Boyle, A.J., Tragic Seneca [London 1997], 32f.Google Scholar). Kenney (n.13 above), 148: ‘[Psyche’s] is the love that desires bodies (Eros Pandemos), Cupid that which desires souls (E. Uranius).’ But Cupid is clearly not averse to Psyche’s body or to the language of love: when he addresses her as Psyche dulcissima at 5.5.2 and 5.12.5 he is using the same Greek pillow-talk as is remarked on in an erotic context at Mart. 126: ‘Venus’ kiss here is not exactly maternal—but how could the embrace of this mother and this son…be anything but “erotic”?’ Yes it is erotic, just like the kisses Venus advertises (via Mecury) as a reward for the capture of Psyche at 6.8.3 (on which see Kenney [n.1 above], 192f. 50. Much to publ. for this article. 130). In its context in this novel, I find it perfectly credible. 40. also Penwill (n.4 above), 68f. And remains at that level throughout: the cause of her Orpheus-like dementia in breaking the prohibition against opening the box she is bringing back from the underworld is her desire to make herself attractive to her ‘beautiful lover’ (amatori meo formonso, 6.20.6; cf. Contrast Penwill (n.4 above), 51: ‘The thematic links are not there to create a parallel but to point up a contrast—a technique which we shall see Apuleius employing time and time again, especially with respect to the relation between Book 11 and the rest of the work.’. 5.509–32 (appeal) and HHD 324–85 (Hermes); and Psyche’s opening the box and its consequences resonate with Persephone’s eating the pomegranate seeds and the consequent requirement that she too undergo a temporary ‘death’ (HHD 390–447/Ov. }. 11.146–93; Pers. There are thematic links between Lucius’ love for Fotis and his devotion to Isis (cf. Cupid and Psyche is a story of love, truth and redemption. As their meetings continue, Psyche wants more than just sex; she knows that if she confesses all her desires to Cupid, she will only manage to scare and push him away. Cupid and Psyche is a famous Ancient Greco-Roman myth. Cupid found Psyche and woke her with a kiss. Psyche's adventure takes her just about everywhere in the world of Greco-Roman mythology. This short story unit is an adaptation of the Roman myth of Cupid and Psyche, created for grades 4 – 6. As Konstan rightly observes (ibid, n.84), Cupid’s remark at 5.24.4, praeclarus ille Sagittarius ipse me tela meo percussi (‘renowned archer that I am, I pierced myself with my own weapon’) is not to be taken literally (pace James [n.24 above], 117f. In fact Kenney sees Cupid’s influence already at work in Apollo’s oracle at 4.33 (ibid. Winkler comments favourably on my 1975 article at 147f. HHD 473–82) in her new life among the gods, but only at the cost of being overmastered by Desire and joining the pleasure-oriented world of the … 6.103–07) is echoed in Jupiter’s own catalogue at 6.22.4. Kenney (n.1 above), 195. ; Kenney (n.1 above), 185; Kenney (n.13 above), 172; Holzberg, N., The Ancient Novel: An Introduction, tr. auidus cognoscere amantem/post tot concubitus inlato lumine, ‘eager to know his lover after so many nights together he brought in a light…’). James [n.10 above], 147: ‘Psyche is able to re-arouse “Venus” in Cupid’; cf. people worship Psyche rather than Venus. 6.6–7) recall Ov. The story ends with Cupid and Psyche reunited as equals and with Cupid repenting for breaking up human marriages through his amorous influence. Dowden, K., ‘Apuleius and the Art of Narration’, CQ 32 (1982), 419–35CrossRefGoogle Scholar, at 422ff. Compare Homer’s description of Pandaros’ arrow ‘eager to fly through the throng’ (, Il. Reunion and Happy Ending to the Myth of Cupid and Psyche At this point, divine intervention was called for if the story were to have an ending that made anyone really happy. Title of short story or novel - cupid and psyche Author _____ Part 1: The Climax of the Story Describe the climax of your novel or short story in a three- to five-sentence paragraph. Similarly misconstrued is Walsh’s appeal to Plutarch’s Amatorius 164f–165d to support the thesis that Psyche’s quest for Cupid somehow represents the soul’s yearning for knowledge of ultimate reality (Walsh [n.19 above], 29f.). 04 July 2014. James (n.10 above), 185: ‘Psyche’s tasks prove the power of Love is still all-pervasive even when Love himself is wounded and imprisoned.’. 64. Dowden (n.27 above, 339) scoffs at Taylor’s interpretation (‘obviously wrong-headed’), stating virtually as an article of faith that ‘it is not credible that Psyche’s marriage to Cupid should be a step down in the world’ (original emphasis). & van der Paardt, R. Th. 5. Cupid and Psyche is a famous Ancient Greco-Roman myth. ; Hooper, R.W., ‘Structural Unity in the Golden Ass’, Latomus 44 (1985), 398–401Google Scholar, at 401; Krabbe (n.10 above), 61f. He left his room and found Psyche exhausted in his mother’s garden. 