The God of Love in Greek & Roman Mythology Essay

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Love is central to many ancient myths, as it is generally described as an extremely powerful force that can help gods and mortals to overcome various hardships, find peace of mind, settle down, and live happily with their loved ones. Eros is the Greek god of love, whose Roman equivalent is Cupid. There are various contradicting myths concerning the origins of Eros, his supernatural powers, and his place in the hierarchy of gods. Nevertheless, the deity was very popular, as it was worshiped in most ancient greek city-states and later in Ancient Rome.

Originally, Eros was considered to be one of the primordial gods, alongside Gaia, Tartarus, Erebus, Hemera, and Nyx. Parmenides, one of the pre-Socratic philosophers, even claims that Eros was the first god to ever exist. Nevertheless, the first generation of gods was typically not given human characteristics. Therefore, when a growing need to describe the formation and the power of love in detail became obvious, Eros was granted a different biography that could allow for the description of his own feelings and passion. That is why in later myths, he is described as the son of Aphrodite and Ares. Moreover, over time the love story of Eros and Psyche became one of the most admired myths in both Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.

Ancient Greeks realized that love was an umbrella term for a wide range of strong feelings, from simple pleasure to interpersonal affection and virtue. Therefore, the fact that numerous stories featuring Eros contradict each other proves that the ancient Greeks and the ancient Romans had difficulties defining it. The variety of Eros’s biographies helps realize the evolution of the concept from one of the most vigorous powers that create the world to a strong, beautiful emotion that makes human souls so beautiful.

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