#latin eros

[telefonamitra20anni]

📸snap a photo: qui ritratto In "ciao maschio' 1978.

Sono stato tutti, ma volevo essere "Tarzan".

Si lo so, vi sembrerà un po' folle. Quando sceglieva un ruolo, era istinto, spontaneità, sarcasmo, genialità, innovazione, inventiva. Ha indossato oltre 160 vite, tutte diverse, tutte normali o quasi. La sua predilezione ? il mediocre, "l'eroe proletario", l'anti-eroe inetto. Tarzan! appunto, per Marcello era la perfetta figura, sarcasticamente umoristica di quell'essere "nessuno". Lo immaginava confinato su un albero, ma da anziano, con tanto di decadimento psicofisico e gonnellino. Sense of humor, voto 10. Stipulata la pagella, pensiamo bene alla retoricità che ne comporta questa sua fantasia, si perché, di fantasia si tratta. Lui, che a scrollarsi di dosso l' appiccicosa etichetta di latin lover ha fatto fatica, a 70 anni suonati, ancora così etichettato, immaginava di essere un Tarzan limitato, privo di muscoli, poco virile nell'aspetto, e magari anche un po' pigro. Desiderava che fosse eroe, e anti eroe, uomo e anti-uomo. Proiettava su immagine, seppur fantastica, la versione di un uomo anziano, eroe decaduto, vessillo di inettitudine che la società repelle, ma che dall'alto, sarebbe stato a guardare, senza troppa fatica, magari annoiato, le inezie altrui, inetto come era, anche lui. Una minuscola lucciola umana, virtuoso faro di coscienze. Si sa, gli eroi sono una moda, gli anti-eroi sono immortali. Marcello, strizzava l'occhio a quell' eroe che di super poteri non ne aveva, ad un eroe di cui, non si sarebbe ricordato più nessuno.

[arnirea]

sic ignara Psyche sponte in Amoris incidit amorem

[supermen-with-black-hair]

Dude, if you’re gonna post Mario Hervas, why don’t you say Mario Hervas?!?

ماريو ارواس

[your-local-bi-guy]

chat what do we think

[specs-tacularmen]

એમ્માનુએલ આલ્વ્રેસ। ૨૩૦૭૦૧

Liquor loosens lips,

also unzips…

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Eros Ramazzotti - Più Bella Cosa 1996

"Più Bella Cosa" (The Most Beautiful Thing) is a song by Eros Ramazzotti in February 1996, as a first single and pre-release from his seventh studio album Dove c'è musica that came out on May 13 of that year. It was written by Ramazzotti, Claudio Guidetti, Maurizio Fabrizio and Adelio Cogliati, and is dedicated to the Swiss model Michelle Hunziker, Ramazotti's girlfriend at the time. The music video was directed by Nigel Dick, featuring Ramazzotti and Hunziker. At Festivalbar, the song won the "Best Song" award and the album won the "Best Album" award.

As is traditional with many other successful releases of Ramazzotti's, he released a Spanish language parallel song for Spain, Latin America and US Latin markets titled "La Cosa Más Bella". That version appears in the parallel Spanish-language version to the album Dove c'è musica retitled Donde hay música. It peaked at number two on the Hot Latin Songs chart and number one on the Latin Pop Songs chart in the US.

"Più Bella Cosa" received a total of 55,1% yes votes.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

More European Renaissance Art Vocabulary

for your next poem/story

Halo - The gold circle or disk placed behind the heads of Christ and saints, a symbol of their sanctity or the light of God.

Hatching - The drawing or engraving of fine parallel lines to show shading. When the lines intersect each other, it is called cross-hatching.

Horizon Line - The line where the sky and earth appear to meet. The horizon line is drawn across the picture at the artist’s eye level.

Hue - A particular variety of a color, shade, or tint.

Lunette - A semicircular shape.

Magus - A member of the ancient Persian priestly caste, skilled in Eastern magic and astrology. In the New Testament, the Magi are the three wise men who came from the East to pay homage to the newborn Christ Child.

Majolica - Tin-glazed earthenware.

Palazzo - An Italian word used to describe a large building. It may be a mansion or palace, or an official government building like a town hall, court, or embassy.

Passion, or The Passion of Christ - The events surrounding the Crucifixion of Christ; a popular subject for religious drama, painting, and sculpture.

Perspective - A technique that artists use to represent the three dimensional world on a two-dimensional surface, such as a piece of paper, canvas, or wood panel. Using perspective, an artist can create the illusion of depth or space and show the proper proportion between objects. Without perspective, a painting or drawing will appear flat.