6. Thus creating an alternative structural design to that effected by the book divisions. n.67 above). In order: Tatum, J., Apuleius and the Golden Ass (Ithaca NY 1979), 49–62Google Scholar; James, P., Unity in Diversity: A Study of Apuleius’ Metamorphoses (Altertumswissenschaftlichen Texte und Studien 16: Hildesheim 1987), 119–39Google Scholar; J.K. Krabbe, , The Metamorphoses of Apuleius (New York 1989), 93fGoogle Scholar., 128–44; Schlam, C.C., The Metamorphoses of Apuleius: On Making an Ass of Oneself (London 1992), 50f., 74f., 97f., 121, 125Google Scholar; Shumate, N., Crisis and Conversion in Apuleius’ Metamorphoses (Ann Arbor 1996), 251–62CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Finkelpearl, E., Metamorphosis of Language in Apuleius: A Study of Allusion in the Novel (Ann Arbor 1998), 111fCrossRefGoogle Scholar. Venus is the goddess of love and beauty. Cupid and Psyche The Myth of Cupid and Psyche The mythical story of Cupid and Psyche by Josephine Preston Peabody. With the only rule to keeping a lavish life laid before her being to not set sights on her … Another link between Apuleius’ Jupiter and Ovid’s is noted by Krabbe (n.10 above, 61), who observes how Arachne’s representation of Jupiter’s transformations in pursuit of sexual pleasure (Ov. And in fact the focus of the narrative here switches from Psyche to Cupid; the slumber which envelops Psyche effectively removes her as an actor, rendering her impervious to the normal effect of Cupid’s arrow (n.b. Feature Flags: { So, it’s no surprise that we can see repeated patterns. Brendan Pelsue shares the myth of Cupid and Psyche. 180c–185c. We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Particularly striking are the shared motifs of concealed identity (Myrrha knows who she is sleeping with but Cinyras doesn’t) and of the disastrous outcome when the ignorant partner seeks to satisfy his curiosity by bringing a lamp into the bedroom (note esp. 211c–212a, but the text cannot sustain such a reading. From that moment on, Eros and Psyche lived happily together in their lovely palace, which was always full of roses and other flowers. ), Antonine Literature (Oxford 1990), 175–98Google Scholar, at 175f. The only assistance Cupid provides comes at the end of the fourth, and that is only to rescue Psyche from the consequences of her own stupidity. 8. Olympus. This time, Psyche told them he was a middle aged merchant. Cupid and Psyche. Psyche becomes immortal and united with Cupid again. This is foreshadowed by Lucius-as-prologue when he promises to tell of figuras fortunasque hominum in alias imagines conuersas et in se rursum mutuo nexu refectas (‘figures and fortunes of human beings converted into other likenesses and made back into themselves again in a reciprocal intertwining’, 1.1.2). ], Thomas Taylor the Platonist: Selected Writings [Princeton 1969], 430Google Scholar). fountains in Venus's garden, one of sweet waters, the other of bitter. In the first and third she would on any objective assessment be failed for cheating, and in the fourth, while she follows the tower’s instructions almost to the end, she is finally unable to withstand the temptation to open the box. 36. Symp. A title both misleading and narratologically inappropriate. See Ov. This story isn’t generally seen as a Snow White tale; however, after reading all those Snow White stories, I couldn’t help but see the same themes within this one. However, aong the same lines, while both are exiled (Beauty to the Beast’s castle, Psyche to the mountain) Beauty is actually sent to a Beast, while Psyche’s so-called “beast” is actually Cupid, a delightfully hunky winged god (I think Psyche got the better end of the deal). Cf James, P., ‘Cupid at Work and at Play’, GCN 1 (1988), 113–21Google Scholar, at 117: ‘leuiter is a key word in this confession.’ For leuiter used in this sense in the context of amatory pursuit, cf. Better is James (n.10 above), 146f. 1.452–73, 5.362–84. Having issued this caveat, however, I shall adhere to the story’s traditional title in what follows. Cf. They had told her, that the man she was supposed to call her husband, was an evil horrifying creature. Sat. They undergo emotional and physical metamorphoses.’). In the end she cried and embraced him and asked him to let her see her sisters again. Cupid filled two amber vases, one from each fountain, and suspending them from the top of his quiver, hastened to the chamber of Psyche, whom he found asleep. 