The Myth of Cupid and Psyche

Long ago a king and queen had three lovely daughters. The two older ones were just a bit above ordinary. But the youngest, named Psyche, was the fairest and brightest girl in the kingdom. People began to desert the altars of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, and worship Psyche instead. In fact, some were even beginning to call Psyche the second Aphrodite.

Aphrodite, furious about Psyche's fame, ordered her son Cupid to wound the princess with one of his arrows. "Avenge your mother!" she cried. "Make Psyche fall in love with the vilest of men - the most miserable and meanest beast you can find!"

Cupid set at at once to do his mother's bidding. But when the god of love laid eyes upon the fair maiden, he accidentally pricked his own finger with one of his arrows - and he himself fell in love with Psyche.

Tormented by his sudden passion, Cupid immediately flew to Apollo, the god of light and truth, and asked for his help.

Soon afterwards all of Psyche's admirers mysteriously vanished. Her father couldn't understand why his daughter's suitors had stopped calling. Fearing the gods might be angry with him, he asked Apollo for advice.

"Perhaps it has been decreed your daughter is to marry a god," Apollo said. "Leave her alone on top of a mountain, and soon you will find out if a god wants her for a wife."

When Psyche's father returned home and reported what Apollo had said, a cry of grief went up from the household, for they all knew they would soon lose their beautiful Psyche. But since the commands of the gods must always be obeyed, the king and queen prepared their daughter for her lonely exile.

The whole city lit torches. And to the sound of a lonely flute, people chanted a funeral hymn as they escorted the beautiful princess up a steep mountain. When they reached the topmost peak, Psyche spoke to her family and friends: "Fear not. Do not torment yourself with grief, but leave me now to meet my fate."

After her brave words, everyone bid her good-bye; and as they filed down the mountainside, their torches were nearly extinguished by their tears.

Psyche also cried until she finally fell asleep on the deserted mountaintop. But while she slept, the gentle West Wind lifted her up and bore her down to a flowery plateau. And in the morning, when she woke, she found herself lying in a bed of grass before a great palace that had a roof of ivory and columns of gold. A chorus of sweet music filled the air, and the soft voices of invisible beings whispered in her ear, " All of this is yours now."

Psyche wandered about the golden, gleaming palace. She bathed herself in refreshing spring waters and ate a wonderful dinner, which invisible hands placed before her.

During the night, Cupid came to her. "You are my wife," he said in the dark. "I love you more than anything. But I must ask that you never try to look upon my face. I will only visit you in the night; but our nights will be glorious and filled with joy."

When Psyche asked why she could not look at him, Cupid only said, "Honor my request, for if you look upon me, we will be separated forever." Actually Cupid was afraid that if Psyche discovered he was the son of Aphrodite, she would adore him as a god, rather than love him as an equal.

Psyche loved her nightly visits with Cupid, though during the day she was sad and lonely. One night, she asked her husband to allow her to send for her two older sisters.

"If they come here, it will be the beginning of our doom," Cupid said.

"Oh, no! Please, let them come!" Psyche begged. "If you won't allow me to see you, at least allow me to see my sisters!"

It sadden Cupid to hear these words, so her ordered the West Wind to bring Psyche's older sisters to see her.

When the sisters arrived at the palace, they were overjoyed to find Psyche alive and well. But as soon as they began to look about and note the splendor in which she lived, they grew envious. By the time they returned home, they were in a jealous rage because their own husbands were not as wealthy as Psyche's.