Pictorial Space - The illusion of three-dimensional space created on a two-dimensional surface.

Predella - An Italian word for the series of small paintings that form the lower section of large altarpieces. It usually has narrative scenes from the lives of the saints who are represented on the main and side panels of the altarpiece.

Putto - From the Latin word meaning “male child.” In 15th- and 16th century poetry and painting, putti are depicted with wings and connected with the god of love, Eros, also known as Cupid.

Red - In Christian paintings, a symbol of the blood of Christ or the Passion.

Relief - A raised surface; for example, sculpture that is carved or modeled and which projects from a background.

Star - In Christian paintings, a symbol of divine guidance or favor. The Star of the East guided the three Magi to Bethlehem.

Triumph - An ancient Roman tradition honoring the return of a victorious general, who paraded his soldiers, prisoners, and spoils through the city streets.

Tromp L’oeil - French for “fool the eye”; a style of painting intended to trick the viewer into believing that the minutely observed objects shown are part of the viewer’s three-dimensional world.

Vanishing Point - The point where parallel lines appear to meet on the horizon line.

Source ⚜ More: Word Lists ⚜ Part 1

[whencyclopedia]

Psyche

Psyche was the goddess of the soul in ancient Greek and Roman mythology. Born a mortal woman, her beauty rivaled that of Aphrodite (Venus) and inspired the love of Aphrodite's son, Eros, god of desire. After completing a series of seemingly impossible tasks to be with Eros, Psyche was granted immortality and made into a goddess herself.

Although the story of Psyche and Eros (Cupid) can be found depicted in Greek art dating back to the 4th century BCE, the most famous and complete telling of the myth is found in ancient Roman literature, in the 2nd-century CE novel Metamorphoses, or The Golden Ass, written by Apuleius.

Origins in Apuleius’ Metamorphoses

Metamorphoses is the only ancient Roman novel written in Latin to still survive in its entirety. Written in the 2nd century CE by Apuleius, a writer and philosopher from the Roman province of Numidia, the Metamorphoses, also known as The Golden Ass, consists of eleven books.

It follows the story of Lucius, a man whose desire to see and practice magic leads him to accidentally transform himself into a donkey. This sets Lucius out on his journey, during which he hears many stories. One of these is the tale of Cupid and Psyche, which is told in full. Apuleius dedicates books four through six of The Golden Ass to this tale. Although there is evidence of the story of Cupid and Psyche appearing in Greek artwork as far back as the 4th century BCE, it is through Apuleius' inclusion of the story in his novel that the details come down to modern readers and scholars.

Continue reading...

[bright-side20]

The symbolism of everything associated with Elain 🌹

(by rinamoart)

_Roses

In Roman mythology, roses, known as the queen of flowers, were created by Flora, the goddess of flowers and spring. After the death of her favorite nymph, Flora transformed her into a rose. Aphrodite added beauty to it, Dionysus gave it its scent, and Ares provided it with thorns for protection. As a result, the rose became a symbol of pure beauty and rebirth.

In another tale, after the birth of Aphrodite, roses appeared as a symbol of purity and innocence when her feet touched the earth.

In the myth of Eros and Psyche, after he saved her, to celebrate their marriage, Zeus scattered roses all over the Earth as a symbol of love, beauty, and the devotion of soulmates.

_Violets

Violet derives from the Latin word "viola" and is associated with thoughts filled with love. The Greeks and Romans believed that this flower had various medicinal properties. Violets were linked to Aphrodite and were used in love potions, as well as associated with Artemis, symbolizing innocence and modesty. Additionally, violets are seen as a representation of the cycle of death and rebirth. When Hades abducted Persephone, she was picking violets.

_Jasmine and Honey

Jasmine, often referred to as the "queen of the night," means "a gift from God." It is believed to be a symbol of purity, eternal love, beauty, innocence, warmth, and good luck. Jasmine is also associated with rebirth, as it blooms at night and releases its fragrance during darkness, symbolizing the idea of finding light in the midst of darkness. Its sweet and alluring scent is considered an aphrodisiac, believed to evoke feelings of passion and desire.

Honey's scent is also often associated with Aphrodite because of its sweet, feminine, and seductive aroma.

_Amethyst:

Considered as the "stone of new beginnings," is believed to have been worn as a ring by St. Valentine and is closely associated with love. Its color symbolizes wisdom, purity, power, and nobility.

_Ivy:

It is associated with perseverance and determination, as it can climb and cling to surfaces. It represents the endless cycle of life, death, and rebirth, as it persists, regenerates, and remains green throughout the changing seasons. In both Celtic and Greek mythology, it is seen as a symbol of growth, healing, and protection.

