In Roman mythology, Cupid (Latin: Cupīdō, meaning "passionate desire") also known as Amor (Latin: Amor, "love") is the Roman god of erotic love, desire, attraction and affection. His mother is Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, while his father is Mars, the god of war. His Greek counterpart is Eros. He was either depicted as handsome and a slender winged pre-teen youth or as a chubby winged baby.
Just like his Greek counterpart, his bow and arrow, is the source of his powers: a person or even a deity who is shot by Cupid's arrow would be filled with an uncontrollable desire and passion for the first person they saw.
In art, Cupid often appears in multiples as the Amores (in the later terminology of art history, Italian amorini), in the later terminology of art history, the equivalent of the Greek Erotes. Cupids are a frequent motif of both Roman art and later Western art of the classical tradition. In the 15th century, the iconography of Cupid starts to become indistinguishable from the putto.
Cupid continue to be a popular figure throughout the Middle Ages. He was featured in many arts and works. He was usually pictured alongside with his mother, the goddess Venus. In modern culture he was Cupid is shown drawing his arrow to inspire romantic love as an icon of Valentine's day.
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| Gods and goddesses of Roman mythology | |
|---|---|
| Classical deities | Apollo • Bacchus/Liber • Diana • Ceres • Cupid • Faunus • Fortuna • Juno • Jupiter • Lares • Mars • Mercury • Minerva • Neptune • Pluto • Proserpina • Quirinus • Vejovis • Venus • Vesta • Vulcan |
| Other deities/articles | Genius • Hercules • Dei Lucrii • Eventus Bonus • Furina • Portunes • Mystery religions • Osirus • Isis • Cybele • Attis • Mithras • Sol Invictus |
| Roman mythology articles | |
|---|---|
| Deities | Apollō • Bacchus • Bellona • Bona Dea • Castor and Pollux • Ceres • Cupid • Diana • Dīs Pater • Egeria • Fauna • Faunus • Flora • Genius • Hercules • Janus • Juno • Jupiter • Lares • Liber • Libertas • Mars • Mercury • Minerva • Orcus • Neptune • Penates • Pluto • Pomona • Priapus • Proserpina • Quirinus • Saturn • Silvanus • Sol • Venus • Vesta • Vulcan |
| Heroes | Hercules |
| Groups | Demideities • Deities • Titans |
| Creatures | Faun • Sīrēnēs • Centaur |
| Titans | |
| Locations | Rome |
| Topics | Titanomachy |