Greek Mythology: “The Horae”.-

 ►Greek Mythology: “The Horae”:

“Apollo and the Hours” by Georg Friedrich Kersting (1822).

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The Horae were the goddesses of the seasons and the natural portions of time. 

They were originally the personifications of nature in its different seasonal aspects, but in later times they were regarded as goddesses of order in general and natural justice.

Pursuant to Homer, who neither mentions their parents nor their number, they are the Olympian divinities of the weather and the ministers of Zeus; and in this capacity they guard the doors of Olympus, and promote the fertility of the earth, by the various kinds of weather they send down. Thy were also the ones who discovered Aphrodite soon after her sea-foam birth and saved her.

The Horae are mentioned in two senses in Hesiod’s “Theogony” and the Homeric Hymns.

►First Triad: In one variant emphasizing their fruitful aspect, Thallo (Spring or new shoots), Auxo or Auxesia (Spring Growth, which equals to Summer), and Carpo (Autumn). 

These three Horae, (Thallo, Auxo and Carpo) were the daughters of Zeus and Themis. Thus they were also sisters of the Three Fates (or Moirai)

They were the goddesses of the three seasons the Greeks recognized: Spring (Thallo), Summer (Auxo) and Autumn (Carpo).

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Detail of an attic vase, depicting the Three Horae (Seasons). Period: Late Archaic (500 BC).

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As the Horae were conceived to promote the prosperity of every thing that grows, they appear also as the protectresses of youth.

Jane Ellen Harrison asserts the existence of female trinities, discusses the Horae as chronological symbols representing the phases of the Moon and goes on to equate the Horae with the Seasons, the Graces and the Fates and the three seasons of the ancient Greek year.

The Hora of Spring, Thallo, accompanied Persephone every year on her ascent from Hades’ Underworld to meet his mother Demeter. According to one of the Homeric Hymns, the attributes of spring-flowers, fragrance, and graceful freshness are accordingly transferred to the Horae; thus they adorned Aphrodite as she rose from the sea, made a garland of flowers for Pandora, and even inanimate things are described as deriving peculiar charms from the Horae. 

►Second Triad: In this variant, emphasising the “right order” aspect of the Horae. They were three Goddesses called Dike, Eunomia, and Eirene.

These three Horae were law-and-order goddesses that maintained the stability of society and were worshipped primarily in the cities of Athens, Argos and Olympia.

•Eunomia was the goddess of law and legislation. The same or a different goddess may have been a daughter of  Hermes and Aphrodite.

•Dike was he goddess of moral justice: she ruled over human justice, as her mother Themis ruled over divine justice. According to myths,  Zeus placed her on earth to keep mankind just, he quickly learned this was impossible and placed her next to him on Olympus, as the Greek constellation called The Maiden.

•Eirene was the personification of peace and wealth.

•Note regarding the number of Horae: The number of the Horae differs according to the sources, though the most ancient number seems to have been two (Thallo and Carpo). But afterwards their common number was three. 

Quintus Smyrnaeus makes Helios and Selene (the Sun and Moon) the parents of the Horae, goddesses of the seasons.

In this account of Helios’ myth, the Horae were the four handmaidens of Hera (Zeus’ wife). According to this version, their names were: Eiar (Spring), Theros (Summer), Phthinoporon (Autumn), and Cheimon (Winter).

Hyginus (Fab. 183) is in great confusion respecting the number and names of the Horae, as he mixes up the original names with surnames, and the designations of separate seasons or hours. In this manner he first makes out a list of ten Horae (Titanis, Auxo, Eunomia, Pherusa, Carpo, Dice, Euporia, Eirene, Orthosia, and Thallo), and a second of eleven (Auge, Anatole, Musia, Gymnasia, Nymphes, Mesembria, Sponde, Telete, Acme, Cypridos, Dysis). 

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►Villa Dar Buc Ammera (Rome): Mosaic depicting the Seasons:

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►In another different variant the Horae were not related with seasons but to the portions of time of the Day, twelve hours for the Ancient Greeks.

The ancient Greeks divided the hours of daylight into twelve portions, identified by the position of the sun in the sky. 

In this sense, the Twelve Horae were Goddesses of the hours of the day and perhaps also of the twelve months of the year.

These Horae oversaw the path of the Sun-God Helios as he travelled across the sky, dividing the day into its portions.

The Twelve Horae were not always clearly distinguishable from the Horae of the Seasons, who were also described as overseeing the path of the sun.

