The Myth of the Other Half: Love According to the Greeks

Have you ever wondered why people often feel incomplete or search for “their other half”? The answer lies in a fascinating story from Greek mythology, told by Plato in the Symposium.According to the myth, humans were not always as we are today. Originally, there were three types of humans: male-male, female-female, and male-female, each with two faces, four armsand four legs. They were strong, proud, and self-sufficient, so much so that they even tried to challenge the gods.The gods, concerned about their power, decided to split each human in half. From that moment on, humans became incomplete. Each person was left with a deep longing to reunite with their missing half—the part of themselves that had been torn away. This desire, the myth explains, is the origin of love: an instinctive search for wholeness and connection.

This story goes beyond romance. It suggests that love is about more than attraction—it is a quest for unity, understanding, and emotional completion. Ancient Greeks used this myth to explain human desire, companionship, and the intense bonds that form between people.

Even today, the myth resonates. When we speak of soulmates, lifelong partners, or that special someone who “completes us,” we are echoing an idea that has survived for thousands of years. It reminds us that love is both natural and transformative, bridging human experience and divine imagination.

For learners of Greek, myths like this are more than stories—they are windows into how the Greeks understood human nature, relationshipsand cultural values.

In short, the myth of the other half shows that connection, longingand the search for wholeness are timeless human experiences, deeply rooted in Greek thought.