Eros and Psyche, one of the great love stories from Greek Mythology. A tale that speaks of
unbridled passion and a willingness to overcome many obstacles to achieve true happiness. So, who
were Eros and Psyche, and why was their love so enthralling? Let’s find out together, right now.
Our story begins in a Kingdom, with a King and his three wonderful daughters.
One in particular however had always stood out, Psyche. Famed across the land for her beauty,
it was said she was as a Goddess, more glorious even than Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love. So much
so, that people stopped worshipping Aphrodite, allowing her temples to crumble and turn to dust.
This infuriated the Goddess who in a jealous rage, summoned her son Eros and commanded
him to travel down to the mortal world and strike Psyche with one of his powerful arrows.
Arrows that had the ability to make someone fall in love with the first person they see. However,
upon laying eyes on Psyche, Eros is so overcome with an undeniable love, almost as if he himself
had been struck with his own arrow, that he refuses to carry out his mothers’ orders.
Unaware of the machinations of the Gods around her, Psyche, despite her unrivalled beauty,
finds herself alone and unhappy. Whilst she is admired by all, her magnificence is too daunting
for any mortal man to truly fall in love with her. Whilst her two sisters are happily married
to Kings; she is left alone and dejected. Distraught for his beloved daughter,
the king visits the oracle of Delphi to ask the great God Apollo for his aid.
The prophecy he received however was not what he had hoped. Apollo decreed that Psyche was destined
to marry not a man but a beast, a winged serpent more terrible than anything they could imagine.
She was to be brought to the top of a mountain to await her husband.
Devastated and gripped with fear, Psyche was taken to the mountain and prepared as if for her death,
dressed all in black, marriage and funeral merged into a single horrifying ceremony.
Saying goodbye to her family, tears streaming down her face, she was left alone at the summit.
Time passed and grief and exhaustion overcame her. She slipped into a melancholy sleep as
Zephyrus the western wind gently collected her and bore her into the air to meet her fate.
But when she awoke, she found herself not in some hellish world but instead a peaceful grove,
the sound of a clear stream gently rumbling beside her.
Exploring her surroundings in confusion, she discovered a magnificent castle
with golden columns, silver walls and floors made of precious gems.
After a few moments, she heard a voice on the wind, soft and caring, speaking the words “this
house is for you. Do not be afraid”. The voice of Eros, unknown to her. Soft music permeated
the ether around her and she felt at once at peace, happy and fulfilled. She could not see
her mystery host that was now her husband, but could hear his words, talking to her, guiding her.
Somehow she knew, that at night he would come to her. And so it was.
Although in the pitch black darkness, she could not see his form, she felt him close to her and
knew in her heart that this was not a monster, but the loving husband she had always longed for.
The following days passed with joy and happiness. She had everything she had ever dreamed of
and felt a real love for her new husband. However as time moved on, she began to be saddened by the
continued mystery of his appearance, as well as a longing to see her family again
and reassure them that she was safe. That night, she asked her husband to allow
her two sisters to visit. At first he refused, but seeing the sadness in her eyes caused him to
change his mind. He cautioned her however, to not allow her sisters to influence her.
At first the sisters were filled with joy to be reunited, but the more that Psyche revealed
of her new life, the more her sisters were filled with envy. They were endlessly curious,
desperate to discover the identity of her mystery husband and pushed her to find out.
Born out of jealousy, they planted a seed of doubt in Psyche’s mind that perhaps the reason
her husband would not reveal himself is because he was in fact the monster Apollo had spoken of.
In the days following the visit, that seed grew and grew, consuming her every thought.
How could she be sure? What if he was the monster? She had to find out. She hatched a plan to finally
discover the truth. She would wait until he was in a deep sleep that night and light a candle,
revealing his true form. She prepared also a dagger, in case it was in fact the monster she
had been sharing her life with all this time. The moment came, and with hushed breath
and anxious footsteps, she approached the bed and lit the candle.
To her joy the light revealed not a monster, but the most glorious man she had ever laid eyes upon.
Eros, the God of love. In her shock, she stumbled and spilled hot oil from the candle onto him,
waking him with a start. Their eyes met and she crumbled as she saw the pain of
betrayal etched across his face. He spoke a few fateful final words before fleeing from
the castle. “Love cannot live without trust.” Lost and devastated, furious with herself for
the suspicion in her heart, she turned to the temple of Aphrodite and prayed to her for help,
unaware of the past jealously of the Goddess and knowing her only as the mother of Eros. She
begged the Goddess to speak to her son, convince him to forgive her, desperate to get him back.
Aphrodite of course had not overcome her envy and told Psyche that she would need to complete
several trials to prove she was the right wife for her son. Psyche happily agreed, pledging
her loyalty, promising she would do whatever it took to prove herself and be reunited with Eros.
The goddess led her to a huge mound of different seeds, wheats, poppies and many other tiny
objects, telling her that by the afternoon they should be sorted into individual piles.
It was an impossible task and Aphrodite knew it, leaving the poor girl alone to fail.
However, hope was not lost. As psyche despaired at the task, a kind ant passed by and seeing her
plight, assembled a fleet of insects to help her accomplish her mission. When Aphrodite returned
and found the seeds separated successfully, she was filled with rage and disbelief.
Unknown to Psyche, Eros was at this moment being held captive by Aphrodite,
forbidden from leaving their home. Completely unaware of the plight of his beloved Psyche.
Further trials followed and each time an impossible task was completed with the aid
of another. She is saved from violent sheep by the instructions of a divinely inspired reed
and spared a perilous journey to the top of a dragon infested waterfall by a friendly Eagle.
Each time she succeeds, Aphrodite’s anger grows until at last she sets
one final task. She demands Psyche travels to the underworld itself and reach the Queen of the dead.
Handing her a box, she asks that Psyche convinces the queen to drain a little of her own beauty
into the box and carry it back to Aphrodite. She warned her however, to not open the box.
The journey was hazardous but Psyche would not be deterred. She made her way to the gates of hades,
slipping past the terrifying three headed Cerberus and plying the ferryman with enough coins for a
two-way journey. Making it safely to the Queen, her humble request is granted and she is able to
begin the expedition back to Aphrodite. As she exits the underworld however,
Psyche is overcome with a bold curiosity and is unable to resist opening the box. To her dismay,
she finds nothing inside and is instead cursed with a deep and unmoving sleep.
Frozen and lost to the world. All her trials in vain.
At this moment, Eros is informed of the ordeals that Psyche had been enduring. Her devotion and
determination to their love healed the wound of betrayal in his heart and he managed to
finally break free from his mothers’ prison and rush to find Psyche. As he reached her,
he is dismayed to find her cursed and unmoving. Panic grips him and he summons his godly powers
to gently draw the sleep from her body and place it back into the box, lifting her into
the air and whisking her away. Psyche awakes to find Eros by her side, the filled box in the
hands of Aphrodite and the final task completed. Overcome with joy, the couple take their case to
Zeus who rules in their favour, demands that Aphrodite cease her interference and invites
Psyche to drink the divine ambrosia, turning her immortal and allowing their marriage as equals.
With love in her heart, Psyche persuades Eros to forgive his mother and they are
finally able to live a peaceful and happy life, together as immortals.
It is not often tales like this end blissfully, but in this case,
it seems a fitting conclusion for this great romance. A story of strife and agony, but one
that also shows the determination to fight for true love. A lesson perhaps for us all.