Stupid Cupid
The origins of both Valentine’s Day and Cupid date back to Roman times and there are several variations on a theme as to whoSaint Valentineactually was. He is a historical figure who was buried in Rome on 14th February 269 AD. The most popular belief is that he was a priest who was imprisoned for performing weddings for Roman soldiers during a time when they were expressly forbidden to marry and was thus executed for this practice. On the night before his martyrdom it is said that he sent a farewell message to the daughter of his jailer who had visited him frequently in his cell. The message simply said: ‘From your Valentine.’
St. Valentine did not however become commonly associated with the concept of romantic love until many centuries later at the time of Chaucer. The legends of Valentine and Cupid have both become further intertwined since then and the characters are now an inseparable duo as far as February 14th is concerned - not unlike the amalgamation of Saint Nicolas and Father Christmas.
Everyone is familiar with Cupid, the cute cherub-like figure with his bow poised ready to pierce the hearts of the unattached (and sometimes the attached!) to make them fall in love. There is apainting by Caravaggio(1601) depicting him in a more severe tone as Amor - the winged Roman God of desire, erotic love and beauty (the ancient Greeks called him Eros). He is shown conquering those around him, naked and smiling and ready to trample underfoot various human achievements. The painting is a keen illustration of how hearts often rule heads whenever falling in love is concerned; blinding the enamoured to reality and causing them to put the pursuit of their beloved above everything else.
Cupid's arrows of love are all too intoxicating and irresistible and thus he became the ideal Valentine’s Day icon and what better icon for love than the son of Venus, the Roman goddess of love? (Aphrodite in Greek mythology).
Cupid has his very own poignant love story too: Cupid and Psyche, which has been the inspiration for many a romantic tale down through the ages. A lesser known fact is that Cupid did not only carry arrows of love; he also carried arrows of hatred. There were golden tipped arrows for love and leaden ones for hatred but on Valentine’s Day at least he will hopefully continue to be armed with the former! IfStupid Cupidmakes your heart all a-quiver on Valentine’s Day then tell someone you love them or even take the opportunity to propose to your sweetheart.
