Love is a universal feeling expressed in many ways throughout history. In ancient Greece, love was expressed in poetic terms using six words. These words are still used in modern Greek to describe different types of love.
1. The six words for love in ancient Greece
The six words for love in ancient Greece were Eros, Philia, Ludus, Agape, Pragma, and Philautia. Eros was the passionate, physical love that often led to sexual desire. Philia was brotherly love or friendship. Ludus was playful love, often seen in courtship. Agape was selfless love, or the loved one has for others without expecting anything in return. Pragma was practical love or the love that is based on reason and practicality. Philautia was the love of the self or self-love. Each type of love was important in ancient Greece and had a different societal role.
2. Eros was the love based on physical attraction and desire
Eros was considered the most primal and instinctual type.
3. Philia was the love based on friendship and mutual respect
Philia was the love that was based on friendship and mutual respect. It was the purest and most selfless type of love and the most difficult to find. People who had philia for each other could rely on each other through thick and thin, and they always had each other’s best interests at heart.
4. Ludus was the playful, fun-loving type of love
Ludus was the playful, fun-loving type of love. He was the type of love that would make you laugh until your stomach hurt and then make love to you until you were weak in the knees. He was always up for a good time and was never one to take things too seriously. But that didn’t mean that he didn’t care. He loved with all of his heart and always put his partner first. He just liked to have fun and enjoy life.
5. Agape was the selfless, unconditional type of love
Agape love is the perfect example of selfless love. It is the type of love given without any expectation of return. Agape love is often called unconditional love because it is not based on specific factors. It is simply given freely, from the heart. Agape love is the most desired type because it is the purest and most selfless.
6. Pragma was the practical, sensible type of love
Pragma was the practical, sensible type of love. It was based on a deep friendship and practical considerations. Pragma marriages were often happy and prosperous.
7. Philautia was the love of self or self-love
Self-love is a powerful emotion that can positively or negatively affect our lives. The ancient Greeks believed that philautia, or self-love, was the first and most important of the seven deadly sins. This was because they believed that we would be more likely to behave virtuously if we loved ourselves. However, if we were only concerned with ourselves, we would be less likely to act in the best interests of others.
How do these words compare to the words we use today?
When we compare the words used in the Canterbury Tales to the words we use today, we can see that there have been some changes. For example, the word “nice” was used to mean “foolish” in the Canterbury Tales, whereas we use it to mean “pleasant.” Additionally, the word “gay” was used to mean “bright” or “happy,” while we use it to mean “homosexual.” However, many words have stayed the same over the years. For example, “love” still means the same thing today as it did in the Canterbury Tales.
Why do you think the ancient Greeks had so many love words?
The ancient Greeks had many words for love because love was an essential concept. They believed that love was the most powerful force in the world and could accomplish anything. They thought that love was the key to happiness and success and that it was worth fighting for.
The ancient Greeks understood the complex nature of love and had words to describe all of its different aspects. Their words still hold meaning today and can help us to better understand this powerful emotion.
Although the words may be different, the sentiment is still the same. Love is a beautiful emotion that can be expressed in many ways. Love is always worth celebrating whether it is spoken in ancient Greek or modern English.