Microfiction (W3): Psykhe and Eros Continued

Note: This was a continuation of this week's story that was a Greek version of Cupid and Psyche. The telling was also simplified as the second half of the story gets kind of confusing at points with things happening at the same time in two places. 

Psykhe and Eros Continued 

Psykhe hears of Aphrodite's rage and seeks the help of Demeter and Hera who deny her only because they love Aphrodite as family and cannot betray her. She decides to turn herself in and Aphrodite repeatedly assaults and insults psyche before she is tasked with 3 impossible feats to win back Eros who gravely misses her. The first was to sort a pile of small grains by night fall, knowing this is impossible some friendly ants help her since she is the love of Love himself. The next task was to obtain the golden fleece of carnivorous sheep, when a mysterious voice tells her to avoid sheep until the shade when the fleece was then hanging for her.

Psykhe and Eros Finale

For the last task Psykhe must obtain a jar of beauty from Persephone in the Underworld. She enters through a tunnel with tithe for the ferryman and 2 cakes to distract Cerberus and is instructed not to stop for anyone as it is a trap. She obtains the jar of beauty but then opens it despite warning, she falls into a dead sleep. Meanwhile, Eros has gained aide of Zeus who gathers the gods to marry Eros and Psykhe so that Eros will mature and settle down. Eros finds Psykhe and removes the sleep and they go to Olympus and are wed and Psykhe given immortality and later give birth to their daughter, Pleasure.

Bibliography

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

 Wedgewood-Marriage of Cupid and Psyche 

Located at Brooklyn Museum Source

Feedback Strategies Week 3

 In the feedback gallery i particularly like the notes about pointing out what is confusing and being specific when explaining reasoning behind feedback. If I do not know why someone thinks something or if I can't see a clear reason for it, it is hard to make changes and accept the criticism.

Source

I picked up a lot from the article Five Reasons to Stop Saying Good Job.  I think saying good job in itself isn't bad but not adding suggestions or prompting one to further themselves is damaging. say good job, but don't stop there. discuss what can be added or changed, I prefer "Good Start" It shows one is on the right track but it isn't complete yet that way they don't stop pushing themselves

Five Reasons to Stop Saying Good Job

I also resonate with The Difference Between Praise and Feedback. I like that people are noting the difference. Praise is just recognizing the good, feedback recognizes the good and marks where improvement and growth can be made. I tell myself that a lot as I have been trying to rewire myself into the growth mindset the past few months.

The Difference Between Praise and Feedback

I Like this image because it reinforces the idea that there is always room for improvement.

Photo Source

Topic Research: Mythological Dogs

 

Mythological Dogs

Greek Mythology

    The stories about dogs in Greek Mythology are fairly short so for this segment it would be a couple of the dogs from Greek mythology telling their stories to each other. I will definitely mention Cerberus, Argos, and probably Laelaps. Their stories are mentioned briefly in a prior post.

Source 1

Egyptian mythology

    The Egyptians are known for revering cats highly but what a lot of people don't know is that the revered dogs just as highly. It was a crime to kill a dog and even harsher a crime if the dog was collared and clearly a pet. People would mourn their dogs as they would their humans, believing they will meet them again in the afterlife. When dogs died people would shave their heads and eyebrows, which was the sign of mourning. Anubis was represented with the head of a Dog, some say it is a jackal but the Egyptians actually did not distinguish between domestic dogs and jackals given that the breeds in that region closely resembled them.

Source 2

Source 1

Basenji Puppy

Basenji dogs are an Egyptian dog breed that is one of the oldest breeds known.

Photo Source 

Xolotl

    Aztec god of fire and lightning but also twins, deformities, and sickness. He is the king of the underworld and in Aztec mythology, not a very nice guy. Dogs were looked down upon in Aztec culture so I want to display probably the only dog that could be a "bad boy." He was also the twin of Quetzalcotl who was highly revered. This is kind of odd given that twins were seen as a deformity. In the creation story all the gods sacrifice themselves for the sake of the world, Xolotl acted as the executioner who was supposed to sacrifice himself at the end. There are different endings to this, some include him actually commiting suicide as he is supposed to, others have him not doing so then crying so hard his eyes fall out, and another has Quetzalcotl returning and exacting punishment. No matter how it happens Xolotle is seen as a trickster with hollow eye sockets. 

