The Story of Cupid (Eros) and Psyche

Psyche is the daughter of a queen and king who have two other beautiful daughters but Psyche’s beauty is unsurpassed. People even dare to compare her beauty to that of Venus.

Psyche’s sisters are married but no one dares to ask for Psyche’s hand.

From Olympus, Venus looks upon the whole situation with disdain. Why should a mortal woman be the peer of a goddess?

The oracle told the parents that Psyche is to sacrificed to a horrible monster. One must follow the advice of an oracle. Psyche is clothed in a wedding gown and brought to the mountain where she is to be sacrificed. Psyche sat there and wept in her bridal veil all alone.

Suddenly Psyche felt a warm breeze that took her to a valley of flowers. She saw a magnificent castle, she went into it. A pleasant voice said: "All these are yours, sit down at the table and eat". And then a exquisite banquet appeared on the table.

When night came, Psyche settled in a ivory bed.  The light was blown out. A warm breeze arrived and Psyche founds herself in the arms of her lover. She could not see him, only heard his loving voice and felt his warm embrace. This occured several time and Psyche was quite happy.

The word of Psyche’s happiness reached the ears of her sisters who become very jealous. 

Psyche missed the company of her sisters and desired to see them. Her invisible lover warned her. But after crying and pleading, Psyche was allowed to see her sisters

The sisters arrived to the top of the cliff where the warm breeze took them swiftly the valley.  The sisters convince Psyche that her husband must be a monster since she has not seen him and advised her to check that very night in the light of the oil lamp.

Nighttime came and her lover was in Psyche’s arms again. 

Her lover fall asleep and Psyche lighted the oil lamp. She saw a young man with milky white skin and dark curly hair. She saw wings, arrows and a bow lied beside the bed. It is the love god Cupid (Eros) himself. Psyche dropped a drop of hot oil which wakened her lover. When he saw that she has broken her promise, he put on his wings and flied away.

Psyche sat on her bed and crying. She started to seek her beloved everywhere but he is nowhere to be found. She prayed at all the temples, asking, begging for the help of the gods. Everyone refuses her because they do not wish to awaken the wrath of Cupid’ mother Venus who is the one who frames Psyche. 

Cupid has sought the consoling shelter of his mother and knows nothing about Psyche’s desperate search. 

At last Psyche is forced to confront the goddess herself.

Venus receives her with an ice cold smile and puts her to the test. "Let us see if you are a suitable wife. Sort out these seeds and put them in to order". 

Psyche receives a pile of poppy, wheat, peas, beans and many other seeds to separate from each other.

Psyche is devastated and starts crying. An ant and its friends come to hrlp, they sort the out the piles for her. When Venus returns that evening she is extremely vexed with the sight of the piles but hides her disappointment by demanding another task. 

Psyche must collect the wool of the golden rams.

The next morning Psyche sets out to collect the wool. The reed-mace warns her of the danger and recommends her to come to the pond in the afternoon and take the wool in the rams' shed. Psyche does as advised and returns with the golden wool.

Venus is still not satisfied and demands water from the spring at the top of a cliff. Psyche starts a long climb and hears whispers that say: "Turn back, turn back" and the sound of a dragon spitting flames. She gets scared. An eagle fetches water from the spring on the cliff for her.

Venus is astonished and demands Psyche to go to the Underworld and fetch a box of beauty from the goddess Persephone. 

Psyche realizes the impossible task as one can never return from the Underworld. And she decides to end her life.  Psyche is ready to jump from  a tall tower, but she heard the tower says "Don’t! I know of a way you can return alive! Descend to Hades at Tainaron in Southern Greece with a cookie in each hand and two coins in your mouth."

"No matter what you do, do not look into the box."

Psyche does as the tower told her, but when she reaches the light of the mortal world, she is tempted by curiosity to look in the box. The box is opened but nothing is to be seen. Out flies the Sleep of Death. Psyche falls asleep and her body stops breathing.

Zeus has watched the hardship of Psyche from Olympus and has had enough. Zeus orders Venus to leave poor Psyche alone, fetches Psyche and gives her ambrosia who then becomes immortal. Zeus says to Psyche:" From now on, you are never to leave Cupid’ side."