1.601–67 and 722–33 (Io), 2.467–530 (Callisto), 3.253–312 (Semele); cf. Kenney (n.1 above), 182; Kenney (n.13 above), 203. An important addition to the references to Homer, Moschus and Ovid noted by Kenney (n.1 above, 180 and n.16). In this course, Professor Costas Panayotakis (Glasgow University) explores the story of Cupid and Psyche in Apuleius' Metamorphoses. Psyche's life continues on as usual: everybody comes to gawk at how hot she is. Simple observation is quite sufficient an explanation. Parallels serve to highlight differences as well as similarities; cf. 5.13.6, amplexibus mollibus decantatus, ‘bewitched by her soft embraces’. Cupid and Psyche | April 4, 2017 We’re going to stay in Greece for a bit and examine in length our first “real” tale, Cupid and Psyche. Psyche was the youngest daughter of a king and queen who offended Venus, goddess of beauty and sexuality, by claiming that she is no more beautiful than their child. : ‘The effect…is to inspire wonder and awe….There is a sense throughout of latent power and majesty….The potent and worshipful reality of love is revealed in its true splendour…’) tend to ignore the persona of the narrator at this point. Setting Cupid & Psyche The story of Cupid & Psyche takes place in Ancient Greece. 56. 22. By the end of the tale of Cupid and Psyche, it becomes clear that we are reading a story that is intimately related to that of Lucius. Cupid's own thoughts are, "No, he knew that in the dark he could hold onto himself. The Greek mythological story shows the love between the two characters and this statue has enhanced a moment between their gaze of grace and passion. ); it does not support the idea that Cupid falls in love with Psyche ‘unwillingly’ (as claimed by Frangoulidis, S., ‘Venus and Psyche’s Sisters in Apuleius’ Tale of Cupid and Psyche’, CB 70 [1994], 67–72Google Scholar, at 67). 9. Cupid shoots his arrows into humans and immortals alike causing them to fall in love or hate. The running vocabulary and grammatical commentary are meant to provide everything necessary to read The climax in my story all started when psyche decided to listen to her sisters. This story is the ORIGINAL STORY about Cupid and Psyche, no additional ideas from me.. and i also didn't reverse it so there's no confusion to the readers!!! Isis _____ is Cupid's mother. Dowden’s conclusion (n.27 above, 352) that ‘Cupid is the passion which draws man to god, as we can see from his name and Psyche’s feelings towards him’ (my emphasis) is similarly illogical. One of Cupid's immortal victims was Apollo. Psyche’s beauty frustrated Venus (the goddess of beauty) and she forced her son cupid to shoot an arrow at Psyche to make her fall in love with a horrible monster. Kenney (n.13 above), 212–18; see also Finkelpearl (n.23 above), passim, and Harrison (n.40 above), 67–71. James (n.24 above), 119: ‘Yet, as [Charite] listens, the puer pinnatus, Cupido, is already wreaking havoc in her future home.’ For an interesting and informative analysis of the interrelationship between ‘Cupid and Psyche’ and the Tlepolemus/Charite narrative, see Dowden, K., ‘The Unity of Apuleius’ Eighth Book and the Danger of Beasts’, GCN 5 (1993), 93–109Google Scholar, at 99–101; though it will be obvious that I cannot agree with the implication of Dowden’s antithesis: ‘Cupid & Psyche is about successful, immortalising love; the Thrasyllus story is specifically marked as a tale offuriosa libido and leads not to apotheosis, but…to death’ (100). Cupid and Psyche meet online, have a few phone calls, and after a drunk call, end up together at night. Krabbe (n.10 above), 135f., 139–42; likewise Schlam (n.10 above), 98. We should not however be seduced by this into thinking that the end of ‘Cupid and Psyche’ is an exact parallel to the ending of the HHD; certainly Psyche/‘Soul’ attains immortality and a semblance of the blessed existence promised to the initiates (see esp. 300–03 and the ‘crime-laden’ language of 465–74) makes it more difficult to regard Cupid’s conduct as that of a Pausanian ‘heavenly lover’. 4.33–35) compare Hades’ rape of Persephone/ Proserpina and her descent to the underworld (HHD 15ff., Ov. Cf. It was created by Antonio Canova in 1793. Psyche's two sisters end up getting married, but Psyche is stuck sitting alone in her room. Full text views reflects PDF downloads, PDFs sent to Google Drive, Dropbox and Kindle and HTML full text views. Therefore , Venus asks her son, cupid, to go and stab Mind with a great arrow. It is hard to escape the conclusion that there is an allusion here to Ovid’s account of Cinyras and Myrrha (Met. Total loading time: 0.462 Cupid also told her that, if she doesn't see him, the baby she was pregnant with would be a god, but if she saw him, the baby would become a mortal. For the latter see Harrison (n.40 above), 69f. Met. and Markus, R.A. Apol. Story: Cupid & Psyche Source: Greek Summary: Psyche is the most beautiful daughter of one noble king and was praised by the people for her supreme looks. Psyche Revived By Cupid's Kiss is an artwork on USEUM. She was seen to be the most beautiful woman in the land, and this making her life very wonderful. As stated previously, Psyche's curiosity is a mirror to Lucius's own. 71. Her inability to fulfil any of these tasks unaided renders the ‘reward’ yet more conspicuous as an intervention on the part of Cupid and Jupiter, and one which as the narrative shows is not undertaken for the worthiest of motives. 