Education: Cupid

So, who is this Cupid? And what's up with his aim?

Depending on your beliefs Cupid is in fact not an actual person. Well, even if you do believe in Cupid he isn't an actual person. He is the god of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection in classical mythology.



Cupid is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus. This emphasis as a son is why he is often pictured as a chubby boy (which became common during the Hellenistic Period of Greek Art). It was during this time he acquired the infamous bow and arrow that represents his source of power and it is believed that a person, or even deity, who is shot by Cupid's arrow is filled with uncontrollable desire.

Here is some interesting information about Cupid's appearance in art. They are all kind of sad but, pretty true.

1. He is winged because lovers are flighty and likely to change their minds.
2. His appearance is boyish because love is foolish and irrational.
3. He carries an arrow and torch "because love wounds and inflames the heart".
4. He is often portrayed blindfolded because love is blind.
5. Especially in Roman Art, he is portrayed with or surrounded by fruits, animals, or attributes of the season to represent the Earth's generative capacity.
6. When he is portrayed sleeping, it represents absent or languishing love.

As described by William Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night's Dream:

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.
Nor hath love's mind of any judgement taste;
Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste.
And therefore is love said to be a child
Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.

Any story involving Cupid in mythology is sort of a twisted tale. For all of the good that he envokes on others by spreading the adventure of Romance, he is always portrayed as mischevious, greedy, and tricky. The long tales of mythology are never without struggle in between any of the good. Like in the tale of Cupid and Psyche where she falls in love with Cupid and his beauty and he runs away. She wanders the Earth looking for him and finally submits to the services of Venus, who tortures her until she becomes a sort of "Sleeping Beauty" and only awakens when Cupid returns. She is then granted immortality so that they can wed but what an ordeal. Not too far off from real life it seems.