CAPITAL SIN 1 : LUST
“ALLEGORY OF LUST AND LUXURIA”
#Lust@FA
Lust or lechery (Latin: luxuria "carnal") is intense longing. It is usually thought of as intense or unbridled secual desire which may lead to fornication (including adultery), rape, bestiality and other sinful and sexual acts; oftentimes, however, it could also mean other forms of unbridled desire, such as for money, or power.
In Roman mythology, Cupid (also known as Amor) is the god of love, desire, lust and attraction. He is often depicted as a winged boy or youth carrying a bow and arrows, which he uses to shoot people and make them fall in love.
According to legend, Cupid was the son of Venus, the goddess of love, and Mars, the god of war. Venus was jealous of Psyche, a mortal princess who was renowned for her beauty, and ordered Cupid to use his arrows to make Psyche fall in love with a monster. However, Cupid fell in love with Psyche himself and used his powers to keep her safe from harm.
Cupid and Psyche's love was not without its challenges, however. Venus was still jealous of Psyche and set her a series of impossible tasks to prove her worthiness of Cupid's love. With the help of various creatures and gods, Psyche completed the tasks and was finally reunited with Cupid, who had been injured by one of Venus' schemes.
In the picture, the attentive viewer may see not only Cupid and Psyche in a lust-full position, but also recognize some characteristics of the British royals Harry and Meghan.
This may not be accidental, as one could draw some parallels between the life of Cupid and Psyche and the life of Prince Harry and Princes Meghan.
The story of Cupid and Psyche is a classic fairy tale, featuring a romance between a mortal woman and a god, while the story of Harry and Meghan is a real-life fairy tale romance between a prince and an actress.
Furthermore the analogy is striking :
• Intense media scrutiny : Both couples have faced intense media scrutiny throughout their relationship, with the story of Cupid and Psyche being a popular subject of art and literature for centuries, and the lives of Harry and Meghan being covered extensively in the media, with paparazzi following their every move.
• Family disapproval: In the story of Cupid and Psyche, Psyche's sisters are jealous of her relationship with Cupid and try to sabotage it, while in the case of Harry and Meghan, there have been reports of disapproval from the royal family towards their relationship and decisions.
• Breaking of societal norms: The romance between Cupid and Psyche was seen as a transgression of societal norms, as was Harry's choice to marry a woman who is both divorced and of mixed race.
And yet, despite the odds, they have triumphed over adversity and found happiness and success. The figures of Cupid and Psyche remind us that the line between sin and virtue is not always clear, and that it is up to us to navigate the treacherous waters of desire with wisdom, compassion, and a sense of purpose.
And also, H&M as royals also live in big "Luxuria" in the modern meaning…
And finally, why would lust associated with love be a sin ? Where is the red line between love and lust ? Will it always lead to a downfall ?
With the words of Breugel :
Latin : LUXURIA ENVERVAT VIRES, EFFOEMINAT ARTUS·
Old Dutch : Luxurije stinckt, Sij is vol onsuverheden Sij breeckt die Crachten, en Sij swackt die leden
[English : Lust enervates the strength, weakens the limbs]
For more information : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BZbodklWa7Q_k1cwv1Efjs9c-aRD_88r/view?usp=drive_link