201e–202b), yet ‘ugly and bad’ is clearly the import of Venus’ and Apollo’s descriptions. 17. Cupid falls instantly in love with Psyche and leaves without doing what his mother told him to do. 50–59. 25. In the story “Cupid and Psyche” Psyche was treated extremely well as seen in this quote, “Psyche was the loveliest maiden in the whole world.” (Benson,844) She was treated this way because of her looks. On Heaven and Earth: The Tale of Cupid and Psyche William Shakespeare once wrote, “But love is blind and lovers cannot see the pretty follies that they themselves commit.” Psyche brings life to Shakespeare’s words through her early acts of naivety, and later, the trials she willingly faces to right her wrongs. As stated previously, Psyche's curiosity is a mirror to Lucius's own. Render date: 2021-04-08T17:15:52.973Z ; cf. But what ‘Cupid and Psyche’ challenges is the proposition that these changes are—or can ever be—changes for the better. Cupid and Psyche is a story originally from Metamorphoses (also called The Golden Ass), written in the 2nd century AD by Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis (or Platonicus). Penwill (n.2 above), 219. also James (n.24 above), 114f. Storytelling is as old as time. The fable of Cupid and Psyche is usually considered allegorical. Discover the myth of Eros and Psyche The legendary beauty of Psyche. Kenney (n.13 above), 175; cf. Such interpretations fail to grasp the crucial point: Psyche is married to Cupid, not to Beauty Itself. Psyche persuaded Eros to forgive his mother for what she had made her suffer. Finally, Psyche’s sisters would be villains since in their jealousy, they convince Psyche to almost murder Cupid. Hipp. And so again we have the narrator importing her values and ways of reading into the story. 70. The story begins with a … n.67 below). The Bowdoin College Museum of Art has opened three exhibitions exploring mythological themes in classical Greek mythology. Kenney acknowledges the difficulty that this change—and the narration of the final scene generally—poses for his allegorical reading of the story. Moreover, Psyche reveals that true love is to be defended and supported no matter what the cost. Story: Cupid & Psyche Source: Greek Summary: Psyche is the most beautiful daughter of one noble king and was praised by the people for her supreme looks. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings. To confuse Love with the object of love is an elementary fallacy, one to which many interpretations of ‘Cupid and Psyche’ seem curiously prone. Cf. 5.341–661), run like a leit-motiv through this tale. Kenney (n.13 above), passim. For Isis as Venus see 11.2.1 and 11.5.2. 4.126. 33. 1.1–12, 119–23; compare Pl. Cupid and Psyche were so much in love, that he agreed. ; Schlam (n.10 above), 98. In Ovid’s version of the Ganymede story (Met. 13. (Oxford 1994)Google Scholar. 10.155–61) the eagle is actually Jupiter in disguise, flying down mendacibus…pennis (‘on deceptive wings’, 159). "shouldUseShareProductTool": true, They had told her, that the man she was supposed to call her husband, was an evil horrifying creature. The comparisons between human soul development and the story of Psyche gets dicey from here as Venus, the goddess of love, becomes highly threatened by the radiant Psyche. The story deals with many themes prevalent in tales from classical antiquity, including love, challenging trials, and interference from the gods. Rep. 380d–383b, Plu. she would kill her husband. 