_Fawn:

It is associated with the cyclical nature of life and represents innocence, gentleness, and purity. It can also symbolize growth and transformation.

_The sun at dawn:

In Greek mythology, dawn is associated with the goddess Aurora. She rises from a river at the start of each day, riding her chariot across the sky. She is adorned with a purple mantle of stars that unfolds behind her, and she spreads flowers as she passes, announcing the arrival of the sun. Aurora symbolizes love, beauty, healing, and new beginnings. Despite experiencing a great deal of grief, she never chooses hatefulness or revenge; instead, she prefers to spread love, colors, and wisdom. (she's Elain lol)

[the-werewolf-prince]

Patreon Exclusive Art: The Magician Leon

Posted these on patreon over a year ago, and if you encounter me on the street, you probably got one of the tarot cards as my official TWP business card.

Leon takes on a more modern take of the magician, being more of a stage magician, an homage to my love of slight of hand tricks I used to do as a kid.

The Magician represents new beginnings, mental growth, and self awareness. It is ruled by the planet Mercury and the element of air. The phrase in the reverse position is Ero, which is Latin for "I will".

Art & Character © Sorbet Mystery

There will be prints and a full deck here soon!

Check out more Exclusive Art, including the next batch of tarot cards here: https://patreon.com/thewerewolfprince?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

[mythological-art]

Psyche

Artist: Alexandre Cabanel (French, 1823 – 1889)

Original TItle: Original Title: Psyché

Genre: Mythological Painting

Style: Style: Academicism

Date: 1881

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Collection: Private Collection

Psyche is the Greek goddess of the soul and often represented as a beautiful woman with butterfly wings. The name Psyche means "soul" in Greek and was commonly referred to as such in Roman mythology as well, though the direct translation is Anima (Latin word for "soul"). She was born a mortal woman and eventually granted immortality, with beauty that rivaled even Aphrodite, goddess of love. Psyche is known from the novel The Golden Ass, also known as Metamorphoses, written by the Roman philosopher and orator Apuleius in the 2nd century. In the myth, she was given multiple trials to be with her beloved, Eros, also known as Cupid, god of physical love and desire and son of Aphrodite. The cultural influences of Psyche's story can be depicted in art dating back to the 4th century BCE.

[zpl1nt3r3d-b0n3-zhardz]

Lovecore mascneu names? If it's not too much trouble! It's hard to find lovecore names that aren't fem.

Terribly sorry this list is not that long. We still hope you enjoy. ^^ (many are Latin ! :3)

♡ love

♡ lovebug

♡ lover

♡ lovern

♡ eros

♡ bowie

♡ bowen

♡ angel

♡ Angelo

♡ lev

♡ luv

♡ Romeo

♡ desire

♡ amor

♡ adore

♡ Valentine

♡ Val

♡ lovey

♡ rosen

♡ dove

♡ doveril

♡ affectio

♡ pectus

♡ roseus

♡ amos

♡ adfectus

♡ affectus

♡ dilectio

♡ caritas

♡ searc

♡ Hart

♡ lovenhart

♡ rosethorn

♡ Valentino

♡ cupid

We hope you like if not you can always request and we apologize for the wait - 💜/🐇

[freedomfireflies]

July Fic Recs 🤍

Rabbit Rabbit!! I hope June was a beautiful month for you all! Filled with love, relaxation, and really good stories!!

I feel like this is one of the best places to be on the internet because I always meet so many kind, talented, and insanely creative people! The stories I've gotten to disappear into this month are some of my favs so, without further ado...

~ Not Another Time by @be-with-me-so-happily

Summary: Harry is used to things getting crazy on tour. What he wasn't ready for is how much he misses YN during the Latin American leg of his tour. But at the Rio de Janeiro show, he needs to expect the unexpected.

The sequel to Could We Not, and a beautiful depiction of Harry's love and fear for somebody he loves! It felt so realistic, and I could actually feel Harry's stress while I read 😭💞

~ One More by @harry-on-broadway

"It never failed to surprise you just how well you fit in his arms."

This was so cute, I'm actually still crying??? A sweet blurb about the show before the last show. I wished on every star to be able to crawl into this story and live in it. Sadly, it hasn't worked yet.

~ Been There All Along by @lonelycowgirls

Summary: Where Stella goes to Harry’s last night at Madison Square Garden and gets a call that could change everything.

If really Harry isn't somewhat like this...I'm suing. Honestly

~ Zipper by @1d1195

"Harry was a smart guy, but he truly hadn’t a clue as to why he was so mad at the prospect of liking her."

