The Myth of Cupid

We’ve all heard of Cupid, some chubby faced, diaper wearing, winged child armed with a bow and arrow and the ability to make anyone fall in love… With anyone. For many of us, that is /all/ we know of the Roman god ((Stolen, I mean adopted, from Greek mythology, of course.)) After all, the concept is, at best, mildly interesting but ultimately archaic. However, my Jr. Editor tells me there is at least one person in this school interested in Cupid’s tale, and so, today’s article is for you.

Before the Romans adopted and renamed our mischievous boy, Cupid was known to the Greeks as Eros, the god of love. In classical Greek art, he was generally portrayed as a slender, winged youth as opposed to a chubby toddler. The myths can be a little complicated if you look into Eros/Cupid’s origins, some claiming him to be the son of Nyx and Erebus whilst others, including myself, see him as the son of Aphrodite and Ares. Honourable mentions for Eros’ parents also include, Iris and Zephyrus, Aphrodite and Zeus (which would have made Zeus both Eros’ father and grandfather) and of course, the Romans often attributed Cupid to being child of Venus and only Venus. Confused yet? Did I mention others debate if he was the fourth god to come into existence (before even Zeus and thus being even more powerful of Zeus- Remember all those times Zeus couldn’t remain loyal to his wife?) or the very first and so on and so on. I won’t bore you with trying to figure out his true lineage or convince you of my own opinions.

Anyways! Armed with a bow and a quiver filled with golden arrows to make people fall in love and leaden arrows to ignite aversion, our Cupid (Eros) struck at the hearts of both Gods and Mortals, making him a complex character who played with the emotions of others. It was Cupid who shot a golden arrow at Apollo, causing him to fall madly in love with the nymph Daphne, but then launched a leaden arrow at Daphne so she would be repulsed by him. Why? Apollo had mocked him for using a bow an arrow. You see, Apollo is considered the patron of archery. Lesson here? Insulting the god of Love is never a good idea.

The more important and most well known story of Eros, however is the story of Eros and Psyche. You see, Eros (Cupid) was son of Aphrodite, meant to be the most beautiful goddess in existence and known to be FIERCELY jealous. The Greeks had a mortal princess by the name of Psyche who was so lovely that people began to worship her instead of Aphrodite. This… was a big mistake. Jealous, Aphrodite (Venus) turned to Eros and demanded he make Psyche fall in love with a hideous, horrible monster. Setting out to do just that, Eros climbed through Psyche’s window and seeing her… found himself startled by her beauty and accidentally stabbed himself with one of his arrows, falling in love with Psyche himself. 

At the same time, Psyche’s father, fearing that the reason Psyche had not yet been wed is that they have incurred the wrath of the gods, sought out an oracle of Apollo. This oracle tells him that he will never have a human son in law but instead Psyche will wed a huge dragon-like monster. So, they put Psyche in funeral attire and left her on a cliff to wait for her hideous monster boyfriend. Whilst she waits, Zephyr the West Wind picks her up and more or less takes her to this luxurious house. A disembodied voice tells her to make herself comfortable and she is entertained by a feast that serves itself and an invisible lyre. (Be our guest!) She was fearful about all this but eventually begins to spend her nights with this being who she cannot see due to the darkness of their bedroom. Eventually, she becomes pregnant.

Eros, our invisible monster boyfriend, eventually allows Zephyr to carry Psyche’s two sisters up to visit her as Psyche misses them very much and… well, they were very curious. They were also a jealous pair however and prod her to find out her husband’s true identity since she was foretold to marry a vile winged serpent. One night, after Eros falls asleep, Psyche brings out a dagger and a lamp to see and kill the monster. But when the light hits him, it reveals the most beautiful creature she’s ever seen. He was so beautiful that the oil of her lamp jumps at him, burning and waking Eros. (Not really, but it sounds better than Psyche being so startled by his beauty that she stumbled and spilled the oil.)  Betrayed, Eros leaves Psyche behind.

Psyche visits each sister to tell them about it all, and they both become even more jealous as they discover the identity of Psyche’s husband. Each sister tries to offer themselves as a replacement by climbing up to the sacrifice cliff, however… they met a Lovelace-esque fate at the bottom of the gorge.