Their names were:

•Auge, first light.

•Anatole, sunrise.

•Mousika, the morning hour of music and study.

•Gymnastika, the morning hour of gymnastics/exercise.

•Nymph, the morning hour of ablutions (bathing, washing).

•Mesembria, noon.

•Sponde, libations poured after lunch.

•Elete, prayer, the first of the afternoon work hours.

•Akte, eating and pleasure, the second of the afternoon work hours.

•Hesperis, evening.

•Dysis, sunset.

•Arktos, night sky, constellation.

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“Apollo and the Continents. Details of Frescoes in the Würzburg Residenz (1751-53)
by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1752-53 ). Description: Apollo (Helios) has left his palace and is floating slowly downward, accompanied by two of the Horae, while the rising sun shines out behind him. Sun rising over the Earth, symbolized by the surrounding Continents. The sun appears as a life-giving force which determines the course of the days, months and years.

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►Two Paintings by Sandro Botticelli (1444/1510), featuring the Seasons (Greek Horae):

1)”The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli (1486):

“The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli (1486).

“The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli (1486). Detail. On the Right: One of the Greek Horae waits for Aphrodite with a flower covered robe .

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Description: The wind gods Boreas and Zephyrus waft the Goddess of Love to shore. There, one of the Horae, probably Thallo, who represented Spring, waits to receive Aphrodite (Venus) as she spreads out a flower covered robe in readiness for the Love Goddess’ arrival.

The picture hung in the country villa of the Medici along with “Primavera” (see painting below), indicating that the work was commissioned by the Medici family.

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2) “Primavera”, by Sandro Botticelli (1482):

“Primavera” by Sandro Botticelli (1482).

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Description: This painting depicts a tale from the fifth book of Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” in which the wood nymph Chloris‘ charms attracted the first wind of Spring, Zephyr.

Zephyr pursued her and as she was ravished, flowers sprang from her mouth and she became transformed into Flora, goddess of flowers.

Aphrodite presides over the garden – an orange grove (a Medici symbol). She stands in front of the dark leaves of a myrtle, which was a sacred plant to her.  

According to Botticelli, the woman in the flowered dress is Primavera (a personification of Spring thus probably link to Thallo) whose companion is Flora.

The Three Graces accompanying her are being targeted by Eros (Cupid in Roman Mythology).

In Greek Mythology, the Three Graces represent beauty, joy and plenty.

They are usually shown holding hands, smiling at each other or dancing, forming a close-knit group.

Hermes, the Greek god of herds and herald of the gods, keeps the garden safe from threatening clouds. 

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“Primavera” by Sandro Botticelli (1482). Details. On the Left: Mercury (Hermes). On the Right: Chloris and Zephyrus.

“Primavera” by Sandro Botticelli (1482). Details. On The Left: Flora, the goddess of flowers. In the Middle: Venus (Aphrodite) standing in her arch. And according to Botticelli, The Goddess of Spring, which in Greek Mythology was one of the Horae: Thallo. On the Right: The Three Graces.

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►Links Post:

http://www.theoi.com/Titan/Horai.html 

http://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/Horai.html 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horae 

http://www.greek-gods.info/ancient-greek-gods/horae/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primavera_(Painting)

http://www.italian-renaissance-art.com/Birth-of-Venus.html

http://noellevignola.com/2014/11/02/horae/ (Thoughts on the Horae By Noelle)

http://toritto.wordpress.com/2014/03/04/channeling-botticelli-2/  (A poem By Toritto)

http://www.livius.org/vi-vr/villa/villa_dar_bur_ammera_seasons.html

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►Worth Reading:

“A Great Post on Malala Yousafzai at When Women Inspire“:

I want to thank Christy Birmingham for letting me be part of her very special tribute to Malala Yousafzai… A girl who is an example of resistance and overcoming, who fights against extremism and inequality and who has recently become the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. 

Please make sure to check out the post here: Spotlight on Women’s Rights Activist Malala Yousafzai

Malala Speaks out loud. Read the post here: http://whenwomeninspire.com/2014/10/24/malala-yousafzai-womens-activist/

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►Last but not Least: Challenge Workplace Blog Hop:

I have been invited for this Blog Hop by Kevin from Kev’s Blog and by Inese from Inesemjphotography.

The main idea here is to spot the place where you usually blog. It aims to give other bloggers a general overview on your blogger workspace (just to satisfy their curious minds)… 

So, with that purpose, I took some photos and attached them below. 