Source 3

Source 1

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. 

Reading Notes (W3): Cupid and Psyche Part B

 Cupid and Psyche

Banquet of Amor and Psyche
by Giulio Romano    Source

• 
  psyche looks for cupid who is in his mom's room in pain from his shoulder burn
• a seagull finds Venus in the ocean while she swam and bathed and told her that Cupid had been burned and in so much pain and in poor health the word of this spread and gave her family a bad reputation
• rumors said that they abandoned their posts to play in the mountains and sea. all of the charm of love was gone, no nuptials, no gatherings, no love of children just mass confusion 
• a bird teases Venus about her son's girlfriend and she is upset but asks about the nymph that seduced him assuming its a divine creature
• the bird tells that it is not sure but he heard Cupid was madly in love with a mortal girl named Psyche
• this infuriates Venus who goes home and yells at him about how she could never love the girl who mocks her as a daughter in law and that Cupid disrespected his mother and queen and did this knowing she is too old to bear more children
• she threatens to make a slave boy her new son and give him all of cupid's gadgets including his wings
• she reminds him his father Vulcan doesn't do anything for him and that he was brought up bad  and insults her without fearing his step father Mars (who isn't really a stepfather since Venus is Married to Hephaestus... i digress) 
• cupid is quiet but she plans to get psyche to impose the punishment and shave his hair and ruin his belongings 
• she goes to Ceres and Juno to get them to do something but they say that she is a sensible woman and shouldn't meddle with her son's affairs and to let it go and they won't get involved and this makes Venus more angry
• While this is happening Psyche wanders day and night for Cupid and finds a temple thinking he may be there.
• she finds a shrine with offerings that were all messy so she organized them out of respect for any deity 
• Ceres sees her caring for her shrine and tells her of Venus's plan and asks why she is not concerned with her safety 
• Psyche sobs and asks for help from the goddess who says she wishes she could help but that she is not only family but friends with Venus and cannot offend her and asks Psyche to leave
• Psyche keeps going and finds another temple with offerings and goes to pray for help from Juno who says she wishes she could help but she can't offend her daughter-n-law who she loves as her own
• Psyche is crushed and decides to find Venus and surrender herself to her
• meanwhile Venus takes the chariot she was given by Vulcan as a wedding gift and goes to Jove's palace and demanded to borrow Mercury. Jupiter said no so she takes Mercury and heads to earth she tells him she is looking for a runaway servant and to make Psyche's appearance known to all and offer a reward for whoever finds her
• she heads home while Mercury does  his job and claims the reward to be 7 sweet kisses from Venus and 1 Passionate kiss
• all mortal men are driven by this and Psyche is no longer hesitant but is caught and turned in by a servant of Venus
• the servant drags Psyche by the hair. Venus mocks her for visiting her "mother in law" or is she just looking for cupid and she slaps her around and says "don't worry ill entertain you like a fine daughter in law deserves.
• Venus gets Anxiety and Sorrow to beat Psyche. she then mocks Psyche and her baby saying that that won't make her any softer being a grandmother in one's youth and not to think she is happy just because it is her son's child because it is only a servant's child.she also says the wedding happened with no witnesses and outside of the law and the child is illegitimate if she even lets it live
• Venus beat her again and calls her hideous and says she will only get a lover through hard work and tasks her to sort a pile of wheat, millet, lentils, beans, barely, poppy seeds, and lentils by evening and leaves to attend a wedding
• Psyche is shook when an ant comes by and calls upon his friends to help Psyche as the love of Love itself and then they sort the pile and vanish.
• venus returns drunk and angry claiming that this was not psyche's work and that cupid helped her then throws bread at her for supper. 
• cupid was still under close watch so that he didn't make his injury worse and so he couldn't see Psyche
• Venus tasks Psyche with getting the fleece of one of the golden sheep in any way she pleases. 
• psyche leaves not to do that but to kill her self but then a reed reminds her not to pollute sacred waters with her suicide and tells her to avoid the sheep now because they are angered by the heat and will kill anyone but to wait until afternoon when the sun fades and then to explore the trees where the wool will be hanging on the branches for her
