Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Great Books Week 6
Great Books Week 6
BOOKS
Vanessa S. Benet, LPT.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
by Apuleius
Lucius Apuleius
APULEIUS was born about AD
125 in Madaura or Madauros, a
Roman colony in North Africa.
His father, from whom he
inherited a substantial fortune,
was one of the two chief of the
city.
For his education Apuleius was
sent first to Carthage, the capital
of Roman North Africa, and then
to Athens
Lucius Apuleius
While detained by illness on his
way home at Oea in Tripoli, he
met and married the wealthy
widow Pudentilla. This was at the
instance of one of her sons, whom
he had known at Rome; but other
members of her family objected to
the marriage and prosecuted
Apuleius on various charges,
principally that of winning
Pudentilla’s affections by magic.
The Golden Ass (metamorphoses)
PSYCHE EROS/CUPID
CHARACTERS
APHRODITE/VE
NUS
CHARACTERS
DEMETER/CE
RES
PHERSEPHONE/PROSERP
HINE
ZPHYR/WESTWI
ND
CHARACTERS
THANATOS/CHARO
CEBURUS
N
HADES/PLUT
O HERMES/MERCU
RY
CUPID AND PSYCHE
A certain king and queen had three daughters. The
charms of the two elder were more than common, but
the beauty of the youngest was so wonderful. The
fame of her beauty was so great that strangers from
neighboring countries came in crowds to enjoy the
sight, and looked on her with amazement, paying her
that homage which is due only to Venus herself. In fact
Venus found her altars deserted, while men turned
their devotion to this young virgin. As she passed
along, the people sang her praises, and strewed her
way with flowers.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
This homage to the exaltation of a mortal gave
great offense to the real Venus. Shaking her
ambrosial locks with indignation, she exclaimed,
"Am I then to be eclipsed in my honors by a mortal
girl? In vain then did that royal shepherd, whose
judgment was approved by Jove himself, give me the
palm of beauty over my illustrious rivals, Pallas and
Juno. But she shall not so quietly usurp my honors. I
will give her cause to repent of so unlawful a beauty."
CUPID AND PSYCHE
Thereupon she calls her winged son Cupid,
mischievous enough in his own nature, and rouses
and provokes him yet more by her complaints. She
points out Psyche to him and says, "My dear son,
punish that contumacious beauty; give your mother a
revenge as sweet as her injuries are great; infuse into
the bosom of that haughty girl a passion for some
low, mean, unworthy being, so that she may reap a
mortification as great as her present exultation and
triumph."
CUPID AND PSYCHE
Cupid prepared to obey the commands of his mother. There are
two fountains in Venus's garden, one of sweet waters, the other
of bitter. Cupid filled two amber vases, one from each fountain,
and suspending them from the top of his quiver, hastened to the
chamber of Psyche, whom he found asleep. He shed a few drops
from the bitter fountain over her lips, though the sight of her
almost moved him to pity; then touched her side with the point
of his arrow. At the touch she awoke, and opened eyes upon
Cupid, which so startled him that in his confusion he wounded
himself with his own arrow. Heedless of his wound, his whole
thought now was to repair the mischief he had done, and he
poured the balmy drops of joy over all her silken ringlets.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
Psyche, henceforth frowned upon by Venus,
derived no benefit from all her charms. True, all eyes
were cast eagerly upon her, and every mouth spoke
her praises; but neither king, royal youth, nor
plebeian presented himself to demand her in
marriage. Her two elder sisters of moderate charms
had now long been married to two royal princes; but
Psyche, in her lonely apartment, deplored her
solitude, sick of that beauty which, while it procured
abundance of flattery, had failed to awaken love.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
Her parents, afraid that they had unwittingly
incurred the anger of the gods, consulted the oracle of
Apollo, and received this answer, "The virgin is
destined for the bride of no mortal lover. Her future
husband awaits her on the top of the mountain. He is
a monster whom neither gods nor men can resist."
CUPID AND PSYCHE
This dreadful decree of the oracle filled all the
people with dismay, and her parents abandoned
themselves to grief. But Psyche said, "Why, my dear
parents, do you now lament me? You should rather
have grieved when the people showered upon me
undeserved honors, and with one voice called me a
Venus. I now perceive that I am a victim to that
name. I submit. Lead me to that rock to which my
unhappy fate has destined me."
