Eros
The Olympian Eros was the mischievous winged god of love — son of Aphrodite, whose golden arrows caused irresistible desire and whose lead arrows caused revulsion.
The Myth of Eros
Unlike the primordial Eros who existed at creation, the Olympian Eros was a winged archer, son of Aphrodite and Ares. His golden arrows caused irresistible love, his lead arrows caused revulsion. He shot Apollo with gold to make him pursue Daphne, then shot Daphne with lead so she fled to her father Peneus, who transformed her into a laurel tree. He made Medea fall in love with Jason at Hera and Athena's request, enabling the quest for the Golden Fleece. He struck Zeus countless times. His most famous myth came later: he fell in love with the mortal Psyche, visiting her only in darkness. When she lit a lamp and saw his divine beauty, he fled to Olympus. After trials set by Aphrodite, Zeus reunited them and made Psyche immortal.
Children
Voluptas (by Psyche)
Symbols
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
God of Love
💭 conceptLove, desire, attraction, passion
Eros wields a bow whose golden arrows ignite irresistible love and whose lead arrows cause revulsion.
Cupid
⚡ godLove, desire, attraction
Roman god of erotic love and desire, son of Venus, equivalent to the Greek Eros
Aphrodite
⚡ godGoddess of love, beauty, desire
Goddess of love and beauty, born from the sea foam. Aphrodite's power to inspire desire was so great that even the gods were not immune.
Eros
💭 conceptPrimordial god of love and desire
In the oldest myths, Eros was a primordial force — one of the first beings to emerge from Chaos, the power that draws all things together. Later reimagined as Aphrodite's mischievous son.
Aphrodite
⚡ godGoddess of love, desire, and beauty
The goddess born from sea-foam whose power over desire could override the will of gods and mortals alike.
Apollo
⚡ godGod of the sun, music, poetry, prophecy, healing, archery
God of light, music, poetry, and prophecy. Apollo embodied the Greek ideal of youthful masculine beauty and was patron of the Oracle at Delphi.
Himeros
⚡ godDesire and longing
God of immediate desire and passionate longing, companion of Aphrodite from her birth
Erotic
💭 conceptDesire, sensuality, romantic passion
Relating to sexual love or desire, from Eros, the god of love and attraction.
Anteros
⚡ godrequited love, love returned, revenge against those who spurn love
God of requited love and the avenger of those whose love is not returned, twin brother of Eros.
Psyche
🗡 heroMortal whose love conquered a god
Psyche was a princess so beautiful that Aphrodite was jealous — she married Eros in darkness and lost him when she looked, then won him back through impossible labours.
Apollo and Daphne
💭 conceptNarrative
The god's relentless pursuit of a nymph who chose transformation into a laurel tree over submission
Apollo
⚡ godGod of light, music, prophecy, and plague
Apollo was the most complex Olympian — god of light, music, poetry, prophecy, healing, plague, and rational thought, the divine embodiment of Greek civilisation.