Cupid and Eros Are the Same God With Two Names
Cupid is the Roman god of desire, shown as a winged boy with a bow. His Greek counterpart Eros was originally an adult.
Cupid is the Roman god of desire, usually pictured as a winged boy with a bow. His Greek equivalent Eros began as a grown and rather dangerous god; the chubby infant familiar from Valentine's cards is a late Hellenistic and Roman development, softened further by Renaissance painters. The arrow that causes love is the constant across all versions. His name is simply Latin *cupido*, meaning desire, the same root as *cupidity*, meaning greed.
- The Roman god of desire. *Cupid's arrow.*
- A winged child in art. *Cupids on the ceiling.*
- Eros — the Greek equivalent. *Eros and Cupid.*
- Cupidity — greed. *Naked cupidity.*
- Putto — the artistic term for such a figure. *Baroque putti.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Proper noun | Cupid | Cupid's bow. |
| Plural | cupids | Painted cupids. |
| Related | cupidity | Cupidity. |
| Greek name | Eros | Eros. |
| Latin | cupido | Desire. |
- Cupid is shown with a bow and quiver.Iconography.
- The ceiling is full of cupids.Art.
- Cupid's bow also names the curve of the upper lip.Anatomy.
How Cupid became a baby
- Early Greek Eros — a powerful adult god, sometimes frightening
- Hellenistic art — begins showing him as a boy
- Roman Cupid — small, playful, often mischievous
- Renaissance putti — winged infants, sometimes not gods at all
- Victorian cards — fix the chubby cherub in popular memory
Latin *Cupido*, the personification of *cupido*, desire, from *cupere*, to desire. The same root gives English *cupidity*.
Was Cupid always a child?
No. The Greek Eros was originally depicted as an adult. The child form is a later Hellenistic and Roman development.
What is a Cupid's bow?
The double curve of the upper lip, named for the shape of the god's bow.