The History of Cupid
How did this mischievous, winged child armed with bow and arrows come to represent Valentine's Day? Greeks referred to him as Eros, son of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty. But Cupid is known as the God of Love and is probably the most recognizable symbol associated with Valentine's Day, along with the heart. He is viewed as a mischievous, winged child armed with bows and arrows. The arrows represent signs and feelings of love, aimed at everyone.
His name was given by the Romans, and his mother was Venus. According to Roman mythology, Venus was very jealous of Cupid's bride, Psyche, who was mortal. She ordered her son to punish his would-be wife. But Cupid felt very passionately towards Psyche. Despite her mortal status that prevented her from looking at him, Cupid still married Psyche.
Greeks referred to him as Eros, son of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty. But Cupid is known as the God of Love and is probably the most recognizable symbol associated with Valentine's Day, along with the heart. He is viewed as a mischievous, winged child armed with bows and arrows. The arrows represent signs and feelings of love, aimed at everyone.
His name was given by the Romans, and his mother was Venus. According to Roman mythology, Venus was very jealous of Cupid's bride, Psyche, who was mortal. She ordered her son to punish his would-be wife. But Cupid felt very passionately towards Psyche. Despite her mortal status that prevented her from looking at him, Cupid still married Psyche.
The bride's sisters would later convince Psyche to look at Cupid. When she did, Cupid punished her by leaving her. Their beautiful surroundings, including their castle and gardens, were gone too. Left with nothing, Psyche wandered in search of her lost love. She would eventually arrive at the temple of Venus, who wanted to destroy her.
Venus gave Psyche increasingly difficult and dangerous tasks. For her final task, she was given a little box and was told to go to the underworld and retrieve some of the beauty of Proserpine, the wife of Pluto, and place it in the box. Psyche was also warned about the deadly dangers of opening the box during her trip. But like her prior curiosity, she could not overcome the temptation and looked inside the box. Instead of revealing beauty, she found death.
Cupid would later find her motionless body on the ground. He took the deadly sleep and gathered it in the box. Both Cupid and Venus forgave her. The Gods, as a result of her influential love for Cupid, also made Psyche a goddess.
How did this mischievous, winged child armed with bow and arrows come to represent Valentine's Day? Greeks referred to him as Eros, son of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty. But Cupid is known as the God of Love and is probably the most recognizable symbol associated with Valentine's Day, along with the heart. He is viewed as a mischievous, winged child armed with bows and arrows. The arrows represent signs and feelings of love, aimed at everyone.
His name was given by the Romans, and his mother was Venus. According to Roman mythology, Venus was very jealous of Cupid's bride, Psyche, who was mortal. She ordered her son to punish his would-be wife. But Cupid felt very passionately towards Psyche. Despite her mortal status that prevented her from looking at him, Cupid still married Psyche.
Greeks referred to him as Eros, son of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty. But Cupid is known as the God of Love and is probably the most recognizable symbol associated with Valentine's Day, along with the heart. He is viewed as a mischievous, winged child armed with bows and arrows. The arrows represent signs and feelings of love, aimed at everyone.
His name was given by the Romans, and his mother was Venus. According to Roman mythology, Venus was very jealous of Cupid's bride, Psyche, who was mortal. She ordered her son to punish his would-be wife. But Cupid felt very passionately towards Psyche. Despite her mortal status that prevented her from looking at him, Cupid still married Psyche.
The bride's sisters would later convince Psyche to look at Cupid. When she did, Cupid punished her by leaving her. Their beautiful surroundings, including their castle and gardens, were gone too. Left with nothing, Psyche wandered in search of her lost love. She would eventually arrive at the temple of Venus, who wanted to destroy her.
Venus gave Psyche increasingly difficult and dangerous tasks. For her final task, she was given a little box and was told to go to the underworld and retrieve some of the beauty of Proserpine, the wife of Pluto, and place it in the box. Psyche was also warned about the deadly dangers of opening the box during her trip. But like her prior curiosity, she could not overcome the temptation and looked inside the box. Instead of revealing beauty, she found death.
Cupid would later find her motionless body on the ground. He took the deadly sleep and gathered it in the box. Both Cupid and Venus forgave her. The Gods, as a result of her influential love for Cupid, also made Psyche a goddess.