Did you know the ancient Greeks had four meanings for the word love?
Romance, yes, but love can also be used to show appreciation or affection towards your friend, mum, dad, work colleague, neighbour, or even your pet!! So go on, text through a song dedication to someone who means something to you this Valentine’s Day.
Dedicate a song and be in with a chance to win a date for two! Head to facebook.com/999livefm
Have you ever wondered what love actually means, or where Valentine’s Day even came from?
Valentine’s Day actually came from a man named Valentine and was derived from both Christian and ancient Roman traditions. There are several different tales of St. Valentine and how Valentine’s Day came about, but in all of the stories, St. Valentine was portrayed as a heroic, romantic figure that people looked up to. By the time his story got around, he became the most popular saint in both England and France. As time went on, his story would mark February 14th as St. Valentine’s Day, named by Pope Gelasius, or now simply known as, Valentines Day.
In this day and age, Valentine’s Day has largely become commercialised with florists and chocolatiers receiving higher profits during February, and it’s all in the name of romantic love. But what truly is ’love’?
Romance and the art of wooing is an important part of love, but it’s certainly not the definitive meaning of love. Long before the English language even existed, the Ancient Greeks used four words to describe different aspects of love. You can read about them below and discover that love certainly extends to your mum, dad, and faithful friends who have stood by your side through thick and thin.
This Valentine’s Day, take the opportunity to express your gratitude and appreciation to those around you who show you love. One of the ways you can do that is by dedicating a song to them. Go to facebook.com/999livefm and you might even win a date for two!
The Ancient Greeks had four words to explain LOVE:
Storge: Storge describes the affection you might feel about your family members or even your pets. It’s a feeling that drives you to care and show affection to those close to you.
Philia: Philia can be described as brotherly love. It is a bond between best mates, two people who have gone through thick and thin together, and always have each other’s backs.
Eros: Eros is the word used to describe romantic love. It is marked by passion and intense attraction. It’s a key ingredient in the oldest institution – marriage.
Agape: Agape is the most powerful type of love as described by the Greeks. It is unconditional love – the love we humans strive for. To selflessly place the needs of others before our own, just as we were shown through the example of Jesus, is walking out in agape love.
Dedicate a song by going to Live FM’s facebook page and be in with a chance to win a date night for two! Tune in during Breakfast and Drive to hear your dedication.
Footnotes:
https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/02/14/the-8-ancient-greek-words-for-love/
https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2