The cutest, the most beautifully written, the sweetest story IN. THE. WORLD. The title alone deserves every award ever, but the connection to the plot??????? I'm still thinking about it

~ Love Don't Cost A Thing by @justmystyles

Such a beautiful concept!! I like conversations and stories like this because they really do feel so real! It helps really immerse you in the every day life of a relationship with him. And the line, "It's an us thing," LIVES IN MY HEAD RENT FREE!!!

~ Mutually Beneficial by @cherryjuiceblues

Summary: Y/N finds life difficult and Harry just wants to make her feel good.

I mean...we all just want a man that wants to make us feel good as much as this one does...AM I WRONG???

~ Guilty by @jarofstyles

Best Friend's Dad!

Everything they write is perfection and this sexy ass age gap story is no different, I am actually still sweating and convulsing I AM A SIMP

~ I Want Forever by @walkingintheheartbreaksatellite

Summary- Harry and Y/N broke up early into Love On Tour. Harry struggled to truly move on, as did Y/N. With tour over, a lost soul shows up at Y/N’s door one night, ready for forever.

Straight perfection, let's be real! A ring, the final show, AND AN ANGSTY, FLUFFY HARRY?? *chefs kiss*

~ Eros (Cupid) Harry by @0nlythrowharrybeaux

Harry is Eros and he is absolutely smitten with a human.

Listen, he absolutely would be this cute and you BEST BELIEVE I'm so down bad for this man...I literally foam at the mouth when I think about it, AND HE'S FUNNY?? Dead on sight

~ Personal by @shawnxstyles

summary: you and harry are best friends who tell each other everything. or so you thought. when harry finds out you’ve barely done anything sexual, he offers to change that. and then things get a little… personal.

Best friend Harry helping you out. Need I say more?? I NEEDN'T

~ Scared by @adorebeaa

You and Harry have your first argument right before his final show in Italy, about his final show in Italy.

THE CUTEST MOST DEVASTATING ADDITION TO THE FINAL SHOW!!! CRIED FOR HOURS

~ Y/N and Harry are expecting a baby, and they’re both very impatient by @tobesolonely

I mean...delicious honestly 😭 Just...wow

~ Sex Therapist by @tsumtsumrry

in which Harry helps you out a bit, and he’s not actually a sex therapist. (but he might as well be)

I am...scarily attracted to this man. And I am okay with that 😭💞

~ Brother's Best Friend by @helladirections

Summary: Harry is YN’s brother’s best friend and YN isn’t a little kid anymore. Featuring Italrry, teasing, and a sea view. 

He is....so hot. I genuinely have no other words to describe it honestly. It's...it's bad over here for me

~ Complicated Freak by @lukesaprince

Summary: Where you’ve been hooking up with your best friend’s dad and decide to tease him with a tiny bikini.

I think about this man once a week at least...okay fine, once a day. oKAY FINE I THINK ABOUT HIM ALL THE TIME and I'm okay with that

And a shout-out to @londonharry for providing us with all the gifs we've been needing to help us through our depression 🫶 You do the Lord's work, thank you!!

I hope you all find some amazing things to discover!! Cannot wait to see you again next month!! 💞

Previous Recs:

~ Fic Rec Number 1

~ Fic Rec Number 2

~ Fic Rec Number 3

[countlesssorrows]

。 🂫 ﹐ INTRODUCTION ‎、 🩸

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ∿ ⠀ ⠀ i’m mortale/morte/liraz, i’m 15, almost 16, i use she/they, mostly they. genderfluid and a lesbian.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ∿ ⠀ ⠀ i speak italian and english, some spanish and some latin.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ∿ ⠀ ⠀ i study human sciences in high school, especially the psychological side, which i like to mix with my witch studies.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ∿ ⠀ ⠀ my interests are witchcraft, tarot readings, paganism, poetry and mythology. (for now, i’m focusing on protection spells)

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ∿ ⠀ ⠀ this blog will be about my practice, my e-offerings. my dreams, divination questions and experiences, tips, and possible collective readings.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ∿ ⠀ ⠀ i currently work with lilith, lucifer, aphrodite, apollo, loki and persephone. i’m starting to practice also with isis/aset, freyja and hermes.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ∿ ⠀ ⠀ i’m interested also in hypnos, thanatos, nyx, circe, selene, helios, eos, sekhmet, anubis/anpu, eros, the morrigan, asmodeus, naamah, baphomet and astaroth. this could mean i could start to worship them, and maybe have interactions with them. a lot, yes, but that’s because it’s easy for me to appreciate the gods.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ∿ ⠀ ⠀ i consider myself a eclectic witch, but i’m focused more on death and chaos witchery.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ∿ ⠀ ⠀ i’m a soulchild of astaroth, apollo and artemis.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ∿ ⠀ ⠀ apart from witchy stuff, i am a fan of BOZ, dostoevskij, hades (1st aphrodite and nyx simp), you, if we were villains, but currently NOT a fan of pjo. i have a passion for uquiz quizzes because they give me the identity i don’t have.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ∿ ⠀ ⠀ i can do free readings! esp deity channeled messages. just dm me.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ∿ ⠀ ⠀ dms are totally open to not only tarot reading reqs but also to make friends! <33

