Eros: The God of Love

Origins and Family Relations

Eros, the mighty and mischievous god of love, spins the web of passion and chaos in Greek mythology. His origins are diverse and unpredictable, just like his nature. According to the Greek poet Hesiod, Eros is one of the primordial gods, emerging from Chaos alongside Gaia (Earth) and others.¹ In other myths, Eros hatches from an egg left by the Titan Chronos in the womb of Chaos or laid by Nyx (Night) and Aither (Wind).

Eros is also closely linked to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and all things desirably complex. In many tales, he is either her assistant or her son. As Aphrodite's child, Eros finds himself with Ares, the war god, as his dad, and his brothers are Deimos (Fear), Phobos (Panic), and Harmonia (Harmony).

Eros' arrows stir passions effortlessly. He once shot Apollo, leaving him head over heels for the nymph Daphne, and he made Medea fall for Jason, helping him snag the Golden Fleece.² Even Eros himself fell wildly in love with Psyche, a mortal blessed with striking beauty.

Eros' appearance varied over time. Early Greek art shows him as a teen heartthrob with wings, donning wreaths of roses, playing soft tunes with a lyre, or holding a whip when in pursuit mode. Later on, he was depicted with the iconic bow and arrows, symbols of his love-inducing mischief. Despite his youthful exuberance, Eros had a serious side that earned him cult worship in places like Thespiae and Athens, where altars paired him with Aphrodite, showing their inseparable bond and shared dominion over love and desire.

Depictions and Symbolism

In ancient Greek art, Eros often appears as a winged youth, athletic and carefree, with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He's frequently decked out with a wreath of roses, adding a touch of romance to his otherwise prankster demeanor. Early on, you might see him holding a lyre, serenading his latest target, or sometimes wielding a whip—ready to chase down and conquer hearts. But, his most iconic attributes are his bow and arrow, the instruments of his love-inducing magic.

In the Renaissance, Eros gets a makeover as Cupid, often represented as a cherubic, chubby little baby with wings. The bow and arrow take center stage, powerfully symbolizing love's sudden, often reckless, and unpredictable nature. The arrows, whether gold-tipped for inciting passionate love or lead-tipped for inducing aversion, strike without warning.

Eros isn't just confined to paintings and sculptural art. You find him decorating ancient pottery, showing up at weddings, or among athletes in gymnasiums. On these vases, he's often seen interacting with other gods and heroes, increasing the drama.

One notable pairing is with Psyche. In Hellenistic and Roman art, the duo is often depicted together, symbolizing the eternal bond between the soul (Psyche) and desire (Eros). Antonio Canova's marble sculpture "Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss" captures a poignant moment of revival and reconnection, illustrating the profound depths of their love and struggles.

Even beyond the glitz and glam of canvas and marble, Eros's symbolism permeates everyday life, from Valentine's Day cards with smiling cherubs to cheeky cupids perched atop wedding cakes. It's a testament to the enduring power of love and the chaos it can sow.

Myth of Eros and Psyche

The myth of Eros and Psyche is a captivating love story full of betrayal, impossible tasks, and divine intervention. It begins with Psyche, a mortal princess of such breathtaking beauty that people start worshipping her instead of Aphrodite. Jealous, Aphrodite sends her son Eros to make Psyche fall in love with the most vile creature around. However, Eros ends up pricking his own heart with one of his arrows and falls head over heels for her.

Eros whisks Psyche away to a splendid palace, but with one condition: she can never see his face. By night, they share an intimate bond, but by day, she's alone. Psyche's jealous sisters convince her that her unseen husband must be a hideous monster. Fueled by their spiteful words and her own curiosity, Psyche lights a candle one night to catch a glimpse of her lover. She's met by the radiant and beautiful Eros, but a drop of hot wax spills on him, revealing her betrayal. Heartbroken, Eros leaves.

Determined to reunite with Eros, Psyche embarks on a journey and seeks out Aphrodite, who sets her a series of impossible tasks.

