ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Cupid & Psyche 85 is the second album by British group Scritti Politti, released in the UK on Virgin Records on 10 June 1985. Cupid and Psyche - A Myth with a Moral Many of the ancient Myth Stories, like the legend of Cupid and Psyche, incorporate tales with morals that provided the old story-tellers with short examples of exciting tales for kids and children of how to act and behave and reflected important life lessons. Sort a huge mount of barley, millet, poppy seeds, lentils, and beans. By the late 20th century, however, American psychologist Phyllis Katz argued instead that the myth is about the mediation of sexual tension, the basic conflict between male and female natures, resolved only by the ritual of "true" marriage. The iconic Cupid with his baby-fat hands clenching his bow and arrows is all too familiar with Valentine's Day cards. Group, Cupid and Psyche, by Auguste Rodin, French, marble, ca. Cupid relents and forgives Psyche, 1794, by Felice Giani (1758-1823), tempera wall painting, Palazzo Laderchi, Faenza, Emilia-Romagna. Cupid's divine form was exquisite, and Psyche stood there transfixed, staring at her husband with her candle melting. Check out our cupid and psyche selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our figurines shops. The temptation was too great to make herself more beautiful—to use the cream she procured. Psyche's sister didn't know he was a god, although they may have suspected it. Psyche is the youngest and most beautiful of three daughters of a … The myth of Cupid and Psyche first appears in a early, risqué novel by an African Roman of the 2nd century CE. Voluptas is pictured with her parents, Cupid and Psyche, at far right in Banquet of Amor and Psyche by Giulio Romano. She was born a mortal woman, with beauty that rivaled Aphrodite.Psyche is known from the story called The Golden Ass, written by Lucius Apuleius in the 2nd century.See Cupid and Psyche. Demigod Hercules could go to the underworld with ease, but human Theseus had trouble and had to be rescued by Hercules. When the sisters came the next time, they asked again about her husband. Before falling in love with Psyche, Cupid is content to fire his arrows into the homes of married people and inspire them to commit adultery. Originating in Apuleius’s Metamorphoses, it takes up about a fifth of the story’s length. Impelled by the love of her beautiful husband, she implored her mother-in-law to give her another chance. On Olympus, in the presence of the other gods, Aphrodite reluctantly reconciled with her pregnant daughter-in-law, who was about to give birth to a grandchild Aphrodite would (obviously) dote on, named Voluptas in Latin, or Hedone in Greek, or Pleasure in English. Cupid and Psyche was always a favorite of the Greek myths and coming across this beautifully drawn adaptation is a nice touch. In one of the stories, at a feast for Aphrodite's birthday, the god of Plenty got drunk on nectar and fell asleep. Cupid and Psyche is a Roman myth written in the 2nd century CE, based on similar, much older folktales from Europe and Asia. Aphrodite was a jealous goddess, but she was also passionate. Psyche was worshiped for her beauty in her homeland. 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).The tale concerns the overcoming of obstacles to the love between Psyche and Cupid or Amor, and their ultimate union in a sacred marriage. David's piece reflects blushing innocence — a typical trait of adolescence. Knowing their sister well, they preyed on her insecurities and persuaded Psyche that her husband was a hideous monster. Cupid and Psyche . If the perfect beauty of the perfect goddess Aphrodite needed this underworld beauty cream, Psyche reasoned, how much more would it help an imperfect mortal woman? Wakened by a drop of oil from the lamp, he flies away. Psyche assured her sisters they were wrong, but since she'd never seen him, even she started having doubts. However, there seems to be many similarities between the two concepts, and the story of Eros and Psyche is no exception. hand, some might say that folktale is defined as an anonymous story, that originates and circulates orally among a people (Harris and Platzner, 1054), or even that folktales involve a fairy god mother and dancing mice. Even nature, as the ants and eagle demonstrate, support true love. Psyche discovers that she is revered as a goddess but never sought for human love. Even Cupid achieves redemption through Psyche's love. Cupid and Psyche 1794 Antonio Canova Italian. The great Greek hero Perseus found his bride, Andromeda, tied up as prey for a sea monster. License this image. Greco-Roman . Psyche disobeys his orders not to attempt to look at him, and in doing so she loses him. His name was Lucius Apuleius, known as Africanus. The charms of the twoelder were more than common, but the beauty of the youngest was sowonderful that the poverty of language is unable to express its duepraise. This marble sculpture whose theme is inspired by ancient mythology is displayed in the Michelangelo Gallery at … On archetypal levels, this awakening can only occur through the call of the Beloved, represented in this story by Eros.’ The myth of the love story and the marriage of Cupid and Psyche is in some way a version of Lucius' own hope of redemption from the fatal error that turned him into an ass, and it is embedded in Lucius' tale in Books 4–6. Literally seen as the union between “sexual desire” and the “soul,” Cupid and Psyche’s love had to overcome many obstacles. Gill, N.S. "The Myth of Cupid and Psyche." Not only did she love the men and gods in her life, but her sons and grandchildren, as well. The story of Cupid and Psyche appears in Greek art as early as the 4th century BC, but the most extended literary source of the tale is the Latin novel Metamorphoses, also known as The Golden Ass, by Apuleius (2nd century AD). Cupid & Psyche is dedicated to making the world more beautiful through acts of love. Gill, N.S. Gill, N.S. 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. The story of Cupid and Psyche is featured in the book entitled Old Greek Folk Stories by Josephine Preston Peabody, published in 1907 by Houghton Mifflin Company, New York. 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