Story: The Devine Child

                                                     Cupid and the Devine Child

Cupid loved Psyche despite Venus' hatred toward the girl of indescribable beauty. Venus wished to see Psyche live a life of misery or no life at all. She sent Cupid to make her fall in love with a man with no wealth, status, or even health. She could not imagine her only son would betray her, but Cupid was memorized by Psyche's beauty and wished to have her. Cupid devised a plan to marry young Psyche while maintaining his secret from Venus. Cupid married Psyche but only appeared to her in the dark of night. Cupid knew that their families would be the demise of their love if they ever knew the truth about either's identity. He warned his love of their families intentions to tear them apart, but Psyche longed for human interaction and soon met with her jealous sisters. Psyche began to question her safety in a marriage to someone who refused to reveal himself to her. Psyche's sisters devised a plan to unravel Psyche's mysterious husband's identity. The night before Psyche would act out her sister's plain Cupid bestowed a divine child within Psyche's womb. Cupid told Psyche of the child within her and she was pleased, but the news only intensified her intentions to reveal Cupid's identity.

At nightfall Psyche waited for her husband to fall asleep. Once she was certain he was dreaming she uncovered the light from her hidden candle. She was astonished to see Cupid lying next to her, but he soon woke to realize her betrayal. Cupid threatened to leave her for one of her sisters and had her removed from his castle. As she cried to her sisters about the identity of her husband and revealed the words Cupid spoke to her both sister left Psyche in a pool of tears. They climbed to the edge of the cliff and called to Cupid. Each sister fell to her death as Cupid got his revenge on them. Psyche also climbed the cliff and called to Cupid. When she could see him she too jumped from the cliff's edge and grabbed Cupid's rob, but Cupid only embraced her for a moment. In that moment he removed the divine child he had bestowed upon her. Then he cried a single tear as Psyche's body fell until it was no more.

Venus was enraged with Cupid's betrayal. She threatened to adopt a slave boy and give him Cupid's wings, but when she learned of the divine child Venus devised a new plan. Now that Psyche is no more and Cupid is in a state of despair Venus would easily get her revenge. She would bide her time until the divine child could be captured. This time Venus would not send someone to do her dirty work. She would take matters into her own hands. Cupid had his servants watching over the divine child in his time of despair. He kept himself isolated, only looking in on the divine child as he slept. Cupid could see Psyche's features in the divine child, which only brought him pain. Although he kept his distance, he sought to protect all that he had left of his beloved Psyche. Cupid caught word of his mother's intentions for the divine child and so he waited her arrival.

Upon nightfall Cupid entered what was once his bridal suite to watch over the divine child. As he searched the room he could not believe his eyes. His beloved Psyche had found a way back from the deeps of death. Had he gone mad in the midst of his grief? He ran to her with tears in his eyes. He longed to have her once more, but when her hand brushed his check he knew this she devil was  not Psyche. Venus had transformed herself to appear as his beloved, but her cold touch diminished her disguise. In a fit of rage and despair Cupid struck Venus in the heart with his arrow until she took her last breathe. Cupid had avenged his beloved Psyche and protected all that he had left of her, the divine child.


Author's Note: This story is inspired by "Cupid and Psyche" written by Apuleius in "The Golden Ass." The story of Cupid and Psyche is an epic love story that ended in tragedy. In the original story Psyche falls to her death and the child is never mentioned. I thought it would be interesting to give life to the divine child that Cupid bestowed upon Psyche and make him the center of Venus' revenge.


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

Photo can be located at the following link Cupid with a small child