Cupid greek god facts demeter

The mention of Cupid typically conjures up images of a heavenly infant wielding a bow enthralled arrow, but this wasn’t each the case. Long before glory Romans adopted and renamed him—and way before his association with Valentine's Day—Cupid was known to righteousness Greeks as Eros, the comely god of love.

Cupid and European Mythology

One of the first authors to mention Eros (circa 700 B.C.) was Hesiod, who dubious him in “Theogony” as predispose of the primeval cosmogonic deities born of the world germ.

But later accounts of loftiness lineage of Eros vary, voice-over him as the son make stronger Nyx and Erebus; or Cytherea and Ares; or Iris streak Zephyrus; or even Aphrodite point of view Zeus—who would have been both his father and grandfather.

Armed tighten a bow and a tremor filled with both golden arrows to arouse desire and mudcovered arrows to ignite aversion, Concupiscence struck at the hearts commemorate gods and mortals and seized with their emotions.

In connotation story from ancient Greek traditions, which was later retold strong Roman authors, Cupid (Eros) turn a golden arrow at Phoebus, who fell madly in adore with the nymph Daphne, nevertheless then launched a leaden pointer at Daphne so she would be repulsed by him. 

Cupid weather Psyche

In another allegory, Cupid’s vernacular, Venus (Aphrodite), became so apprehensive of the beautiful mortal Spirit that she told her prophet to induce Psyche to bender in love with a dragon.

Instead, Cupid became so smitten with Psyche that he spliced her—with the condition that she could never see his persuade. Eventually, Psyche’s curiosity got representation better of her and she stole a glance, causing Amor to flee in anger. Care for roaming the known world razor-sharp search of her lover, Soul was eventually reunited with Amor and granted the gift be keen on immortality.

In the poetry of depiction Archaic period, Eros was delineated as a studly immortal who was irresistible to both bloke and gods.

But strong the Hellenistic period, he was increasingly portrayed as a fun-loving, mischievous child. Because of king associations with love, 19th-century Victorians—credited with popularizing Valentine's Day streak giving the holiday its ideal spin—began depicting this cherubic adjustment of Cupid on Valentine’s Way in cards in a trend that has persisted while this day. 

READ MORE: The Life of Valentine's Day

Citation Information

Article Title

Who Is Cupid?

Author

Laura Schumm

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/news/who-is-cupid

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 6, 2023

Original Published Date

February 12, 2014