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ∿ ⠀ ⠀ since i’m a minor, “MDNI” accounts DNI! terfs dni, homophobes dni, racists dni, white supremacists dni. basically basic dni criteria — -13 DNI, godspouses and pop culture witches CAN interact.

[escapingdestiny101]

I am fully in the Polin trenches so this is probably just the ramblings of someone who enjoys meta a little too much BUT-

In the Eros and Psyche comparison, Colin and Penelope both play both roles. Hear me out:

I took Latin Prose in undergrad and we had to translate Eros and Psyche. Here's a quick and dirty summary of what I remember from Apuleius's version of the story in Metamorphoses: Psyche herself doesn't offend Aphrodite but her parents and the people of her town keep saying she's more beautiful than Aphrodite. Her sisters are jealous of her. She's so pretty that people stop going to Aphrodite's temples and start worshiping Psyche instead. Psyche never asked for this; even though everyone thinks she's beautiful and worships/desires her, Psyche feels nothing for them and knows they don't truly love her either. Aphrodite gets offended of course so to appease the goddess, Psyche is thrown off a cliff and, assuming she survives, has to marry a monster.

Aphrodite enlists her son Eros to help with this plan. Eros sees Psyche and falls in love with her too, so when the townspeople throw Psyche off the cliff, she's caught by Zephyrus and whisked away to Eros' home. Eros only interacts with Psyche in the dark; she never sees him or learns his name, she just assumes he's the beast that the goddess declared she'd marry. Psyche is sad and lonely not being able to see her husband bc even though he's a monster, he treats her really well and she does like him. She's so lonely that she asks her husband if her sisters can visit. He thinks this is a terrible idea but agrees as long as Psyche promises not to be influenced by them. Psyche of course fails to heed that warning, her sisters mock her for not seeing her husband, and for having to fuck her monster husband in the dark bc if they turned the lights on she'd probably die of fright.

So Psyche, with this new brainworm thanks to her terrible sisters, decides to wait until her husband falls asleep to light a candle (or oil lamp) to see exactly what she's been sleeping with. If it's a monster, she'll kill him. Turns out it's the most handsome man in the world, she recognizes him as Eros and falls to her knees. As she does, a drop of hot oil from her light hits Eros on the back. Eros wakes immediately, sees the light, and flies away. His last words are that love cannot live without trust.

Psyche then goes to Aphrodite and asks her to intercede with her son. Aphrodite, who still hates Psyche, agrees to let Psyche undergo three trials to prove herself worthy of Eros. Obviously, Aphrodite isn't being fair and intends to use the trials to punish her daughter-in-law. Psyche succeeds in the first two trials with the help of animals, ants and an eagle. The last trial involves going into the underworld to ask Persephone to put some of her beauty in a box. Psyche succeeds without a hitch (katabasis) and Aphrodite is furious.

The other gods step in at this point. Hermes tells Eros what his mom was doing to his wife and he's super touched that Psyche would do all that for him. Eros and Psyche get married and Zeus grants Psyche immortality as a wedding present.

So what does this have to do with Colin and Penelope?

The obvious comparisons are that Colin, with his charm, good looks, and social standing, is Eros and that Penelope, with her terrible family and bleak prospects, is Psyche. If we look a little closer though, we can flip things.

Colin, like Psyche, has people flocking to him. Ladies want his attention, to be charmed by him. Gentlemen want his stories and his presence in their "revelry." Despite this, he doesn't really feel connected to these people. It's a facade that he's learned to put up. We learn in his journal that he desires a greater emotional connection with a lover specifically but I'd argue with other relationships in his life as well. Colin's siblings are not like Psyche's terrible sisters, BUT another thing Psyche's sisters were known for was that they both married kings. They married well. Daphne and Anthony also, famously, married well. Colin is described by Violet as the most sensitive of the Bridgerton children, always willing to put others above himself. Dutiful, one might say. Dutiful like Psyche, who agreed to marry a monster because the gods willed it and underwent Aphrodite's trials without complaint.

