Many are interested in the question of the name of the god of love among the Romans, since there are many different versions. In fact, Cupid, Cupid, Eros and Eros are all one deity that is known not only in Roman culture, but all over the world. His images are used in various souvenirs, which is especially popular on Valentine's Day. Cupid is a symbol of inevitable love and passion. From the Latin language his name is translated as "lust."
The Story of the God of Love in Ancient Roman Mythology
Cupid is the son of Venus and Vulcan. Although in some sources there is also other information, according to which this god appeared from a golden or silver egg. Represented the god of love of young men or a child with a mop of golden hair. On his back he had wings that allowed him to hit his targets from any convenient place. Always with a god, Cupid wore a bow and golden arrows that hit people's hearts. People who abandoned their feelings, the God of love forced to suffer. Interestingly, the arrows not only sent, but also killed feelings. Sometimes Cupid depicted blindfolded, which symbolized the randomness of choice. There is information that it was from here that the expression "love is blind."
Cupid was Aphrodite's assistant, and only he enjoyed real divine worship. The gods of love in the Roman mythology could not resist the arrows of the ordinary people, but also the gods. Zeus himself acknowledged that love is an invincible force. They esteemed Cupid not only as the god of lovers, but also as the patron of male friendship. In educational institutions it was often placed between the statues of Hermes and Hercules. They sacrificed to him before the battle to rally and foster loyalty to each other.
Myth about Cupid and Psyche
Venus envied the unearthly beauty of Psyche, which was mortal. She ordered her son to punish her. Instead, seeing the beauty, the god of love Cupid made her his wife. Since mortals could not look at the gods, the girl did not even know how her husband looked. All was well until the Sisters of Psyche persuaded her to follow Cupid and look at him. This angered the god, and he abandoned her, taking with him all the blessings created for the beloved. The girl suffered for a long time and decided to go to the temple of Venus and turn to the mother of her lover. The goddess said she would talk about Cupid, but only after Psyche passed numerous tests. The girl decided in what would not have to prove her love, so she accepted the offer. The last task was to deliver Pandora's Box to the underworld. It was important not to open it. Curiosity still prevailed, and a dead sleep broke out of Pandora's Box, and Psyche perished. Cupid has found a lover and brought her back to life. The strength of the feelings of this couple was admired not only by people, but also by gods.
God of love with the Romans in art
As already mentioned, the image of the Cupid is used in making various souvenirs, and they can differ in the actions and appearance of the god. In general, each of the incarnations has a certain meaning that you should know
- With a burning heart in his hands is a sign of love, and the heart burns from the senses to the object of adoration.
- With the hand of the flame that closes the fire, it is an indication that if one neglects the feelings of another person, then love can disappear.
- Hitting on the heart of a hammer is a symbol of what it is worth to moderate your ardor and do everything sensibly.
- With a fishing rod in hand - this is an indication that a person often swallows a love lure, and is caught, and this brings a lot of problems and sorrows.