Week 3 Story: Eros and Psykhe

Author's Note: 

    I enjoyed this story a lot and actually recognized parts of it from somewhere. This story is so good and creative on it's own that I have decided to just retell it in a more concise and clear manner since the story itself is particularly long and somewhat confusing at parts. I also think I will tell it using Greek names. I am going to omit the intro and exit with the band of robbers and just tell of the parts involving Cupid and Psyche. I also will only be telling the first part but will tell the second as this week's extra credit.

Cupid and Psyche by François-Édouard Picot

Here depicts Eros fleeing before Psyche wakes. 

Source

Eros and Psykhe

Bibliography: Apuleius' The Golden Ass, translated by Tony Kline. Source

    Once there was a princess, the youngest and only unmarried of three, named Psykhe. Psykhe was so beautiful that many thought her to be Aphrodite or the mortal rendering of her. People stopped worshiping Aphrodite and visiting her shrines and temples in order to worship the girl they believed to be her. Aphrodite so enraged by this asked her son Eros to make her fall in love with a heinous man/beast. Meanwhile, Psykhe's parents feared that there would be outrage from the gods, particularly Aphrodite. They visited the Oracle of Apollo who told them that their daughter is to be taken up to a mountain where she would marry a heinous being and if impregnated by a mortal, she would birth a monster even gods would fear. Not wanting to mess with destiny the parents sadly arranged a wedding more like a funeral and led Psykhe to a cliff in the mountains then left her be. Psykhe, distraught, tries to throw herself from the cliff but the god Zephyrus caught her and floated her to a bed of flowers where she then slept. When she awoke, she saw a beautiful golden palace littered with jewels and other fine things. A voice then told her she may make herself comfortable and eat and make use of her servants, she went to eat and the plates filled with food and she heard voices but saw nothing. As she retired to bed in the deep of the night, a faceless man she could not see entered the bed consummating the marriage. 

    This continued for several nights but one night Psykhe's mysterious husband asked why she was always so sad even with all of the lavish belongings she now has. She claims it is because she misses her family and has no way of letting them know she is okay. Her husband responds by informing her that her older sisters will soon be going to lament at the cliffs and she is not to make her presence known. Psykhe pleads with her husband asking to at least speak with them, he reluctantly agrees that they may visit and use all the amenities but she is not to reveal who her husband is or the fact that she does not know what he looks like. She then asks that they be whisked to the palace like she.

    The elder sister's of Psykhe arrive and begin to sob and mourn their sister when the voice of her sister calls to them explaining that they will be lifted to her new home. The sisters are in awe at the palace and joyfully greet their sibling. Psykhe entertains them with all of the things in her new home and the sisters awe quickly turns to jealousy and they begin questioning who her husband is and how he can afford this. Psykhe tells them he is a young hunter with barely a hint of a beard then hands them a bunch of riches and sends them away. The sisters find this suspicious and are jealous that they have old husbands and labor away and create a plan to get back at Psykhe not telling their parents she is safe.

    Meanwhile, Psykhe tells her husband what happened and tells him that despite never seeing him, she loves him deeply. Her husband reveals that she is with child and if she keeps the identity of her husband or rather the lack of identity a secret, the child will be divine and if not mortal and she will suffer great consequence. He also warns her that the sisters are not trustworthy and to avoid meeting but if they must, to maintain the secrecy. The sisters return for a second time and Psykhe keeps up the act but this time accidentally says her husband is a middle aged merchant and sends them away like she did the last. Confirmed in their suspicions the sisters return home. Psykhe's husband warns her again even more strict not to listen to the sisters and not to reveal, nor seek out his identity. 

    The sisters return and inform Psykhe that it is rumored her husband is a monster seen by local farmers that will eat her after she gives birth to his monstrous spawn. Psykhe, young and naive, panics and tells the sisters everything. The sisters give her a knife and instruct her to wait until he is asleep and light a lamp revealing him and to cut off his serpentine head. They leave and Psykhe prepares to follow suit. When the time comes Psykhe is shocked to find that her husband is none other than the Love himself, Eros. She then investigates his bow and arrows, accidentally cutting herself on the tip, falling even deeper in love, she then showers Eros with affection when oil from the lamp spills and burns Eros' shoulder. He flees without a word leaving Psykhe distraught and angry at her sisters.

    The eldest of Psykhe's sisters returns asking if she had done the task, Psykhe tells her about her spouse being Eros but instead of telling her HE fled she claims that she was kicked out and that Eros now asked for the sister by name to be his bride. The sister then rushes off claiming she heard news of their parents death when actually she tries to get to the palace by jumping off the cliff assuming she will be whisked away by Zephyrus... she is not. The second sister arrives shortly later and the same thing happens to her. Psykhe then wanders for Eros. While this his happening Eros is in Aphrodite's home recovering. 

    News of Eros' escapades reaches Aphrodite and the rest of the world, she is so angry that the notions of love cease to exist. She confronts Eros angry that he disobeyed his mother and queen and claims that she will take away his wings and toys and give them to a slave boy instead. She then seeks the aid of Hermes. She asks that he send notice to the world that she is looking for Psykhe and to describe her perfectly, rewarding the finder with 7 sweet kisses and one passionate from the goddess of beauty herself.