Love Stories From Greek Mythology

A new series of articles will take a look at how passionate and devastating love could be for the Ancient Greeks.

In the spirit of St. Valentine's Day, we will be taking a look at some of the most famous, and a few of the lesser known, love stories from Greek Mythology. From the sweet and romantic, to the heartbreaking and bittersweet, the Greeks knew how to spin a tale of love, desire, and woe.

Love in Greek Mythology did not limit its effects to the mere mortal. The gods often played starring roles in these tales, and often showed their human traits like jealousy and fear. In a tale like Cupid and Psyche, for example, the gods were far from perfect.

Look for some of the more famous tales of love like Orpheus and Eurydice, Echo and Narcissus, and Pygmalion and Galatea. We will also take a look at one or two lesser-known love stories, like the heartbreaking tale of the hero Achilles and the warrior Penthesilea.