Eros - Revision history

Irlandos: /* Myths associated with Eros */

2006-06-11T15:45:27Z

Myths associated with Eros

Irlandos: /* Myths associated with Eros */

2006-06-11T15:40:16Z

Myths associated with Eros

Irlandos: /* Conceptions of Eros */

2006-06-11T15:39:44Z

Conceptions of Eros

Irlandos at 15:39, June 11, 2006

2006-06-11T15:39:14Z

New page

In [[Greek mythology]], '''Eros''' was the primordial god responsible for lust, love and sex; he was also worshipped as a fertility deity. His name is the root of words such as ''erotic''. His Roman equivalent was '''Cupid''', "desire", also known as '''Amor''', "love". He was often associated with [[Aphrodite]]. Like [[Dionysus]], he was sometimes referred to as '''''Eleutherios''''', "the liberator".

==Conceptions of Eros==

Throughout Greek thought, there appear to be two sides to the conception of Eros; in the first, he is a primeval deity who embodies not only the force of erotic love but also the creative urge of ever-flowing nature, the first-born Light that is responsible for the coming into being and ordering of all things in the cosmos. In [[Hesiod|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; according to [[Aristophanes]]' play ''[[The Birds (play)|The Birds]]'', he burgeons forth from an egg laid by Night conceived with Darkness. In the [[Eleusinian Mysteries]], he was worshipped as '''''Protogonus''''', the first-born.

Alternately, later in antiquity, Eros was the son of [[Aphrodite]] and either [[Ares]] or [[Hephaestus]], or of [[Porus (Greek mythology)|Porus]] and [[Penia]], or sometimes of [[Iris (mythology)|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 myths, he is portrayed as being playful, frequently causing trouble for gods and mortals; in others, he is mindful of the power he wields, sometimes refusing the entreaties of his mother and other gods to interfere in the course of some mortals' lives. 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; to the Greeks he was a young man or a teenager), with his bow and arrows in hand. He had two kinds of arrows: one was golden with dove feathers that caused instant love; the other was lead with owl feathers that caused indifference. The poet [[Sappho]] described him as "bittersweet" and "cruel" to his victims; he was also unscrupulous, mischievous and charismatic. In his ancient identification with [[Protogones]] and [[Phanes]] he was adorned represented as a bull, a serpent, a lion, and with the heads of a ram. He is occasionally shown blind or blindfolded.

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]]. In [[Athens, Greece|Athens]], he shared a very popular cult with Aphrodite, and the fourth day of every month was sacred to him.

==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. Daphne prayed to the river god [[Peneus]] to help her and was changed into a laurel tree, which became sacred to Apollo.

The story of Eros and Psyche has a longstanding tradition as a folktale of the ancient Greco-Roman world long before it was put to print; first seen [[Apuleius]]' Latin novel, ''The Golden Ass'', this is apparent and an interesting intermingling of character roles. 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 pantehon.

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. By embracing the help of nature, she is successful and is received into the pantheon of gods as an immortal and reconciles with her mother-in-law. Eventually, she bears Cupid a daughter, [[Voluptas]], whose name means "pleasure." Psyche's visit to and return from the underworld made her an object of some devotion, like [[Dionysus]] and [[Persephone]]. She was an object of some mystery religions and was occasionally mentioned in connection with the popular Eleusinian Mysteries.

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.

==References==
* Bartsch, Shadi and Thomas Bartscherer, eds. ''Erotikon: Essays on Eros, Ancient and Modern''. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005.
* Bataille, George. ''The Tears of Eros''. Translated by Peter Connor. San Francisco: City Lights Books, 1989.
* Calame, Claude. ''The Poetics of Eros in Ancient Greece''. Translated by Janet Lloyd. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1999.
* Carson, Anne. ''Eros the Bittersweet: An Essay''. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1986.
* Nygren, Anders. ''Agape and Eros''. Translated by Philip S. Watson. New York: Harper and Row, 1969.

==See also==

* [[Anteros]]
* [[Himerus]]
* [[Greek words for love]]

[[Category:Greek gods]]

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 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. Daphne prayed to the river god [[Peneus]] to help her and was changed into a laurel tree, which became sacred to Apollo.
-The story of Eros and [[Psyche]] has a longstanding tradition as a folktale of the ancient Greco-Roman world long before it was put to print; first seen  [[Apuleius]]' Latin novel, ''The Golden Ass'', this is apparent and an interesting intermingling of character roles. 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 pantehon.
+The story of Eros and [[Aphrodite#Aphrodite and Psyche|Psyche]] has a longstanding tradition as a folktale of the ancient Greco-Roman world long before it was put to print; first seen  [[Apuleius]]' Latin novel, ''The Golden Ass'', this is apparent and an interesting intermingling of character roles. 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 pantehon.
 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. By embracing the help of nature, she is successful and is received into the pantheon of gods as an immortal and reconciles with her mother-in-law. Eventually, she bears Cupid a daughter, [[Voluptas]], whose name means "pleasure." Psyche's visit to and return from the underworld made her an object of some devotion, like [[Dionysus]] and [[Persephone]].  She was an object of some mystery religions and was occasionally mentioned in connection with the popular Eleusinian Mysteries.

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 In art, Eros was usually depicted as a nude winged boy or infant (although this is associated more with Cupid from Roman religion; to the Greeks he was a young man or a teenager), with his bow and arrows in hand. He had two kinds of arrows: one was golden with dove feathers that caused instant love; the other was lead with owl feathers that caused indifference.  The poet [[Sappho]] described him as "bittersweet" and "cruel" to his victims; he was also unscrupulous, mischievous and charismatic. In his ancient identification with [[Protogones]] and [[Phanes]] he was adorned represented as a bull, a serpent, a lion, and with the heads of a ram. He is occasionally shown blind or blindfolded.
-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]]. In [[Athens, Greece|Athens]], he shared a very popular cult with Aphrodite, and the fourth day of every month was sacred to him.
+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]]. In [[Athens]], he shared a very popular cult with Aphrodite, and the fourth day of every month was sacred to him.
 ==Myths associated with Eros==