Eros em Plutarco e a apologia do amor conjugal

Abstract

Eros is a god who had several representations. Also his power on men and gods has been referred to by several Greek authors. Plutarch was no exception and describes him as a god with more power than any other. Gods like Hades, Aphrodite or Ares are nothing when compared with the god of love. In Amatorius, Plutarch presents us another aspect concerning love, which is not usual in Classical Antiquity: the apology of conjugal love. The feeling inspired by Eros is not exclusive of the man and heterosexual love is also inspired by this god. Plutarch praises women’s virtues, particularly their capacities of fidelity, tenderness and devotion. He also refers himself to the relationship between husband and wife, as the “integral union”, that relationship where, initially love corresponds to some effervescence, which, in time, calms down, giving place to a great stability. These aspects – the way how Plutarch sees Eros and his conception of conjugal love – are those we intend to approach in this paper.