Starting February 13, the Constanta Museum of National History and Archaeology (MINA) is presenting to the public, for one month, a lesser-known artifact from its collection: "Eros the Archer and the Torments of Love".
According to the museum, this month's exhibit is a small fragment of a terracotta statuette, approximately ten centimeters long, displayed in a specially arranged space inside the Roman Mosaic Building, accompanied by a detailed information panel.
"The Greeks called him Eros, the Romans called him Cupid or Amor, and in both ancient Greek and Latin his name means passionate desire or carnal love. In both cultures he was the son of the goddess of love, Aphrodite/Venus, known as both the messenger and the executor of his mother's will, and utterly unforgiving toward any target assigned or chosen. In ancient art, the god appears either as a delicate youth or a chubby, playful child. In both cases he is recognizable by the golden wings on his back and his characteristic weapons: the enchanted bow and arrows. It is said that nothing and no one can resist the sweet venom of love they spread. Not even the gods are immune to Amor's weapons, which made even Jupiter fear him," the MINA Constanta release notes.
According to the museum, legends recount that even the beautiful Venus was once wounded by one of the arrows in his quiver, while embracing her son, causing her to fall madly in love with the handsome Adonis. Moreover, when Eros was sent by his mother to punish the arrogance of the parents who believed their daughter Psyche to be as beautiful as Venus, he accidentally pricked himself with the arrow meant for the girl. Instead of carrying out his mother's sentence, condemning Psyche to fall in love with a monster, he himself fell hopelessly in love with her. After many trials, including Psyche's descent into the underworld at Venus's command, the two lovers ultimately won Jupiter's approval and remained together.
The terracotta fragment was discovered in Mangalia (ancient Callatis) and belonged to the Vasile Canarache collection, later donated to the Constanta museum. The Tanagra-type statuette dates to the Hellenistic period and depicts Eros as a standing young man, nude, crowned, and shown from the front with large, half-open wings. The iconographic pose evokes the grandeur associated with the presence of love and reminds us that, as his mother's messenger, Eros dispenses her justice among mortals and gods alike.
"The Constanta Museum of National History and Archaeology wishes you to celebrate love every day, to enjoy time with your other half, and even when love's torments burn you, to remember that those who truly love each other can overcome any trial together," the release says.
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