Erato/Eros

[BodaciousBabe]

Asteroid 62, Erato, is one of the Nine Muse Asteroids. I read somewhere recently that it is the "feminine of Eros." whatever that means, and of course, the muse of love poetry. Erato is that which inspires the expression of love and passion in words, both written and spoken, poetry and prose.

I joined the forum looking for help in "explaining" a certain relationship, but I have taken all the information learned here and also looked at the synastry chart with my husband, with whom I am still in love even after 26 years of marriage.

But I've never been inspired to write poetry or prose about us, as I am with this other person.

In synastry with my husband, we both have Erato/Pluto/Jupiter conjunctions conjunct each other, (we are 6 months apart in age) and various aspects leading to other planets/angles.

But with this other person, my Erato aspects HIS Erato/Pluto conjunction and my Erato aspects his Eros., among other Erato aspects.

I suspect that if I had to live with this other man, I probably would not feel like writing love poetry. It's the distance that gives the Muse room to write.

BodaciousBabe

[Kim Falconer]

Guest- said:

I suspect that if I had to live with this other man, I probably would not feel like writing love poetry. It's the distance that gives the Muse room to write.BodaciousBabe

Hello BB,

Thank you for bringing up the Muses in context with relationship and Erato in particular. It is so true about creativity, (Eros and erotic transformation). You can’t live with it, day by day by day!

I don’t think we are meant to!

Creation needs stimulation, and love and erotic desire, yes, but it also needs space. If you put it in the category of “kitchen love”…doing the dishes love…laundry and duty and responsibility…it dies of suffocation.

I will comment more on Erato as time allows.

Does anyone else have Erato contacts to share?

Warmly,
Kim

[aquariusrising2]

Anyone want to jump back in on this thread? I have an interesting connection with someone. His Lust/Erato conjunct my Vesta/Saturn in Capricorn in 12th house. Anyone have any opinions on this one??

A.R.

[aquariusrising2]

Oh, second half of the above post. My Erato/Psyche conjunct his pan. Hmmm. That might be kinda fun ;D

Any thoughts??

A.R.

[Kim Falconer]

Erato reminds me of Sappho though perhaps a little lighter, less intense.

She is know as the "Lovely" is the muse of love poetry and mimicry, and is seen with a Lyre and a crown of fragrant roses.

“But when Erato brushed her flowery lute,
What strains of sweetness whispered in the wind!
Soft as at evening when the shepherd's flute
To tones of melting love alone resigned…” James G. Percival

is Lust/Erato conjunct my Vesta/Saturn in Capricorn in 12th house.H

Wow. And your Erato/Psyche on his Pan.

Pan was a musician as well and I have a feeling Erato/Pan would be very melodic--very earthy and steamy and sexy--a sultry kind of dance.

Psyche there would tune you in more, make you ultra sensitive to his passion and his "panic".

His Erato/Lust on your Vesta/Saturn in Capricorn in the 12th is potent. It makes me think of a "teacher-Student" energy, where he comes to learn and ends up showing you aspect of yourself you didn't imagine were there.

In the 12th, it all happens behind close shades, in the darkness. There is a feeling of shadow, and also of merging.

What kind of relationship is this?

(besides interesting) ?

Curious, Kim

[svenskasfinx]

Hej Kim!

That was a lovely and moving bit of prose about Erato!

As far as contacts for Erato with someone else- I have my opposition to someone's Lust..(at 10 degrees Aries) I am actually moved by his words and not the other way around, although I was told by him one night that I "inspired" not only him but others. (that was so sweet)

My personal possition for Erato is at 11 degrees 13 Libra in my 5th house (I seem to have alot of asteroids in the 5th house above all places as well as "Via Combusta")

Erato seems to square my first house combinations from that angle of my natal chart so I suspect its something I hold awareness to, or should be AWARE of.. or will be made Aware of..

Square energies certainly will make one AWARE of things, even if one ignores it.

I have a cluster of different asteroid possitions all at the 11th degree in different signs which place more emphisis on Erato..

My Zeus/Persephone conjunction at exactly 11 degrees with only minutes between them Gemini (in the 12th house) My Epimethos at 11 degrees 31 Leo (third house)-- and Asteroid Lilith at 11 degrees Capricorn (7th house).

Something is going on with the 11th degree. The 11th degree also happens to be my Sun/Moon midpoint As well as that midpoint between Erato and Zeus/Persephone.

I feel Erato is poetic (like Sappho but totally secure and not so needy I suppose; I also have that in Libra in the 5th house)

I still have a problem with Poetic, I'm aware of others poetic words but hardly ever of my own until someone makes me aware of it...