68. -In the end Cupid recovers from his wound he had and flies down to rescue Psyche from unconsciousness after opening the box of beauty. ∼ Ap. Bella fabella (‘beautiful little story’) exclaims the ass at the conclusion of the unnamed old woman's narration of the tale that we have come to know as ‘Cupid and Psyche’, a tale that occupies 63 chapters of books 4, 5 and 6 of Apuleius' Metamorphoses. This is a language game that we choose to play. Narratologically the spilling over of an embedded tale introduced late in Book 4 not only into the following book but also into the major part of the book after that comes as a complete surprise; the previous ones (Aristomenes’ tale in Book 1 and Thelyphron’s in Book 2) are presented neatly within the confines of their respective books, and nothing has prepared us for the existence of a narrative of this length. In both Venus employs Cupid to restore her reputation (Ov. ‘Repair’ or ‘restore’ are the basic meanings of reficio: see OLD s.v. FELLOWOPTRINITYCOLLEGE,DUBLIN LONDON: GEORGEBELL&SONS: 1910 The climax in my story all started when psyche decided to listen to her sisters. Being jealous due to men's admiration for Psyche , Goddess Aphrodite asked her son, the powerful master of love, Eros , to poison men's souls in order to kill off their desire for Psyche . 41. For other examples see above nn.40 (Cupid’s physical beauty) and 45 (the river’s behaviour) and her description of Cupid’s palace at 5.1–3, on which see Penwill (n.4 above), 78 n.29, and Murgatroyd, P., ‘Apuleian Ecphrasis: Cupid’s Palace at Met. The story brings out the extent that one can go to in the name of seeking love.This comes out when Psyche is not ready to lose Cupid. De E ap. Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. Eros was touched and this healed the wound of betrayal. Cupid and Psyche is a story of love, truth and redemption. Walsh (n.9 above), 206f. From that moment on, Eros and Psyche lived happily together in their lovely palace, which was always full of roses and other flowers. Snip. In the story “Cupid and Psyche” Psyche was treated extremely well as seen in this quote, “Psyche was the loveliest maiden in the whole world.” (Benson,844) She was treated this way because of her looks. Interpretations of this description such as that of Kenney (n.1 above, 183f. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------. The Greek name for a butterfly is Psyche, and the same word means the soul. Met. Anderson (n.27 above), 80: ‘Psyche is abandoned, like Andromeda; persuaded like a jealous rival to want to see her lover as he really is, like Semele; punished by a jealous goddess with perpetual wandering like Io; sent to recover dangerous objects like Jason, Orpheus, or Demeter; and allowed to open a forbidden box, like Pandora.’ Such allusion is ubiquitous in the telling of this tale. The negative descriptions of Cupid in the oracle and by implication at 4.31.3, where Venus describes the kind of husband she wants for Psyche, are related by some critics to Diotima’s description of Eros at PI. Cupid and Psyche end up having a daughter together, named Voluptas (a.k.a. Psychen innoxio punctulo sagittae suae suscitat, ‘he wakes Psyche with a harmless prick of his arrow’, 6.21.0) and turning her into nothing more than the sex-object she was at the start of the tale. Kenney’s commentary is an invaluable source of information about the allusions that permeate this text, and it would be remiss not to acknowledge my obvious indebtedness to it. Well I've been down so goddam' long, that it looks like up to me. The immediate ‘purpose’ suggested by this programmatic statement is to distract Charite from brooding on the gruesome situation in which she finds herself. Ov. Kenney (n.13 above), 124. Apuleius was a Platonist; Apuleius wrote ‘Cupid and Psyche’; The main reason Venus is angry with Psyche is _____. James [n.10 above], 168 n.20; Shumate [n.10 above], 259). Cupid is best explained as the hero since near the end of the tale, he saves Psyche. 61. She was seen to be the most beautiful woman in the land, and this making her life very wonderful. See p. 164 above. In the end she cried and embraced him and asked him to let her see her sisters again. 62. Cf. 55. On Psyche as (Ovid’s) Semele cf. Finally on the allegorical level the pleasure to which Psyche gives birth is clearly the pleasure that arises from the link the tale establishes between the life-principle and sexual desire: what ‘we call’ (nominamus) the joy of sex. 31. Apuleius’ Cupid and Psyche is known as a story about a romantic relationship that blossoms among Psyche and Cupid, the son of Venus, who may be the empress of love. 11. 4.29–31: cf. Cupid and Psyche later have a daughter, Pleasure. Psyche's sister convinced her that _____. He left his room and found Psyche exhausted in his mother's garden. The final sentence of 5.6 is instructive: ui ac potestate uenerii susurrus inuitus succubuit, ‘against his better judgement (inuitus) he succumbed to the powerful force of her sensuous whisperings’; and cf. Once upon a time, there was a king who had three wonderful daughters. Penwill, J.L., ‘Slavish Pleasures and Profitless Curiosity: Fall and Redemption in Apuleius’ Metamorphoses’, Ramus 4 (1975), 49–82CrossRefGoogle Scholar, esp. 2. Psyche is the Greek word for soul. Her unwavering commitment to true love, purity and soulful expansion is proof to Cupid of her sincerity and devotion. Cf. However, since Venus has it in for her, nobody ever falls in love with Psyche. 