My story is not one that can simply be told because it revolves around another, someone who changed the course of my life. Who is this somebody, you ask? Eros, the fairest among the immortals but also one of the most feared. And how could he not be? Have you seen this man? As for the factor of fear, even a single one of his arrows was enough to โunnerve the limbs and overcome the mindโ of any god or mortal. However, this is not one of the numerous stories in which his arrows lead to someoneโs everlasting happiness (though he managed to do so without it) or anotherโs eternal doom. This is the story of how Eros himself once fell in love with me, a mortal woman and how I was willing to do anything not to lose him.
Once upon a time, in the western lands, lived a king and a queen who had three daughters, all of them beautiful beyond belief. The two elder girls were so stunning that they exceeded all other mortal women in loveliness; but the beauty of the youngest, Psyche, was such that even goddesses envied her. Can you guess who this is and where the story is headed? Just wait, it gets even better. People came from all over the world to admire Psyche, and they were so smitten with her โmaidenly majestyโ that they even started paying her the divine honors typically reserved for Aphrodite, whose ceremonies were neglected and whose temples were defaced. The young maiden never wished for this attention, deep down cursing her beauty for all the suitors turned away after the sight of her, deeming themselves unworthy as an equal to such perfection. It left her lonely, surrounded by people but always kept on such a high pedestal.
This was only the beginning to a path of misfortune but also the divine intervention that led to the happiest moments. Aphrodite, to say the least, wasnโt that flattered by all of this, so she sent her son Eros among the mortals with a simple mission: to fuel in Psyche love for the most miserable creature living, the most poor, the most crooked, the ugliest and the most vile, that there may be none found in all the world of like wretchedness. Now, I need to clarify before I continue this story that most of this next part (including Aphroditeโs wishes) was not known to me at the time and was told to me long after, but either way, back to the story. Eros landed in the bedroom of the young maiden, intending to fulfill his given task but also curious to see what kind of beauty had swayed the heart of mortals away from the worship of his mother. As she turned in her sleep, he was able to behold the sight of her and so startled was he by the mortal beauty that he forgot the arrow in his hand and accidentally stabbed himself instead. This was the moment that Eros, for the first time ever, felt the intensity of love and all for this mortal woman. In the face of these feelings and her stirring from her peaceful sleep, the God of Love feld with none the wiser that the task had not been accomplished.
As time passed, Psycheโs parents began to worry as their two eldest daughters had married forgein kings and were ready to carry on their lineage but the loveliest of their children had still yet to wed, not even an offer to be made. Terrified they had incurred the wrath of the gods, the king and queen consulted the oracle of Apollo. The oracle spoke for Apollo, stating that Psyche was destined to marry a winged creature who was feared by both mortals and gods, lived on a mountaintop and wielded powers not even immortal beings could evade. Distraught, her parents asked if there was any other way they could spare their daughter from this dreadful fate but Psyche stepped forward, telling her parents that she would face her fate without fear. She asked the oracle what she must do and was told to don wedding garbs and go to the mountaintop to await her husband. She agreed, prepping as if for a wedding and the wedding procession led her up the mountaintop but many cried as if it were a funeral procession, believing they were taking her to her death.
They left her on the mountaintop, where she sat shivering and trying to force back tears from the unknown ahead of her. While there, the breeze picked up, the gentle wind wrapping around her in a caring embrace as she was lifted into the air and carried to a magnificent palace. It was laced with gold, silver, and jewels in the finest of craftsmanship that no mere mortal could hope to achieve. The gardens were filled to the brim with flowers, so perfect and vast that no gardener could hope to keep up with such splendor. She was in awe, taking in the beauty that seemed far too much for one such as she. A disembodied voice welcomed Psyche home and informed her that everything here belonged to her. The invisible servants served her dinner, played her music, waited on her every whim, helped with her bath, and explained that soon her fated husband would arrive to greet her. Thinking of the oracleโs prophecy, Psyche found it hard to imagine that the monstrous being she was destined to marry would offer her such a kind reception.
