The Ancient Greeks had at least six different words for love. Arguably plenty more if you include variants and subcategories.
That makes sense doesn’t it? How can one word define the myriad of feelings towards our partner, children, parents, country, hobbies, food, selves etc.?
Each sonnet in this collection is inspired by a Greek word for a form of love. They are indexed by Greek word / English approximation:
- storgē / patriotism
- agōn / conflict (not a form of love, this explores conflicting loves)
- philía / unrealised love
- epithumeō / desire (for possessions)
- philautía / self love
- mania / controlling obsessive love
- mania / dependent obsessive love
- prâgma / enduring love
- lūdus / playful love (actually a Roman concept)
- philía / Platonic love
- philía / friendship
- storgē / familial love
- prâgma / enduring love (versus selfishness)
- agápē / sacrificial love