Eros: The Original Hot Mess of Love

Valentine’s Day was upon us, only a few days ago and while the world drowns in overpriced roses and chocolates shaped like hearts (because nothing says love like molded sugar), let’s take a moment to talk about the real MVP of love: Eros. Forget chubby cherubs with tiny wings and a questionable understanding of consent—Eros, in his original Greek form, was a wildly chaotic force of nature with a backstory that makes modern rom-coms look boring.

The (Messy) Birth of Love

Most people assume Eros was Aphrodite’s son, but if we turn to Plato’s Symposium—a delightful philosophical dinner party with way too much wine—we get a very different, very juicy myth.

Picture this: It’s the birthday bash of the century. Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, love, and being generally stunning, has just emerged from the sea foam (because apparently, that’s how divine birth works). Olympians are throwing a grand party in her honor.

Enter Poros, the god of resourcefulness, invention, and—according to the Romans—the embodiment of abundance, promise, and conveniently avoiding pain. He’s also the son of Metis, the goddess of wisdom, and Zeus, the king of bad parenting decisions. On this fine evening, Poros does what any self-respecting party guest would do: gets absolutely plastered on nectar, the gods’ version of bottomless mimosas.

And then we have Penia. Poor, desperate, opportunistic Penia. She’s the literal goddess of poverty, which, in a gathering of opulence, makes her presence just a tad awkward. Crashing the party like a broke college student at an open-bar wedding, she spots Poros in his drunken stupor and has an epiphany. If she wants to upgrade her situation, what better way than to seduce the god of abundance while he’s passed out?

And so, in a very strategic moment of divine gold-digging, Penia and Poros become, well… intimate. Nine months later, Eros is born—a child of both abundance and need, making him the embodiment of constant yearning and fleeting satisfaction. Basically, if “just one more episode” was a person, it would be Eros.

The Love God Who Never Had It Together

Eros grows up not as a spoiled little prince, but as a scrappy, restless wanderer. He becomes Aphrodite’s right-hand mischief-maker, but his own nature is a never-ending paradox: always longing, never satisfied. One moment, he’s basking in fortune; the next, he’s penniless and sleeping in alleyways. He’s the original wild gambler, winning big and losing it all in the same breath. He’s reckless, passionate, messy, and constantly hungry for more—whether it’s love, adventure, or the next thrill.

He is, in short, us on a Friday night making questionable life choices.

What This Means for Love (And Your Valentine’s Day Plans)

Unlike the Hallmark version of love we’re sold today, Eros reminds us that love is complicated, messy, and rarely comes in neat little packages. It’s not about perfection—it’s about chaos, passion, risks, and the constant push and pull between desire and fulfillment.

So, this Valentine’s Day, whether you’re deeply in love, nursing a heartbreak, or just really into discounted chocolate on February 15th, remember: Love, in its purest form, is neither neat nor predictable. It’s a wild, imperfect, thrilling mess.

Just like Eros intended.