As night fell, she heard a new voice, one that sent her heart racing as she found this was the voice of her fated husband, telling her that he would be in her presence every night from this day forward but during the dawn he would be absent from her side. He had but one simple request, โYou must not try to see my appearance nor ask of me my name or it will ruin everything.โ Psyche promised to keep his trust and adhere to his single request and for a time they were deliriously happy. They spent time getting to know each other and shared their passions both metaphorically and physically. She looked forward to each nightly visit and the gentle touch of her lover who always evoked such passions from her heart but the days grew lonely and she missed/yearned for her family as she was banned from visiting them. She asked one night if she could have a single day to visit them, just to let them know that she was alive and well. He stated he would allow her to visit but warned her not to listen to any words that might break them apart or misguide her trust. Psyche foolishly promised that there was nothing they could say or do that would sway her.
She had not been ready for the vicious jealousy, one that had been harbored far before this incident, unknown to the girl as she spoke of her home and lover. The sisters were spiteful and conniving, convincing her that this beast was supposed to be monstrous and snake-like so he must be tricking her. They twisted the prophecy told, telling her that he was just waiting for her guard to go down, using her until the day he grew bored and consumed her. After all, they stated how could you trust what you cannot see? It started to make more sense the more they spoke even if she protested in the moment but curiosity overcame her judgment and the trust she had in her love. They said she should wait until he slept, light an oil lamp and look upon him and if it should be a trick then use a knife to slay the beast. Psyche waited until the dead of night, sneaking into the room of her sleeping lover and while she brought the lamp closerโฆshe was stunned to find the winged God of Love, Eros. So distracted she was by the sight of him, her hand became unstable and oil dropped onto his chest burning him and awakening him in one fatal swoop.
She had betrayed him, broken his trust, and with knife in handโฆmade him believe that she wished him death. Psyche's heart had broken in the same moment, regretting that she had been led astray and while he fled, little did he know that she had dove out the window after him. She had not been able to catch him, the wounds from the ground hurting but none more so than her heart. The palace faded away and she was left alone on the mountaintop once more, left to try and search for him. She went back to her sisters, trying to explain her woes about losing her Eros and what had occurred because of their advice. She hoped to have support and see if they had any ideas to convince him to come home but all that had done was stir more hatred and jealousy, her sisters sneering that she had been moronic in her actions even if they had egged her on, the fault was her own for following through. Defeated, she left. Unknown to her at the time, her sisters had gone to the mountaintop and convinced one of them could sway the Godโs heart to choose one of them in their sister's place. Each sister jumped off the mountain, asking Zephyrus to carry them by wind to Eros. The west wind did not assist either of them, and both sisters plummeted to their deaths in the rocky sea below.
She was determined in her search for Eros and refused to return home, eventually stumbling upon the temple of Demeter. She noticed the temple was in disarray and began to put everything back in order, working diligently by her lonesome. Demeter, moved by her actions, told her that if she wished to ever appear before Eros again, that she should go to the temple of Aphrodite. She advised that she should apologize for wronging the goddess and humbly offer her service so that she may one day have the goddess' blessing to meet with her son once more. Psyche did as she advised but the goddess was enraged, insulted that this mortal dare to come before her after not only swaying her worshippers but harming her son to the point that he was still recovering. After ordering her assistants Worry and Sadness to beat Psyche for her insolence, waiting for the woman to give up and noticing that it was not workingโฆthe goddess decided Psyche should prove her worthiness and love by completing a series of tasks. She quickly agreed, telling the goddess that she would do anything if only for a chance to speak with her son again.
Aphrodite had no intention of making the tasks fair and wanted to make them so impossible that by Psyche's own honor, she would have to concede and leave forever more. For the first task, Aphrodite took Psyche to an enormous pile of grains, beans, barley and lentils, all mixed together. She instructed Psyche to separate all the grains in separate piles for her birds, and required the task to be done by nightfall. She felt despair, realizing the task was practically impossible but started right away in her sorting. Just when she was about to give up hope, a colony of ants joined her and started to assist her in her task. In the morning, the goddess was flabbergasted and enraged that the task had been managed. She demanded to know which person had assisted her and Psyche simply answered that no โpersonโ had helped.
