Reading Notes: Psyche and Cupid

Psyche & Cupid

    This story is told to a young girl who is being held in the Robber's cave for ransomed money. The young girl is very upset and an old women, who occupancies the robbers, tries to calm her. Psyche and Cupid is an epic love story. In a sense it reminds me of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." Venus who is Cupid's mother despises Psyche for her beauty and wants her to be no more. Psyche's sisters are jealous of her for her wealth and statues.

Venus sends her winged son Cupid to strike Psyche with on of his arrows. Cupid is to make her fall in love with a man who has no money, status, or health. When Cupid saw Psyche's indescribable beauty he wanted her for his wife.

   Her sisters had both been wed and her father prayed to Apollo for Psyche to find a husband as well. The god told her father that she would have a fatal marriage to a winged serpent. Psyche was led to a cliff and left alone to wed this mysterious husband. When she awoke she was in a beautiful castle full of riches beyond anything she had ever known. When she went to sleep that night her husband entered her room and made Psyche his wife. When morning came Psyche's husband was gone without her ever laying eyes on him.

    Her sister came to look for Psyche fearing that she was no more, but they found her alive and well, too well. Her sisters became very jealous of Psyche and wished her ill will. Cupid warned his wife but she did not listen. The next time her sister visited they convinced Psyche to plot against her husband in order to discover his identity. When Cupid's identity had been revealed to her she was in awe of him. Psyche picked up one of Cupid's arrows and pricked her finger. S he feel instantly in love with him.
Venus was furious when she discovered the Cupid had fallen for Psyche and betrayed her. She threaten to adopt a slave and give him Cupid's wings. She would see that Psyche was no more.
    Cupid awoke to being burned by the light which revealed his identity and was angered that Psyche betrayed him. Cupid threatened to get revenge on Psych and her sisters. He told Psyche he was leaving her and would be with one of her sisters. Psyche was vanished from her new home. She told her sisters about Cupid and what he told her. Each sister ran to the cliff hoping to become Cupid's new wife, but each fell to their death. Psyche went to the cliff as well but Cupid ignored her cries and let her fall to her death as well.







Bibliography:
"Psyche and Cupid" from  "The Golden Ass" written by Apuleius
Psyche and Cupid
Psyche and Cupid photo