Penelope, nearly a spinster and nearly on the shelf, who does not fit the ideal body type of the ton, is certainly treated as though she's monstrous. Cressida and Penelope entered society at the same time, but no one shames Cressida for seeking a husband in her third season. We, the audience, know that Penelope isn't a monster just as Zephyrus knew that Eros wasn't a monster. Penelope's mother is definitely as shrewd and vindictive as Aphrodite. And Penelope also has an identity she wishes to keep secret.

I've seen some analysis of the candle going out before Colin heads to the ball to stop the proposal, linking it to a small spark of love that always existed and was just starting to turn into a flame. But here's the thing, the candle goes out. It doesn't flicker and come back. It does start small and get bigger. It shrinks and dies. I would argue that this is representing two things. One, Colin's fear that he is out of time and that Penelope will accept Lord Debley's proposal. He's run out of time, hope is extinguished, so what does he have to lose? Which brings us to point two: the dark represents trust in the Eros and Psyche myth. With the candle out, all Colin can do is trust his mother's advice and trust in his feelings for Penelope.

BUT BUT BUT we are only halfway through the season, and we the audience know that a rather important detail still needs to be revealed!!!

Here's where we get into my speculations for the last four episodes. I think Penelope and Colin's roles will begin to flip again. Like Psyche's sisters sowed discord in her marriage, I think that Eloise (either intentionally or unintentionally) will be a catalyst for Colin finding out that Penelope is Lady Whistledown. I don't think Eloise will tell him directly, but she'll definitely be involved. That's when Penelope will become Psyche again and have to complete trials to prove herself to Colin. Love cannot exist without trust, after all.

I hope Lady Danbury offers a bounty on the identity of Lady Whistledown like she does in the book. Lady Danbury being analogous to Persephone would be fitting in my opinion. Although the Queen could also fill this role. The ants and the eagle could represent the lowly and the great; Penelope could accept assistance from someone of low and someone of high status. For the low, I would guess her maid (though she makes a better Zephyrus) or maybe the modiste. For the high, another Bridgerton or maybe even Cressida.

Katabasis is a hero's journey to the underworld, when a living person enters the realm of the dead on a quest and returns to the land of the living. Psyche is granted godhood after her success. I think Penelope will have to endure something equally arduous, but her reward will match as well. It would be satisfying for her to gain the ton's acceptance and even approval of her marriage to Colin, and I would especially like Lady Danbury to be involved with that (she's so much more involved in the book). I'm partial to Lady Danbury, but if it's the Queen instead her opinion would go a lot farther in shifting the opinion of the ton in Penelope's favor. That might be appropriate though far-fetched given the games between the Queen and Lady Whistledown.

The only role I have little speculation for is that of Aphrodite. I can't imagine Violet putting Penelope through a gauntlet even after finding out about her secret. It would fit Portia's character, but even she wouldn't do anything to jeopardize her daughter's marriage to a Bridgerton.

I just re-watched the trailer before hitting post and noticed that in the trailer, the candle does indeed glow brighter rather than going out. I wonder how many more misdirections are in the trailer, like Colin kissing that other girl's hand or him alone in the hired hack. I could be entirely wrong about everything of course, I'm just very excited to see where the second half of the season goes!

[youryurigoddess]

A. Z. Fell & Co. bookshop and its statues, part 2

Welcome to the second part of my insane deep dive into Aziraphale’s world of slightly outdated decor, golden-colored trinkets, and their ostentatiously Greek (especially for a representative of an originally Judeo-Christian mythology) symbolism. As a short recap, the last installment covered six pieces in the northern and central sections of the bookshop plus a plot-important medal previously displayed on one of them, but currently left with the other bibelots on the bookseller’s desk. We’ll start right there, where we previously left off.

While a lot of the bookshop action plays out in the circle between the formerly discussed statues, its office part is especially close to Aziraphale himself. As the titular Guardian of the Eastern Gate, the angel consciously spends most of his time in this small space in the Eastern part of the bookshop, confined to his desk or reading stand. This means that the decorations of this area have more personal significance and are most probably used as daily reminders for him to keep his thoughts and priorities on track as much as provide pleasant distraction from the weary eyes.

The two windowsill figures of the Art Deco dancers from S1 were replaced by a somewhat similar set of twin statues by Ernest Rancoulet called Retour des Bois (Return from the Woods). Depicting a young woman accompanied by a putto, Aphrodite and Eros, frolicking in a dance through the woods and meadows. This bucolic fantasy with Aphrodite makes some sense when we consider how Aziraphale’s personal love story started (and will presumably end) in a garden, but let’s deep deeper into its protagonists. Or protagonist, actually, because what else can be told about Love itself?