1. The first task involves sorting a mountain of mixed grains by nightfall, which a colony of ants helps her achieve.
2. The second task requires retrieving golden wool from a flock of deadly sheep, which Psyche accomplishes by using her wits and waiting until night when they're asleep.
3. The third task is to fetch a jar of water from the River Styx, and an eagle assists Psyche in retrieving it.
4. The final and most perilous task requires Psyche to venture into the Underworld to gather a bit of Persephone's beauty in a box. However, curiosity gets the better of her, and she opens the box, falling into a deathlike sleep.

Eros, still nursing his wounded heart, hears of Psyche's unrelenting efforts and near-fatal mishap. He swoops in, revives Psyche with a kiss, and petitions Zeus to grant her immortality. Zeus, touched by their love, agrees, and Psyche ascends to Olympus, where she and Eros live happily ever after.

Psyche's journey is emblematic of the human soul's trials and tribulations in the quest for true love and self-fulfillment. Each task sets the stage for a lesson in patience, resilience, and belief in oneself. Her trials mirror the journey of marriage itself—full of challenges, but ultimately rewarding for those willing to toil and trust. It's a reminder that love isn't just about the butterflies—it's also about overcoming the storms.

Influences on Literature and Culture

Writers and poets have found rich inspiration in Eros and Psyche's saga. The tale has danced through the pages of numerous literary works, from the Roman masterpiece Metamorphoses by Apuleius to Shakespearean sonnets and beyond. This story contains every dramatic element you could wish for—betrayal, redemption, impossible tasks, and a love so enduring it transcends mortality.

Shakespeare's plays often teeter on the edge of chaos and passion, reflecting the dramatic heartbreak and exhilarating reconciliation found in Eros and Psyche's tale. Victorian poets like Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning were captivated by this ancient love story, and its influence can be seen in their poetic love letters to each other.¹ Modern romance novelists also owe a nod to this ancient duo for laying down the foundational elements of conflict and resolution in love.

In the art world, Renaissance artists were captivated by Eros and Psyche, creating masterpieces like Antonio Canova's iconic sculpture Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss. This marble marvel celebrates their moment of reconnection and the triumph of love. Lush frescoes adorning the ceilings of grand ballrooms often depict Eros and Psyche pirouetting through the clouds, symbolizing the dance of passion and the trials they overcame.

Modern adaptations continue to embrace the myth of Eros and Psyche. In the hit Netflix series Bridgerton, the myth serves as a dramatic parallel in season three, underscoring the series' romantic tension and narrative arcs. The elegant ballet performance and frescoes depicting their trials in Bridgerton are subtle nods to the enduring power of their story.

Pop culture also embraces the myth, with archetypes of love's trials remaining potent in comic books and video games. The term psyche itself has evolved to encapsulate the human soul or mind, thanks in part to this myth's influence on depth psychology.

Eros' presence in Valentine's Day lore as Cupid, with his cherub-like form shooting arrows to make us fall in love, is a direct descendant of the iconic god, reminding us each year of love's unpredictable and whimsical nature.

The myth of Eros and Psyche doesn't just narrate love; it maps out the very essence of our emotional and cultural experiences of it. From ancient literature to modern narratives, the legacy of Eros and Psyche continues to prove that when it comes to love, some stories are truly immortal.

Psychological Interpretation

The story of Eros and Psyche delves deep into the human psyche, exploring the nature of desire, longing, and personal growth. Eros, as the embodiment of desire, represents the impulsive, often irrational force within us all—the spark that can push us out of our comfort zones and into the grand adventure of life. Psyche, on the other hand, is the quintessential embodiment of the human soul, and her journey is a metaphor for the soul's pursuit of true love and fulfillment.

When Eros and Psyche's paths intertwine, it symbolizes the combustible combination of desire and soul—an allegory for the human condition. Desire propels the soul into the unknown, driving Psyche to undertake formidable feats for the love she yearns for. The seemingly insurmountable tasks set by Aphrodite represent the soul-challenging exercises in resilience, patience, and self-belief that we all face in life.

