The god of what, Eros? He was the naughty god of love and constant companion of the goddess Aphrodite. According to the poet Hesd, he is the original deity who "begat himself."
The poet describes the two gods of love, Eros and Himeros (Chimeros), who accompanied Aphrodite when she emerged from the foam of the sea. According to other classical writers, this couple was born, like Aphrodite, from the foam of the sea.
This scene was especially popular in ancient art. Some paintings depict Aphrodite reclining in a shell with both deities beside her.
Thanks to the diligence of ancient artists and poets, Eros was only one of many erots. Nevertheless, he is different from all of them.
Quotes from Classical Ancient Greek Literature
Nonnus of Panopolitans. Acts of Dionysus. Song XLVIII. 470-477. (Source: Nonnus of Panopolitans. Deeds of Dionysus /Translated from Ancient Greek by Yu. - SPb: Aletheia, 1997. - С. 481) (Greek epic of the 5th century AD):
"Eros meanwhile with a sting.
Sweet desire bruised Dionysus,
After soaring on huge wings under the vaults of Olympus!
And now Bacchus, wandering in the valleys, is struck with passion,
The god can't find his place, no longer hoping
For a maiden's favour, but there's no cure for love!
Ovid. Metamorphoses. Book ten. 525. (Source: Publius Ovidius Nazon. Metamorphoses / Translation from Latin by S. V. Shervinsky. - M.: Artistic Literature, 1977) (Roman epic of the 1st century B.C. - 1st century A.D.):
"The mother was once kissed by a boy girded with a tul,
And the arrow that protruded inadvertently scratched her breast.
Wounded, the goddess withdrew her son with her hand: however
The wound was deep, Venus was deceived at first."
[And she was delighted with the beauty of Adonis].
Read the description of Eros in quotations >>
Cupid in modern culture.
With curly hair, red lips, tiny wings, and an arrow with a heart-shaped tip, Cupid is an iconic and recognizable figure in contemporary popular culture. Most often it can be seen on Valentine's cards, candy boxes and soft toys, but we should not forget about the deep artistic heritage of this historical symbol.
Cupid remains relevant in contemporary art as well. For example, the popular pop art duo husband and wife Claes Oldenburg and Kosje van Bruggen installed a popular sculpture in San Francisco. The sculpture is called Cupid's Span, which is very symbolic because Cupid-inspired objects and works of art have been created and are still being created for thousands of years, proving that the god of love and art have always been a perfect match.
God of what Eros?
It is the deity of fiery desire and passionate love. Eros ignites the hearts of the Olympian gods and ordinary mortals. He is often portrayed armed with a bow and arrow.
Sometimes Eros is depicted with a torch in his hand, but it is actually a symbol of Hymen, the god of marriage.
Eros is capricious and disobedient but at the same time he is a faithful servant of Aphrodite.
Eros is depicted on ancient vases either as a child or as a handsome and statuesque young man. His attributes are not always a bow and arrow - often the god is holding a rabbit, a flower or a belt.
Sculptors preferred to depict a teenager with a bow, and mosaic artists preferred to depict a winged, chubby baby.
Cupid in art
Cupid has always been one of the favorite subjects of poets, painters, musicians and sculptors.
With a renewed interest in the humanism of classical art, Renaissance painters depicted Cupid as quite a realistic child. However, he grew inexorably younger and younger. In some paintings by masters of the Italian and Northern Renaissance, Cupid was depicted not just as a baby, but even as an infant.
During the development of the Italian Renaissance, many artists began to depict several Cupids in a single painting. This technique became known as amorini, or cupids. At times the cupids (also called putti - angels) even found their way into biblical images, such as Raphael's Sistine Madonna.
Who is Eros
The god of what is Cupid (Eros)? He is Aphrodite's messenger and executor of her will. According to one myth, Zeus wanted to kill the child at birth. But his mother hid him in the forest, where Eros was nurtured by two lionesses.
The god of what is Cupid in Greek mythology? This deity dominates both the external nature and the moral world of gods and men. He rules their hearts and wills.
In relation to the phenomena of nature he is the beneficent god of spring, impregnating the earth and bringing forth new life.
He is a graceful, light and capricious deity. Golden-winged and golden-haired Eros is the youngest of the immortal gods. He likes to amuse himself by shooting arrows of passion into the hearts of gods and men.
According to some myths, he is a wily and cruel-hearted little boy who, as a constant companion of the beautiful Aphrodite, shamelessly wooed his mother.
Denmark
Copenhagen
Eros and Psyche. C.G. Kratzenstein-Stab.
New Glyptothek, Copenhagen, Denmark
Athena and Eros. Painting of the ceiling.
