For many years after the tragic separation of the loving couple, Psyche wandered the earth in search of her husband. She was determined to prove to him, her love. So she prayed tirelessly for him every day in every temple and to every God. But Cupid was heartbroken and locked himself in his chamber on Mt Olympus.
Meanwhile, Aphrodite was fierce with rage on the accounts dictated by Cupid. However, the Goddess was smart enough to see that such a situation could be advantageous to her.
One fine morning, Psyche decided to call for help from the Goddess of Beauty. So she set out to the temple of Venus and prayed silently to the enormous sculpture that stood before her. Aphrodite, very eager to see to the ruin of the girl, came down to meet the desperate mortal who was willing to give her life to see her husband again.
“Mad woman, Love did nothing but bathe you with kindness and comforts, yet you repay his affection with deception and faithlessness. Beg the Gods all you want, but your prayers are worth nothing more than the lies your sisters speak”, said Aphrodite scornfully. While the girl sat in shameful silence the goddess continued, “You are so plain and ill-favoured a girl, that you won't find your love even with the most diligent and painful service. Therefore, I will show you goodwill and train you in such ways.”
Thrilled at the news of having the opportunity to win back her husband, Psyche eagerly awaited the instructions of the Goddess. Aphrodite raised her arm slowly with open palms facing the empty land that stood in front of them. In a place which appeared to be barren, a massive mountain of sesame, cumin, flax, mustard and many more seeds now presented itself.
“See to it that this is sorted by nightfall”, said the Goddess and disappeared. Dazzled and completely confused by the nature of such a cruel and daunting task, Psyche stood there blankly staring at the enormity of the heap. Tears started to fill her eyes when not even one-tenth of the mountain was sorted out, and the Sun had already begun to touch land. Gaea and Helios, pitying the bitter state of the dedicated girl, decided to add a little sweetness to her life.
In a matter of moments, a massive army of ants started to flood the gates of the temple. Steadily marching, they went straight for the heap and started segregating the seeds immediately. During the busy movements of the small creatures, the Sun stood still by the command of Helios. Psyche sat there trying to understand nature's conspiracy in favour of her love. A feeling of hope returned to her when the pile was on the verge of being completed. In no time, the work of the gods and the ants was done, and things went back to normal.
The sight of the sorted pile enraged the goddess further. “By no means is your work complete”, she raged and came back the following day with a far more dangerous task devised for the mortal. “Over the riverbank where the bushes grow thick, there are sheep with the golden fleece. By the dawn of day, I want to see this bag full of it”. Psyche knew that facing these sheep was no less dangerous than wrestling an angry bull. Completely aware of her fragility and helplessness in the situation, Psyche thought of ending her life by stepping into the flowing river.
As she lifted her legs for the drop, the green reeds on the riverbed started to voice themselves. “By evening, the sheep come out to rest by the river and you can find plenty of fleece hanging by the briars. This is not the time to end your life”, said the reeds. So the girl waited for nightfall, and the words of the reeds turned out to be true. Filling the bag, she completed her second task successfully.
Clearly, on the following day, the goddess did not look pleased in the slightest manner. “You were helped, I know of it. There was no way, you wretched little mortal did this on your own.”
The Goddess then bid Psyche bring back a cup of water from the foothill of the mountain
from which the river Styx originated. This task was undoubtedly a test of her determination. As she approached the mountain, the rocks started to become slippery. A single unwise step could lead to a fall so great that there was not the slightest chance of survival. The soil was wet and loose, and the path was narrow. With cautious movements, she finally caught sight of the fierce waters falling from the mountain. But now there was no reach to such a place. Any attempt would have meant death. However hopeless, she did not lose heart, for she was confident that help would arrive.
Moments later, an eagle that was swiftly gliding through the skies snatched the cup away from the girl, filled it from the gushing waters and handed it back to her. Grateful for the help, she thanked the gods and carefully made her way back to Aphrodite.
Aphrodite’s jealousy now knew no bounds, and she was relentless to destroy Psyche. This time she sent her right into the underworld. She was to go find Proserpine and ask her to fill the box Psyche was handed, with some of her beauty. She had to tell her that Aphrodite needed it, for she was sick after being worn out from having nursed her ill son. Hence, the girl set off to find her way to the road to Hades. On her way, she came across a tower, with clear guidance on the path to her destination.
She was to go through the great hole in the far end of the Earth, and thereon to the river death, which Charon the ferryman would help her cross if she paid him a penny for it. Then she had to pass Cerberus, the fierce three-headed dog that guarded the gate to Hades. She was also instructed that the dog would get friendly and let her pass if she fed him with cake.
Greatly encouraged, the princess went following the guidance. Cutting long details short, she reached Goddess Proserpine. Proserpine was happy to help Aphrodite, so she handed the box back to Psyche after filling it.
On her way back, a strange thought entered the girl. ‘Clearly being through such ordeals has not made me very presentable to my husband. So why not let myself use a bit of this power to make my husband feel comforted.’ Unwisely she opened the box, only to find herself unconscious on the ground, lost in slumber.
By then, the hero of our story recovered from his brooding, heartbroken days. He came to hear about the sequence of adventures that his mother had set for Psyche. He then rushed down to the Earth to find the lovely maiden unconscious on the road connecting the underworld to the Earth. Quickly he wiped off the sleep from the maiden’s face, put the deadly languor back in the box and returned it to his mother.
Soon, Cupid called upon the assembly of the gods including Zeus to bestow the nectar of Ambrosia to Psyche and favour their formal wedding on Mt Olympus. Aphrodite had no choice but to accept Psyche (for she was now immortal) into the family.
In the end, it all came down to a happy ending. Love and Soul (for that was what Psyche had meant) were strongly united, and to this day it is said that the bond remains unbroken.
Comments