Mythful Meanings

In the English language, many meanings come from myths. This blog considers many of those words.

Myths are stories people tell to explain the great mysteries of life, such as birth and death, why the sun rises and sets, and why the moon changes in a predictable pattern.

I decided to start over from the end of the alphabet and work toward the beginning. I have a stack of index cards with information typed on them, all in alphabetical order. When I started this blog, I started at A, because I didn't realize that all the entries would be pushed down.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Cupid

To the ancient Romans, Cupid was a god of love (Eros to the ancient Greeks), sometimes called Amor. The myths of his origins vary, but a common one says he was the son of Venus (the goddess of love) and Mars (the god of war). He was usually portrayed as a child or baby with wings, who carried a bow and a quiver of arrows. When he shot someone with one of his arrows, the person fell in love. One of the best-known of the stories about Cupid is the story of how he fell in love with Psyche, but that one I'll save for later.

English word: The name of this god has survived in English, and the image of the winged baby with bow and arrows is the common symbol for Valentine's Day. The phrase cupid's bow describes shapely lips. Cupidity means inordinate greed for wealth. Even Kewpie doll comes from Cupid.

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