CUPID AND PSYCHE
Accordingly, all things being prepared, the royal
maid took her place in the procession, which more
resembled a funeral than a nuptial pomp, and with
her parents, amid the lamentations of the people,
ascended the mountain, on the summit of which they
left her alone, and with sorrowful hearts returned
home.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
While Psyche stood on the ridge of the mountain,
panting with fear and with eyes full of tears, the
gentle Zephyr raised her from the earth and bore her
with an easy motion into a flowery dale. By degrees
her mind became composed, and she laid herself
down on the grassy bank to sleep.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
When she awoke refreshed with sleep, she looked
round and beheld nearby a pleasant grove of tall and
stately trees. She entered it, and in the midst
discovered a fountain, sending forth clear and crystal
waters, and fast by, a magnificent palace whose
august front impressed the spectator that it was not
the work of mortal hands, but the happy retreat of
some god. Drawn by admiration and wonder, she
approached the building and ventured to enter.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
Every object she met filled her with pleasure and
amazement. Golden pillars supported the vaulted
roof, and the walls were enriched with carvings and
paintings representing beasts of the chase and rural
scenes, adapted to delight the eye of the beholder.
Proceeding onward, she perceived that besides the
apartments of state there were others filled with all
manner of treasures, and beautiful and precious
productions of nature and art.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
While her eyes were thus occupied, a voice
addressed her, though she saw no one, uttering these
words, "Sovereign lady, all that you see is yours. We
whose voices you hear are your servants and shall
obey all your commands with our utmost care and
diligence. Retire, therefore, to your chamber and
repose on your bed of down, and when you see fit,
repair to the bath. Supper awaits you in the adjoining
alcove when it pleases you to take your seat there."
CUPID AND PSYCHE
Psyche gave ear to the admonitions of her vocal
attendants, and after repose and the refreshment of
the bath, seated herself in the alcove, where a table
immediately presented itself, without any visible aid
from waiters or servants, and covered with the
greatest delicacies of food and the most nectareous
wines. Her ears too were feasted with music from
invisible performers; of whom one sang, another
played on the lute, and all closed in the wonderful
harmony of a full chorus.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
She had not yet seen her destined husband. He
came only in the hours of darkness and fled before
the dawn of morning, but his accents were full of
love, and inspired a like passion in her. She often
begged him to stay and let her behold him, but he
would not consent. On the contrary he charged her to
make no attempt to see him, for it was his pleasure,
for the best of reasons, to keep concealed.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
"Why should you wish to behold me?" he said.
"Have you any doubt of my love? Have you any wish
ungratified? If you saw me, perhaps you would fear
me, perhaps adore me, but all I ask of you is to love
me. I would rather you would love me as an equal
than adore me as a god."
CUPID AND PSYCHE
This reasoning somewhat quieted Psyche for a
time, and while the novelty lasted she felt quite
happy. But at length the thought of her parents, left in
ignorance of her fate, and of her sisters, precluded
from sharing with her the delights of her situation,
preyed on her mind and made her begin to feel her
palace as but a splendid prison. When her husband
came one night, she told him her distress, and at last
drew from him an unwilling consent that her sisters
should be brought to see her.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
So, calling Zephyr, she acquainted him with her husband's commands,
and he, promptly obedient, soon brought them across the mountain
down to their sister's valley. They embraced her and she returned their
caresses.
"Come," said Psyche, "enter with me my house and refresh yourselves
with whatever your sister has to offer."
Then taking their hands she led them into her golden palace, and
committed them to the care of her numerous train of attendant voices,
to refresh them in her baths and at her table, and to show them all her
treasures. The view of these celestial delights caused envy to enter
their bosoms, at seeing their young sister possessed of such state and
splendor, so much exceeding their own.
They asked her numberless questions, among others what sort of a person
her husband was. Psyche replied that he was a beautiful youth, who
CUPID AND PSYCHE
The sisters, not satisfied with this reply, soon made her
confess that she had never seen him. Then they proceeded to fill
her bosom with dark suspicions. "Call to mind," they said, "the
Pythian oracle that declared you destined to marry a direful and
tremendous monster. The inhabitants of this valley say that your
husband is a terrible and monstrous serpent, who nourishes you
for a while with dainties that he may by and by devour you. Take
our advice. Provide yourself with a lamp and a sharp knife; put
them in concealment that your husband may not discover them,
and when he is sound asleep, slip out of bed, bring forth your
lamp, and see for yourself whether what they say is true or not.
If it is, hesitate not to cut off the monster's head, and thereby
recover your liberty."
CUPID AND PSYCHE
Psyche resisted these persuasions as well as she could, but
they did not fail to have their effect on her mind, and when her
sisters were gone, their words and her own curiosity were too
strong for her to resist. So she prepared her lamp and a sharp
knife, and hid them out of sight of her husband. When he had
fallen into his first sleep, she silently rose and uncovering her
lamp beheld not a hideous monster, but the most beautiful and
charming of the gods, with his golden ringlets wandering over
his snowy neck and crimson cheek, with two dewy wings on his
shoulders, whiter than snow, and with shining feathers like the
tender blossoms of spring.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
As she leaned the lamp over to have a better view of his face,
a drop of burning oil fell on the shoulder of the god. Startled, he
opened his eyes and fixed them upon her. Then, without saying a
word, he spread his white wings and flew out of the window.
