Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The Stories of Love and Adventure Entitled Cupid and Psyche
The Stories of Love and Adventure Entitled Cupid and Psyche
The first is that, Psyche must separate a great quantity of the smallest seeds (wheat,
poppy and millet) by nightfall. Psyche successfully accomplished this with the help of
ants who took pity on her and did the job for her.
The second one is for Psyche to fetch Venus a shining wool from sheep with fleeces of
gold. This time, a green reed helped her. It told her not to throw herself into the stream,
but wait until the sheep comes out from the bushes and rest beside the river by
evening. During that time, she could enter the thicket and find plenty of the golden wool
hanging on sharp briars.
On the third task, Psyche must fill a flask with water from the river Styx. Psyche found
this the hardest as only a winged creature could reach the waterfall. Abruptly, an eagle
came to her rescue. It took the flask from her with its beak and later brought it back to
her full of the black water Venus asked.
Venus gave Psyche a box which she must bring to Proserpine for her to fill with her
beauty which the latter was happy to grant.
Before Psyche could bring the box back to Venus, her curiosity and desperation to look
as beautiful for Cupid caused her to peek into the box and use a little of it for herself.
The box was empty, much to her disappointment. However, a deadly languor took over
her and she fell into a deep sleep.
Once healed from the wound, Cupid escaped from where his mother had locked him in and
went to look for his wife. After seeing her, he immediately flew to her; and wiped the sleep
from her eyes and put it back into the box. He woke her up with his arrow and scolded her for
being curious. Cupid then told her to bring Proserpine’s box back to Venus, and rest assured
that he will handle the rest.
After she left to fulfill the last trial, Cupid went straight to Jupiter, the king of gods and men,
and asked for his help. Jupiter did not refuse the god of love and arranged an assembly where
he announced Cupid and Psyche’s formal marriage. Jupiter even proposed that Psyche be
bestowed with immortality; and he, himself, gave her ambrosia which turned her immortal.
Venus could not object. She realized that Psyche being in Heaven with a husband and
children, was better than her being on Earth where she will be worshipped by men for her
beauty.
And the two lovers lived happily ever after.
Do you now see where the concept “Love at first sight” started?
So, that concludes the myth of Cupid and Psyche. I hope you enjoyed reading it until the end.