Love

"One of Cupid’s victims is his own mother, Venus, the goddess of love, who, after being wounded by his arrow, is overcome by attraction to a mortal, Adonis. After enjoying passion with a divine being, Adonis announces his intention to go hunting. Venus pleads with him not to go in search of dangerous game. Such advice is distinctly un-Roman, and Adonis predictably ignores it—and is promptly killed by a wild boar" (p.357)

I have always liked ancient mythology but sometimes it perplexes me how some people come up with the ideas for these story's. This story about cupid for example is strange to me because it just ends abruptly and quite sad with the whole point of the story being the creation of an obscure and short lived flower. This flower I might add is quite pretty in my opinion but I find it strange that there needed to be a sad story of tragic love just to explain the existence of one flower. Although I don't know what to expect from the same people who had massive alcohol fueled orgies and communal sponges that everyone used to wipe their buts with.

"The resourceful heroine decides to start telling stories, and they prove so engrossing that she dazzles her husband for 1001 nights, by which time we can presume that the sultan begins to see her as a human being rather than as a temporary bed partner." (p.360)

I like the story of Scheherazade and the 1001 nights as it reminds me of modern love novels or movies. The sultan in the story is truly a detestable figure who abuses and kills women as he pleases just to satisfy himself for one night. As explained in the story he would often kill his brides the day after the wedding just so he could get a new wife later. However this reminded me of a movie I saw my mom watching not to long ago in the hallmark channel about a wealthy business man who went from woman to woman until he met the protagonist who changed his view of love. Now I don't like the hallmark channel but its always on in my house because my mom loves it so much that she will turn it on just for background noise but I did get a nostalgic reaction from the text after reading about this story.

"The Platonic concept that love in its highest form takes us to the realm of pure beauty that rules supreme at the top of Plato’s ladder may have sounded inspiring to lovers and the artists who depict them, but they have also been quick to recognize that few can withstand the rigors of the climb." (p.363)

Throughout life I have had many Platonic relationships as I assume many other people have as well. I don't mean just female friends but male friends as well as loving someone platonically doesn't restrict you to just people who you are attracted too. I really like this quote as it gives perspective on platonic relationships that I've had throughout life. One in particular reminds me of a girl in high school who I thought of like a sister. She was always reliable and at one point I think we talked every few hours though text or in person. She thought me a lot about how some women think and how to better empathies with different peoples emotions which I still value to this day. We still talk occasionally but after graduation we went our separate ways and both live successful lives.

Janaro & Altshuler, The Art of Being Human - The Humanities as a Technique for Living 11th Edition, Pearson 2016