THE SUMMARY

Cupid and Psyche

A stunningly beautiful girl, Psyche, is born after two older sisters. People throughout the land
worship her beauty so deeply that they forget about the goddess Venus. Venus becomes angry
that her temples are falling to ruin, so she plots to ruin Psyche. She instructs her son, Cupid,
to pierce the girl with an arrow and make her fall in love with the most vile, hideous man
alive. But when Cupid sees Psyche in her radiant glory, he shoots himself with the arrow
instead.
Meanwhile, Psyche and her family become worried that she will never find a husband, for
although men admire her beauty, they always seem content to marry someone else. Psyche's
father prays to Apollo for help, and Apollo instructs her to go to the top of a hill, where she
will marry not a man but a serpent. Psyche bravely follows the instructions and falls asleep
on the hill. When she wakes up, she discovers a stunning mansion. Going inside, she relaxes
and enjoys fine food and luxurious treatment. At night, in the dark, she meets and falls in
love with her husband.
She lives happily with him, never seeing him, until one day he tells her that her sisters have
been crying for her. She begs to see them, but her husband replies that it would not be wise to
do so. Psyche insists that they visit, and when they do, they become extremely jealous of
Psyche's beautiful mansion and lush quarters. They deduce that Psyche has never seen her
husband, and they convince her that she must sneak a look. Confused and conflicted, Psyche
turns on a lamp one night as her husband lies next to her.
When she sees the beautiful Cupid asleep on her bed, she weeps for her lack of faith. Cupid
awakens and deserts her because Love cannot live where there is no trust. Cupid returns to
his mother, Venus, who again decides to enact revenge on the beautiful girl.
Psyche, meanwhile, journeys all over the land to find Cupid. She decides to go to Venus
herself in a plea for love and forgiveness, and when she finally sees Venus, the great goddess
laughs aloud. Venus shows her a heap of seeds and tells her that she must sort them all in one
night's time if she wants to see Cupid again. This task is impossible for one person alone, but
ants pity Psyche and sort the seeds for her. Shocked, Venus then orders Psyche to sleep on the
cold ground and eat only a piece of bread for dinner. But Psyche survives the night easily.
Finally, Venus commands her to retrieve a golden fleece from the river. She almost drowns
herself in the river because of her sorrow, but a reed speaks to her and suggests that she
collect the golden pieces of fleece from the thorny briar that catches it. Psyche follows these
instructions and returns a sizable quantity to Venus. The amazed goddess, still at it, now
orders Psyche to fill a flask from the mouth of the River Styx. When Psyche reaches the head
of the river, she realizes that this task seems impossible because the rocks are so dangerous.
This time, an eagle helps her and fills the flask. Venus still does not give in. She challenges
Psyche to go into the underworld and have Persephone put some of her beauty in a box.
Miraculously, Psyche succeeds.
On her way toward giving the box to Venus, she becomes curious, opens the box, and
instantly falls asleep. Meanwhile, Cupid looks for Psyche and finds her sleeping. He awakens

her, puts the sleeping spell back in the box, and takes her to Zeus to request her immortality.
Zeus grants the request and makes Psyche an immortal goddess. She and Cupid are married.
Venus now supports the marriage because her son has married a goddessand because
Psyche will no longer distract the men on earth from Venus.
Analysis
This story centers on the power of true love. Psyche first doubts that love, feeling that she
must see Cupid in the flesh. She later redeems herself many times over when she proves her
commitment, overcoming all obstacles in her way. Figuratively, love (Cupid) and the soul
("psyche" is the Greek word for the soul) belong together in an inseparable union. When
Cupid sees Psyche, the soul in its beauty, he immediately wants to join with her. Somehow,
this beauty is admired by men but does not lead to the kind of love that eventuates in a
marriage proposal. But Cupid is able to fully appreciate Psyches beauty.
The happy ending, with Venus, Psyche, and Cupid all reaching a positive resolution,
illustrates that when love is pure, all pains, sorrows, and challenges will align to ensure that
the love is realized. Even nature, as the ants and eagle demonstrate, support true love. Of all
the stories in the Greek mythology, none more clearly demonstrates that true love exists than
this story. Moreover, Psyche reveals that true love is to be defended and supported no matter
what the cost. This part of the myth is beautifully retold by the modern author C.S. Lewis
under the title Till We Have Faces.
Psyche remains an unusual example of a female character who acts like a male hero.
Although other female characters (such as Artemis) perform traditionally male activities,
none so boldly acts as a hero might: overcoming seemingly impossible obstacles, fighting to
win true love, achieving a status that is more than human.
Importantly, Psyche is a rare being who begins as a mortal and ends as a divinity. Her unique
position raises questions about spirituality. Is the soul properly a thing of the earth or a thing
of the heavens? How does Psyche's being change when she becomes immortal? Was there
something about Psyche that was more than human from the very beginning, and why did she
win the attention of Cupid in the first place?
The story continues to explore the distinction between humans and gods, as Venus is bitterly
jealous of a mortal who draws other mortals away from her, a goddess. On earth, the soul,
figured as Psyche, is amazingly beautiful but faces great trials. Order is restored when the
soul reaches the heavens. The prospect of ones own soul following this path can be very
attractive.
It seems that the decision is up to Zeus. Must a soul earn its place (with help) in the realm of
divinity? Must there be an advocate, another god, who must bring the case to Zeus? Although
such questions are left open, it seems clear that Psyche's determination, courage, and belief in
true love help her achieve divine status.

