Erotes

The Erotes are a group of winged gods in Classical mythology. They are associated with love and sexual desire, and form part of Aphrodite's retinue. The individual Erotes are sometimes linked to particular aspects of love, and are often associated with same-sex desire.{{refn| name=conner|see Conner, Sparks, & Sparks (1998){{cite book |title=Cassell's Encyclopedia of Queer Myth, Symbol and Spirit |last1=Conner |first1=Randy P. |last2=Sparks |first2=David Hatfield |last3=Sparks |first3=Mariya |year=1998 |publisher=Cassell |location=UK |isbn=0-304-70423-7}} chapters "Aphrodite",{{rp|page=64}} "Erotes",{{rp|page=133}} "Eros",{{rp|page=132}} and "Pothos".{{rp|page=270}}}} Sometimes the Erotes are regarded as manifestations of a singular god, Eros.{{rp|page=45}}

Stories of the Erotes' mischief or pranks were a popular theme in Hellenistic culture, particularly in the 2nd century BCE.{{cite book |title=Roman sculpture from Augustus to Constantine |volume=2 |last=Strong |year=1911 |publisher=Duckworth and Co. |page=265}} Spells to attract or repel Erotes were used, in order to induce love or the opposite.{{cite book |title=Magic in the Ancient Greek World |url=https://archive.org/details/magicancientgree00coll_596 |url-access=limited |last=Collins |first=Derek |publisher=Blackwell |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-4051-3238-1 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/magicancientgree00coll_596/page/n114 100], 167}} Different Erotes represented various facets of love or desire, such as unrequited love (Himeros), mutual love (Anteros) or longing (Pothos).{{rp|page=133}}

The Erotes were usually portrayed as nude, handsome, winged youths.{{rp|page=133}} The earliest known sculptured friezes depicting a group of Erotes and winged maidens driving chariots pulled by goats, were created to decorate theatres in ancient Greece in the 2nd century BCE.{{cite book |title=Sculpture: The reliefs from the theater |last=Sturgeon |first=Mary Carol |year=1977 |publisher=ASCSA |isbn=978-0-87661-092-3}}{{rp|pages=124–125}} The representation of Erotes in such friezes became common, including Erotes in hunting scenes.{{rp|page=126}} Due to their role in the classical mythological pantheon, the Erotes' representation is sometimes purely symbolic (indicating some form of love) or they may be portrayed as individual characters.{{cite book |title=Among Women: From the homosocial to the homoerotic in the ancient world |url=https://archive.org/details/amongwomenfromho00rabi |url-access=limited |last1=Rabinowitz |first1=Nancy Sorkin |last2=Auanger |first2=Lisa |year=2002 |publisher=University of Texas Press |isbn=978-0-292-77113-0 |page=[https://archive.org/details/amongwomenfromho00rabi/page/n257 239]}} The presence of Erotes in otherwise non-sexual images, such as of two women, has been interpreted to indicate a homoerotic subtext. In the cult of Aphrodite in Anatolia, iconographic images of the goddess with three Erotes symbolized the three realms over which she had dominion: the Earth, sky, and water.{{cite book |title=Hellenistic Sculpture: The styles of ca. 100-31 B.C. |last=Ridgway |first=Brunilde Sismondo |year=2002 |publisher=University of Wisconsin Press |isbn=978-0-299-17710-2 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/hellenisticsculp0003ridg |page=[https://archive.org/details/hellenisticsculp0003ridg/page/115 115]}}

Groups of numerous Erotes are portrayed in ancient Greek and Roman art. In addition, a number of named gods have been regarded as Erotes, sometimes being assigned particular associations with aspects of love.

{{main article| Anteros}}

Anteros (Greek: Ἀντέρως, Antérōs) was the god of requited love, literally "love returned" or "counterpart love". He punished those who scorned love and the advances of others, and was the avenger of unrequited love.{{cite book |title=Dictionary of Mythology, Mainly Classical |url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofmyth00evan |url-access= registration |last=Evans |first=Bergen |year=1970 |page=[https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofmyth00evan/page/20 20] |publisher=Centennial Press |isbn=978-0-299-17710-2}} Anteros was the son of Ares and Aphrodite in Greek mythology, and given to his brother Eros as a playmate because Eros was lonely. In another version, Anteros arose from mutual feelings between Poseidon and Nerites.{{cite book |author=Claudius Aelianus |author-link=Claudius Aelianus |title=On Animals |at=14.28}} Physically, Anteros was depicted as similar to Eros in every way, though sometimes with longer hair and butterfly wings.{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}} He has been described as armed with either a golden club or arrows of lead.{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}}