• she does this but gains no favor from Venus who then asks her to get freezing water from the dark water that feeds the Styx and gives her a vial
• Psyche goes out again deciding to kill herself if she fails again when she sees how dangerous the path to the water is 
• there are snakes on either side of the gorge and they and the water itself were telling her to leave
• Psyche completely froze up, Providence saw her in trouble and Jupiter's eagle was there to save her  recalling that Cupid one time asked him to carry the cup-bearer Ganymede to Jupiter
• he asks if Psyche really thinks that she can get water from the Styx as even the gods swear by its power and fear it. so he takes the vial and swerves between the serpents and  gathers some of waters
• She returns to Venus who knows Psyche can't be doing this on her own and gives her a jar and tells her to go to the underworld and ask Proserpine for some of her beauty on behalf of Venus
• Venus tells her Proserpine has none since she has been caring for her sick son
• she goes to kill herself so she can go to the land of the dead when a turret says that there is a breathing whole she can crawl through that will lead her to Pluto's palace but not to go without bringing in each hand a barley cake soaked in honey-wine and two coins in her mouth 
• when she has completed that she will meet a lame donkey who will ask you to hand him sticks from his fallen load but to ignore him and keep going, then she will meet the Ferryman of the Dead Charon. there let him take the toll from her mouth with his own hand. once across the river some old women will ask for help weaving but to ignore them too since all of them are traps set by Venus and to not lose the cakes.
• then she will come across Cerberus he can do no harm and to throw one cake to distract him and then she will be greeted by Proserpine and she will tempt you with  a feast and comfort but you are to squat on the ground and eat common bread then tell her why you are there and to collect the goods and head back bribing the dog with the other cake and giving the ferryman the other coin but to not look at the jar shes tied to her waist
•  she does this but upon reaching the mortal world she thinks that it would be silly if she didn't take a little beauty for herself
• she opens the jar which only had Stygian sleep and she fell asleep motionless like the dead
• cupid now feeling better misses Psyche so much and escapes and flies to Psyche and seeing her he wiped away the sleep and put it back in the jar. he reminds her how once again she almost ruined herself with curiosity and to quickly finish the task and he will take care of the rest
• He flies to Jove and seeks support who says that cupid has always caused trouble and has shown no respect but he says he is nice and remembers baby cupid fondly and agrees to help him if he finds him some other girl of outstanding beauty
• Jupiter orders Mercury to call an impromptu gathering of the gods with a fine of 100 gold for not attending. sure enough they attend. he tells them we have to let cupid marry her that way he cannot be running around doing foolish things anymore. he assured Venus not to worry her reputation because he will make it legitimate in accordance with civil law
• he asks Mercury to fetch Psyche and bring her to the heavens once there he handed her a cup of ambrosia and said to drink it and she will be immortal and then she and Cupid can be married forever
• they then had a glorious wedding feast and when her term was due Psyche gave birth to a girl we call Pleasure
• now we cut back to the robbers 
• they robbers returned with loot after a skirmish and left some of the men there to rest while taking Lucius and the other horse to reclaim some loot they hid in a cave
• the robbers complained that Lucius and the horse were lame and that when they were done fetching loot they would throw them off a cliff for vulture food. then they called for the injured friends and returned to get the rest of the loot themselves impatient with the slowness of Lucius and the horse
• Lucius instead of waiting for death uses his human courage to break the halter he was on and run as  fast as he could but the old woman caught him and held him back but kicked her and ran dragging her along as she called for help
• the only one who helped was the girl who calmed the donkey and took the rope from the old woman and mounted the donkey and spurred him onward
• Lucius was not only driven by his will to escape but by the will to rescue the girl and sped like a racehorse showing her affection along the way
• the girl called to the gods for help and promised the donkey that she will groom and feed him and treat him well and will hang a painting of his heroic act and perhaps the ass contains a deity or human

