The story of Eros and Psyche
Cupid and Psyche - J.R. Spencer Stanhope/ źródło:https://www.wikiart.org/
There was a king, however where he ruled and what his name is unknown, but nevertheless he had a daughter named Psyche. Her beauty was famed everywhere, and men flocked to admire and pay homage to her. The jealousy of Aphrodite was bigger and bigger every day so she called for Eros to pierce Psyche with an arrow.
That way Psyche was supposed to fall in love with the vilest man on Earth. Eros, however, was unable to follow through with Aphrodite’s command as he himself fell in love with Psyche.
Although Psyche was save from Aphrodite’s anger, she still suffered, as no man was willing to marry her. Psyche’s father travelled to the Oracle at Delphi in desperation to ask why his daughter was seemingly unfit for marriage despite her great beauty. The words of the Oracle revealed that Psyche’s future husband was a frightening creature and Psyche must be left alone on a rocky hilltop. The father obliged to the instructions.
Alone on the hill, the wind Zephyr gently lifted Psyche and brought her to a meadow with a small estate that was waiting for her. Psyche lived here with servants whom she could not see and only hear. She was informed that this arrangement was the work of her destined husband; like the servants, Psyche could hear and talk to him but was forbidden to look upon him. Human curiosity eventually got the better of Psyche, and when her sisters came to visit her one day, Psyche begged them for advice on how to sneak a look at her husband.
One night, Psyche (per instruction of her sisters) took an oil lamp and went into her husband’s chamber while he slept. Who she saw was not a monster as predicted by the Oracle, but Eros himself. As Psyche gazed at his handsome sleeping face, some hot wax fell from the lamp and onto Eros’ shoulder, waking him. In his fury at her faithlessness, Eros fled.
Psyche wandered endlessly in search of her husband, trying to win the favor of the gods, particularly Aphrodite. She offered herself to Aphrodite as a humble servant. The goddes agreed and made Psyche to do some impossible tasks.
The most difficult one was to go to the Underworld and ask Persephone, queen of the Dead, to drain a little of her beauty into the box. Obedient Psyche took the path leading to Hades. Meanwhile, Aphrodite kept Eros locked in a chamber so that he would not go in search of Psyche. Fortunatelly, it is a difficult thing to keep a god in love in captivity and Eros found his way to Psyche.
That way Psyche was supposed to fall in love with the vilest man on Earth. Eros, however, was unable to follow through with Aphrodite’s command as he himself fell in love with Psyche.
Although Psyche was save from Aphrodite’s anger, she still suffered, as no man was willing to marry her. Psyche’s father travelled to the Oracle at Delphi in desperation to ask why his daughter was seemingly unfit for marriage despite her great beauty. The words of the Oracle revealed that Psyche’s future husband was a frightening creature and Psyche must be left alone on a rocky hilltop. The father obliged to the instructions.
Alone on the hill, the wind Zephyr gently lifted Psyche and brought her to a meadow with a small estate that was waiting for her. Psyche lived here with servants whom she could not see and only hear. She was informed that this arrangement was the work of her destined husband; like the servants, Psyche could hear and talk to him but was forbidden to look upon him. Human curiosity eventually got the better of Psyche, and when her sisters came to visit her one day, Psyche begged them for advice on how to sneak a look at her husband.
One night, Psyche (per instruction of her sisters) took an oil lamp and went into her husband’s chamber while he slept. Who she saw was not a monster as predicted by the Oracle, but Eros himself. As Psyche gazed at his handsome sleeping face, some hot wax fell from the lamp and onto Eros’ shoulder, waking him. In his fury at her faithlessness, Eros fled.
Psyche wandered endlessly in search of her husband, trying to win the favor of the gods, particularly Aphrodite. She offered herself to Aphrodite as a humble servant. The goddes agreed and made Psyche to do some impossible tasks.
The most difficult one was to go to the Underworld and ask Persephone, queen of the Dead, to drain a little of her beauty into the box. Obedient Psyche took the path leading to Hades. Meanwhile, Aphrodite kept Eros locked in a chamber so that he would not go in search of Psyche. Fortunatelly, it is a difficult thing to keep a god in love in captivity and Eros found his way to Psyche.
Psyche is opening the Golden Box-J.B. Waterhouse/źródło:https://www.wikiart.org/
To ensure that Aphrodite would not trouble the couple any longer, Eros asked Zeus himself for permission to formally marry Psyche. Zeus agreed. And this particular Greek myth ended joyously with Psyche and Eros living perpetually in the halls atop Mount Olympus.
The couple is a symbol of a unity that could never be broken.
The couple is a symbol of a unity that could never be broken.
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