Children's National History Museum, Copenhagen. Denmark
Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein-Stub. Eros and Psyche.
New Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen. Denmark
Eros and Psyche
Cupid, the god of love, once fell victim to love himself. Here's how it was.
Among the hills and fields, on the shore of the sea, there was a beautiful city, the capital of a Greek state. In this city ruled a powerful king who had three daughters of incredible beauty. Poems were written in honor of the eldest and middle daughter, and their beauty was legendary even outside their own land.
But the real diamond was their youngest sister, Psyche. At the sight of her men were speechless, and the gods compared her to Aphrodite.
The king soon married off his elder daughters to the nobility. But problems began to arise with the younger one. She was so beautiful that no one could get up the courage to marry her. The sighing men feared the wrath of the gods, for they believed that such beauty was not worthy of the love of mortals.
Aphrodite found this out and became jealous. The goddess was disgusted by the idea that a mortal woman could equal her beauty. Intending to spoil the beauty's life, she summoned Eros and ordered him to make Psyche fall in love with the most unworthy man in Hellas.
- Let her be unhappy. - Added Aphrodite.
Eros flew off to carry out the commission, but suddenly fell in love with Psyche himself. He kidnapped the girl, and, settling her in a luxurious palace, appeared to her invisibly, at night. He asked for one thing: their relationship must remain secret, and she must not try to see him.
As is often the case, love often falls prey to envy. Burning with curiosity, aroused by her sisters (You don't know who he is, they said. What if he's a monster?" they said), Psyche lit a candle, and she saw the beautiful young man sleeping on their bed. Alas, a drop of wax fell on his body, and Eros awoke. With regret and sadness he said that now they would have to part. And he disappeared.
Psyche had been searching for her beloved for a long time, and she had many trials to face. Only the intervention of Zeus allowed the lovers to be united forever.
The meaning of tattoos for girls
Girls with a tattoo with Cupid show their state of being in love, trying to perpetuate strong feelings for a partner. Colorful and bright drawings on the body show how positive and joyful the owner looks at the world. Watercolor technique of translucent shades in the tattoo is a sign of a romantic character, a thin, sensitive nature. The bright red heart in the tattoo plot denotes a passionate feeling of love, strong cordial affection, a tendency to ardent display of emotions in relationships. Many people add mottos and phrases about love, the names of lovers to the body drawing.
Girls who are not bound to a serious relationship get a Cupid tattoo to attract true love into their lives. The tattoo-mascot can be small, made in one shade, in a secluded place on the body, which in normal life is covered by clothes. The owners of the tattoo are usually modest and shy girls who dream to meet their mate and experience the action of the powerful energy of true love passions.
The meaning of tattoos for men
Unsuccessful love experience, defeats on the personal front can inspire to decorate the body with a tattoo in which Cupid's eyes are closed with a bandage. Such a drawing can reflect both unpleasant memories associated with unhappy love stories and the wearer's own experiences and fears. The accidental and unpredictable appearance of passionate attachment to someone can knock out the rut, and the tattoo holder is a little afraid of this, and therefore tries to trust reason rather than feelings.
A tattoo of a sleeping Cupid laying down his arms denotes numerous disappointments in love and a sad experience in a relationship. Perhaps the wearer experienced indifference on the part of his beloved, was not appreciated by his partner. A strong but unrequited love remains in the memory for a long time, so the tattoo with a tired Cupid is a sign of such a sad story.
A bright tattoo in an animated manner speaks of the owner's great sense of humor, who often personifies the character of the funny tattoo with himself. Drawing on the body with a smirking, mischievous cupid characterizes the owner as an experienced womanizer, able to drive crazy and conquer any girl. Such guys easily achieve women's affections and are always in the spotlight. Numerous love affairs and passionate romances do not bore the owner of the tattoo, new acquaintances and strong feelings inspire him.
The first mention of the great god
The Greek god Eros represents love and fertility, and he is also considered one of the first celestials. Thus, according to tradition, he came into existence through the fusion of the eternal darkness of Erebus and the goddess of night, Nicta. Because of this, he is often referred to as the creature who caught the original Chaos. It was he who subsequently caused Uranus (the sky) and Gaia (the earth) to become entwined.
Over time, however, the Greeks came up with a different story of the birth of Eros. Thus, the parents of the god of love were Aphrodite and Ares, the two strongest inhabitants of Olympus. It is said that Zeus, seeing the threat in their child, ordered to kill him while he was still an infant. But the goddess of love and beauty could not put up with such an order from her father - she sent her child into the sacred forest. There two fierce lionesses watched over him, guarding and feeding him.