Eros as the god of Desire is usually presented in art as a handsome young man, though in some appearances he is a boy full of mischief, ever in the company of his mother. It is usually under the guidance of Aphrodite when he employs his signature bow and arrows to make mortals and immortals alike to fall in love. His role in myths is mostly complementary, as a catalyst for other mythological figures and their stories, with the notable exception being the myth of Eros and Psyche, the story of how he met and fell in love with his wife.

In short, they are the original star-crossed lovers from entirely separate worlds who meet and fall in love by divine happenstance, only to be separated by Psyche’s family. Convinced by her sisters that her husband is, in fact, a vile winged serpent, Psyche breaks his one rule and the attempt to kill the monster leads her to falling in passionate love with him. Eros flees and Psyche wanders the Earth searching for him and succumbing to a series of impossible tasks reminding of those from the Scarborough Fair ballad or the more modern fairytale about Cinderella. She ultimately fails, but is saved by the healed Eros, granted immortality and the status of his equal, after which they can properly marry with a huge wedding banquet, a real feast of the gods.

In the Christian Middle Ages, the union of Eros and Psyche started to symbolize the temptation and fall of the human soul, driven by the sexual curiosity and lust from the Love’s domain, mirroring the original sin and the expulsion from Eden.

Oh, and their Latin names? Cupid and Anima. C+A.

We’ll get back to them in a minute.

According to unnecessary but extensive research, the two mid-century table lamps standing over the desk were most probably produced in France after another unspecified 19th century sculptor like the example above, although this particular putti design can be also found in the so called Hollywood regency style of the same time period. The putto is holding onto a cornucopia, a classical antiquity symbol of plenty, which then continues to the bulb section.

The cornucopia is an easily recognizable symbol of abundance, fertility and, to lesser extant, peace and good fortune. Since the horn is phallic-shaped, but hollow at the same time, it combines intimate imagery of both male and female character at the same time, which further ties into notions of fertility. In its role as a fertility symbol, the cornucopia is also usually associated with Demeter, whose small statue is also standing on the bookshop’s counter. Which seems like a recurring theme.

I saw multiple theories about Aziraphale’s centerpiece, but somehow the truth proved to be much less significant than previously thought. This roman soldier, possibly a centurion, driving his two horses in a highly decorated chariot is made from a marble powder resin composite and takes the most visible place in the Eastern part of the bookshop even though it’s seemingly one of the newest additions to Aziraphale’s collection — its author, Lorenzo Toni, was born in 1938 and became a sculpture master by the 1970s. 

At first glance, the parallel to the Marly Horses seems obvious and we could leave it basically at what was written recently on Crowley and Aziraphale’s dynamics. But here is where instead of commenting on the antique sculpture that seems to be the inspiration behind this piece or the many intricacies of Roman chariot racing I’ll do something completely unhinged — i.e., play my Greek philosophy card.

In the dialogue "Phaedrus ”, Plato presents the allegory of the chariot to explain the tripartite nature of the human soul or — you guessed it — psyche. The charioteer is the man’s Reason, the rational part that loves truth and knowledge, which should rule over the other parts of the soul through the use of logic. One of the horses, the white one, is man’s Spirit, a motivated part which seeks glory, honor, recognition and victory. The second horse, the black one, represents man’s Appetite — an ever so hungry part which desires food, drink, material wealth and physical intimacy.

And the fun part? This triad is established to analyze the madness of love. In a classical Greek context, that is not between a man and a woman, but erastes and eromenos:

The charioteer is filled with warmth and desire as he gazes into the eyes of the one he loves. The good horse is controlled by its sense of shame, but the bad horse, overcome with desire, does everything it can to go up to the boy and suggest to it the pleasures of sex. The bad horse eventually wears out its charioteer and partner, and drags them towards the boy; yet when the charioteer looks into the boy's face, his memory is carried back to the sight of the forms of beauty and self-control he had with the gods, and pulls back violently on the reins. As this occurs over and over, the bad horse eventually becomes obedient and finally dies of fright when seeing the boy's face, allowing the lover's soul to follow the boy in reverence and awe. The lover now pursues the boy. As he gets closer to his quarry, and the love is reciprocated, the opportunity for sexual contact again presents itself. If the lover and beloved surpass this desire they have won the "true Olympic Contests"; it is the perfect combination of human self-control and divine madness, and after death, their souls return to heaven.

And such a perfect combination of the motifs already introduced to us by the two Eros statues and the Head of the Victorious Athlete.

Aziraphale might be a titular Companion to Owls (or, to be precise, the companion to one particular Nite Owl), but he had also made sure to have at least one owl keeping him company. And of course, the owl of Athena (who was interestingly both a bird and a snake goddess) is an absolutely conclusion here as the universal symbol of wisdom and knowledge in the Western culture, but it can’t be that easy, right?