Finally I’d like to invite the following five bloggers to join the challenge. Of course, as all the blog challenges, this one is not compulsory either… 

1) Verónica from “En Humor Arte” 2) Irina from “Irina’s Poetry Corner” 3) Dulcinea from “Hodgepodge4thesoul” 4) Angie From “Family Life is More” 5) Francis from “Qhapaq”.

The rules are basically to spot your personal blogging space through a few photos, to link back to the blogger who invited you and to invite a bunch of bloggers to join you. Enjoy it!, Aquileana 😀

 

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Greek Mythology: “Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Ares and her Other Lovers”.-

►Greek Mythology: “Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Ares and her Other Lovers”:

“Mars and Venus Surprised by Vulcan” by Joachim Wtewael. (1601).

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Hephaestus (Roman equivalent: Vulcan), the smith and craftsman of the gods, was married to Aphrodite (Roman equivalent: Venus), the goddess of love and beauty.

It was not a good  marriage because Aphrodite was as an unfaithful wife.

But Hephaestus also cheated her, for example with Athena, the Greek goddess of reason, intelligent activity, arts and literature.

Aphrodite most notable lovers were the gods Ares (God of War. Roman equivalent: Mars), Dionysius, Greek God of Wine and Fertility,  Hermes, (Greek God of herds and herald of the gods. Roman equivalent: Mercury), Zeus (King of Gods. Roman equivalent: Jupiter), Nerites (A young Sea-God who was the very first love of Aphrodite). Poseidon (Greek God of the Sea. Roman equivalent: Neptune), and the mortal, Adonis, who was Myhrra’son.

Except for a few occasions when he was overwhelmed with jealousy or resentment, Hephaestus seemed to accept this arrangement.

Aphrodite had a long love affair with Ares (Roman equivalent), the god of war and strife. Eros, god of Love, would become their son.

Ares was the great Olympian God of War, Battlelust and Manly Courage.

In Greek art he was depicted as either a mature, bearded warrior dressed in battle arms, or a nude beardless youth with helm and spear. 

Some of the more famous myths featuring the god include his adulterous affair with Aphrodite whislt she was married to Hephaestus and the slaying of Adonis, his rival for the love of Aphrodite, in the guise of a boar.

Helius, the Sun God was able to see most things during the day, as he drove his sun chariot across the sky. It was one of those days that Helius witnessed Aphrodite taking her lover in her bed, while Hephaestus was absent. Helius easily recognised Ares.

So, he told everything to Hephaestus.

Hephaestus decided to take revenge on the lovers. Thus using his wit and his crafting skills he fashioned an unbreakable net and trapped the two lovers while they were in bed Hephaestus immediately walked back to his bedchamber with a host of other gods to witness the disgraced pair. Only the male Olympians appeared, while the goddesses stayed in Olympus

Poseidon tried to persuade Hephaestus to release the adulterous pair. At first, Hephaestus refused the request, because he wanted to extract the most out of his revenge, but at the end he released his wife and her love. Ares immediately fled to Thrace, while Aphrodite went to Paphos at the island of Cyprus.

According to the roman poet Ovid, Aphrodite made sure to punish the informer, the sun god Helius.

As Helius loved a nymph, named Clytie. Aphrodite made him  fall in love with another young woman, named Leucothoe, who was daughter of Orchamus (king of Persia).

Clytie became jealous of her rival, so she spread a rumour saying that she was seduced by a mortal lover. Leucothoe’s father, King Orchamus buried her alive. 

Thus, finally, Helius abandoned Clytie, and flew through the sky, driving his chariot  for nine days.

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Aphrodite and her Lovers (Source http://www.theoi.com)

Amphora. Details. On the Left: Ares casts a spear at a Gigante from his chariot, driven by the goddess Aphrodite, while Eros aims his bow. On the Right: Aphrodite with doves and her lover Ares. Period: Late Classic (400/350 BC).

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“Mars and Venus” by Sandro Botticelli (1483).

“Mars and Venus” by Sandro Botticelli (1483).

►Description: In the painting Venus watches Mars sleeps while two infant satyrs play carrying his armor as another rests under his arm. A fourth blows a small conch shell in his ear in an effort to wake him. Mars is sleeping the ‘little death’ which comes after making love, and not even a trumpet in his ear will wake him. The little satyrs have stolen his lance – a joke to show that he is now disarmed. The scene is set in a haunted forest, and the sense of perspective and horizon extremely tight and compact.  In the foreground, a swarm of wasps hovers around Mars’ head, possibly as a symbol that love is often accompanied by pain.