Some may feel this article is long enough but… the tale continues. Whilst searching for her fleeing love, Psyche happened upon a temper of Demeter, the offerings in disarray. Psyche, knowing that the offerings of the gods should not be neglected, she organised everything which brought Demeter to her in the flesh. Psyche prays for her help, however, while Demeter recognises that she deserves it…. She’s incapable of helping Psyche against another goddess. Something similar happens at a temple of Hera and Psyche realises, she must serve Venus herself… A terrible idea if there ever was one.

Aphrodite is delighted to have Psyche under her power and hands the poor lovestricken girl to her handmaids, Worry and Sadness, to be whipped and tortured. She tears at Psyche’s clothes and beats her and mocks her for having a child in a sham marriage. She then throws her before a great mass of various grains and seeds, demanding Psyche separate them into heaps by dawn. Whilst the goddess leaves to attend a wedding feast, an ant takes pity on Psyche and, with the help of a fleet of insects, sorts the grains and seeds for the princess. When a drunk Aphrodite returns to see the task is complete, she is furious and only tosses Psyche a crust of bread. Little does Psyche know that Eros, our beloved Cupid, is also in the house of Venus, languishing from his injury.

The next day, Aphrodite gives Psyche a second task, to cross a river and retrieve golden wool from violent sheep on the other side. These sheep belong to Helios, Greek god and personification of the sun. Psyche means to die on this task but she is instead saved by a divinely inspired reed, you know, the kind you make musical instruments with? The reed tells her to gather the wool caught on the briers, rather than face these dangerous sheep.

Again, Aphrodite gives Psyche a task. She gives the girl a crystal flask and tells her to collect the black water of the rivers Styx and Cocytus. You know, in the UNDERWORLD? Psyche climbs the cliff from which it flows, and is intimidated by the very vibes of the place and the dragons which slither through the rocks. Falling to the ground, Psyche despairs and Zeus himself takes pity on her. He sends his eagle to battle the dragons and retrieve the water for her, thus completing this task.

Does that mean Aphrodite is done? Does she stop here? No! She sets one final trial for Psyche, a quest into the depths of the Underworld. Psyche is to take a box and obtain a dose of beauty from Persephone, queen of the Underworld. Aphrodite claims her own beauty has faded because she’s been tending her ailing son and she needs this to attend some thing with the other Gods.

Psyche, despairing once more, climbs a tower, planning to Lovelace herself off of it, just like her sisters had done. This tower however suddenly speaks, telling her to travel to Lacedaemon, Greece and seek out a place called Taenarus which is where the entrance to the Underworld is. The tower even tells her how to navigate the way. I won’t relay this here, just in case one of you is seeking entry, I’d rather save you from yourself. I will tell you the Tower’s advice, however. To keep quiet as she passes several ominous figures and to ignore any pleads for help. To bring cakes for Cerberus to keep him friendly and distracted, and to pay Charon, the ferryman for both the trip there and back. 

Persephone grants Psyche’s humble request for beauty, however as soon as Psyche steps back into the light of day, her curiosity and vanity gets the best of her. She opens the box, hoping to enhance her own beauty and finds nothing inside except… an “infernal and Stygian sleep” which puts her into a coma. Kind of like Sleeping Beauty or Snow White.

Meanwhile, Cupid has healed and he escapes his crazy mum’s house by flying out a window. When he finds Psyche, he draws the sleep from her and returns it to the box, pricks her with an arrow, and lifts her into the air to present the box to Venus. He then goes to Zeus who approves their union so long as Cupid helps him the next time his eyes stray to some poor maiden. An assembly of gods is held and Zeus approves their marriage, warns Venus to back off, and gives Psyche ambrosia, the drink of immortality. Zeus says their marriage will redeem Cupid from his history of messing with the hearts of gods and mortals and then hold a banquet. After the marriage, Psyche and Cupid give birth to a child, Hedone, the personification and goddess of pleasure, enjoyment, and delight. (Fun fact, this is where the word hedonism comes from, if that tells you anything about her.) All in all, the tale ends, with the god of desire, love, attraction, and affection falling in love himself, and with a mere mortal.

What else is there to say about Cupid? He is winged, because lovers are flighty and likely to change their minds, and boyish because love is irrational. His symbols are the arrow and torch, “because love wounds and inflames the heart.” And he’s often shown in a blindfold because love is blind and “looks not with the eyes but the mind.”

So, now you know the tale of Cupid and why he is so associated with love. You know the tales and you know the symbolism.

Of course, you should also know… All the myths are true.