Bibliography

Apuleius' Golden Ass, translated by Tony Kline Source

Reading Notes (W3): Cupid and Psyche Part A

Cupid and Psyche

Cupid and Psyche in the Nuptial Bower
by Hugh Douglas    Source

The Captive Woman

• Lucius turned into donkey and used as pack animal by robbers
• old woman (part of robbers) who is story teller
• young woman (kidnapped) being comforted by old woman
• robbers assure girl she will not be harmed they just want ransom
• girl goes to sleep but wakes up crying again and the old woman is angered by this and basically says "stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about"

Her Dream

• the girl pleads for the old woman to be nicer since she is young and not used to life's misfortunes
• she reveals she was kidnapped on her wedding day to a man she has known her whole life and truly loves
• her nightmare was that while she was being kidnapped her husband tried to help and he was killed so that is why she was so distraught
• the old woman tells her to pa no mind to nightmares because dreams that occur in daytime don't come true and usually nightmares mean the opposite and agrees to tell her a story to distract her

Psyche's Beauty and the Anger of Venus

• a king and queen had 3 daughters, the older 2 were very pretty but the youngest was insanely beautiful, even beyond words, some even mistook her for the goddess Venus
• News spread that Venus was here or another mortal form of her as this girl. many traveled to see this and neglected to visit actual shrines, temples, statues, and other mementos of Venus worshiping, Psyche instead
• this angered Venus that a mortal girl could be mistaken for her and revered higher than her, especially after Paris determined she was most beautiful
• she summoned her son, Cupid, who despite common belief actually tormented lovers and drove them apart and was an over all jerk. Venus showed him Psyche asked him to do her a favor bc she is his mom, and make Psyche fall in love with the worst guy ever. someone ugly, poor, insignificant and mean
• then Venus made a dramatic af sea exit.

The Oracle of Apollo

• even though Psyche had all these people worshiping her, she gained nothing from it, she was treated as an object, and had no suitors, even her sisters got married before her and she was left alone
• her dad thought the gods were angry and had caused this so he went to the Oracle of Apollo to ask for a man to marry her.
• Oracle says that he can get someone to marry her but if she ever has kids with a mortal, they will be a monstrous winged serpent wreaking havok on mortals and gods. He told his wife this and even though they were all devastated they had to fufill the prophecy and get her married
• the wedding was more like a funeral and Psyche tells her parents to quit crying and wasting their breath and accept this to be a reward for her being so beautiful, unfortunately a reward from Envy and they should of been sad the second people mistook her for Venus because the jealousy caused this. 
• she went to the steep mountain crag and everyone left. she sobbed and was lifted by a gentle breeze and laid on a bed of flowers

The Magical Palace

• Psyche slept peacefully in the bed of flowers and woke up in a beautiful grove which had a palace in it, not of mortal creation.
• she admired the palace until working up the courage to go inside and had no issues and was surprised that there was no form of lock or protection to something so valuable
• a voice spoke to her asking why she was surprised as it was all hers and that she was welcome to make herself at home with her servants around
• she bathed and then sat for dinner when food appeared but she saw no servants. she heard their voices and music but saw no one.