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►Aphrodite (Venus), her husband Hephaetus (Vulcan) and her lover Ares (Mars):

“Forge of Vulcan” by Antoine Wiertz, (19th century).

“Venus at Vulcan’s Forge” by Floris Frans (1560-64).

“Venus and Mars, caught by Vulcan” by Luca Giordano (1760).

“Mars and Venus United by Love” by Paolo Veronese. (1570).

“Venus, Mars and Vulcan” by Jacopo Tintoretto (1551).

“Mars, Venus and Amor” by Titian (1530).

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►Aphrodite (Venus) and her other Lovers:

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►Links Post:

http://www.godandgoddess.com/the-goddess-aphrodite.html

http://smart-pustaka.blogspot.com.ar/2011/02/dewi-aphrodite.html 

http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/AphroditeLoves.html

http://www.timelessmyths.com/classical/lovers.html

 http://www.timelessmyths.com/classical/lovers.html

http://www.maicar.com/GML/Aphrodite.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_and_Venus_(Botticelli)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hephaestus 

http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/HephaistosLoves.html 

http://www.greek-gods.org/olympian-gods/aphrodite.php

http://www.mythindex.com/greek-mythology/A/Ares.html

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Art / Mythology: “The Loggia of Psyche” (Frescoes Based on the Myth Of Eros and Psyche).-

►Art / Mythology: “The Loggia of Psyche” at The Villa Farnesina

(Frescoes Based on the Myth Of Eros and Psyche):

“The Loggia of Psyche” (Villa Farnesina, Rome. 16th Century).

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The Villa Farnesina is placed in the Trastevere area of Rome on the Via della Lungara along the river Tiber.

It was designed by Baldassare Perluzzi between 1508 and 1512 for the banker, Agostino Chigi who was in love with his mistress Francesca Ordeaschi to whom he finally married in 1519.

After Chigi, the villa was purchased by the Farnese family and connected by a bridge across the Tiber to the huge Palazzo Farnese on the opposite bank.

The walls related to the Loggia of Phsyche were frescoed by several noted artists, most importantly Raphael, but it’s the ceiling that illustrates Psyche and Eros’ story.  

Scholars suggest that the story cycle alludes to Chigi’s own life, and his recent marriage.

Although the preparatory drawings and the general conception of the stories are by Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (also known as Raphael (1483/1520), the bulk of the painting was carried out by his pupils, notably Giovanni da Udine (who painted the rich plant festoons of the frame) with the collaboration of Giulio Romano, Raffaellino del Colle and Gianfrancesco Penni. 

Two frescoes on the ceiling depict incidents in the story of Eros and Psyche which took place in heaven.

Eros (Roman equivalent: Cupid) fell in love with Psyche and he abducted her.

Then, they had sexual relationships in total darkness because Eros had forbidden her to look at him.

As Aphrodite (Roman equivalent: Venus) was jealous of Psyche’s Beauty, she imprisoned his son, Eros, in her palace and forbade her to see him. At the end, Aphrodite accepted a deal, telling Psyche that she had to accomplish four tasks in order to see her beloved again.

After Psyche had undergone many difficult trials, Zeus made her immortal, and allowed her to marry Eros.

The Eros and Psyche myth corpus might be considered an  allegory for the ascent of the soul to immortality through love (especially love of beauty), based on Plato’s dialogue “Symposium” through Diotima’s “Ladder of Love”. 

By going through it, one will ascend from loving particular kinds of beauty to loving Beauty itself, from which all beautiful things derive their nature.

According to this analogy, Beauty is related to Love. Besides, Beauty itself is a Form or Idea, which  always exists, not coming into being or ceasing to be, nor increasing nor diminishing. Thus, Beauty will not appear in certain bodies in particular: it will appear in itself and by itself, independent of everything else. 

 

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►”Loggia di Psyche” (Sequential Gallery):

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“Venus and Cupid” by Raphael and collaborators (1517-18).

•In this fresco, Aphrodite (Roman equivalent: Venus) shows her son Eros (Roman equivalent Cupid) who is the young woman who was defying her own Beauty. According to the original version of the myth, Aphrodite, The Goddess of Beauty, asked Eros to poison men’ souls in order to kill off their desire for Psyche.

“Cupid and the Three Graces” by Raphael’s collaborator Giulio Romano (1517-18).

