Eros & Psyche

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From The Gods of Olympos, or Mythology of the Greeks and Romans by A.H. Petiscus, 1892.

Eros (Amor) and the Erotes

Eros appears among the Greeks in two very different forms. He is in some Theogonies, that cosmic force who brought harmony and order into the confused mass of antagonistic elements which existed in the beginning and formed Chaos. He united kindred substances, and separated those which were of different kinds. In the age of the famous philosophers, when men were trying to penetrate deeper into the origin of the universe, there was much talk of this Eros.

Eros. Illustrations from text.

The Eros who was the object of popular belief as a real god was a son of Ares and Aphrodite, or, according to a different version, the divinity who, with Peitho and the other gods, received the goddess of love as she rose from the sea. This scene was represented by Pheidias on the base of the throne of the Olympian Zeus.

The Eros of still later times was the youngest and fairest of the gods, whose omnipotence could subdue both gods and men.

Although the human aspect of Eros was the more prominent in popular belief and in art, his worship as the creative force of Nature continued to flourish, as in Thespiai, for instance, where his most ancient emblem was a rough stone. Eros was worshipped as Victor at Sparta, Thebes, Athens and on several islands, and as personification of the love of fatherland by Spartans and Cretans, who sacrificed to him before joining battle. In Athens there was an altar to him, and also to Anteros (love in return). The festival of the Erotidia, held at Thespiai, in Boetia, was a favourite one, and survived into later times. The gymnasia, where the Hellenic youth practised knightly and soldierly exercises, were specially sacred to Eros as the protector of good fellowship and friendship among youths and men.

The famous sculptor, Praxiteles, represented Eros as a graceful youth verging on manhood. Later than this Eros is a roguish mischievous boy, sparing neither gods nor men with his unerring darts. His power over the Immortals is shown by their attributes which he holds in his hands. He may be seen, for instance, with the gigantic club of Herakles. Although Eros was not one of the high Olympian gods, he was a pleasing figure to the Greeks in art and poetry as a personification of the omnipotence and eternal youth of Love. Philosophers and tragedians had much to say of Eros. Poets who sang of love and pleasure, and the blessed Golden Age, were called Erotic.

Eros, as a boy, is winged. Sometimes he holds the bow and quiver, or has a burning torch in his hand, to show the fiery power of his inspiration. In this aspect he inspires youths who march to battle. Sometimes he plays the lyre, riding on an eagle, a lion or a dolphin, or driving stags or boars, for love can tame the wildest beasts. One of the loveliest stories of later antiquity is the myth of the union of Eros and Psyche. Psyche is the soul, and was thought of as a delicate butterfly or a slender girl with butterfly wings. Hence in representations of the creation of man, Athene places a butterfly on the head of the inanimate body formed by Prometheus; or Hermes, as leader of souls, brings to Prometheus a Psyche with butterfly wings.

Eros & Psyche.

Psyche was the daughter of a prince on the island of Crete, or, in another version, of the Sun-god, and was dowered by the gods with such exquisite beauty that she was admired above Aphrodite, and thus aroused the jealousy of the goddess, and of her own sisters, who were less beautiful than herself. Aphrodite commanded Eros to punish Psyche by inspiring her with an infatuation for some despicable creature, and Eros—

"Had still no thought but to do all her will,

Nor cared to think if it were good or ill:

So, beautiful and pitiless, he went,

And toward him still the blossomed fruit trees leant,

And after him the wind crept murmuring,

And on the boughs the birds forgot to sing."

But when he saw Psyche he fell in love with her on the spot. In the meantime her father had consulted the oracle of Apollo, and had been directed to clothe his daughter in mourning garments, and lead her to a rock, where she should become the bride of a winged dragon. With grief and lamentation he obeyed this cruel command. As soon as Psyche was alone upon the rock she was hidden by a cloud, lifted by gentle breezes, and wafted to a beautiful castle. Here every night, as soon as it was dark, she was visited by Eros, but she could not see him, nor did she know his name, and she was strictly warned not to attempt to find out who her lover was.

But when Psyche's sisters came to her to see her wonderful castle, they persuaded her to take the first opportunity of satisfying her curiosity. So Psyche took a lamp, stole softly to the side of Eros, and bent over him. When she saw that the sleeping youth was Aphrodite's son she was so startled that she let a drop of hot oil fall on his naked shoulder. The god awoke, bitterly rebuked her curiosity, and left the castle.

Psyche was inconsolable, and wandered over the whole world to find her lover. On her way she came to the palace of Aphrodite, who detained her, imposed slave's labour on her, and at last put her courage to the severest test by commanding her to go to the realm of Shades and fetch a casket of ointment from Persephone. All this time Psyche was supported by the secret presence of Eros, else she must have succumbed to her hard trials. When she had fetched the casket and opened it, stupefying fumes arose from it, and she sank fainting on the ground. Now Eros could contain himself no longer, he hastened to her, took her in his arms, and lovingly called her back to life. The anger of Aphrodite was appeased, and the lovers were wedded, with great rejoicings, in presence of all the Olympian gods.

It is not difficult to attach an allegorical meaning to this beautiful tale. It is the story of human life. The soul who has once transgressed the divine command must suffer sorrow and misfortune, until, chastened and purified, she is ready to enter on the enjoyment of pure and real happiness.

Poets and artists multiplied the figure of Eros, and conceived of a number of little Love-gods, or Genii, in the form of pretty children. They are found in the train of Aphrodite or of Dionysos, are called Erotes and may constantly be seen in ancient pictures and sculptures. They have been a favourite subject, too, with later artists, even down to modern times.

Petiscus, A.H. The Gods of Olympos, or Mythology of the Greeks and Romans. Unwin. 1892.

A.H. Petiscus

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