Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Week 3 Reading Diary: Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche

Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche written by Apuleius. 

Story opens with Lucius as a Donkey. Old woman at first consoles her, then turns on her when the girl suggests suicide, saying that she will not have her young men's profit go to waste. Girl describes her dream, how she was snatched on her wedding night from her lover, and how her lover was then killed in his search for her. This is the dream that awoke her. Old woman begins to tell an old wives tale to divert the gils attention from this. 

People stopped worshiping Venus because this girl was so beautiful. Upsets Venus, so she summons Cupid. Tells Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with wretched man. Psyche's fate is transported away to a different place. In a huge mansion that is all hers, with invisible servants and cooks, all taking care of her.

Her new husband comes at night, lays with her then leaves. Forbids her to speak to others. Psyche convinces him to allow her to see her sisters. Her sisters are envious, plan to destroy her. Sisters are keeping secret from parents, have figured out that Psyche does not know what her husband looks like. Sisters convince Psyche to reveal her husband, and give her a plan on how to do so. 

Her husband is beautiful, and she accidentally pricks herself with his arrows, falling even deeper into love with him. Cupid leaves her, her sisters both commit suicide. 


Cupid and Psyche 
Source: UnTextbook

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