Eros and Psyche
We have spoken of the life choices and
activities of Aphrodite. Now, let us look at what kind of
troubles she can make of her son's life, who by the way was not
fathered by her husband, Hephaestus, but by his brother, Ares!
Eros and Psyche
The youngest of three daughters to a king of Greece, Psyche was the
most beautiful. She outshone her sisters as the moon outshines
the stars. People would come from miles around to look at and
praise her. Many even commented that she was more beautiful than
the goddess Aphrodite.
At hearing this, Aphrodite became very jealous. She was so
jealous that she called on her son, Eros, to punish Psyche.
Aphrodite wanted him to shoot Psyche in the heart with one of his
arrows and make her fall in love with the most horrible and ugly thing
alive.
Eros was on his venture, which his mother had sent him on, when he
caught a glimpse of Psyche. He stood there speechless as he saw
how beautiful she truly was. Eros was so struck by her beauty
that he felt as though one of his arrows had struck his own
heart. With faith in her son, Aphrodite had left not thinking
that Eros would neglect her order much less fall in love himself.
Obviously, because of his love for Psyche, Eros did not fire an arrow
and Psyche never fell in love with anyone. What was funny was
that no one ever fell in love with her either, except for Eros.
Instead, she would be admired and praised but the suitors would marry
her sisters. Always the bridesmaid and never the bride! You
see Psyche was so beautiful that she frightened men and she found
herself sad and lonely.
Trying to find a husband for Psyche, her father visited Apollo’s oracle
in Delphi. The great thing about this was that Eros had actually
told Apollo about his secret love for Psyche. Apollo had agreed
to help Eros and so came the plan for the unity of Eros and Psyche.
Apollo told the king that Psyche must be dressed as if she were
attending her own funeral and be left on the nearby mountain top, where
a dragon would come and carry her off. This was her fate. A
terribly scary fate it was indeed, but at least her loneliness would
end. Psyche climbed bravely to the nearby mountain top. As
she waited for the monstrous dragon to come and get her, she felt a
gentle breeze. The wind lifted her and carried her down to a
peaceful valley where she had no fears, laid down, and slept.
The next morning, Eros woke to find a beautiful palace of silver and
gold across the stream from where she had fallen asleep the night
before. Voices began calling to her to invite her inside and to
explain to her that this was her new home where she would be given
delicious food to eat, lavish robes to wear, and most of all where she
would meet her husband.
Eros and Psyche
Bibliography:
Asimov, Isaac. Words from
the Myths. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1961.
Brandenberg, Aliki. The Gods
and Goddesses of Olympus. USA: Harper Collins Publishers,
1994.
Sewell, Helen. A Book
of Myths. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1942.
I chose the information from these sources and simplified them into a
child’s lyric.
Image Bibliography:
Bertel Thorvaldsen 1770-1844: Amor und Psyche, 1823. Landesmuseum
Oldenburg, Das Schloß.
Websource: http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/000Free/000Psyche/image/psyche3620.jpg
Rudolph Tegner, 1873-1950: Eros leaving Psyche. Rudolph Tegners Museum,
Denmark.
Websource: http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/000Free/000Psyche/image/psyche1832.jpg
Other Contents of the Storybook: Home
Zeus
and Hera Hera's
Revenge Peleus
and Thetis Hephaestus
and Aphrodite
