Eros | Greek God

Eros (Greek: Ἔρως), in Greek mythology, was the God of love and eroticism. He was one of the Erotes. He was first regarded as a God of Olympus, the son of Aphrodite and Ares, or just Aphrodite, depending on the versions. He is usually depicted in paintings accompanied by his mother.

Hesiod, in his Theogony, considers him to be the son of Chaos, therefore a primordial god. Besides describing him as very beautiful and irresistible, leading one to ignore common sense, he also attributes to him a unifying and coordinating role of the elements, contributing to the passage from chaos to cosmos.

Plato, on the other hand, in the Banquet, describes by "Eros" the general concept of Love (see scala amoris), and in one section of the narrative explains the genealogy of its birth:

In one part of the myth, Aphrodite vented to Métis (or Temis), complaining that her son always remained a child. Metis explains to her that Eros was very lonely and therefore spoiled. He would grow up if he had a brother. Anteros was born soon after, and Eros began to grow and become even more beautiful and robust.

Eros married Psyche, on the condition that she could never see his face, for that would mean losing him. But Psyche, prompted by her jealous sisters, observes Eros' face at night under the light of a candle. Enchanted by the god's beauty, she gets distracted and drops a drop of wax on her husband's chest, who wakes up.

Angered by Psyche's betrayal, Eros abandons her. Psyche, becoming disturbed, wanders the world until she gives herself up to death. Eros, who also suffered from the separation, begs Zeus to have compassion on them. Zeus answers and Eros rescues his wife and they live together on Olympus, after she takes some ambrosia making her immortal. With Psyche, he had Hedonê, the pleasure.

Anacreon describes him as "Eros with golden curls." 

Representation

Eros is often depicted as a winged, blond-haired, innocent-looking, mischievous little boy who never grew up (symbolizing the eternal youth of deep love). He carries a bow and arrow, and even a lit torch. Always ready to hit his arrows "poisoned" with love and passion. The targets always being the region of the heart and liver.