See also: έρως, Έρως, and Ἔρως

Ancient Greek

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From ἔραμαι (éramai), ἐράω (eráō, I love).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ἔρως (érōsm (genitive ἔρωτος); third declension

  1. love, desire (usually of a romantic/sexual nature) (often personified)
    • Sophocles, Antigone 781
      Ἔρως ἀνίκατε μάχαν
      Érōs aníkate mákhan
      O Love unconquered in battle
    • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Coniugalia praecepta §138f:
      ...οὕτω τὸν ἀπὸ σώματος καὶ ὥρας ὀξὺν ἔρωτα τῶν νεογάμων ἀναφλεγόμενον δεῖ μὴ διαρκῆ μηδὲ βέβαιον νομίζειν, ἂν μὴ περὶ τὸ ἦθος ἰδρυθεὶς καὶ τοῦ φρονοῦντος ἁψάμενος ἔμψυχον λάβῃ διάθεσιν.
      (trans. Babbitt) "...so the keen love between newly married people that blazes up fiercely as the result of physical attractiveness must not be regarded as enduring or constant, unless, by being centred about character and by gaining a hold upon the rational faculties, it attains a state of vitality."[1]
      ...hoútō tòn apò sṓmatos kaì hṓras oxùn érōta tôn neogámōn anaphlegómenon deî mḕ diarkê mēdè bébaion nomízein, àn mḕ perì tò êthos idrutheìs kaì toû phronoûntos hapsámenos émpsukhon lábēi diáthesin.
      (trans. Babbitt) "...so the keen love between newly married people that blazes up fiercely as the result of physical attractiveness must not be regarded as enduring or constant, unless, by being centred about character and by gaining a hold upon the rational faculties, it attains a state of vitality."
  2. the object of such love/desire
  3. passionate joy
  4. a funeral wreath at Nicaea

Inflection

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Greek: έρως (éros), έρωτας (érotas)

References

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  1. ^ Plutarch, Moralia, vol. 2, trans. Frank Cole Babbitt, Loeb Classical Library, 1928, p. 303.

Further reading

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  NODES
Note 2