Today is Valentine’s Day, but there is more to this celebrated holiday than giving or receiving flowers, candy and gifts.

The creation of Cupid began with the Greeks, but their name for him was Aros, said Bonnie Irwin, professor of English.

Aros in Greek means erotic, which is one of the symbols society still connects him to 19 centuries later, Irwin said.

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact creation of Aros because of the Greek oral tradition, said Jeffrey Lynch, professor and dean of the College of Arts and Humanities. During second century A.D., the Romans took the Greek’s Aros myth and created their own written love myth and god, calling him Cupid.

The Romans made Cupid the son of Venus, who is the goddess of sexuality and beauty, Irwin said. As her Roman attendant, the blindfolded Cupid oversaw the love affairs of humans and gods.

He is depicted as a handsome, naked young man, the embodiment and idealization of masculine beauty, who flies around the world leaving people fated in love at his mercy, Lynch said.

“His gold arrows had the power of making people fall in love; whereas, his lead arrows struck people out of love,” Irwin said.

Lynch said shooting either the gold or lead arrow, Cupid would aim for his target’s eye, which would lead straight to the heart.

Legend has it that Cupid was feared by many gods because he had the power to control their hearts, dooming them to happiness or misery, Irwin said.

“For example, there is the myth of Apollo and Daphne by Ovid,” she said. Apollo, the god of light and archery, is jealous of Cupid for having a bow and arrow, she said.

To show Apollo his power, Cupid shoots him with a gold arrow that will make him fall in love forever with the nymph, Daphne, she said. Cupid shoots Daphne with a lead arrow, allowing her to never fall in love with him.

Although Cupid can be known for this type of negativity, it is his ability to create true love between individuals that he is praised for.

Cupid must have used golden arrows on Rachel Tracy, a senior speech pathology major, and her fiance because her fiance is coming to surprise her with plans.

Alexander Bitchev, a senior finance major, plans on spending Valentine’s night with his girlfriend, while Oona Burke, a senior marketing major, plans on “daydreaming” her night away.

A romantic Valentine’s Day dinner is in store for the girlfriends of Greg Ruff, a junior graphic design major, and Dan Crowe, a junior accounting major.

The boyfriend of Pam Buenker, a senior accounting major, is coming to visit her, and they plan on going out to eat somewhere, as long as it’s not fast food.

Lauren Rathfelder, a junior marketing major, plans on spending the night with her friends at Ike’s.

Some students are waiting to celebrate Valentine’s Day until this weekend. Bithyah Graham, a sophomore education major, plans on spending this weekend at a hotel with her boyfriend because it is his birthday, while Travis Peterson, a freshman graphic design major, is going home on Thursday to see his girlfriend.

For some, long distance minutes are the closest they’ll get for a Valentine date.

“My boyfriend is back at home, so I plan on calling him and then watching T.V.,” said Brittaney Holtz, a junior sociology major.