File:Eros bobbin Louvre CA1798.jpg. Attic red-figure bobbin, c. 470–450 BCE]]

{{main article|Eros}}

Eros was the original, primordial god of love and intercourse; he was also worshiped as a fertility deity. His Roman counterpart was Cupid (desire).{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}

In later myths, he was the son of the deities Aphrodite and Ares: It is the Eros of these later myths who is one of the erotes. Eros was associated with athleticism, with statues erected in gymnasia,{{rp|page=132}} and "was often regarded as the protector of homosexual love between men."{{rp|page=132}} Eros was depicted as often carrying a lyre or bow and arrow. He was also depicted accompanied by dolphins, flutes, roosters, roses, and torches.{{cite book |author-link=William Smith (lexicographer) |last=Smith |first=William |year=1873 |title=Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology |place=London, UK |chapter=Eros |chapter-url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DE%3Aentry+group%3D6%3Aentry%3Deros-bio-1}}

{{rp|page=132}}

{{main article| Hedylogos}}

Hedylogos or Hedylogus ({{langx|grc|Ἡδυλόγος}}) was the god of sweet-talk and flattery. He is not mentioned in any surviving literature, but he is depicted on ancient Greek vase paintings.

{{main article|Hermaphroditus}}

Hermaphroditus was the god of hermaphrodites, effeminacy and androgyny. He was the son of Hermes and Aphrodite. Born a remarkably handsome boy but after the water nymph Salmacis fell in love with him and she prayed to be united forever, their two forms merged into one.

{{main article|Himeros}}

Himeros (Greek: {{lang|grc|Ἵμερος}} "uncontrollable desire", Latin: Himerus) represented desire and unrequited love.{{rp|page=40}} Himeros was identified by his carrying a taenia, a colourful headband worn by athletes.{{rp|page=178}} Hesiod's Theogony says that he accompanied Aphrodite to the Gods, alongside Eros.Hesiod, Theogony, 201.

{{main article|Hymen (god)}}

Hymenaeus ({{langx|el|Ὑμέναιος}}) or Hymen ({{langx|el|Ὑμήν}}) was the god of weddings and marriage.

File:Pothos Via Cavour Musei Capitolini MC2417 n1.jpg, Rome]]

Pothos (Greek: {{lang|grc|Πόθος}}, "yearning", "desire") was one of Aphrodite's erotes and brother to Himeros and Eros. In some versions of myth, Pothos is the son of Eros, or is portrayed as an independent aspect of him.{{rp|page=270}} Yet others called him son of Zephyrus and Iris.{{cite book |author=Nonnus |author-link=Nonnus |title=Dionysiaca |at=47.340}} He was part of Aphrodite's retinue, and carried a vine, indicating a connection to wine or the god Dionysus. Pothos represents longing or yearning.

{{rp|page=40}} In the temple of Aphrodite at Megara, there was a sculpture that represented Pothos together with Eros and Himeros which has been credited to Scopas.{{cite book |author=Pausanias |author-link=Pausanias (geographer) |title=Description of Greece |at=1.43.6}}

{{main article|Phthonus}}

Sometime counted among the Erotes or at least among Aphrodite's retinue, Phthonus was the personification of jealousy and envy,{{cite book |last1=Accorinti |first1=Domenico |url=https://brill.com/view/book/edcoll/9789004310698/B9789004310698_009.xml |title=Brill's Companion to Nonnus of Panopolis |date=11 March 2016 |publisher=Brill |doi=10.1163/9789004310698_009 |isbn=9789004310698 |access-date=5 July 2022}} most prominently in matters of romance.

• Cupid
• List of love and lust deities
• LGBT themes in mythology
• Harmonia

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{{Commons category multi|Erotes|Eros|Pothos}}

• {{cite web|url=https://www.livius.org/pn-po/pothos/pothos.html|title=Pothos|website=livius.org|access-date=8 December 2007|archive-date=11 June 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020611085222/https://www.livius.org/pn-po/pothos/pothos.html|url-status=dead}}
• {{cite web|url=https://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/Erotes.html|publisher=Theoi Project|title=Erotes}}

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{{Cupid and Psyche}}

{{Greek mythology (deities)}}

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Category:Greek love and lust gods

Category:Children of Aphrodite

Category:Sexuality in ancient Rome

Category:Avian humanoids

Category:LGBTQ themes in Greek mythology

Category:Sexuality in ancient Greece

Category:Nudity in mythology

Category:Children of Ares

Category:Personifications in Greek mythology

Category:Olympian deities