Nobody was immune from the errant arrows of Cupid. (Wilson; Vicellio; Cranach)

Early spring ... birds sing love songs ... in ancient Rome, February 14 was chosen as the day to remind those pierced by Cupid's errant arrows of Love and Psyche ... the relationship of Love and Psyche is delicate and needs to be nurtured ... people were urged to use the Cupid's bow of their upper lip to blow kisses to caress their beloved ... or nowadays to send commercial greetings cards, now substituted by colder versions sent by e-mail.

Blowing kisses with the "Cupids bow" of the upper lip. (Smith)

The ancients believed that baby Cupid shot arrows indiscriminately ... that those pricked became "Love sick" ... that babies just as Love do not know reason ... that in all ages, Cupid's arrows strike most living creatures, human or otherwise. Ancient artists held Love and Psyche to be as tender as a butterfly ... that love when reciprocated is a fountain of bliss ... that as Cupid became Eros, cupidity and erotic drives became unrelenting ... that one desire engendered many others and led to unrest and unhappiness ... that when an arrow pricked Cupid's finger, he became aware of Psyche ... that love induced divine Cupid to forgive the many flaws of mortal Psyche ... that Cupid visited hell to rescue Psyche and implored Zeus to grant her immortality.

Psyche is as fragile as a butterfly. However, without her, lust never becomes love nor are passions put to rest. (Gerard; Roman)

Christians tried many times to eradicate popular pagan festivities or at least to "Christianize" them. One popular ancient festivity was LUPERCALIA. Celebrated on February 14, LUPERCA (she-wolf), as a Goddess of flocks and fertility, was honored by purification rites. The month of February in general, was reserved for Februa (purifications).

Later, Bishop Gelasius dedicated February 15 to Saint Valentine, a Saint that probably never was. I do not know if VALE in Valentine links with vale in Carnival or CARNE VALE, but it is tempting to think that the "carnality" of carnival is softened by the "loving" implications inherent in  St. Valentine day. In any case, Christians intruded into Carnival by a decree ruling that it must end on Shrove (merry) Tuesday or Mardi Gras.

Love "sickness" can be unwelcomed. Zeus may have punished Cupid for inflicting on him passions and prompting his infidelity toward Hera. Mars broke Cupid's arrows and seized his bow. (Janssens; Bordone)

Clearly, modern carnival retains its ancient untamed festive nature and promotion of CARNEVALE or "carnality". In a way such may be a way to seek release from Athena (personification of  "cold" reason) and escape from our reasoning minds. Carnival celebrants tend to loose their minds as they appeal to Eros and venereal Venus to release their instincts, as did frenzied manic MAENADS during BACCHANALIA or DIONYSIA festivities. Carnival is also alike to ancient SATURNALIA, a period when all slaves and masters were declared equal and when King Momus or Felix was empowered to mock everything and all, except Venus. Note that in Madrid, carnival like parades take place in early January and surely are rooted in the ancient Saturnalia feast for the departing Saturn (old year) and a welcoming of Janus (the juvenile January).

Perhaps the noted duality between Carnival and St. Valentine's Day relates to Psyche who, although fragile as a butterfly, is the only one who can sooth inflamed desires. Cupid grew into Eros or Amor and discovered that lust engenders lust and that without love misery ensues. Eros found peace from Psyche, for whom he visited hell to get true LOVE.