The story notes are taken from the reading Apuleius's Golden Ass by Tony Kline.
The story starts off with narration of a donkey who once was human. He was with a band of robbers who were always up to no good. One day the robbers returned with a woman and no treasure. The donkey knew that she was the daughter of a noble family by her actions and looks. Realizing that she had little chance of being saved the woman wept and harmed herself. There was an old woman who was staying with the gang of robbers. They commanded her to soothe her and try to get some negotiation from her. The woman threatened to kill herself and the woman was angry. She then decided to tell the woman a story that is the majority of this reading.
The story is about Psyche and of her life. She was the most beautiful woman in the land. So beautiful that people had begun to worship her like a god. The people thought she was the god Venus and didn't pay homage to the shrines any longer. Angered by this, Venus instructed her son Cupid to take care of her. She ordered him to make her marry the most hideous creature. Psyche's parents decided to go to a prophecy teller to find out who their daughter would get married to. The prophecy told that she would marry a hideous beast and soon. They were very upset by this but the fated day came closer.
When they led Psyche to the cliff the prophecy predicted, everyone left her. Then she was taken into the air by Zephyrus the god of the west wind. He brought her to the palace that her husband lived in. She then later that night was 'no longer a virgin' because she met her husband, Cupid. The story goes on to tell about how Psyche adjusted to her new life of luxury.
She was then later on tricked by her sisters who were filled with jealousy of her new lifestyle. They tricked her into doing the one thing Cupid told her not to do, which was to not look at him. Psyche tried to kill Cupid thinking he was a beast that would kill her and her unborn child. Realizing what she was trying to do and the promise she broke, Cupid flew away from her. Distressed and heartbroken Psyche tried to kill herself by throwing herself into the river. She met another god that was near the river and he gave her some helpful advice. Then she ended up in one of the kingdoms that her sister lived in. Psyche told her sister a lie that her husband banished her and wanted the sister instead. The sister immediately went to the cliff from the beginning of the story and flung herself off of it, thinking that Zephyrus would catch her and bring her to safety. The sister fell to her death and Psyche then carried on to find her other lying sister.
(Caption: Cupid outlines by Pixbay)
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