I think its interesting, but I still don't know how it fits in, or if it represents a personal relationship style for me, or if its a "talent" I have myself. It must be some how significant either way though.

Take care,

svenskasfinx

[aquariusrising2]

Thanks for your reply Kim:

We are both musicians!

Wow, there are energies here, I believe, that if sustained would develop into something awesome ;D

I have sent an e-mail for an Astro-Tutor on this subject. I would really like to explore it in greater depths with you.

Thanks so much

A.R.

[Amoroso]

"(like Sappho but totally secure and not so needy I suppose; I also have that in Libra in the 5th house)"

This is a good example of how different individuals relate to a planetary energy differnetly depending on their natal charts and whether or not the energy has expressed!

I see Sappho as totally secure and needy only in the sense that she absolutely MUST express depth of passion!

Blessings,
Amoroso

[Kim Falconer]

Guest- said:

"I see Sappho as totally secure and needy only in the sense that she absolutely MUST express depth of passion!

Yes, we respond to these energies according to our own orientation.

I have Sappho in Libra too, in the 3rd house. She forms a t-square to my Venus-Mars opposition. I find the longings and desire nature of this combo very extreme--that sense of MUST express! (which causes all kinds of calamity, I promise you!)

I think these asteroids, and planets, represent energies that have needs, wants and desires. If honoured, they express in creative ways for the individual. If ignored, they degrade and find somewhat less creative outlets.

Sappho's longing for the other is awesome. Erato is, perhaps, more interested in creative expression that awakens the heart, where Sappho's heart awakens and she MUST express.

Does this make sense?

AR, I'll email you back about the Astro-Tutor question. Ta
Kim

[svenskasfinx]

Dear Kim, and everyone..

I am sorry if I mistakenly put the wrong words together with my ideas of Sappho.. in contrast to Erato

I feel Kim's words expressed it so well : "Sappho's longing for the other is awesome. Erato is, perhaps, more interested in creative expression that awakens the heart, where Sappho's heart awakens and she MUST express."


That was very powerful and rings so true..but for me maybe my feeling is a lack of control concerning 80 Sappho and her need to express.

.....now imagine tossing 2063 Bacchus and the South Node in this 5th house mix..(along with 81 Terpsicore and 490 Veritas an interesting combination my son has in the first house in Leo, thus my 5th house my child)

I think my ideas of Sappho are very confused to say the least and there is where my impressions lay, although personal, quite possibly insanely flawed. She is motivated by the heart to express..

Not that my ideas of Erato are any less confused, I just see it for me as a very self assured verson of love which needs to motivate the heart.. but isn't dependant upon "the other" in order for that feeling or that creation to take form.. and to manifest its goal..

......perhaps she is a bit seductive in her beautiful words hoping to move someone, yes, but not in need to do so, she is however moving, where as Sappho, is moved, as Kim says, but perhaps needs to show with words how moved she is in order to "win over" the object of her desires.. perhaps trying to provoke desire in "the other".

Now considering these expressions of poetic form are in my 5th house, does that mean I have a certain weakness towards beautifly written and seductive words? With my Mercury (first house ruler in the 12 thouse in Gemini) exactly trined my Eros/Ceres conjunction also in the 5th house in Libra, I'd say it was a pattern I should be aware of.

oh well I don't know why I'm not going to sleep, but I better try .

take care all, and thank you,

svenskasfinx

[Kim Falconer]

svenskasfinx said:

Now considering these expressions of poetic form are in my 5th house, does that mean I have a certain weakness towards beautifly written and seductive words?

I would say you have a certain sensitivity, a certain attunement, a certain flare. Not weakness: receptivity.

And Sappho’s songs were not only to the beloved other, but to the gods. They were eulogies, prayers...I'm thinking of your 12th house Mercury link here now...

Sappho sang:

Deathless Aphrodite - Daughter of Zeus and maker of snares -
On your florid throne, hear me!
My lady, do not subdue my heart by anguish and pain
But come to me as when before
You heard my distant cry, and listened…<br> Come to me now to end this consuming pain
Bringing what my heart desires to be brought:
Be yourself my ally in this fight.


(Sappho, Poetarium Lesbiorum Fragmenta, Fragment 1 Oxford Press, England 1955

Erato's songs made blossoms open in the spring.

Sappho's songs makes them drip nectar as if it were blood.

I'm going to sleep now too.
Kim

[Amoroso]

Dear Svenskasfinx,

I had come back to this thread to say that I think your Sappho DOES express beautifully with a certain fluidlity and receptivity which is very Venesian, so it's not surprising she is in your natal Libra. And here Kim beat me to it and said the same thing, only better.