The first task of sorting the mixed grains resembles those overwhelming moments when everything feels chaotic, and the path ahead seems impossible to untangle. Psyche's ability to achieve this through the aid of ants reminds us that sometimes, asking for help and collaboration is key to overcoming life's challenges.

The golden wool from the dangerous sheep represents using wit over brute strength and waiting for the right moment to act, highlighting the importance of timing and strategy in navigating obstacles. Fetching water from the River Styx symbolizes confronting our deepest fears and exploring the treacherous waters of our subconscious.

The final task of venturing into the Underworld to retrieve a bit of Persephone's beauty is the ultimate metaphor for facing death and rebirth, embracing our mortality, and emerging transformed. Psyche's near-death slumber induced by opening the box illustrates how curiosity can lead to our downfall, but it's Eros' love that revives her, showing how desire can breathe life back into a weary soul.

Eros and Psyche's story demonstrates that desire and soul are inseparable in the journey of personal growth. Desire propels us toward our deepest yearnings, while the soul endures the necessary trials to achieve them. Together, they tell us that true, transformative love requires both the sparks of passion and the steadfastness of the soul.

Their journey invites us to embrace the trials, learn from the betrayals, and celebrate the triumphs in our own lives. It serves as a timeless template for understanding desire, overcoming obstacles, and growing into the best version of ourselves.

Eros in Greek Philosophy

In Greek philosophy, Eros is elevated from a mere matchmaking deity to a potent force that shapes human behavior and emotions. Plato, in his famous works like Symposium and Phaedrus, portrays Eros as not just the god pulling our romantic strings but also the cosmic force nudging us towards wisdom and virtue.

In the Symposium, Plato's characters deliver speeches on love, with Socrates channeling Diotima, a wise woman who fans the flames of Eros as a bridge between mere physical attraction and the philosophical pursuit of the Good and the Beautiful. According to Diotima, our love starts at physical attraction but can ascend to the love of wisdom, making Eros the engine driving our soul's journey from base desires to lofty intellectual pursuits.²

In Phaedrus, Plato has Socrates weave a tale that the human soul is like a charioteer with two winged horses—one noble, representing the soul's higher desires and aspirations, and one unruly, embodying our base passions. Eros helps the charioteer navigate this delicate balance, and when driven by pure love, Eros lifts the soul into the divine sphere, making us better individuals in the process.

The Epicureans took a different approach, emphasizing the pleasure principle. For them, Eros was about attaining personal bliss through the moderation of desires, finding joy without letting Eros' arrows leave you in a chaotic heap of emotions. They saw Eros as a manageable force that, when balanced, could lead to a tranquil, harmonious life.

Aristophanes, another guest at Plato's Symposium, spins a tale that humans were originally spherical beings with four arms, four legs, and a single head with two faces. Zeus split them in half, and ever since, humans have been searching for their other halves, driven by Eros. This whimsical myth underscores that love, and Eros in particular, is the force that drives us to seek completeness.

Parmenides saw Eros as a primordial god, a driving creative force behind the cosmos, underscoring Eros not merely as a personal sensation but as an essential principle of the universe itself.³

The Greeks saw Eros as an extraordinarily powerful force, not just making couples hold hands and gaze into each other's eyes, but as the spark igniting the soul's quest for truth, beauty, and even scientific discovery. The love instigated by Eros could lead to an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, transforming lives and civilizations.

Eros, threaded through the tapestry of Greek philosophy, morphs from a cheeky youngster with a bow into a profound cosmic force shaping human potential and behavior. He becomes the embodiment of our journey toward wisdom, virtue, and ultimate goodness, representing our quest for a meaningful, fulfilling existence.

Conclusion

Ultimately, Eros stands as a testament to the enduring power of love and desire. Whether depicted in ancient art or woven into philosophical discourse, his influence remains profound. The tale of Eros and Psyche reminds us that love's journey is filled with trials, but it's these very challenges that shape our souls and lead us to true fulfillment.