Philotes | |
---|---|
Personification of Friendship | |
Parents | Erebus [1] and Nyx [2] |
Equivalents | |
Roman equivalent | Amicitia, Gratia |
In Greek mythology, Philotes ( /ˈfɪlətiːz/; Ancient Greek: Φιλότης) was a minor goddess or spirit ( daimones) personifying affection, friendship, and sexual intercourse.
Philotes was a daughter of the primordial deities Erebus (Darkness) [3] and Nyx (Night). [4]
According to Hesiod's Theogony, she represented sexual and social intercourse. Her siblings are said to be, among others, Apate (Deceit) and Nemesis (Indignation). [5] She was described by Empedocles as one of the driving forces behind creation, being paired together with Neikea (Feuds); Philotes being the force behind good things and Neikea being the force of bad things. [6] He also identifies her with Kypris [7] and mentions that Philotes feels hurt and offended by life-destroying offerings and demands the abstention from animal sacrifices. [8]