Welcome Jaime! Chris and others interested - The Women's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets (Barbara G. Walker) lists the following under EROS:
'Bisexual Greek deity of erotic love, identical with Hindu Kama. Orphics said Eros was the first god to emerge from the womb of the primal creatress, Mother Night, "of whom even Zeus stands in awe". Plato said Eros was the oldest of deities, the most worthy of honor, the one who gave souls strength to ascend to heaven after death. In short, Eros was a kind of savior, before cults of asceticism began to replace the older worship of sexuality as a primary life-force.' also... 'Classical myth wedded Psyche (female soul) to the love-god Eros (male body): a union of soul with body. Apuleius's version said Psyche and her bridegroom could come together only in the dark. When Psyche insisted on seeing Eros by the light of her lamp, he had to leave her forever.' Arrows borne by Eros signified messages of love sent to pierce the heart of the beloved (Cupid). An arrow piercing a heart became a traditional sign of sexual union. Arrows are traditionally a symbol of the masculine - penetration, war, and directives, as in 'go this way'. These days we think of cute little chubby cupids but originally Eros (Cupid) connoted lust and greedy desire. Eros gave motion to the universe (order out of chaos). Great to have the prompt to get out the old books... I am pondering the implications... Thanks Jaime for sparking a new viewpoint! best to all, glory Chris Weaver wrote: > Thanks Jaime for the Bolivia report! > Tell us more stories sometime about your work there. > > I like your reference to EROS being the way from chaos to order. If you (or > anyone) remembers a particular myth this idea comes from & where to read it, > let us know. > > A Dios! > Chris > > Swannanoa, North Carolina, USA > > * > * > ========================================================== > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > ------------------------------ > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, > Visit: > > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
