which brought order and harmony among the conflicting elements of which Chaos consisted.
Who is Eros the son of?
It is quite in accordance with the notion of the cosmogonic Eros, that he is described as a son of Cronos and Ge, of Eileithyia, or as a god who had no parentage, and came into existence by himself. (Paus. ix. c. 27.) Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.
What is the primordial Eros called?
THE ORPHIC COSMOGONY. In the Orphic Theogonies the primordial Eros is usually named Phanes (see the separate Phanes entry for more information on this deity). "At the beginning there was only Khaos (Chaos, the Chasm) [Air], Nyx (Night), dark Erebos (Erebus, Darkness), and deep Tartaros (the Pit).
What epic is Hesiod?
Hesiod, Theogony 116 ff (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.) :#N#"Verily at first Khaos (Chaos, the Chasm) [Air] came to be, but next wide-bosomed Gaia (Gaea, Earth), the ever-sure foundation of al1 the deathless ones who hold the peaks of snowy Olympos, and dim Tartaros (the Pit) in the depth of the wide-pathed Earth, and Eros (Love) [Procreation], fairest among the deathless gods, who unnerves the limbs and overcomes the mind and wise counsels of all gods and all men within them."
What is the Greek god of love?
EROS (Erôs), in Latin, AMOR or CUPI′DO, the god of love. In the sense in which he is usually conceived, Eros is the creature of the later Greek poets; and in order to understand the ancients properly we must distinguish three Erotes: viz. the Eros of the ancient cosmogonies, the Eros of the philosophers and mysteries, ...
What is the name of the godling that hatched from the egg?
He was the driving force behind the generation of new life in the cosmos. The Orphics named him Phanes , a primal being hatched from the world-egg. He was also equivalent to Thesis (Creation) and Physis, (Nature). The younger Eros, a mischievous godling armed with bow and arrows, was a son of the goddess Aphrodite.
Who is the primordial god of procreation?
Primordial Eros-Phanes hatched from the world egg, Greco-Roman bas relief C2nd A.D., Modena Museum. EROS was the primordial god ( protogenos) of procreation who emerged self-formed at the dawn of creation. He was the driving force behind the generation of new life in the cosmos.
Overview
Mythology
According to Hesiod's Theogony (c. 700 BC), one of the most ancient of all Greek sources, Eros (the god of love) was the fourth god to come into existence, coming after Chaos, Gaia (the Earth), and Tartarus (the abyss).
Homer does not mention Eros. However, Parmenides (c. 400 BC), one of the pre-Socratic philosophers, makes Eros the first of all the gods to come into existence.
Etymology
The Greek ἔρως, meaning 'desire', comes from ἔραμαι 'to desire, love', of uncertain etymology. R. S. P. Beekes has suggested a Pre-Greek origin.
Cult and depiction
Eros appears in ancient Greek sources under several different guises. In the earliest sources (the cosmogonies, the earliest philosophers, and texts referring to the mystery religions), he is one of the primordial gods involved in the coming into being of the cosmos. In later sources, however, Eros is represented as the son of Aphrodite, whose mischievous interventions in the affairs of gods and mortals cause bonds of love to form, often illicitly. Ultimately, in the later satirical poets…
Eros in music
• Jose Antonio Bottiroli Eros in B minor B37 for piano (1974)
See also
• Eros (concept)
• Greek words for love
• Kamadeva
• Family tree of the Greek gods
• Phanes (mythology)
Notes
1. ^ A. Corso, Concerning the catalogue of Praxiteles' exhibition held in the Louvre. Conference paper presented at ИНДОЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ ЯЗЫКОЗНАНИЕ И КЛАССИЧЕСКАЯ ФИЛОЛОГИЯ – 11 June 2007; p. 159
2. ^ Hesiod, Theogony 116–122 states that Gaia, Tartarus and Eros come after Chaos, but this does not necessarily mean that they are the offspring of Chaos. Gantz, pp. 4–5 writes that, "[w]ith regard to all three of these figures—Gaia, Tartaros, and Eros—we should not…
External links
• Media related to Eros at Wikimedia Commons
• Warburg Institute Iconographic Database - Amor
• EROS (PRIMORDIAL) from The Theoi Project
• EROS (OLYMPIAN) from The Theoi Project
Did You Know?
- In many depictions, Eros has been shown as a blindfolded child, attempting to shoot his arrows at random victims. Perhaps, this is the source of the idiom, ‘Love is blind’. Ancient Greek pantheon has always attempted to answer fundamental questions relating to all aspects of life. Much like the other polytheistic religions, the ancient Greek religion provides us with specific divinities that we …
The Primeval Origin
- If we look at the earlier myths pertaining to the origin of Eros, we can infer that he was perceived as a magnetic force, which attracted two virtually opposite entities towards each other, thus inspiring their union. The attraction between the electrons and the protons, the masculine and the feminine, and that of the human soul and the divine are ...
Birth of Eros
- With respect to the birth of Eros, there are a number of theories that have been put forth. Eros has been mentioned as the son of Aphrodite and Hermes, Aphrodite and Ouranos, and Zeus and Aphrodite. Eros thus, has no fixed parentage that has been accepted by all. But, the common factor that appears in most of the lineages, is his association with Aphrodite in some way or the …
Eros and Psyche
- The tale of Eros and Psyche seems like a fairy tale, at first instance. However, only if one delves deeper into the personalities of Eros and Psyche, can he notice the inner symbolism that the myth bears. It is not a story of two individuals in love; rather it is a tale symbolizing the interconnection between love and human soul, Psyche being the Greek word for soul. Psyche, in Greek, also m…
Eros and The Virgin Goddesses
- Though Eros was the God of love and sexual desire and could make anyone fall in love, he notably could not use his tricks on the three virgin goddesses viz., Artemis, Athena, and Hestia. In fact, his arrows made no effect on these three goddesses. There are several references that speak of the resistance that these goddesses possessed with regards to love. ~Homer, in one o…
The Matchmaker
- For Eros, matchmaking was a sport, and his favorite pastime too. He shot his arrows at anybody and at any time, and once wounded, the victim was bound to fall in love. Nobody could escape his charms (except the virgin goddesses), but sometimes, he could be really nasty. Eros has two kinds of arrows viz., gold-tipped and lead-tipped. The gold-tipped ones made one fall in love wit…
Iconography and Cult
- Eros bears a very vivid and an elaborate iconography much like the other gods and goddesses in the ancient Greek tradition. What makes him distinct, however, is a sudden metamorphosis that his personality undergoes from a primordial god to a small, naughty child, and finally into a grown-up youth. The Romans adopted the earlier ‘boyish’ depictions in Cupid, their God of love. ~Eros …