This myth also shows some of the interlocking storylines of the myths. Psyche visits
Persephone in the underworld (it must be winter). Persephones box reminds us ofPandoras,
especially because she is so curious to open it. We will see the River Styx again, too, not to
mention Zeus and Venus. The interconnected nature of the tales does raise questions about
chronology: besides the Creation of Earth, it is unclear what the chronology might be, and
which story happens before another. But as the characters and places overlap, the myths show
themselves to be not only intertextual with each other but also unified in their depiction of
one world in which all these characters and stories exist.

THE CHRACTERS
Cupid
Cupid, a god, Venus son. He falls in love with Psyche and becomes her lover. When Psyche
tries to see him, against his command, he kills her sisters, who had encouraged her action. He
also abandons Psyche to the world. His love conquers his will, however, and he takes Psyche
back again, petitioning Jove, king of the gods, to let her become immortal.
Psyche
Psyche, a Greek princess. An oracle tells her father to leave her exposed upon a mountain to
prevent the destruction of his people. Because of her beauty, Psyche arouses the jealousy of
Venus. After being abandoned by Cupid, her lover, Psyche wanders the earth and finally
becomes Venus slave. With supernatural help, she completes the otherwise insurmountable
tasks assigned by Venus and wins back Cupids love. Upon drinking ambrosia given her by
Jove, Psyche becomes immortal.
Venus
Venus, goddess of love. Jealous of Psyche, she makes the girl her slave and assigns her four
tasks: to separate an immense pile of mixed seeds, to gather the golden fleece of Venus
sheep, to fill a jug with water from a stream that feeds the rivers Styx and Cocytus, and to
collect some of Proserpines beauty in a box.
Zephyrus

Zephyrus, god of the south wind. He carries Psyche to Cupids palace. He also delivers
Psyches sisters there when Cupid grants Psyche their company in her loneliness.
Mercury
Mercury, the messenger god who conducts Psyche to the presence of Jove.
Jove (Jupiter)
Jove (Jupiter), king of the gods. He grants immortality to Psyche so that she and Cupid can
be together forever.

SETTINGS OF CUPID AND PSYCHE

Um, Everywhere
Psyche's adventure takes her just about everywhere in the world of Greco-Roman mythology.
She starts at in the mortal world, then goes to live with Cupid in his magical palace,
eventually heads to the underworld, and finally ends up with the gods on Mt. Olympus.
Cupid's Palace
The first setting we spend a lot of time in is Cupid's palace, where Psyche is whisked away
after her parents abandon her on a mountaintop. At first, Psyche is blown away with all the
amazing riches in the palace. For real, this place is swank priceless art, mounds of treasure,
and to top it off there are invisible servants who give Psyche anything she wants. Eventually,
however, Psyche comes to see the palace as a beautiful prison. Sure, it's amazing and she's
totally taken care of, but without any other human contact, she ends up feeling sad and alone.

The Underworld

The other key location in the story is realm of the dead, where Venus orders Psyche to travel
to in order to bring back a box of Proserpine's (Persephone's) beauty. Traveling in this dark
and deadly land is the final and most difficult task that our heroine must complete in order to
regain her love. In this way the tale of "Cupid and Psyche" parallels many, many, many other
myths. Psyche is definitely not the only heroine (or hero) who's ever had to travel to the
underworld to fulfill their quest. Odysseus, Orpheus, Hercules and many others were said to
have journeyed to Hades.

Mt. Olympus
Finally, when Psyche achieves her goal and wins back Cupid's love and trust, she gets the
ultimate reward: Cupid takes her to Mt. Olympus to become a goddess. Mt. Olympus was the
home of the gods, and pretty much the most awesome place in all of Greco-Roman
mythology. We know our heroine has achieved her "happily ever after" when she makes it
here.

