Antĕros

( ἀντι ἐρως , against love ), a son of Mars and Venus. He was not, as the derivation of his name implies, a deity that presided over an opposition to love, but he was the god of mutual love and of mutual tenderne . Venus had complained to Them is that her son Cupid always continued a child, and was told that, if he had another brother, he would grow up in a short space of time. As soon as Anteros was born, Cupid felt his strength increase and his wings enlarge; but if ever his brother was at a distance from him, he found himself reduced to his ancient shape. From this circumstance it is seen, that return of pa ion gives vigour to love. Anteros had a temple at Athens raised to his honour, when Meles had experienced the coldne and disdain of Tim agoras, whom he pa ionately esteemed, and for whom he had killed himself. See: Meles . Cupid and Anteros are often represented striving to seize a palm tree from one another, to teach us that true love always endeavours to overcome by kindne and gratitude. They were always painted in the Greek academies, to inform the scholars that it is their immediate duty to be grateful to their teachers, and to reward their trouble with love and reverence. Cicero , de Natura Deorum , bk. 3 , ch. 23 .— Pausanias , bk. 1 , ch. 30 ; bk. 6 , ch. 23 .――A grammarian of Alexandria, in the age of the emperor Claudius.――A freedman of Atticus. Cicero , Letters to Atticus , bk. 9 , ltr. 14 .