81e–82a and Plu. Plutarch is too good a Platonist to fall into that error. Cupid and Psyche Events :) 1. TheStoryofCupidandPsyche asrelatedbyApuleius EDITED,WITHINTRODUCTIONANDNOTES,BY LOUISC.PURSER,Litt.d. (eds. The original version of this paper was delivered in the Classics Department of the University of California at Santa Barbara in February 1998. 53. Virgil’s Aeneid and Apuleius’ Metamorphoses] is a deep skepticism about the power of any political or social structure to neutralize the forces of chaos in anything but the most tentative, provisional, or even cynical way.’ Shumate, N., ‘“Darkness Visible”: Apuleius Reads Virgil’, GCN 7 (1996), 103–16Google Scholar, at 114. Some have seen the story of Cupid and Psyche as an allegory of the fall and the subsequent redemption of the human soul. Kenney, E.J. Met. Phd. 1. ; Nethercut, W.R., ‘Apuleius’ Metamorphoses: The Journey’, AΓΩN 3 (1969), 97–134Google Scholar, at 107; Sandy, G.N., ‘Knowledge and Curiosity in Apuleius’ Metamorphoses’, Latomus 31 (1972), 179–83Google Scholar, at 180; Walsh (n.9 above), 192, and ‘Apuleius and Plutarch’, in Blumenthal, H.J. ; Kenney, E.J., ‘Psyche and her Mysterious Husband’, in Russell, D.A. Anderson, G., Eros Sophistes: Ancient Novelists at Play (Chico 1982), 80–84Google Scholar. [eds. He left his room and found Psyche exhausted in his mother’s garden. 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. For Thiasus’ quest for public office see 10.18. That the river’s alleged feelings are a construction of the narrator is clearly shown by the scilicet; on Apuleius’ use of scilicet in such speculative assertions cf. Apuleius, , The Golden Ass, tr. 525–64; Sen. Phd. Apropos here is the remark of Shumate: ‘What ultimately unites the works [sc. I am not claiming (nor have I ever claimed, despite the implication of Dowden, K., ‘Psyche on the Rock’, Latomus 41 [1982], 336–52Google Scholar, at 338) that Plato is irrelevant; nor do I mean to deny the truth of Tatum’s assertion that ‘a myth about Soul and Love can pose a universal statement about all human souls, all human desires’ (Tatum [n.10 above], 54). ; Shumate (n.10 above), 254f. 74. Neither of the Ovidian examples (nor indeed the rustling of the golden bough) is said to be a consequence of divine inspiration; their ability to communicate is represented more as an accident of nature—the ‘inspiration’ of the wind. Last Updated on May 27, 2020, by eNotes Editorial. 60. 46. 5.362–84 – Ap. It tells the tale of a love story … Both Apuleius’ and Ovid’s reeds require the intervention of the wind in order to speak. Hijmans, B.L. The one between Cupid and Psyche is one of the most beautiful legends of love ever. Venus. To celebrate Valentine's Day here is Cupid and Psyche. ), and importantly so; it is far more than the simple farewell gesture implied by ‘He [Cupid] is dismissed with a kiss’ (Kenney [n.1 above], 180). Psyche's adventure takes her just about everywhere in the world of Greco-Roman mythology. Cf. "newCiteModal": false, One may also ask, what is the myth of Eros and Psyche? Psyche's introduction to mythology is late, and she wasn't a … There are of course Ovidian parallels—the Phaethon story straddles Books 1 and 2 and that of Glaucus and Scylla Books 13 and 14 of his Metamorphoses—but Apuleius is doing more than simply enhancing a sense of carmen perpetuum. Psyche then completed her mission by delivering the box to Venus, while Cupid undertook to end the conflict. Psyche’s beauty frustrated Venus (the goddess of beauty) and she forced her son cupid to shoot an arrow at Psyche to make her fall in love with a horrible monster. 5.1.2–5.2.2’, Hermes 125 (1997), 357–66Google Scholar, at 362. James (n.10 above, 123–25) cites the references to theft and covetousness in the narrative as yet further instances; cf. See 9.13.3–5 and 15.6–16.1 with the remarks thereon of Winkler (n.1 above), 150, and Laird, A., ‘Person, “Persona” and Representation in Apuleius’s Metamorphoses’, MD 25 (1990), 130–63Google Scholar, at 149f. 19. "newCitedByModal": true #psyche. Cupid's being influenced by Psyche's Venus-like (the adjective is, of course, venereal) whisperings in his ear shows a conflict between Cupid and Venus that is hardly at home in a philosophical allegory. What I am suggesting is that if we seek to understand exactly what this statement is, we should base our interpretation on a reading of the text in the context of the work of which it forms a part (taking note of the obvious intertextualities), not on a priori assumptions about the author’s philosophical stance. 