•Here we can The Three Graces on the clouds listening as young Eros relates the story of Psyche and his mother Aphrodite’s initial opposition – jealous of Psyche’s beauty – to mortal Psyche as his lover and eventual wife, as Apuleius originally tells in “The Golden Ass”.

The Three Graces were also known in Greek Mythology as Charites and they were goddesses related to charm, beauty, and creativity.

Venus (Aphrodite), Ceres (Demeter) and Juno (Hera) by Raphael with Giovanni da Udine’s collaboration. (1517-18).

•This detail from the vault of the Loggia shows Venus (Greek equivalent: Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty), Ceres,(Greek equivalent: Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest) and Juno (Greek equivalent: Hera, Zeus’ wife and sister and Goddess of Marriage and Childbirth ).

In this spandrel the group of three goddesses is divided.

Venus has learned of the secret affair and, driven by wrath, is seeking support from her female friends. But they both show little sympathy for her wrath and laments.

“Venus on the Chariot Pulled by Doves” by Raphael and collaborators (1517-18).

•In this spandrel we can see Goddess Aphrodite (Roman equivalent: Venus), on a chariot and pulled by Doves. The chariot might be related with the allegory of ascendant Beauty, whilst the doves were specific attributes of the Goddess.

“Psyche Brings a Vessel up to Venus/Aphrodite” by Giulio Romano (1517-18).

“Venus and Psyche” by Raphael and collaborators (1517-18).

•This two frescoes are linked to the fourth task ordered to Psyche by Aphrodite.

As the narrative relates of her ordeals commanded by Aphrodite, Psyche is taken to Aphrodite carrying the vessel she thinks holds Persephone’s beauty but actually holds deadly “Sleep of the Innermost Darkness, the night of Styx”.

Psyche opens the box desiring to be beautiful for Eros and restored to him. In doing so, disobeying Aphrodite, she swoons toward death, needing to be revived by Eros.

Cupid and Jupiter (on the left). Psyche and Jupiter (on the right). By Raphael and collaborators (1517-18).

•In these frescoes we can see Zeus, the ruler of the Olympian gods (Roman equivalent: Jupiter) with Eros (Roman equivalent: Cupid) on the left and Psyche on the right.

The Father of Gods advises them. His attitude seems to be more wrathful towards Eros, as he is holding his chin while he is staring at him. By contrast, he looks at Psyche with an indulgent and affable gesture.

“Mercury” (Hermes) by Raphael and collaborators (1517-18).

“Mercury Brings Psyche up to Olympus” by Raphael and collaborators (1517-18).

•In these two frescoes we can see Hermes (Roman equivalent: Mercury) who was the messenger of the gods and guide of dead souls to the Underworld. Hermes was also well known for performing duties for Father of Gods.

As a matter of fact, Zeus appreciated Hermes’ wits highly and always asked for Hermes’ assistance throughout his decisions. 

In Apuleius’ Eros and Psyche story, Hermes even carries Psyche to heaven and the marriage banquet, just as seen in the first frescoe below.

“Wedding Banquet of Cupid and Psyche” by Raphael and collaborators (1517-18).

“The Council of Gods” by Raphael and collaborators (1517-18).

“Wedding Banquet of Cupid and Psyche” and “The Council of the Gods” (Detail). By Rapahel and collaborators (1517-18).

•The conclusion of the Psyche and Eros story takes place in two broad format paintings in the vault panel.

Raphael depicts the council of the gods in which Zeus (Roman equivalent: Jupiter) decides to accept Psyche and Hermes (Roman equivalent: Mercury) gives her the elixir of immortality.

Then the wedding is celebrated. The groupings of figures spread out in a lively way. The communal life of the gods is unfolded in a characterization of their all human, too human feelings.-

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►Paul Hindemith, “Amor und Psyche”, Villa Farnesina, Raphael:

[Note: The first fresco appearing in the video is not part of the ceiling frescoes composing “The Loggia of Psyche”. Its name is “The Triumph of Galatea” and it was completed about 1514 by Raphael for the Villa Farnesina].

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►Links Post:

http://www.wga.hu/html_m/r/raphael/5roma/4a/

http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~mjoseph/CP/ICP.html

http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/farnesina/farnesina.html

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Loggia_of_Psyche_(Villa_Farnesina,_Rome)

http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~mjoseph/CP/loggia.html

http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/symposium/section11.rhtml

http://www.electrummagazine.com/2012/06/the-villa-farnesina-jewel-of-renaissance-rome/

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Greek Mythology: “Eros, God of Love and Son of Goddess Aphrodite”.-

“Red-Figure Plate with Eros” by Ascoli Satriano (Dated 340-320 BC). Walters Art Museum, Baltimore.

