A lot of people envision a small bearded child, with a cherub archer’s quiver and a diaper when they picture Cupid. It wasn’t always like that.
The story of Cupid is among the most loved romance stories from Greek as well as Roman mythology. It is a story about an incident, a disapproving father as well as a miscommunication between couples.
The origins of Cupid’s Name
It is the Roman God of Love, Cupid (or Amor) is a god of children often depicted as an infant who has wings. He has an arrow quiver which he fires at both mortals and deities. They have bars of gold that will make someone get in love and silver or lead sharp tip that makes the person hate them. Cupid is also sometimes shown by his hare of choice, who was the most important animal to him.
Cupid was born an unmarried son. This is one of the interesting Cupid legends. Venus Themis, his mother was upset that her son couldn’t become a man. The mother complained to Themis about her concerns. Themis said she could give the son she had a brother it would be the time for him to grow. Venus accepted, and made her son Cupid a little brother called Anteros. Cupid who was a grown boy, was still facing a dilemma. Cupid was in love with a girl enough that he had no control over himself. He started to feel erotic love for her. It was this that prompted him to shoot his bows of love at the hearts of mortals as well as gods.
Cupid ended up growing to be a handsome young man. He became so obsessed with Psyche that he slipped into a deep love affair with her. The truth was revealed and he was able to rush to Venus to apologize for his crimes.
Though he was deeply regretful, Venus was not pleased. Venus wanted to slap her husband through arranging for a rendezvous between herself and God or another mortal.
The situation got a bit complicated. Cupid did not have a great time refusing to accept her decision, and she decided to ruin the relationship he had with Psyche. He was assigned a series of impossible tasks to be completed before she allowed him back to her world. He completed the impossible tasks at the end, and eventually won her the love of her life back. This is an amazing illustration of how love and passion can overpower even the toughest obstacles. This story is also a source of inspiration for many modern fairytales like Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty.
The Origins of Cupid’s Symbols
In Greek and Roman mythology Cupid or Eros was a powerful god who ruled over mortal hearts. Eros was the child of Venus who was the goddess of beauty and love and Mars, god of warfare. The god of war caused confusion among Gods and mortals by his arrows made of lead that represent aversion as well as golden arrows representing desire. Even had one Anteros brother that represented religious love instead of sexual. Cupid even though he was incestuous with his parent’s relationship, got married to the goddess Psyche. The couple also had a son called Pleasure.
Unfortunately his mother Venus was unhappy with the way that the two of them loved one another. The nymph pleaded with Cupid for arrows attempt to convince her mortal subjects to fall in love. However, Cupid refused. In the end, she spilled oil onto Cupid to play an act of humor. This pricked him. Cupid vowed to never love again, but he was insufficient to withstand her resistance. She sent him to the Underworld to be punished.
According to the story it is said that he fell in love with a beautiful mortal woman. The woman was not aware of his identity and mistakenly thought she was bewitched. The gold-colored box was opened with his bows. The arrows were not hers. with him, but instead was taken to an endless night of sleep.
At this point The Christian religion altered the tales that were told by the Greek gods, and transformed Cupid into something of a demon. The anthropomorphic characteristics of Cupid was also altered due to the change. Cupid in his depiction, when naked, was supposed to look like a helpless child. Also, he had a quiver and bow and two the arrows. The one with a barbed edge was intended to entice love, while the other had a blunted silver or lead tips.
Cupid is a favorite of the imagination of poets and artists for centuries. Whether it is as the adorable little boy sporting his love arrows, ready to appear on every Valentine’s Day greeting card, the permanent mobile made of paper on your desk or the cupid from ancient Greek and Roman stories, Cupid never ceases to incite. His origins in mythology from classical times reveal both passion and heartbreak and demonstrate that love is not a simple affair.
What are the Origins of Cupid’s Myths
Cupid, the little sweet god of Valentine’s Day candy and love is a sweet illustration. As you dig into his mythological background, you’ll discover that love isn’t all about joy. It’s equally about love and heartbreak.
The mother of Cupid was Venus who was the goddess of love and beauty which is the Roman version of the Greek god Eros. Cupid, as Eros represents, is the goddess of beauty and love. Also, he is a god of sexual and erotic love. When he touched mortals or gods with his golden bows the belief was that they would be overwhelmed by the intense desire for sexual pleasure.
The princess’s mother was furious whom she asked the son of hers to fire one of their arrows at her so to make her fall an affair with a scary monster. This enraged the princess’s mother who demanded her son to shoot one of her arrows at her to ensure that she might fall in love with a hideous beast. Always obedient, Cupid heeded his mother’s instruction. The first time he saw the gorgeous mortal princess Psyche and fell in love, he was captivated.
Cupid then took Psyche to heaven where she could only glimpse him only if she was wearing a veil. She fell in love Cupid. But her curiosity eventually was too much and she snuck a peek at her lover. In a fit of jealousy, Venus offered Cupid to get her in love with the beast. In the end, he was so obsessed with her that he actually became the monster.
Then, a wise man or angel appeared to talk into Venus and convince her that Cupid was a decent boy and that the sacrificial princess Psyche truly loved the man. Thus, Venus was able to lift her horrible curse and let Cupid along with Psyche to get married, giving the princess immortality during the ceremony. In the present, we have the joyful cherub that we call Cupid whom we call Cupid is writhing with bows and arrows at the greeting card section of your neighborhood drug store, or decorates mobiles made of paper hanging from the ceilings of classrooms for third graders, is a much better representation of the God of Love.
How Cupid’s Art Got Its Name? Origins of Cupid’s Art
Cupid is a symbol of love and passion that is a fascination for authors, artists and storytellers throughout history. From the earliest Greek images of Eros to Roman interpretations of the mythology, Cupid has seen many incarnations and each has revealed something unique about the power and nature of love.
In the ancient Greek art, Cupid is often portrayed as a young man and his mother Venus in a throne. Cupid’s portrayal as a boy in his youth is typically depicted in the ancient Greek art with the mother Venus on the seat on a throne. Cupid is also a representation of our desire to love. This was evident in the moment he accidentally stung Psyche’s bows. This sting caused Psyche to fall in love, a form of love that is not inherently sexual, but rather affectionate and devoted.
The Romans have adapted the tale of Eros and Psyche to create their own mythology, and they altered Cupid’s appearance as well. ยูฟ่าเบท depicted Cupid was as a winged boy, sporting a bow and arrows. This illustration can be located on several earlier Valentine’s Day cards. In the following years, they would show him as a small kid with a bow archers, an image which eventually became the mischievous flying baby sporting a bow and an arrow that we know today.
As the mythology evolved, it started to focus less on the physical relationship between Cupid as well as Psyche and more in the psychological and spiritual aspects of love. Cupid’s initial role as an irresistible matchmaker was transformed into a role that represented chaos and turmoil that is a common theme in every love story.
Apuleius’ version of the myth also emphasizes the flaws of Cupid’s character in that he’s often pictured as a devil subjecting the weak and vulnerable to his lust. The mythical tale of a god that is capricious and who pierces the hearts of mortals with their desire for pleasure serves as an awakening to all of us it is true that love can be appealing and romantic however, it has a dark side.
Through the Middle Ages when art started to shift away from romantic and Greek themes and towards Christian ones, Cupid became a symbol of temptation. Cupid was usually depicted in the form of a child who had no clothing or wings, so the figure could take flight at any point. The image is crucial in illustrating that love may be harmful and can be temporary and it is not a long-term commitment.