Greek vs Roman
Eros vs Cupid: how do they differ?
Short answer: Cupid is the Roman name for the Greek Eros, and both are gods of love and desire. In Hesiod's earliest Greek account, Eros is one of the first powers to exist, before Aphrodite. In Ovid's Roman account, Cupid is Venus's winged son, whom she sends to strike another god with love.
At a glance
| Eros (Greek) | Cupid (Roman) | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Among the first powers after Chaos, Earth and Tartarus (Hesiod, Theogony 116–122) | Winged son of Venus, addressed by her as "my son" (Ovid, Metamorphoses 5.362–384) |
| Relation to Aphrodite / Venus | In Hesiod he accompanies Aphrodite at her birth (Theogony 201–202) | Her son and agent |
| Main sources used here | Hesiod | Ovid |
Eros in the Greek sources
Hesiod says that first Chaos came to be, then Earth and dim Tartarus, and then Eros (Love), the fairest among the deathless gods, who unnerves the limbs and overcomes the mind and wise counsels of gods and men (Theogony 116–122). In the same poem, when Aphrodite comes ashore at Cyprus, Eros goes with her and Desire follows (Theogony 201–202). In Hesiod, then, Eros is both a primal power and a companion of Aphrodite.
Cupid in the Roman sources
In Ovid's Metamorphoses, Venus sees Pluto, the god of the underworld, searching Sicily. She takes her winged Cupid in her arms, calls him her son, her hand, her honour and her might, and tells him that the gods of heaven, Jove, and the powers of sea and land obey his hand. She asks him to strike Pluto's heart with love, which leads to the abduction of Proserpina (Metamorphoses 5.362–384).
What the difference means
The Greek and Roman passages describe the same force of desire in two different ways: a cosmic power in Hesiod, and a mischievous young agent of Venus in Ovid. Some later traditions also make Eros the son of Aphrodite, so the two pictures overlap. For the profile see Eros / Cupid.
Sources
- Hesiod, Theogony 116–122: read the passage; 188–206: read the passage
- Ovid, Metamorphoses 5.362–384: read the passage
More: all Greek and Roman god names compared, Aphrodite / Venus.