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Eros was the Greek God of Love. His roman equivalent was Cupid.

In Hesiod’ s “Theogony” he is represented as a cosmic force which emerged self-born at the beginning of time to spur procreation.

Hesiod was making reference to the Protogenos (primordial deity) of procreation who emerged self-formed at the beginning of time. He was the driving force behind the generation of new life in the early cosmos.

According to Hesiod, Eros was the fourth god to come into existence, coming after Chaos, Gaia and Tartarus  (the Abyss or the Underworld).

The Orphic and Eleusinian Mysteries featured Eros as an original God, but not quite primordial, since he was one of the sons of Nyx.

The Orphics knew him as Phanes, a primal being hatched from the World Egg at creation. 

Hesiod also describes two love-gods, Eros and Himeros (Desire), accompanying Aphrodite at her birth from the sea-foam.

This second and later sense is related to Younger Eros, a boy-god armed with bow and arrows.

A minion who, according to Ovid, was son of Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Beauty and Ares, the Greek God of War, whose love affair represented an allegory of Love and War.

Anteros was also the son of Ares and Aphrodite and therefore Eros’ brother.

Eros and Anteros were related to the notion of “Love returned”. But, originally, Anteros was a being opposed to Eros, and fighting against him. This conflict, however, was also conceived as the rivalry existing between two lovers, and Anteros accordingly punished those who did not return the love of others

Anteros, with Eros, was one of a host of winged love gods called Erotes, the ever-youthful winged gods of love, usually depicted as winged boys in the company of Aphrodite or her attendant goddesses.

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“Venus and Cupid” by Lambert Sustris (1560). In this painting, Venus (Aphrodite) is stroking some doves (her attributes) in the presence of her son Cupid (Eros) as she awaits his lover Mars (or Ares in the background, right) who is on his way to join her.

“Allegory with Venus, Mars, Cupid and Time”. by Guercino (1625). In this painting, winged Time points an accusing finger at baby Cupid, (Eros) held in a net that evokes the snare in which Venus (Aphrodite) and Mars (Ares) were caught by her betrayed husband Vulcan (hephasitos)

“Eros et Anteros” (ou “Deux Amours qui se battent”) by Alessandro Algardi. 17th century.

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►Eros, Greek God of Love: Attributes and Themes:

•Eros (Or Cupid), The Honey Thief: In “Idylls” of Theocritus (3rd century BC), the poet tells the tale of Cupid the honey thief, the child-god is stung by bees when he steals honey from their hive. He cries and runs to his mother, who laughs, and tells him that he also delivers the sting of love.

•Eros and the Dolphin: In later art, Eros is often shown riding a dolphin. This may be a symbol representing how swiftly love moves.

•Eros, the Blinfolded Minion: In the later satirical poets, he is represented as a blindfolded child, and this is a symbol of Love being blinkered and arbitrary.

•Eros, the winged boy: He is also described a winged boy. This may suggest that lovers are flighty and likely to change their minds. He is just a boy, because love is irrational.

•Eros’ symbols: The Arrow and the Torch: His symbols are the arrow and torch, because love is said to wound and inflame the heart”. 

According to Ovid, Cupid carries two kinds of arrows, one with a sharp golden point, and the other with a blunt tip of lead.

A person wounded by the golden arrow is filled with uncontrollable desire, but the one struck by the lead feels aversion and desires only to flee.

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“Cupid, the Honey Thief” by Albrecht Dürer (1514).

“Cupid (Eros) complaining to Venus (Aphrodite)” by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1525).

“Cupid riding a Dolphin” by Peter Paul Rubens (1636).

Mosaic: “Eros riding a dolphin”. Imperial Roman. (1st- 2nd Century). Eros rides across the sea on the back of a dolphin. He holds a whip in one hand, and a pair of reins in the other.

“Blindfolded, armed Cupid” by Piero della Francesca (1452/66).

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►Links Post:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_primordial_deities 

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/e/eros.html 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eros

 http://www.wga.hu/html_m/r/rubens/7graphic/14sketch.html

 http://gogreece.about.com/od/greekmythology/a/eros.htm 

http://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/Eros.html

http://mythologie-laverite.jimdo.com/ant%C3%A9ros/

http://hubpages.com/hub/Aphrodite-Goddess-of-Love

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