Are you a big-time advocate of “one love”? Then you will be surprised to know that according to the Ancient Greeks there are 8 different kinds of love!
Love is a special and complicated emotion that is quite difficult to understand. Although most people believe that love revolves around the heart, it actually occurs in the brain. Artists, poets, and painters all epitomize the heart as the love symbol, but it’s the brain that generates chemical signals to make people understand love. There are also different forms and styles of expressing love.
Every human being has a wide range of emotions and feelings toward others. We often use “Love” as an umbrella term to describe the positive and nurturing emotions we feel for people.
It wasn’t always so. The Ancient Greeks had around 30 terms to describe Love in all its shades and complexities. We have chosen eight of the most powerful and different kinds of love definitions to guide you toward a greater understanding of the emotion that makes the world go round.
Without any delay, let’s discuss the 8 types of love according to ancient greeks.
Read: Difference Between Need And Want In Love
The Eight Different Kinds Of Love
Let’s dive right into the 8 kinds of love, according to the ancient Greeks.
1. Agape – the love of humanity
This is an unconditional love that sees beyond the outer surface and accepts the recipient for whom he/she is, regardless of their flaws, shortcomings, or faults. It’s the type of love that everyone strives to have for their fellow human beings.
Although you may not like someone personally, you decide to love them just as a human being. This kind of love is all about sacrifice as well as giving and expecting nothing in return.
The translation of the word agape is love in the verb form; it is the love demonstrated by your behavior toward another person. Among all the different kinds of love, this type of love is committed and chosen.
Read: The Ancient Five Element Personality Test That’ll Help You Find True Love
2. Storge – family love
It is the love for the family and friends. This is the love that parents naturally feel for their children; the love that members of the family have for each other; or the love that friends feel for each other.
In some cases, a friendship may turn into a romantic relationship, and the couple in such a relationship becomes best friends. Of the 8 different kinds of love, Storge love ultimately drives you to forgive. It makes you feel secure, comfortable, and safe.
3. Pragma – love which endures
Among the different kinds of love, the love between a married couple develops over a long period of time. The love which sustains through sickness and health, richness and poverty, happiness and misery, is the most enduring kind of love.
Read: 3 Phases Of Romantic Love
4. Philautia – self-respect
The most special of the different kinds of love is self-love, the love we give to ourselves. This is not vanity, like narcissism, but our joy in being true to our own values. The strength to care for ourselves so that we can in turn care for others.
5. Philia – a shared experience
The 8 kinds of love in greek acknowledge the love we feel for people with whom we strive to achieve a shared goal; our co-workers, players in a football or netball team, the soldiers in an army, etc.
Read: The 7 Different Kinds of Love, That You Will Experience in Life According to Ancient Greeks
6. Ludus – flirting, playful affection
The feelings we have when we test out what it might be like to be in love with someone. The fluttering heart and feelings of euphoria; the slightly dangerous sensation comes under the 6th greeks kinds of love.
7. Eros – romantic and erotic love
Eros is a passionate and intense love that arouses romantic feelings; it is the kind that often triggers “high” feelings in a new relationship and makes you say, “I love him/her”. It is simply an emotional and sexual love.
Although this romantic love is important at the beginning of a new relationship, it may not last unless it moves a notch higher because it focuses more on the self instead of the other person.
If the person “in love” does not feel good about their relationship anymore, they will stop loving their partner. It can turn into other kinds of love, like pragma, even though it started as romance and attraction.
8. Phileo – chosen love
Phileo love refers to an affectionate, warm and tender platonic love. It makes you desire friendship with someone. It’s the kind of love that livens up the Agape love.
Although you may have an agape love for your enemies, you may not have a Phileo love for them. The translation of the word Phileo is love in the noun form: it is how you feel about someone. It is also a committed and chosen love.
What’s Love To You?
After knowing about the Greeks kinds of love, think about what love means to you, and let us know your thoughts by commenting down below.
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