GOD EROS: ORIGIN, HISTORY, CHARACTERISTICS, ATTRIBUTES, MYTHS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Eros is the god of love, attraction, and sex in Greek mythology. Its Roman equivalent is Cupid, who is generally represented with wings and a bow with which he shoots arrows at people's hearts to make them fall in love.

Also revered as a god of fertility, he is the son of Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and sexuality, and Ares, the god of war. His job is to help his mother spark passion among men.

Eros is the god of love and with his arrows he works to awaken passion among mortals. Source: pixabay.com

In ancient Greece his worship was rare, but later it became more popular, especially in Thespia and Athens, being consecrated in his honor and that of Aphrodite on the fourth day of each month.

Being the son of the goddess of beauty and the god of war, Eros is a dual deity: just as love can be synonymous with happiness, it can also cause pain and suffering.

In addition to inspiring passion in others, this god fell victim to his own arrows and fell in love with the mortal Psyche, considered the most beautiful woman in the world. Their only daughter, Hedoné, was born from the union between the two, who symbolizes sensuality.

Eros has been personified in numerous works of art throughout history and his myth is still valid today, represented in the figure of Cupid.

Origin and history of Eros

The most representative myth is that Eros is the son of Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and sexuality, and Ares, the god of war.

However, other writings indicate that this goddess conceived him after being possessed by the foam of the sea and that twins were born from that union: Eros, the god of love, and Hymenaeus, the god of lust and sexual desire.

These two brothers, along with Potos, represent the Erotes, the winged gods of love in Greek mythology.

This trilogy combines the basic components on which every relationship is based: love (Eros), sexual desire (Hymenaeus) and longing (Potos).

Other possible origins

In his poetic work the Theogony (6th century BC), one of the oldest versions of the origin of the cosmos and the lineage of the gods of Greek mythology, Hesiod explained that Eros arose after the primordial Chaos together with Gaia, the Earth, and Tartarus, the underworld.

For his part, in Aristophanes's comedy Las Aves (414 BC), the god sprouted from an egg laid by Nix, the goddess of the night, after being fertilized by Erebus, the god of darkness and shadows.

In turn Plato, in his work The Banquet (385-370 BC), wrote that Eros was born from the union of Poros, the god of abundance, and Penia, who represents poverty.

This combination explains the ambivalent characteristics of love, which inherited permanent lack from the maternal side and profusion and courage from the father.

Characteristics and attributes

Eros is the god of attraction, sexuality and love. With his arrows he is concerned with awakening passion among mortals and also promoting creativity in nature.

He is usually depicted as a winged child or adolescent, usually naked, and sometimes blindfolded as love is blind.

Their behavior tends to be innocent and childish and many times their arrows are nailed in the wrong hearts and these people suffer the sadness and pain of rejection.

For some historians Eros is responsible for inspiring love between men, while his mother Aphrodite is responsible for doing 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.

Main myths about Eros

Myth of Eros and Psyche

Psyche was the daughter of a king who dazzled men with her beauty. This caused many to worship her as a reincarnation of Aphrodite and abandon their altars.

The jealous goddess ordered her son Eros to make the woman fall in love with the most disgusting and vile man that could exist. However, the god was captivated by her beauty and took her to his palace where he made her his wife.

However, to avoid his mother's wrath, he only visited her at night and in the dark so as not to reveal his true identity. Influenced by her envious sisters, one day Psyche decided to wait for the god to fall asleep and with a lamp she illuminated his face to see who he was.

Discovered the betrayal, Eros decided to abandon her and sadness made her lose her beauty. The woman, feeling guilty, undertook a series of dangerous trials to earn her forgiveness. In the last one, she went down to hell to ask Persephone for a bit of her beauty, in order to restore that of her beloved.

Eros eventually forgave her and begged his mother and Zeus to return to immortal Psyche, to remain together for all eternity. Their only daughter, Hedoné, was born from the union between the two, who symbolizes sensuality.

Myth of Daphne and Apollo

In another story it is said that Apollo, the god of the sun, reason and music, used to poke fun at Eros' abilities as an archer and singer.

In revenge, he shot one of his arrows to make him fall in love with a nymph named Daphne. But in turn, he threw another one with a lead tip at the young woman, so that she would feel contempt and disdain for him.

Despite the rejection, the god continued looking for her and, to escape the harassment, Daphne asked her father, the River Ladon, for help. This transformed it into a laurel and from then on the tree became sacred to Apollo.

Myth of love and passion

Another myth tells that Aphrodite was worried because time passed and her son did not grow, always remaining a rebellious and naughty child.

He then decided to consult the oracle of Themis in search of an answer. In this sacred place they answered him that "love cannot grow without passion."

The goddess did not understand the message until she had another son, Anteros, the god of passion. When she was with her brother, Eros grew into a beautiful young man. But when they separated she was a spoiled child again.

Myth of Helen of Troy

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.

Helen, who was famous for her beauty, was married to Menelaus, the king of Sparta. However, thanks to an arrow from Eros, she fell in love with Paris and the lovers fled together, unleashing the Trojan War.

Eros in art

Sculpture that represents Psyche being revived by the kiss of Eros. Source: pixabay.com

Eros has been personified in numerous works of art throughout history. In the majority he is represented as a winged child or adolescent, accompanied by his inseparable bow and arrows with which he awakens passion in mortals.

Generally his figure appears nude and sometimes blindfolded or carrying a torch. On the other hand, their sexuality is often ambiguous.

From the Renaissance (15th and 16th centuries) his design as a plump and mischievous boy, similar to the current image of Cupid, began to gain popularity.

In many pieces, mainly between the 18th and 19th centuries, he appears holding a mirror so that his mother Aphrodite can contemplate herself in it.

In others, his love story with Psyche is represented.

Best known works

One of the most famous works is the sculpture Cupid blowing the torch of Hymenaeus to relight his flame (1831) by Scotsman George Rennie, in which two teenagers embrace with a certain sensual tone.

Another notable piece is the oil painting Victorious Love (1602) by Italian Caravaggio, in which a naked Eros appears carrying a bow and arrows, while trampling on the symbols of the arts, science and government.

On the other hand, among which he is represented with his mother, the paintings of Venus in the mirror by the Italian Titian (1555) and the Spanish Diego Velázquez (1648), and the Venus and Cupid (1606) by the German Peter Paul Rubens stand out.

Meanwhile, among those who reflect the story with his wife, the sculptures Psyche contemplating love (1906) by the French Auguste Rodin, Psyche revived by the kiss of love (1793) by the Italian Antonio Canova, and Psyche contemplates Eros holding a oil lamp (1857) by the German Reinhold Begas.

Also the painting Eros and Psyche (1798) by the Frenchman François Gérard.

Finally, other recognized works of the god are Cupid making his bow (1523) by Parmigianino, Cupid making his bow with the mace of Hercules (1750) by Edmé Bouchardon and Eros making the world go round according to his wish (1903) by Claudius Marioton.

References

1. Eros, Greek God, Encyclopaedia Britannica. Available at: britannica.com
2. Eros, Greek Mythology. Available at: greekmythology.com
3. The vanguard. Cupid in art. Available at: vanguardia.com.mx
4. Graves R. (2004). Greek myths. Book club. Barcelona, ​​Spain.
5. García Gual, C. (1997). Dictionary of Myths. Planet. Barcelona, ​​Spain.
6. Eros, Wikipedia. Available at: wikipedia.org