Venus assigning Psyche her tasks.
(Photo by Giordano)
Psyche’s sisters have just betrayed her and taken their own
lives. She searches for Cupid who is still recovering from his scorched
shoulder. A bird went on to tell Venus that her son has been injured and that
he has fallen in love with Psyche, which makes Venus angry.
She finds Cupid and threatens to replace him. Though she
cannot have any more children, she will adopt one of her slaves and give him
all of Cupid’s powers. She leaves to seek council from Juno and Ceres, who
disagree with her. They question her intentions and ask her why she is so angry
that her son has fallen in love. They accuse her of blaming anything wrong with
her life on Cupid and taking it out on him. She leaves, offended.
Psyche continues to search for Cupid. She cries to Ceres,
who denies her because of her relationship with Venus. She prays and prays and
Juno appears. Juno wishes she could help Psyche but couldn’t go against Venus,
her daughter in law.
Venus went to Jove and requested help from Mercury, the
messenger god. She gave him Psyche’s name and a description of her so he can
warn others not to take Psyche in and help her. Venus tells him that she is a
runaway servant and that there will be a reward for whoever finds her. Mercury
obliged and went to spread the message. The idea of a reward sent all men to a
competitive frenzy.
Psyche was caught about brought to Venus who snatched her by
her hair, Psyche did not resist. Venus assaults her and laughs at her. She
hands Psyche over to Anxiety and Sorrow, who beat her and torment her. Venus
laughs and threatens the life of Psyche’s unborn child. She beats Psyche more,
calling her ugly.
She gives Psyche a number of tasks but the last one is the
most important. She sends Psyche on a mission find Pluto’s castle in the
underworld. She was instructed to collect a day’s worth of beauty from
Proserpine. A voice tells her if she
goes through with jumping, she will not return. He gives her specific instructions
on another way to get to Pluto’s castle.
She arrives and Proserpine fills the bottle. Psyche uses the
bottle on herself and discovers the bottle didn’t have any beauty in it. It was
filled with Stygian sleep. Cupid recovered from his wounds and found his love. He puts the
sleep back in the jar and tells Psyche to do as his mother said and he will
take care of the rest. Cupid goes to Jupiter, also known as Jove, and asks for
his help. Jove agrees as long as he is paid with another “girl of outstanding
beauty.”
Jupiter married Cupid and Psyche. They made Psyche immortal which
made Venus happy. Psyche finally gives birth to their child, who they named
Pleasure.
The story goes back to the young girl who is being held in a
chamber and the old lady. Lucius, a human turned donkey escapes from the thieves
and attempts to save the captive young girl.
Bibliography. Apuleius. "Cupid and Psyche." Web Source.
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