How Many of These Classic Forms of Love Have You Experienced?

There’s more to it than a box of chocolates

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

The ancient Greeks had a lot to say on the subject of love. Here are a few examples:

“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” — Aristotle

“Friends show their love in times of trouble, not in happiness.” — Euripedes

“He whom the gods love dies young.” — Menander

“At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet.” — Plato

There is some disagreement on how many types of love the ancient Greeks identified due to differences in translation. Later others added a subcategory or two. Here are some of the different kinds of love. How many have you experienced?

Philia — Affectionate Love

Scholars credit Aristotle with identifying philia as distinct from romantic love. According to scholar Gerard Hughes, Aristotle gives us several examples of this type of love. These include the following:

Lifelong friends
Cities with one another
Political or business contacts
Parents and children
Members of the same religious society
Members of the same tribe
Merchants and their buyers