 |
| (from Roman de la Rose) |
The ancient
Greeks knew that hearts and flowers are
not the same as sacrifice and devotion. They were wise enough to call
a desire a
desire, and a commitment a commitment.
Just as the
Inuits have many words for snow, these wise ones had many words for love. “Love” was not just a basket in which
they threw everything from Facebook
friends to long-term spouses.
Phila was their word for friendship, a friendship
that required “virtue, equality, and
familiarity.” This was also called “brotherly love” (as in
Philadelphia, the city of brotherly
love).
Storge referred to “natural empathy,” especially that within parental love. Eros was the sexual
passion that Cupid loved to instigate.
In 1 Corinthians
13, when Paul said that “the
greatest of these is love,” he was
referring to agape. Also called caritas (charity), this is “the love of God for man
and of man for God.” Agape cannot be
snagged with a bow and arrow, but
it can be reached by aiming real high.
Resources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_words_for_love
Copyright February 15, 2018 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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