Aphrodite instantly set the second task. She instructed Psyche to gather wool from the golden fleece of every sheep grazing in the field on the other side of the river. Simply stating if Psyche could not complete the task, she shouldnโt return. Psyche thought this seemed like an easy task, and began to cross the river. The reeds in the river started to shake, as the river nymphs appeared to warn her. The nymphs said that the rising sun made the sheep vicious and that the rams would try to destroy any mortal that came into the field. They advised her to wait until noon when the sun rose, and the sheep ventured off to the shade of the trees to sleep. This way, she would be free to roam the field, gathering the wool that was captured by the briar bushes or to shear from the sleeping sheep. She followed their advice to the letter and was able to collect golden fleece from each of the sheep. She returned to Aphrodite who, once again, was incredulous that Psyche completed the task.
Tired of Psyche persistence and suspicious of the gods intervention, she gave her third task, positive this time would end in failure. This time she wanted Psyche to fill a crystal flask with icy mountain water from the mouth of the Stygian river. Psyche took the flask from Aphrodite and began climbing the craggy rocks of the mountain. But when she got near the top, she realized this was the worst task yet, for the rocks near the mouth of the river were hopelessly steep and slippery. Just as she decided to fling herself off the mountain, an eagle flew over, one sent by Zeus who was supportive of the womanโs determination and what he saw as a way to sway Eros mischievous nature. With the eagle's assistance, she was able to return with the water in hand and deliver her prize to Aphrodite.
Seeing that there was no way to stop this mortal but one, so Aphrodite gave Psyche the cruelest task of all: She ordered her to carry a box to the underworld and ask Queen Persephone for a small portion of her beauty. Usually, a mortal cannot get to the underworld except by one means and one alone, death. She prepared to take her own life when a voice spoke to her, one that seemed so familiar and one she felt she could trust. It spoke to her the way into the underworld, without the need for death but also warned her that this was only the first hurdle on her journey. The voice said that she needed to take coins for the ferryman of the dead, enough for two trips. The voice also said not to accept any seat, drink, or food in the underworld or she would be bound to the place, and finally that to leave the underworld and return to the ferry, a gift for the three headed beast Cerberus was required. She steeled her resolve, remembering the voices words well as she ventured into the depths and reminded herself what she was fighting for. She gave two coins to the ferryman, one for there and one to return.
Upon her arrival, Persephone welcomed her and ever the hostess offered her a set at their table and a bountiful feast. Psyche politely refused, placing herself upon the ground and telling the goddess of why she had ventured into her domain. The goddess left with the box, returning moments later to gift the box back to Psyche who felt it was much heavier than before. She thanked the goddess for her hospitality and generosity before exiting with cargo in hand. Waiting for her, the three headed beast Cerberus snarled and was ready to guard the exit as the dead were not allowed to leave. Psyche pulled out cakes of barley, covered in honey to appease the beast and slipped past to return to the ferry. She has made it out of the underworld but as she walked the more curious she became. What did the beauty of a goddess look like? Especially one as fair as the goddess Persephone. She decided that a simple peak wouldnโt be of harm and if a small bit was lost, it still felt full to the brim. She opened the box but what was inside was no beauty but a dark sleep, one that instantly took hold of her.
The next moment, she was awoken with a kiss to her lips, her eyes falling upon her love that held her in his arms. She cried tears of joy, embracing him close. Before Aphrodite could catch them, Eros lifted Psyche from the ground and carried her high into the heavens to Mount Olympus to the home of Zeus, King of the Gods; and he bid Zeus to officially marry them. After Zeus married Eros and Psyche, all of Mount Olympus celebrated the couple and watched as Zeus bestowed upon the mortal the ambrosia of the gods and made her the Goddess of Soul. As a wedding gift, he blessed Psyche with a pair of butterfly wings so that she could fly so that wherever her love was, so would she be. The two found that love really does concur all and lived happily ever afterโฆ.