Psyche, in vain endeavoring to follow him, fell from the window
to the ground.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
Cupid, beholding her as she lay in the dust, stopped his flight
for an instant and said, "Oh foolish Psyche, is it thus you repay
my love? After I disobeyed my mother's commands and made
you my wife, will you think me a monster and cut off my head?
But go; return to your sisters, whose advice you seem to think
preferable to mine. I inflict no other punishment on you than to
leave you for ever. Love cannot dwell with suspicion." So
saying, he fled away, leaving poor Psyche prostrate on the
ground, filling the place with mournful lamentations.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
When she had recovered some degree of composure she
looked around her, but the palace and gardens had vanished, and
she found herself in the open field not far from the city where
her sisters dwelt. She repaired thither and told them the whole
story of her misfortunes, at which, pretending to grieve, those
spiteful creatures inwardly rejoiced.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
"For now," said they, "he will perhaps choose one of us."
With this idea, without saying a word of her intentions, each of
them rose early the next morning and ascended the mountain,
and having reached the top, called upon Zephyr to receive her
and bear her to his lord; then leaping up, and not being sustained
by Zephyr, fell down the precipice and was dashed to pieces.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
Psyche meanwhile wandered day and night, without food or
repose, in search of her husband. Casting her eyes on a lofty
mountain having on its brow a magnificent temple, she sighed
and said to herself, "Perhaps my love, my lord, inhabits there,"
and directed her steps thither.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
She had no sooner entered than she saw heaps of corn, some
in loose ears and some in sheaves, with mingled ears of barley.
Scattered about, lay sickles and rakes, and all the instruments of
harvest, without order, as if thrown carelessly out of the weary
reapers' hands in the sultry hours of the day.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
This unseemly confusion the pious Psyche put an end to, by
separating and sorting everything to its proper place and kind,
believing that she ought to neglect none of the gods, but
endeavor by her piety to engage them all in her behalf. The holy
Ceres, whose temple it was, finding her so religiously employed,
thus spoke to her, "Oh Psyche, truly worthy of our pity, though I
cannot shield you from the frowns of Venus, yet I can teach you
how best to allay her displeasure. Go, then, and voluntarily
surrender yourself to your lady and sovereign, and try by
modesty and submission to win her forgiveness, and perhaps her
favor will restore you the husband you have lost."
CUPID AND PSYCHE
Psyche obeyed the commands of Ceres and took her way to
the temple of Venus, endeavoring to fortify her mind and
ruminating on what she should say and how best propitiate the
angry goddess, feeling that the issue was doubtful and perhaps
fatal.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
Venus received her with angry countenance. "Most undutiful
and faithless of servants," said she, "do you at last remember
that you really have a mistress? Or have you rather come to see
your sick husband, yet laid up of the wound given him by his
loving wife? You are so ill favored and disagreeable that the only
way you can merit your lover must be by dint of industry and
diligence. I will make trial of your housewifery." Then she
ordered Psyche to be led to the storehouse of her temple, where
was laid up a great quantity of wheat, barley, millet, vetches,
beans, and lentils prepared for food for her pigeons, and said,
"Take and separate all these grains, putting all of the same kind
in a parcel by themselves, and see that you get it done before
evening." Then Venus departed and left her to her task.
CUPID AND PSYCHE
But Psyche, in a perfect consternation at the enormous work,
sat stupid and silent, without moving a finger to the inextricable
heap.
•Antonio Canova
•Born in Venice
•1756/1822
•Famous Sculpture
PERFORMANCE TASK
Directions: Read the literary text “Cupid and Psyche”
and make a story review. Do this in paragraph form
following the format below. Strictly one (1) paragraph
with five (5) sentences only per part, it will be four (4)
paragraphs for the whole activity. Upload your output
on the designated folder/classwork in the Google
Classroom you are enrolled. If handwritten, take a
photo of your output and upload it on the designated
folder/classwork in the Google Classroom you are
enrolled.
PERFORMANCE TASK
Story Review Parts:
Introduction (include some basic facts about the story,
including the title, the author and the story genre.)
Summary (Brief summary of the literary text)
Personal Reflection (Discuss what you like or dislike about
the story. Give reasons to support your opinion. You may
want to compare and contrast the story with other stories
you have read by the same author or in the same genre.)
Conclusion (evaluate the story and either recommend it or not
recommend it to others)
Criteria for Story Review (PT3)
Content 10 points
Development 5 points
Organization of Ideas 5 points
Style 5 points
Grammar and Mechanics 5 points
Total 30 points