Love magic, erotic symbolism, and articles on ancient eroticism.
James Martin took advantage of his 45-minute tour of the camera segretta in Naples, taking photographs of explicit scenes from Pompeii and Herculaneum.
"Why study classics?" is such an open-ended question that to get 321 pages that actually stick to the point -- more or less -- is pretty impressive. That Simon Goldhill does that while providing a survey of the classics and its impact on history, laced with many fascinating facts and truly illustrative photos is quite a feat.
Filled with bravado from slaying the mighty python with his arrows, Apollo looked at the god of love's delicate little arrows. He might have laughed at Eros and said his arrows were puny and worthless. Then they might have had a competition, but instead Apollo grew needlessly angry. He told Eros to content himself with flames and leave arrows to the strong and brave.
Pluto tries seduction:"Why should you be so frightened, my pretty child?" said he, trying to soften his rough voice. "I promise not to do you any harm. What! you have been gathering flowers? Wait till we come to my palace, and I will give you a garden full of prettier flowers than those, all made of pearls, and diamonds, and rubies."
Personifying abstract powers, gods and goddesses are held responsible for many of the mysteries of life. One of the most important mysteries to humanity is that of birth. Fecundity and sexual attraction are key elements in the survival of a family or race.
Native speakers of English distinguish between lust and love, but tend to get confused when we look at the Greek distinction between eros and agape (or philia).
Mela fruit, apples, pomegranates and quinces, are associated in various mythologies and rituals with marriage. The traditional explanation is that these fruits are filled with seeds and therefore stand for fertility.
Valentine's Day and other amorous February events.
The chubby, arrow-toting cherub who adorns modern Valentine's Day cards wasn't always such a minor figure. Originally CUPID (as EROS) was thought to have arisen out of Chaos, along with Tartarus and Earth. Later he became associated with Aphrodite, often as her son.
There is in fact evidence that romantic eros was seen as homosexual all over Greece. Sparta, even with its relatively free women, had homosexual relationships built into the structure of the training all young Spartan men received.