The Mysterious Husband

• after eating, Psyche went to bed and late into the night heard gentle whispers and was afraid of what was coming since she knew nothing of it
• her mysterious husband had joined her in bed and they "celebrated their wedding night" leaving before morning
•  Psyche's new servants cared for her and this repeated nightly and she began to get used to the events and voices
• meanwhile, the story had spread of the prophecy and her parents were distraught so the older daughters visited home and competed to comfort them.
• One night, Psyche's husband spoke to her and told her that her family believes her to have fallen off a cliff and will soon come to lament her but that she is not to respond or reveal her self or else he will be hurt and she will bring ruin to herself.
• she agrees but when he left she cried believing she really was dead and alone from human companionship and could not even see her servants and husband and unable to console her family or see them
• she goes to bed without eating or bathing, her husband arrives and scolds her for crying and for not being happy despite everything they have and do together. He tells her to do what ever she wants but to remember his warning
• she begged him to let her see or speak to her sisters and that she would die if she doesn't. He said she could and to give them what ever they want but to heed his warning; do not yield to the bad advice of her sisters or to investigate his appearance.
• she is thankful and happier telling him that not even life or Cupid himself would compare to him and that she really does love him and asks if he would float her sisters over in the same. she then showered him with kisses and kind words which made him reluctantly agree

The Jealousy of Psyche's Sisters

• Psyches sisters go to the cliff and mourn psyche when her voice tells them not to and Zephyr whisks them to the palace
• The sisters rejoice as her sister shows them around and feeds and entertains them but they begin questioning her so she tells them her husband is a young hunter with a little bit of a beard then has them taken back so she doesn't let any info slip
• the sister's are jealous that they live far away from home and have old husbands that are boring and decide not to tell their parents she is alive and then devise a plan to make her fall from this glory

Psyche's Husband Warns Her

• mystery man tells her that her sisters are up to no good and to avoid them but if she absolutely has to see them she can't listen to them in regards to his identity. 
• if she keeps the secret their child will be divine, if she reveals it the will  be mortal
• she is pregnant and knows nothing of the troubles of child bearing, she is excited
• mystery man tells her again that her sisters are trying to kill her and to keep her promise.
• she is hurt and asks if she can see them again, she was resolute before and she will be again and won't ask about his appearance again

Fears and Doubts

• sisters arrive and don't visit parents, just jump off the cliff and are caught reluctantly by zephyr and march right into the palace and act fake nice to Psyche
• forgetting what she told her sisters last time, psyche tells the sisters her husband is a merchant from the next province over and is middle aged with a touch of grey. then plops more gifts into their hands then sends them away
• now the sisters know she is lying and will hang themselves if it turns out Psyche married a god
• the sisters visit again and remind her of the oracle and that she is married to a brutish beast and that it is rumored he will eat her after she gives birth to a monster
• this scares Psyche and she tells about how she doesn't know who her husband is and asks for help
• they tell her to take this knife and ready a lamp and reveal/stab her husband in his sleep. osyche loves her husband but is scared

Psyche's Husband Revealed

• Psyche went to do the task and discovered her husband was Cupid
• she stopped and tried to stab herself when the blade flew from her hand and she is horrified at what she has done
• she looked at Cupid's bow and accidentally cuts herself falling deeper in love with him and she showers him with affection until she fears he will wake up
• a drop of oil from the lamp wakes up Cupid and he flees and Psyche tries to cling to his leg as he flies away but she fails
• he doesn't leave completely but hides and realizes he should've just listened to Venus and engaged her to a monster instead of loving her and he seeks vengeance on the sisters and will just punish her by leaving

Psyche's Despair.

• psyche throws herself into the river which lays her gently on a flowery bank where pan and echo are hanging out
• Pan is aware of her plight and tells her that she is in the extremes of love and to not kill herself but to worship Cupid and Regain his favor
• psyche wandered further to a city where her brother-in-law was king and ask her arrival be made known to her sister who asks why she was there
• psyche explains what has happened but instead says that Cupid is leaving her for the sister by name and kicking her out which is not true. 
• the sister pretends that she heard news of the parents death and takes a ship to the cliffs and jumps off asking zephyr to taker her to her new lover, he doesn't and she dies
• same thing happens to the second sister

Bibliography

The Golden Ass, Apuleius translated by Tony Cline. Source