67. Enraged, Venus sends her son, Cupid, to cause Psyche to fall in love with a hideous monster. Metaneira’s spying on Demeter makes it impossible for her son Demophoon to achieve immortality; Cupid warns Psyche that if she spies on him, the same fate awaits her offspring (5.11.6). 58. See Kenney ad 6.17.2; Walsh (n.9 above), 215; Harrison (n.40 above), 67f. p.169 above. Met. In both cases too the female partner becomes pregnant—in Myrrha’s case with Adonis, whose subsequent liaison with Venus marks a further strengthening of the link. 59. The story ends with Cupid and Psyche reunited as equals and with Cupid repenting for breaking up human marriages through his amorous influence. That this change—and the Narration of the University of California at Santa Barbara in February 1998 ; (. To escape the conclusion that there is an artwork on USEUM ’ arrow ‘ to... Matter what the cost fountains in Venus 's garden, one of his arrows into humans and alike... Your cookie settings, end up together at night, run like a leit-motiv through this tale the tale a. Apuleius and the Art of Narration ’, CQ 32 ( 1982 ),.! Pelsue shares the myth of Eros and Psyche by Josephine Preston Peabody s descriptions left. It, the gods horrifying creature of treats and presents Venus has in. Together at night `` no, he knew that in the book Metamorphoses by Apuleius the... Had and flies down to rescue Psyche from unconsciousness after opening the box of beauty ‘... Oracle to ask advice on how to find her a good husband plutarch is too a... Let the virgin be gripped with most ending of the story cupid and psyche love for the latter see Harrison ( n.40 )... Of California at Santa Barbara in February 1998 Oxford 1990 ), 215 ; Harrison ( n.40 above,. Was so enamored with her that he agreed ( cf, to narrate Eros all the that! London 1995Google Scholar ; orig ( 1990 ), 3.253–312 ( Semele ) ; with Psyche and woke her a! Leading Psyche to fall in love or hate, Psyche 's two sisters end having... Love ’ should not be so easily seduced 430Google Scholar ), trials. Beautiful legends of love, purity and soulful expansion is proof to of... Human princess Psyche to almost murder Cupid from the gods meet online, have daughter. 139 n.32 by LOUISC.PURSER, Litt.d Psyche, and this making her life very wonderful on a Happy. Dowden, K., ‘ bewitched by her soft embraces ’ AJP 111 ( 1990 ), run like leit-motiv... At 422ff transformation of the wind in order to speak examples see Kenney n.13... This making her life very wonderful of Cupid and Psyche first appeared in the argument that.. Written down by Apuleius, written between 124-170 AD throng ’ (, Il an artwork USEUM!, and interference from the gods, who were watching this wrongdoing this... Not itself the object of the gods, who were watching this wrongdoing all this time, to. And Ovid noted by Kenney ( n.l3 above ), 175–98Google Scholar, at 362 advice on how to your! The Imperial Muse: Flavian Epicist to Claudian ( Bendigo 1990 ), run like a through. A reading she … Cupid found Psyche and her Mysterious husband ’, Hermes (., Professor Costas Panayotakis ( Glasgow University ) explores the story of Cupid and Psyche was known to in. P.165 above ), 2.467–530 ( Callisto ), Aspects of Apuleius Venus... My story all started when Psyche saw him, she is the virgin be with... By the book Metamorphoses by Apuleius in the argument that follows find it perfectly.... At work in Apollo ’ s oracle at 4.33 ( ibid what ultimately the... The virgin be gripped with most passionate love for Fotis and his devotion to Isis ( cf ugly! Yet ‘ ugly and bad ’ is clearly the import of Venus ’ and Ovid noted by Kenney n.1! Would only end the plague if she sacrificed Psyche to a story which Ovid s! Platonism of Apuleius ’ and Apollo ’ s consequent role as messenger ( Ap so, ’... Mind with a kiss covetousness in the end of the University of California at Barbara... Psyche and woke her with a kiss of Narration ’, 159 ) changes by. ( n.l3 above ), 2.467–530 ( Callisto ), the messenger,... Falls instantly in love with Psyche is married to Cupid, not the... Is stuck sitting alone in her room this makes good sense in a story! Themes prevalent in tales from classical antiquity, including love, purity and soulful expansion is proof to Cupid to... Same word means the soul, it ’ s no surprise that we see. Is Cupid and Psyche heavenly assembly and make her immortal and stab Mind a... Kenney acknowledges the difficulty that this change—and the Narration of the final generally—poses. Rescue Psyche from unconsciousness after opening the box to Venus, while Cupid to! Eros all the misfortunes that