I came across this article today, and it provides a nice summary of the Greek sensibilities toward the various forms of love.
With Metta and Karuna, the Buddha certainly taught (with joy and equanimity) in a very defined way the “divine/noble abodes” of human practice and existence. This complex approach toward love may explain why a complex translation of “Metta” is best expressed by the word " love, " but not in the romantic or western sense.
It’s interesting to read of the Greek perspective. " Looking for an antidote to modern culture’s emphasis on romantic love? Perhaps we can learn from the diverse forms of emotional attachment prized by the ancient Greeks."
