19-Myth As Allegories

Myth
As
Allegories
Allegory is a word that has
a number of specific
meanings, but in Greek it is
used rather generally to mean
that, beneath the apparent
meaning of a story is
concealed another, more
important meaning.
An allegorical interpretation of a
myth could be said to posit a one-to-
one correspondence between
mythical “clothing” and the ideas
being so clothed. This approach
tends to limit the meaning of a myth,
whereas that meaning may in reality
be multiple, operating on several
levels.
PYGMALION
AND
GALATEA
The story of Pygmalion and
Galatea is an enchanting myth
about a Cypriot sculptor who fell
in love with his own sculpture. He
prays to goddess Aphrodite (aka
Venus) to bring the sculpture to
life, because he plans for it to be
his wife. The goddess grants his
wish, and as a result, Pygmalion
and his creation lived happily ever
after.
Pygmalion and Galatea I: The Heart Desires
Pygmalion is here in his studio, with a look of

deep thought etched on his face. Disgusted by the
debauched lifestyle of the local women, he has
therefore decided to stay celibate and devote his life
to his craft. He is oblivious to the women peering
through his doorway, along with his previous statues
that remind us of the Three Graces. He sees in his
mind an image of the perfect woman he has yet to
create.
Pygmalion and Galatea II: The Hand Refrains
One day, Pygmalion completes his creation of

the woman of his dreams. As a result, he falls
hopelessly in love with it. In a moment of inspiration,
he names the figurine Galatea. The meaning of the
name is “she who is white like milk.” Countless are the
nights and days he spends staring at her.
Tools and instruments, including the almost
translucent soft brush, are scattered beneath the
statue’s feet. This shows the work he has put into
perfecting it.
Pygmalion and Galatea III: The Godhead
Fire
In the meantime, the city is celebrating a

festival in the name of the goddess Aphrodite.
While making offerings to Aphrodite, Pygmalion
prays with all his heart and soul for the goddess
to bring his statue to life. Touched by his deep
veneration, the goddess visits his studio. She is
amazed by the beauty she has discovered.
Consequently, she grants the artists his wish.
Pygmalion and Galatea IV: The Soul Attains
Upon returning home Pygmalion notices a

flush on the cheeks of the sculpture. Therefore, he
slowly realizes that his prayer was heard. He
embraces Galatea, and life comes into the cold
marble.
Their love blossoms and they exchange
wedding vows. With the blessings of the goddess
Aphrodite, they live happily ever after. The couple
even has a son, Paphos, who later founded the city
Paphos in Cyprus.
The main theme of Pygmalion's
myth is the artist's love of his own
creation. Pygmalion becomes so
infatuated with his work that he
begins to treat it as if it were a real
person. Another important theme,
common in Greek mythology, is the
equation of physical beauty with
perfection.
Cupid
And
Psyche
How Cupid and Psyche Met
Psyche was worshiped for her beauty in her

homeland. This drove Aphrodite mad, so she sent a
plague and let it be known that the only way the land
could get back to normal was to sacrifice Psyche. The
king, who was Psyche's father, tied Psyche up and left her
to her death at the hands of some presumed fearsome
monster. You may note that this isn't the first time in
Greek mythology that this happened. The great Greek
hero Perseus found his bride, Andromeda, tied up as prey
for a sea monster. In the case of Psyche, it was
Aphrodite's son Cupid who released and married the
princess.
The Mystery About Cupid
Unfortunately for the young couple, Cupid and Psyche, Aphrodite
was not the only one trying to foul things up. Psyche had two sisters who were
as jealous as Aphrodite.
Cupid was a wonderful lover and husband to Psyche, but there was
one odd thing about their relationship: He made sure Psyche never saw what
he looked like. Psyche didn't mind. She had a fulfilling life with her
husband in the dark, and, during the day, she had all the luxuries she could
ever want.
When the sisters learned about the luxurious, extravagant lifestyle of
their lucky, beautiful sister, they urged Psyche to pry into the area of his life
that Psyche's husband kept hidden from her.
Cupid was a god, and, as beautiful as he was, he did not want his
mortal wife to see his form. Psyche's sister didn't know he was a god,
although they may have suspected it. However, they did know that Psyche's
life was much happier than theirs. Knowing their sister well, they preyed on
her insecurities and persuaded Psyche that her husband was a hideous
monster.
Psyche assured her sisters they were wrong, but since she'd never
seen him, even she started having doubts. Psyche decided to satisfy the girls'
curiosity, and so one night, she used a candle to look at her sleeping husband.
Cupid Deserts Psyche
Cupid's divine form was exquisite, and Psyche

