In
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...
, Philotes (;
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...
: ) was a minor goddess or spirit (''
daimon
The daimon (), also spelled daemon (meaning "god", "godlike", "power", "fate"), denotes an "unknown superfactor", which can be either good or hostile.
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology a daimon was imagined to be a lesser ...
es'') personifying
affection,
friendship
Friendship is a Interpersonal relationship, relationship of mutual affection between people. It is a stronger form of interpersonal bond than an "acquaintance" or an "association", such as a classmate, neighbor, coworker, or colleague.
Althoug ...
, and
sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse (also coitus or copulation) is a sexual activity typically involving the insertion of the Erection, erect male Human penis, penis inside the female vagina and followed by Pelvic thrust, thrusting motions for sexual pleasure ...
.
Family
In
Hesiod's ''
Theogony
The ''Theogony'' () is a poem by Hesiod (8th–7th century BC) describing the origins and genealogy, genealogies of the Greek gods, composed . It is written in the Homeric Greek, epic dialect of Ancient Greek and contains 1,022 lines. It is one ...
'', Philotes is described as one of the children of
Nyx (Night). In later genealogies given by Roman authors, she is the offspring of
Erebus (Darkness) and Nox (the Roman name for Nyx). Her siblings are said to be, among others,
Apate (Deceit),
Nemesis (Indignation), and
Eris (Strife)
Mythology
According to
Hesiod's ''
Theogony
The ''Theogony'' () is a poem by Hesiod (8th–7th century BC) describing the origins and genealogy, genealogies of the Greek gods, composed . It is written in the Homeric Greek, epic dialect of Ancient Greek and contains 1,022 lines. It is one ...
'', she represented sexual and social intercourse. Her siblings are said to be, among others,
Apate (Deceit) and
Nemesis (Indignation). She was described by
Empedocles
Empedocles (; ; , 444–443 BC) was a Ancient Greece, Greek pre-Socratic philosopher and a native citizen of Akragas, a Greek city in Sicily. Empedocles' philosophy is known best for originating the Cosmogony, cosmogonic theory of the four cla ...
as one of the driving forces behind creation, being paired together with
Eris (Feuds); Philotes being the force behind good things and Eris being the force of bad things. He also identifies her with
Kypris (Aphrodite) and mentions that Philotes feels hurt and offended by life-destroying offerings and demands the abstention from animal sacrifices.
References
Further reading
*
Gaius Julius Hyginus, ''Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus'' translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies
Online version at the Topos Text Project.*
Hesiod, ''Theogony'' from ''The Homeric Hymns and Homerica'' with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Cambridge, MA.,Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.Greek text available from the same website
* Marcus Tullius Cicero, ''Nature of the Gods from the Treatises of M.T. Cicero'' translated by Charles Duke Yonge (1812–1891), Bohn edition of 1878
Online version at the Topos Text Project.
* Marcus Tullius Cicero, ''De Natura Deorum.'' O. Plasberg. Leipzig. Teubner. 1917.
Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Philotes (Mythology)
Greek love and lust goddesses
Personifications in Greek mythology
Children of Nyx
Daimons
Affection
Friendship
Mating