In the Bible, you'll find that owls often symbolize something unclean and forbidden, as well as desolation, loneliness, and destruction. This symbolic significance is pointed out in Leviticus 11:16-17 and Deuteronomy 14:11-17 where owls are mentioned among the birds not to be eaten. Owls were considered unclean most likely because they are predatory creatures who eat raw flesh with the blood still in it, and that was an even bigger food safety concern for the biblical nomads than to us today.

Owls are also among the wild predators that have long dwelled in the desert lands and abandoned ruins of Egypt and the Holy Land. Both Isaiah and Zephaniah speak of owls nesting in ruined wastelands to paint symbolic images of barrenness, emptiness, and utter desolation. In Psalm 102:3–6, the owl symbolizes the loneliness of the psalmist’s tortured heart:

For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food. In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced to skin and bones. I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof. All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a curse. For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside. My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass. But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations.

It’s a devastating, but still beautiful piece that deals with the feeling of utter rejection, the ultimate bad breakup of the relationship between a human and their God. And this… simply didn’t happen between God and Aziraphale, not even during his Job job. The angel had always considered Her love and ineffability as a given, even when the whole Heavenly Host was against him during the Non-Apocalypse. His allegiance stayed with God, not necessarily Her angels. Which brings us yet again to the motion of Crowley as the owl.

The angel and the demon are the companions to each other's loneliness, but Aziraphale’s needs seem significantly bigger than their Arrangement that he even considered a wooden substitute protectively hovering over him 24/7. He seems to be the one who is the loneliest and most rejected.

Oh, and if you think that putting a small bronze statue of a putto with a bronze putto-shaped candleholder right behind it (visible on the filing cabinet in the bottom right corner) is already a stretch, let me show you what’s on the other side of that wall.

Just like before the bookshop fire, the famous sink in the small backroom is adorned with a perfectly kitschy white plaster sculpture of The Two Cherubs, a small part of a larger painting by Raphael (the painter, not the Archangel) titled Sistine Madonna. In the painting the Madonna, holding Christ Child and flanked by Saint Sixtus and Saint Barbara, stands on clouds before dozens of obscured putti, while two distinctive winged putti rest on their elbows beneath her. with bombastic side eyes and clearly unspoken, but very controversial thoughts about the whole scene and their role in it.

With an attitude like that, there’s no wonder that the putti have inspired some legends. According to one, the original cherubs were children of one of his models they would come in to watch. Struck by their posture, he added them to the painting exactly as he saw them. Another story says that Raphael was inspired by two street urchins looking wistfully into the window of a baker's shop.

The Germans implicitly tied this painting into a legend of their own, "Raphael's Dream." Arising in the last decades of the 18th century, the legend — which made its way into a number of stories and even a play — presents Raphael as receiving a heavenly vision that enabled him to present his divine Madonna. It is claimed the painting has stirred many viewers, and that at the sight of the canvas some were transfixed to a state of religious ecstasy akin to Stendhal Syndrome (including one of Freud's patients).

Their big, seemingly cherubic companion doesn’t seem to have a specific provenance, but what’s left of his limbs might suggest that it could be an infant Jesus as well as another putto. But honestly who knows at this point.

On the other side of the same room, right at the door leading to the big backroom, there are two lamps with Auguste Moreau’s Young Lovers, a bronze sculpture depicting a courting couple on the verge of a physical embrace, holding garlands of roses and hiding under some old vines. Which aligns perfectly with the beloved romcom trope of a rain shelter leading to sudden love realizations, as well as Crowley choosing this part of the bookshop to have a word with his angel in private and then offering his advice on anything related to human love. No wonder that the angel looked at him like that.

This statue carries with it more than one allegorical interpretation, intentional or not. Arguably the most obvious one is the myth of Eros and Psyche, one we already covered in this post. But similarly to his earlier sculpture, Eros also serves here as an allegory for nature and the return to the natural state itself. Like Adam in Eden, he's unclothed and symbolically crowned as a ruler of his domain. Psyche, enamored with his confidence, is about to take her own leap of faith as her fabric restraints fall away. One could say that she's tempted to follow him into nature, deep into the garden of love.

And with that exact thought I will leave you today, dear reader. Through this analysis we learnt many things, among them two significant facts about Aziraphale: firstly, he’s an utter and incorrigible romantic, and secondly, a hoarder. Forget Crowley’s souvenirs — the amount of this angel’s statues is something else. And it isn’t even his hyperfixation!