Eros, The Greek God of Love

Eros or Cupid to the Romans is a God of love. He is the assistant of the Greek Goddess Aphrodite. Eros is the personification of universal passion and love in all its many facets, from spiritual to sexual to romantic to the love between friends and brothers in arms. He is also the God of homosexual love and was a God much worshiped by Greek soldiers. Many Greek armies sacrificed to him before conflict, as love between warriors helped to ensure success in battle. Eros also represents freedom and harmony and is a protector of man’s liberties and free will. He is a creative power and a God of fertility. He also presides over beauty, sexual intercourse, passion and healing. The word “erotic” comes from his name.

As is commonly seen in Greek Lore, much debated is the birth and parentage of Eros. Quite possibly, there were two Gods named Eros. The first, being one of the oldest of the Greek Gods and the second a far younger God, who was the son of Aphrodite and either Zeus or Ares. Possibly the older Eros passed on and was reborn the son of Aphrodite. The Greek Poet Hesiod wrote that Eros was one of the three Deities that born from the primal chaos and were the first Gods on Earth. Before all others, there was Gaia the Earth, Tartarus the Underworld and Eros Love. As the elder God, Eros created several other Greek Deities and all the birds. In Roman lore, Cupid is the son of Venus.

In Ancient times, Eros was a beautiful muscular full-grown man. He was a powerful God, as love itself is one of the most powerful forces on Earth and like all the Ancient Deities, had both a good side and a bad. He brought love and healing to the mind, body and soul. Yet, at times was unsympathetic and careless with whom he touched, often causing more pain than joy.

Even Eros himself was not immune to love. He lost his heart to a mortal girl, Psyche. Eros loved Psyche and constantly feared for her safety, as most mortals cannot look upon the radiance of a God and remain sane. He made Psyche swear that she would never look fully upon his face and he only visited her at night. Unfortunately, Psyche’s parents were unhappy with the situation and doubted Eros’ honesty. They thought he was lying to their daughter and believed he was really a hideous beast in disguise. Psyche determined to prove her parents wrong, broke her promise to Eros by lighting an oil lamp during one of his nightly visits so she could look upon his face. When she beheld his beauty, her hands shook and she spilt oil on him. Eros, hurt from the hot oil and broken hearted from the betrayal, fled into the night. Upon learning of her son’s injury, Aphrodite became angry and swore vengeance on Psyche. She even went as far as attempting to kill the girl. Thankfully, Eros recovered from his wounds quickly and rescued his love from his mother‘s anger. They eventually married and had two children, Volupta and Nyx.

Today Eros, the Greek God of love, is diminished to a naked or diaper clad cherub like boy. He does not command the respect or the admiration he once did. He has joined the ranks of old Gods, who are trivialized into cartoon and movie characters. Though the majority of humankind knows neither his true face nor name, he still rules the hearts of men and women alike. He is love, one of the strongest forces on Earth.