When people would see her, they used to say that not even Aphrodite herself could compete Psyche. The more people were getting to know Psyche, the less would remember the G.o.ddess of love and beauty. The temples of Aphrodite were abandoned, her altars covered with cold ashes and the sculptors would no more make statues for her. All the honors reserved to her were then attributed to a simple, mortal girl.

The G.o.ddess could not accept such a situation and required help from his son, Eros. He told him in distress, Use your power and make this little shameless girl to fall in love with the vilest and the most despicable creature who has ever walked on Earth. Eros agreed to do so but the moment he saw her, he himself felt his heart pierced by one of his own arrows. He couldn't make that charming maiden fall in love with a horrible creature but also decided not to tell his mother.

Psyche, however, was felling bad because not only she could not fall in love with someone but, even more surprising, n.o.body seemed to really fall in love with her. Men were happy just to admire her. Then they pa.s.sed by and married another girl. Her two sisters, though definitely less seductive, had held two lavish weddings, each with a king. Psyche was the most beautiful girl on Earth, but she was sad and lonely, always admired but never really loved. It seemed that no man would want her as his wife and this caused great anxiety and distress to her parents.

That is when her father went to visit the oracle of Delphi to ask Apollo for an advice on what to do to find a husband for Psyche. The prophecy of the G.o.d was terrible. Apollo decreed that Psyche, dressed in black dress, should be brought to the summit of a mountain and stay there alone. The husband that was a.s.signed to her, a winged serpent, terrible and more powerful than the G.o.ds themselves, would come up and take her for his wife.

No one can imagine the despair of the family and friends of Psyche. She was prepared for the hill as if she were to face her death and with more cries than if they were to drive her to the tomb, they led the young lady to the hill. Desperately, they all departed, leaving Psyche to her fate, radiant and helpless, and they locked themselves in the palace to mourn her for the rest of their days.

On the hill and in the dark, Psyche remained seated and waited. While she was shaking and crying in the quiet night, a slight breeze reached her. It was the fresh wind of Zephyr, the mildest of the winds. He felt that she was being raised. She was being taken into the air, over the rocky hill, to a soft meadow full of flowers. He did his best to make her forget her pain and put her to sleep.

She then woke up by the sound of clear stream and when she opened her eyes she faced an imposing and magnificent castle. It was decorated in gold, silver, and precious, colorful gems, and made of the finest marble. When Psyche looked inside, she could see that an elaborate feast was already set upon the dining table, but she saw no guests. She sat down, and shortly afterward invisible servants started to attend to her, whispering in soft voices that Psyche was now the mistress of this palace, and that all inside it belonged to her now.

er husband came to Psyche that night, but it was dark and she was unable to see his face. However, he spoke softly and sweetly to her, and acted so kind and gentle, that Psyche decided she loved him within a short period of time. There were rules though, Psyche's new husband told her that she must never try to see his face, or he would have to leave her. Now that she had a sweet taste of love, Psyche did not want to return to a life of loneliness. She agreed to live under this set of circ.u.mstances, but within time she began to miss her sisters, and asked Eros if they could come to visit her. He told her that it would be problematic, but was so in love with Psyche he did not want to deny her anything, so honored her request.

Psyche's sisters would travel to the mountain top each day and cry because they missed her so much. So they got a surprise when one day the wind lifted them up, and delivered them safely to the castle where Psyche and Eros lived. The gorgeous castle and all the wealth that surrounded Psyche made them feel jealousy towards her, especially when they learned that Psyche had a husband now as well. They peppered her with so many questions about her husband, that Psyche began getting her stories mixed up. Once she said he had dark hair, in another anecdote she said he had blond hair. She could not admit she had never seen his face, but finally after their relentless interrogation, Psyche told them the truth.

The sisters reminded Psyche of the Oracle's prediction to their father, and convinced the poor girl that her husband was likely a horrible looking monster who would eat her as soon as he tired of her, and find another wife. Together they hatched a plan, made sure Psyche had a dagger and an oil lamp, and instructed her that she must get a look at her husband's face while he was asleep. If he was truly as awful as they expected, Psyche's only choice would be to use the dagger to kill him. When Psyche saw what a handsome man he was, the shock caused her hands to shake, and she dropped a bit of oil onto the shoulder of the sleeping Eros, which awoke him at once. When he realized Psyche disobeyed his orders, he said in sadness, "Where there is not trust, there cannot be love", then got up and left the palace.

When Aphrodite realized that her son had disobeyed her, she took out all her anger on Psyche. She searched her out, and was determined to make her miserable. Aphrodite gave Psyche four very difficult tasks to complete, designed to make the terrified young woman suffer. But she was unaware that Eros was watching from afar, and giving Psyche help with his special powers.

Aphrodite dumped a huge pile of many types of seeds into a great heap, and ordered Psyche to separate them and sort them into piles by individual type. This had to be finished by sundown. Psyche knew this was impossible. But soon a big army of ants arrived, and scurrying back and forth, completed this task after all! Aphrodite was infuriated when she came back to find this task done, and determined to make the next one even harder.

Aphrodite commanded that Psyche collect wool for a golden fleece from a group of fierce, man-eating beasts, who lived near a thicket of thorn bushes. Psyche was terrified that these wild beasts would tear her apart, and that it was certain death to get too close to the animals. But the voice of a lovely green tree told Psyche to wait until dusk, when the animals got tired. Then they would leave the thicket to sleep, making it easier for Psyche to take the wool that was stuck in the thorns. Once again Psyche completed what seemed impossible, and once again Aphrodite was furious.

Next, Aphrodite shoved a crystal flask into Psyche's hands for the third task. She told Psyche that she must fill the flask with water from a strong and fast running steam, one which cascaded from a mountain summit, headed into the Underworld, and then came out from the Earth in the form of a spring. Psyche was terrified as she observed the icy stream, which fell from a steep cliff guarded by dragons. But sure enough, an eagle arrived just in time to help Psyche fill the flask.

The fourth task Aphrodite demands of Psyche is for her to descend into the Underworld, to fill an empty box with beauty ointments and makeup for her. Psyche is exhausted and sure that this last task will be the one which kills her. Psyche has been told that many pathetic people will beg for her help, and no matter how sympathetic she feels, she must say "no" to all their pleas. It is so hard for sweet Psyche to do this. But she does brace herself, and learns to say "no" when it is necessary.

In the meantime, Zeus is fed up with all this nonsense, and he is aware that Eros loves Psyche, and that Psyche loves Eros. Psyche has proven she has devotion, patience, and obedience. The problem is that Eros has chosen a mortal for his bride, and no mortal can live on Mount Olympus. This is an easy issue for Zeus to deal with, and he grants immortality to Psyche when she drinks the ambrosial nectar of the G.o.ds. Apparently the main reason Aphrodite was so upset was because she thought her son Eros deserved to marry royalty, that no mortal should be able to rival the G.o.ds. Aphrodite finally gave her blessing to Psyche and Eros, pleased that her son found a beautiful princess who had now become one of the immortals.