AUTHORS BIOGRAPHY

Apuleius (/pjlis/; also called Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis; Berber: Afulay; c. 125 c.
180 CE) was a Latin-language prose writer. He was a Numidian Berber and lived under the
Roman Empire. He was from Madaurus (now M'Daourouch, Algeria). He studied Platonist
philosophy in Athens; travelled to Italy, Asia Minor and Egypt; and was an initiate in several
cults or mysteries. The most famous incident in his life was when he was accused of using
magic to gain the attentions (and fortune) of a wealthy widow. He declaimed and then
distributed a witty tour de force in his own defense before the proconsul and a court of
magistrates convened in Sabratha, near ancient Tripoli, Libya. This is known as the Apologia.
His most famous work is his bawdy picaresque novel, the Metamorphoses, otherwise known
as The Golden Ass. It is the only Latin novel that has survived in its entirety. It relates the
ludicrous adventures of one Lucius, who experiments with magic and is accidentally turned
into a donkey.

Apuleius was born in Madaurus (now M'Daourouch, Algeria), a Roman colony in Numidia
on the North African coast, bordering Gaetulia, and he described himself as "half-Numidian
half-Gaetulian."[3] Madaurus was the same colonia where Saint Augustine later received part
of his early education, and, though located well away from the Romanized coast, is today the
site of some pristine Roman ruins. As to his first name, no praenomen is given in any ancient
source;[4] late-medieval manuscripts began the tradition of calling him Lucius from the name
of the hero of his novel.[5] Details regarding his life come mostly from his defense speech
(Apology) and his work Florida, which consists of snippets taken from some of his best
speeches.
His father was a provincial magistrate (duumvir)[3] who bequeathed at his death the sum of
nearly two millions of sesterces to his two sons.[6] Apuleius studied with a master at
Carthage (where he later settled) and later at Athens, where he studied Platonist philosophy
among other subjects. He subsequently went to Rome[7] to study Latin rhetoric and, most
likely, to declaim in the law courts for a time before returning to his native North Africa. He
also travelled extensively in Asia Minor and Egypt, studying philosophy and religion,
burning up his inheritance while doing so.
Apuleius was born in Madaurus (now M'Daourouch, Algeria), a Roman colony in Numidia
on the North African coast, bordering Gaetulia, and he described himself as "half-Numidian
half-Gaetulian."[3] Madaurus was the same colonia where Saint Augustine later received part
of his early education, and, though located well away from the Romanized coast, is today the
site of some pristine Roman ruins. As to his first name, no praenomen is given in any ancient
source;[4] late-medieval manuscripts began the tradition of calling him Lucius from the name
of the hero of his novel.[5] Details regarding his life come mostly from his defense speech
(Apology) and his work Florida, which consists of snippets taken from some of his best
speeches.
His father was a provincial magistrate (duumvir)[3] who bequeathed at his death the sum of
nearly two millions of sesterces to his two sons.[6] Apuleius studied with a master at
Carthage (where he later settled) and later at Athens, where he studied Platonist philosophy
among other subjects. He subsequently went to Rome[7] to study Latin rhetoric and, most
likely, to declaim in the law courts for a time before returning to his native North Africa. He
also travelled extensively in Asia Minor and Egypt, studying philosophy and religion,
burning up his inheritance while doing so.

THEMES IN CUPID AND PSYCHE

Theme of Love in Cupid and Psyche
When you've got a story in which CSupid (Eros), the god of desire and love, falls in love
himself, you caSn bet that romance is going to be a major theme. Of course, it wouldn't be
much of a story if Cupid and Psyche just fell in love and everything was immediately happy
ever after. When Psyche shows distrust in Cupid and gets a glimpse of what he looks like

against his wishes, Cupid abandons her, showing that love cannot survive if there is no trust
between two people. After determinedly completing a series of tasks, however, Psyche
eventually regains Cupid and finds eternal bliss, perhaps teaching the lesson that lasting love
can only be attained through dedication and struggle.
Theme of Betrayal in Cupid and Psyche
Psyche promises her new husband, Cupid (Eros), that she'll never try to see what he looks
like. Each night when he comes to her in bed, she's supposed to entertain him and then go to
sleep without ever getting a peek at her lover. Psyche's jealous sisters eventually convince her
that she's got to get a look at the dude she's sleeping with, and so Psyche breaks her word to
Cupid. On one level, this is betrayal. Psyche promises to do one thing, and then she does
another. Is Cupid's request really reasonable, though? Is it OK to expect a human being to
live that way? Ultimately, Psyche's "betrayal" results in both she and her husband living in
eternal bliss. In the end, it seems like the tale of "Cupid and Psyche" presents a pretty
complicated picture of the relationship between love and betrayal.