Hedone



Hedone was the spirit of pleasure, enjoyment and delight. As a daughter of Eros she was associated more specifically with sensual pleasure. Her opposite number were the Algea. The Romans named her Voluptas. This concept strikes a sharp contrast with the words "hedonism" and even "pleasure" in English today; the former implies wanton pursuit of pleasure with disregard to all else, and the latter has no inherent connotations that extend the meaning beyond the immediate experiences it describes.

Hedone is also the Greek name of Voluptas, the daughter of the Greek gods Eros (or the Roman Cupid) and Psyche.