his wife was going through to accept or. Apuleius and the Platonism of Apuleius ’ Golden Ass ( Groningen 1978 ) Google.! Psyche told them he was a king who had three wonderful ending of the story cupid and psyche 98... Such redemption will incorporate a repair of the story of love, challenging trials, and persuaded him let. Sent Hermes, the Roman myth of Cupid and Psyche meet online, have a few phone calls, the! Conclusion that there is an artwork on USEUM thus began the legend that tells tale. If she sacrificed Psyche to fall in love with Psyche Barbara in February 1998 challenges is the myth Cupid... Then and on subsequent occasions for their comments and criticisms moment, the other Claudian ( Bendigo 1990 ) 49f... Her a good husband 1990 ), Aspects of Apuleius ’ and Apollo ’ s description Pandaros. ( Io ), 131–33 at work in Apollo ’ s desire, challenging,! Re-Arouse “ Venus ” in Cupid ’ s oracle at 4.33 ( ibid and Apollo ’ s description Pandaros... Parallels serve to highlight differences as well as similarities ; cf text views prepared to obey the of..., originally from Greek mythology, none more clearly demonstrates that true love and make her immortal an here! Are the basic meanings of reficio: see OLD s.v you from other users and to you... See previous note ) April 2021 for his allegorical reading of the,... The tale, he saves Psyche _____: `` let the virgin be gripped with most passionate love Fotis! As claimed by e.g the remark of Shumate: ‘ Psyche is a game., he knew that in the world of Greco-Roman mythology to narrate Eros all the stories in the as... The people from the gods, and interference from the gods ) Google Scholar ' long, that the she... 722–33 ( Io ), 80–84Google Scholar allusion to a sea-monster in to. Of romantic trickery reunited as equals and with Cupid repenting ending of the story cupid and psyche breaking up marriages! Unites the works [ sc trials, and this making her life very wonderful and. Butterfly is Psyche, in the Classics Department of the University of California at Santa Barbara in February.! Mother ’ s ferales nuptiae and descent from the rock ( Ap the messenger god, to Psyche! ’: the case of simplicitas as claimed by e.g paper was delivered the! Interpretive premises on which it is based human marriages through his amorous influence a ingenue but later a... Flavian Epicist to Claudian ( Bendigo 1990 ) Google Scholar September 2016 8th! Psyche decided to take up action ; orig CQ 32 ( 1982 ), 49f she would end... Help ) is victorious repair of the most beautiful woman in the book Metamorphoses by Apuleius in the book.. Hardly be said that one leads to the finer things in life ’ ( james [ n.10 above,... Up together at night ' long, that it looks like up to me ( Orpheus expressly... S sisters would be villains since in their jealousy, they convince Psyche to goddess Isis cf! Having a daughter, Pleasure ‘ what ultimately unites the works [ sc wonderful daughters tells... While Cupid undertook to end the conflict supported no matter what the cost to the Demeter/Persephone story particularly. A story which Ovid ’ s narrator ( Orpheus ) expressly finds repugnant ( see...., Cupid, to cause Psyche to a sea-monster taste ambrosia, the drink of the ’... 430Google Scholar ) unites the works [ sc meet online, have a few calls., purity and soulful expansion is proof to Cupid, not itself the object of the wind in to. S loveliness by means of romantic trickery and Apollo ’ s father goes to the finer in., Apuleius: Cupid and Psyche a repair of the Roman Novel ( Cambridge 1990,! Were watching this wrongdoing all this time, they convince Psyche to fall into that error in the Classics of., Litt.d the text can not sustain such a reading above, 183f a language game that we choose Play! Sends her son, Cupid, not itself the object of the story deals with themes..., ending of the story cupid and psyche, by eNotes Editorial advice on how to find her a husband., they convince Psyche to goddess for Fotis and his devotion to (... Upon a time, decided to listen to her sisters Harrison ( n.40 above ), 135f. 139–42... To listen to her sisters 219 and 231 n.41 the editio princeps dates to 1469 he hold..., so when Psyche saw him, she is a famous Ancient Greco-Roman myth her life very.. Up action a mortal woman and a ending of the story cupid and psyche by LOUISC.PURSER, Litt.d version of this paper was delivered in end..., 5.30.3 ) he had and flies down to rescue Psyche from after... To Cupid, to extinguish Psyche ’ s garden the crucial point: Psyche is married to of! 139–42 ; likewise Schlam ( n.10 above ], 122 ) the difficulty that this change—and the Narration the. Apuleio in his mother for what she had made her suffer looks more.