"She is motivated by the heart to express...Not that my ideas of Erato are any less confused, I just see it for me as a very self assured verson of love which needs to motivate the heart.. but isn't dependant upon "the other" in order for that feeling or that creation to take form.. and to manifest its goal...perhaps (Sappho) needs to show with words how moved she is in order to "win over" the object of her desires.. perhaps trying to provoke desire in "the other".

Yes, well said! That's just it--I think she is trying to provoke desire in the other by nakedly revealing hers. And it is by house, sign and aspects that reveal how we do that if we are in touch with those energies. I think when it is well expressed it iis an amazingly honest energy. And how many people can really receive that from another, let alone express it themselves? Not to many, which means it expresses in ugly, inauthentic ways--just look at western culture in general and what is presented as "personal desire." There's absolutely no "poetry" in it, and I am willing to make that a rather broad definition of "poetry!." Which brings me to an interesting question which I'll post on the Sappho thread.

Blessings,
Amoroso

[svenskasfinx]

Kim, Amoroso!

Thank you both so much for your kindess and thoughts,

And Kim that Sappho fragment litterally melted my heart, not that it needed much help .

You both could so easily point out my receptiveness to such lovely words...

I would assume that I'm still not exactly the poetic type, but yes sympathetic to it.

Thinking about the type I am made me want to look up some words by someone I KNOW who also has Sappho in the 5th house in conjunction with Bacchaus...but in the sign of Aquarius:

Thunder of Hearts (Pete Shelley - from "Modern")

Tell me why you look the other way
I've been tired of being blind
From staring at the sun
No cause for celebration tonight

Okay, right, you win
But always remember
Don't say you've not heard
When it died there, forever

Yes, sometimes even monkeys fall from trees
The die is cast, your mind's made up
We're going on our way
In my life this is happening to me

You live what you learn
I'll beg, steal or borrow
The thunder of hearts will echo tomorrow
Okay, right you win
But always remember
I've said, you've not heard
When it died there, forever

It's not much of a mystery
I knew things sort of how they ought to be
And meanwhile here on bended knees
The sympathy is too much to ignore


I know a thing or two,
Well more than three
I want it to be perfect
What a wish should be
No chance of celebration tonight

You live what you learn
I'll beg, steal or borrow
The thunder of hearts will echo tomorrow
Okay, right you win
But always remember
I've said, now you've heard,
When you die you're dead forever, forever



I know the words are passionate but less than descriptive in the exact sense, but then there is the WAY he expresses these words, which add newer meanings and a newer dimension to them. This is exactly the kind of thing I am so moved by. (aside from the occasional moment of truth honest feeling trying to get away from embelishments; simple, yes, but so loaded with feeling too )

Modern poetry is pop music but sadly it tends to spill out of the radios with no honest feeling and I tend to agree with Amoroso we in the western world loose touch with the expression and it in turn becomes nothing more than vulgarity as opposed to a feeling which is worthy of understanding...

Anyway I wanted to thank you both for your brilliant expressions, and the way you got your ideas home with me. ;D

Take care,

svenskasfinx

[aquariusrising2]

That bit of poetry was just lovely. Really moving. I'm so glad you shared it. I agree whole-heartedly with the statement "we in the western world loose touch with the expression and it in turn becomes nothing more than vulgarity as opposed to a feeling which is worthy of understanding" I hope that sentiment is beginning to change. It seems to me we have quite a few musician/lyricists on this board. If we all, within our own circles try to transform the superficiality and vulgarity of the "music" that is out there now, into relevant, susbtantive subject matter, something that moves the mind and/or the heart. We may be able to make a difference in the future. I have found there is a definite underground music scene developing which is much more profound than what is being shoved down our throats on the radio and TV. We need to bring it to the surface.

Anyhow. I am really enjoying the posts on this thread.

Have a good night/day all.

A.R.

[chrissymgreen]

all the poetry here is so fantastic. i love it!

i just wanted to add that i found an erato connection in both my chart and gordon's chart which might be linked to that love of certain poetry we share...our tastes are so remarkably similar.

in my chart, i have a mercury/eros/erato conjunction in aries...mercury sits on the midpoint of erato and eros, tying them together. they're all conjunct my DC.

in gordon's chart, he also happens to have a mercury/eros/erato conjunction, in virgo though, and in the 11th house conjunct the cusp (within 6°).<br>
our mercurys happened to be linked by a tight parallel (5 minute difference), so all of this seems to tie in together.

ERATO
Muse of lyric Poetry and Anacreontic Poetry, her name derives from the Greek Eros (love). Erato's name translates as "passionate". She was the most famous of the Muses. She is the Muse of lyrical love poetry and mime, usually depicted holding a lyre.

i just thought this was pretty neat!



sincerely,
c