The myth of cupid and psyche

"beauty is a curse," Psyche concept

as she looked over the cliff's area where she'd been deserted by means of her father.

She'd been born with the bodily perfection so whole

that she become worshipped as a brand new incarnation of Venus, the goddess of affection.

however actual-life human fans have been too intimidated even to method her.

whilst her father requested for guidance from the Oracle of Apollo,

the god of light, purpose, and prophecy.

He turned into advised to abandon his daughter on a rocky crag

wherein she could marry a cruel and savage serpent-like winged evil.

on my own at the crag, Psyche felt Zephyr the West Wind

gently lifting her into the air.

It set her down earlier than a palace.

"you're domestic," she heard an unseen voice say.

"Your husband awaits you inside the bedroom, if you dare to meet him."

She become courageous sufficient, Psyche informed herself.

The bed room changed into so darkish that she could not see her husband.

however he failed to sense serpent-like at all.

His pores and skin become gentle, and his voice and way have been gentle.

She asked him who he become,

however he advised her this was the only question he ought to never answer.

If she cherished him, she could now not want to understand.

His visits persisted night after night time.

before long, Psyche was pregnant.

She rejoiced, but became also conflicted.

How should she increase her infant with a man she'd never visible?

That night time, Psyche approached her sound asleep husband conserving an oil lamp.

What she determined became the god Cupid

who sent gods and human beings lusting after each other

with the pinpricks of his arrows.

Psyche dropped her lamp, burning Cupid with warm oil.

He stated he'd been in love with Psyche ever on account that his jealous mom, Venus,

asked him to embarrass the younger woman through pricking her with an arrow.

however thinking about Psyche's beauty, Cupid used the arrow on himself.

He did not believe, but, that gods and people should love as equals.

Now that she knew his genuine form, their hopes for happiness had been dashed,

so he flew away.

Psyche turned into left in depression until the unseen voice again

and informed her that it became indeed viable

for her and Cupid to like each other as equals.

endorsed, she set out to locate him.

but Venus intercepted Psyche and stated she and Cupid should simplest wed

if she completed a series of impossible responsibilities.

First, Psyche turned into informed to sort a large, messy pile of seeds in a unmarried night time.

just as she changed into abandoning hope,

an ant colony took pity on her and helped with the paintings.

efficaciously passing the first trial,

Psyche subsequent had to carry Venus the fleece of the golden sheep,

who had a recognition for disemboweling stray adventurers,

however a river god confirmed her the way to acquire

the fleece the sheep had snagged on briars,

and she or he succeeded.

eventually, Psyche needed to journey to the Underworld

and convince Proserpina, queen of the dead,

to put a drop of her splendor in a field for Venus.

yet again, the unseen voice came to Psyche's aide.

It advised her to deliver barley cakes for Cerberus, the defend dog to the Underworld

and coins to pay the boatman, Charon to ferry her throughout the river Styx.

with her 1/3 and very last mission complete,

Psyche lower back to the land of the residing.

simply outside Venus's palace, she opened the field of Proserpina's beauty,

hoping to keep some for herself.

however the box changed into packed with sleep, now not splendor,

and Psyche collapsed in the street.

Cupid, now recovered from his wounds, flew to his drowsing bride.

He told her he'd been wrong and foolish.

Her fearlessness inside the face of the unknown

proved that she turned into greater than his equal.

Cupid gave Psyche amborsia, the nectar of the gods, making her immortal.

shortly after, Psyche bore their daughter.

They named her satisfaction,

and he or she, Cupid, and Psyche, whose name means soul,

were complicating humans's love lives ever seeing that.