stood there transfixed, staring at her husband with her
candle melting.
While Psyche dawdled, a bit of wax dripped on her
husband. Her abruptly awakened, irate, disobeyed,
injured husband-god flew away.
“See, I told you she was a no-good human," said
mother Aphrodite to her convalescing son Cupid. "Now,
you'll have to be content among the gods."
Cupid might have gone along with the separation, but
Psyche couldn't. Impelled by the love of her beautiful
husband, she implored her mother-in-law to give her
another chance. Aphrodite agreed, but there were
conditions.
The Epic Trials of Psyche
Aphrodite had no intention of playing fair. She devised four

tasks (not three as is conventional in mythic hero quests), each task
more exacting than the last. Psyche passed the first three
challenges, but the last task was too much for her. The four tasks
were:
Sort a huge mount of barley, millet, poppy seeds, lentils, and
beans. Ants (pismires) help her sort the grains within the time
allotted.
Gather a hank of the wool of the shining golden sheep. A reed
tells her how to accomplish this task without being killed by the
vicious animals.
Fill a crystal vessel with the water of the spring that feeds the
Styx and Cocytus. An eagle helps her out.
Aphrodite asked Psyche to bring her back a box of Persephone's
beauty cream.
Going to the underworld was a challenge for the bravest of
the Greek mythical heroes. Demigod Hercules could go to the
underworld with ease, but human Theseus had trouble and had to
be rescued by Hercules. Psyche, however, was confident when
Aphrodite told her she would have to go to the most dangerous
region known to mortals. The voyage was easy, especially after a
speaking tower told her how to find the entryway to the underworld,
how to get around Charon and Cerberus, and how to behave before
the underworld queen.
The part of the fourth task that was too much for Psyche was
to bring back the beauty cream. The temptation was too great to
make herself more beautiful—to use the cream she procured. If the
perfect beauty of the perfect goddess Aphrodite needed
this underworld beauty cream, Psyche reasoned, how much more
would it help an imperfect mortal woman? Thus, Psyche retrieved
the box successfully, but then she opened it and fell into a deathlike
sleep, as Aphrodite had secretly predicted.
Reunion and Happy Ending to the Myth of Cupid and
Psyche
At this point, divine intervention was called for if the

story were to have an ending that made anyone really
happy. With Zeus' connivance, Cupid brought his wife to
Olympus, where, at Zeus's command, she was given nectar
and ambrosia so she would become immortal.
On Olympus, in the presence of the other gods,
Aphrodite reluctantly reconciled with her pregnant
daughter-in-law, who was about to give birth to a
grandchild Aphrodite would (obviously) dote on, named
Voluptas in Latin, or Hedone in Greek, or Pleasure in
English.
Theme: “Love cannot live
where there is no trust.”

19-Myth As Allegories

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19-Myth As Allegories

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Myth

Pygmalion is here in his studio, with a look of

One day, Pygmalion completes his creation of

In the meantime, the city is celebrating a

Upon returning home Pygmalion notices a

Psyche was worshiped for her beauty in her

Cupid's divine form was exquisite, and Psyche

Aphrodite had no intention of playing fair. She devised four

At this point, divine intervention was called for if the

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