Eros (mythology) - Conceptions of Eros, Myths associated with Eros

Originally, in Homer, simply an abstract force of ‘erotic desire’; but in Greek mythology, the son of Aphrodite and Ares. He is first depicted on vases as a handsome athlete, then as a boy with wings and arrows, and finally, in the Hellenistic period, as a chubby baby.

In Greek mythology, Eros was the primordial god responsible for lust, love, and sex; His Roman equivalent was Cupid, "desire", also known as Amor, "love".

According to tradition, Eros was principally the patron of male love, while Aphrodite ruled mens' love of women. but Eros himself sways the passion for males." (Mousa Paidiké, 86)

Conceptions of Eros

Throughout Greek thought, there appear to be two sides to the conception of Eros; In Hesiod's Theogony, the most famous Greek creation myth, Eros sprang forth from the primordial Chaos together with Gaia, the Earth, and Tartarus, the underworld;

Alternately, later in antiquity, Eros was the son of Aphrodite and either Ares, Hermes or Hephaestus, or of Porus and Penia, or sometimes of Iris and Zephyrus; this Eros was an attendant to Aphrodite, harnessing the primordial force of love and directing it into mortals, an apt role for the issue of a union between "Love" and either "War" or "Fire." In some versions he had brothers named Anteros, the embodiment of unrequited love, and Himerus.

In art, Eros was usually depicted as a nude winged boy or infant (although this is associated more with Cupid from Roman religion; He had two kinds of arrows: one was golden with dove feathers that caused instant love;

Worship of Eros was uncommon in early Greece, but eventually became widespread. He was fervently worshipped by a fertility cult in Thespiae, and played an important role in the Eleusinian Mysteries.

Myths associated with Eros

Eros, angry at Apollo for making fun of his archery skills, caused him to fall in love with the nymph Daphne, daughter of Ladon, who had scorned him.

The story of Cupid and Psyche has a longstanding tradition as a folktale of the ancient Greco-Roman world long before it was put to print; The novel itself is picaresque Roman style, yet Psyche and Aphrodite retain their Greek parts. It is only Cupid whose role hails from his part in the Roman pantheon.

The story it is told as a digression and structural parallel to the main storyline of Apuleius' novel. It tells of the struggle for love and trust between Cupid and Psyche, whose name is difficult to appropriately translate as it transcends both the Greek and Latin language, but can be taken to mean "soul", "mind" or rather both. Aphrodite was jealous of the beauty of mortal Psyche, as men were leaving her altars barren to worship a mere human woman instead, and so commands her son Cupid to cause Psyche to fall in love with the ugliest creature on earth. Cupid falls in love with Psyche himself and spirits her away to his home. Their fragile peace is ruined by a visit of Psyche's jealous sisters who cause Psyche to betray the trust of her husband. Wounded, Cupid departs his wife and Psyche wanders the earth, looking for her lost love. In order to regain the trust and love that she cast away, Psyche must complete three tasks, one requiring descent to the underworld. Psyche's visit to and return from the underworld made her an object of some devotion, like Dionysus and Persephone.

Some people believe that this story tells of how love can come from when desire (Eros) starts to fancy a person's soul (Psyche) rather than their body. The two find love, but easily lose it because of mistrust.