Isidore sees Cupid as a demon of fornication, who represents foolish and irrational love (Etym VIII. xi. 80). Petrus Berchorius says that Cupid, son of Venus Voluptaria, is the god of carnality; he is painted winged because love flies away suddenly, and he is also blind (De formis figurisque deorum, fol.
When the Roman empire converted to Christianity, the meaning of Cupid's nudity changed. The myths of Greek gods and goddesses were reinterpreted, and the deities were often portrayed as demons. Cupid was called the “demon of fornication” instead of the god of love.
Cupid is, quite literally, the child of the goddess of love, Venus. In Greek mythology, he is known as Eros, and, depending on the source, was thought to be a primordial god who came into the world either asexually, from an egg, or the son of Aphrodite (Venus' Hellenistic counterpart).
Cupid breaks into Psyche's house one night and fully intends to do just this for his mother, but he becomes so smitten with Psyche that he accidentally pricks himself with his own poisoned arrow while watching her sleep.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 1.470-74. Cupid = Eros = Kama.
Cupid, the boy god who makes people fall in love by shooting them with his golden arrows, is often portrayed as being either blind or blindfolded because the targets of his arrows seem selected at random. This notion gave rise to our expression "love is blind."
Cupid, ancient Roman god of love in all its varieties, the counterpart of the Greek god Eros and the equivalent of Amor in Latin poetry.
1 Expert Answer. Cupid is the minor god of falling in love. This is a big responsibility, and he wanted Psyche to love him not for his godly good-looks but for his love and dedication. Now, obviously that's weird because he fell in love with Psyche at first sight, but he's a god.
According to Roman mythology, Cupid fell madly in love with Psyche despite his mother's jealousy over Psyche's beauty. While he married her, he also told her never to look at him. He visited her only at night. Her sisters convinced her to look at Cupid despite his warning.
As Psyche's punishment, Aphrodite sent her son, Eros, to make the girl fall in love with a vile and hideous monster, as he had the ability to make anyone fall in love with the strike of his arrows. Eros did as he was asked by approaching Psyche as she slept and touching her with one of his arrows.
Like many Roman gods and goddesses, Cupid is a counterpart to a Greek god, that god being Eros. Looks wise Eros is the complete opposite of Cupid.
According to research, in the 14th to the 17th centuries, many artists painted Cupid as a baby angel and that depiction was what inspired the Cupid symbol that is used on cards and decorations for Valentine's Day. Strangely, Cupid caused many a people to think of love.
His Greek counterpart is Eros. Although Eros is generally portrayed as a slender winged youth in Classical Greek art, during the Hellenistic period, he was increasingly portrayed as a chubby boy.
The Romans' Cupid was the equivalent of the Greek god Eros, the origin of the word “erotic.” In ancient Greece, Eros is often seen as the son of Ares, the god of war, and Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, as well as sex and desire.
Cupid was a god, and, as beautiful as he was, he did not want his mortal wife to see his form. Psyche's sister didn't know he was a god, although they may have suspected it. However, they did know that Psyche's life was much happier than theirs.
Historians see Cupid wings as symbolic. And they're not unique to Cupid. Eros, too, is depicted as a winged creature in Greek mythology. “It was probably ideas about love being fleeting or capricious that are behind the representation of Eros with wings, which [goes] back to ancient times,” says Connors.
Weaknesses: Easily duped to be a pawn in other people's games. Also very proud of his skills as God of Love. Physical Description: He appears as a highly attractive fair-haired and light-skinned man (not a baby!) of indeterminate age. He dresses in Greek togas and is never seen without his bow and arrows.
In Roman mythology, Voluptas or Volupta is the daughter born from the union of Cupid and Psyche, according to Apuleius. The Latin word voluptas means 'pleasure' or 'delight'; Voluptas is known as the goddess of "sensual pleasures".
Cupid and Psyche: Key Takeaways
The tale involves the love relationship between a mortal and a god, and it is a rarity in classical literature, in that it has a happy ending.
Cupid's Secret Revealed. Psyche's idyllic life had a strange condition — she had promised never to look upon Cupid's face. Psyche's jealous sisters convinced her that her unseen lover might be a monster waiting to devour her some day. They advised Psyche to find out who he was before it was too late.
PSYKHE (Psyche) was the goddess of the soul and the wife of Eros (Roman Cupid) god of love. She was once a mortal princess whose extraordinary beauty earned the ire of Aphrodite (Roman Venus) when men began turning their worship away from the goddess towards the girl.
For the Romans, the character of Cupid was always a cherubic little boy who followed his mother's wishes to make people fall in love.
What are Cupid's powers? Cupid has the power to make people fall in love with each other. If he shoots someone with his arrow, they will fall in love. According to Ovid, he also has another arrow that can make people not love others.
Cupid and Psyche
Instead, Cupid became so enamored with Psyche that he married her—with the condition that she could never see his face. Eventually, Psyche's curiosity got the better of her and she stole a glance, causing Cupid to flee in anger.