Eros
Eros
8 min read
Eros is the Greek god of love and desire. The son of Aphrodite and Ares according to classical tradition, he is depicted as a winged young child armed with a bow and golden arrows. His Roman equivalent is Cupid.
Key Facts
- Eros is one of the oldest deities in Greek mythology, mentioned as early as Hesiod's Theogony (around 700 BCE) as a primordial cosmogonic force
- In the classical tradition, he becomes the son of Aphrodite and Ares, losing his cosmic role to become a mischievous god of love
- The myth of Eros and Psyche, told by Apuleius in the 2nd century CE, is one of the most celebrated love stories of antiquity
- His Roman equivalent, Cupid (Amor), has greatly influenced the iconography of love in the Western world to this day
- Plato, in The Symposium (around 385 BCE), makes him the subject of a philosophical reflection on the nature of love
Works & Achievements
The first major Greek text to establish Eros as a primordial cosmic force, born before the Olympians. This poem lays the foundation of Greek divine genealogy and places Eros at the heart of the creation of the world.
A major philosophical dialogue in which several speeches explore the nature of Eros: god, intermediary daemon, or philosophical force guiding the soul toward absolute Beauty and Goodness.
The most complete version of the myth of Eros and Psyche in ancient literature, which directly inspired centuries of literature, painting, and sculpture throughout the Western world.
A collection of elegiac poems in which Ovid makes abundant use of Cupid/Eros as an active character — the spark of passion and the mischievous arbiter of love's games.
A sculptural masterpiece regarded by the Ancients as one of the most beautiful Greek statues ever made. The original is lost, but Roman copies testify to its lasting influence on Western art.
An iconic Renaissance painting depicting two female figures in the presence of a childlike Cupid-Eros, illustrating the duality of human and divine love inherited from Antiquity.
Anecdotes
According to Hesiod in the *Theogony* (c. 700 BCE), Eros is not the son of Aphrodite but one of the first forces to appear in the world, born from primordial Chaos. This very ancient version makes Eros a cosmic power, the driving force behind all creation, long before he was reduced to the mischievous little god passed down to us by classical tradition.
Eros possessed two types of arrows with opposing effects: golden arrows sparked an ardent and irresistible love, while lead arrows inspired rejection and indifference. Apollo, who had mocked Eros's small bow, experienced this firsthand: struck by a golden arrow, he fell desperately in love with the nymph Daphne, who, hit by a lead arrow, fled from him in despair.
The story of Eros and Psyche, told by Apuleius in the 2nd century CE, is one of the first great romantic love narratives in Western literature. Eros, secretly in love with a mortal of divine beauty, would visit her at night without ever letting himself be seen. When Psyche, driven by curiosity, lit a lamp to gaze upon her sleeping lover, a drop of boiling oil fell on him and he fled — this tale of the forbidden gaze has become a foundational myth about trust in love.
Even the most powerful gods of Olympus feared Eros's arrows. Zeus himself, master of thunder, was not immune to his amorous whims — it is Eros who is often held responsible for the many affairs of the king of the gods. Aphrodite would sometimes use her son as a weapon to influence the lives of mortals and immortals alike, earning him a formidable reputation despite his childlike appearance.
In archaic Greek iconography, Eros was depicted as a handsome winged young man, athletic and majestic. It was only from the Hellenistic period onward (3rd–1st century BCE) that he gradually transformed into a chubby, mischievous cherub. This shift reflects a profound cultural evolution: love moved from a terrifying cosmic force to a domesticated sentiment, perfectly suited to decorative art.
Primary Sources
In the beginning was Chaos. Then Gaia [...] and Eros, the most beautiful among the immortal gods, he who loosens the limbs and who, in the breast of every god and every man, subdues the heart and the wise will.
Eros is the most ancient of the gods, the most worthy of honor, and the most capable of making men virtuous and happy, both during their life and after their death.
Psyche, trembling and suppliant, lowered her eyes; and when she raised them again, she saw the sweetest and most beautiful creature in nature: Cupid himself, the god of gods, resting gracefully.
With his mischievous hand, Cupid launched two arrows of opposite power: one that kindles love, the other that flees from it. Apollo burns, Daphne refuses.
I sing of majestic Eros, companion of golden-crowned Aphrodite, who roams over mountains and seas, seeking to set ablaze the hearts of mortals and gods.
Key Places
Home of the Greek gods and the residence of Eros alongside his mother Aphrodite. It is from the heights of Olympus that he exerts his influence over the world of mortals and immortals alike.
A Greek city that housed the most important sanctuary dedicated to Eros. Panhellenic games (the Erotideia) were celebrated there every four years in his honor.
Island and principal sanctuary of Aphrodite, mother of Eros according to classical tradition. A major pilgrimage site in antiquity, closely associated with the cult of love and desire.
A Greek island associated with Aphrodite and, by extension, with Eros. It is mentioned in ancient texts as one of the cradles of the love cult in Greek mythology.
In the myth of Eros and Psyche, Eros possesses a magnificent palace invisible to ordinary mortals, surrounded by wondrous gardens and attended by disembodied voices, where he welcomes his beloved Psyche.