Venus, envious and jealous of a mortal girl Psyche’s beauty

Asks her son Eros to use his golden arrows in her dormancy

When she awakens, although Cupid first wanted to disagree

She would fall in love with a monstrosity placed by Aphrodite
 

He flies in Psyche’s room at night through her window invisibly

Takes pity on her as she is born too beautiful for her own safety

He readies an arrow, careful without a sound, approaches slowly

Leans over yet she wakes, looks right in the eye despite invisibility
 

Startled, Cupid scratches himself and falls in love with her deeply

Abandons his mission, reports back as she appeals to him steadily

Venus spells a curse keeping her from meeting a husband angrily

Eros upset, decides not to shoot as long as the curse is on Psyche
 

After months of no man or animal marrying or mating, Aphrodite

Is concerned and allows Eros to have it his way; he desires Psyche

Venus agrees, he starts shooting arrows far and wide immediately

Earth praises her, begins to look young once again like it used to be
 

Psyche’s parents consult an oracle how all admire her yet none marry?

She says to leave her on a mountain; her beauty is too great and godly

Terrified, they follow but Zephyrus, the west wind carries away Psyche

To a magnificent palace where servants attend her till nightfall ghostly
 

In the darkness union is consummated by the promised husband to be

Eros visits her every night, forbids use of any lamps, conceals his identity

Reminds her she should not try to discover his true form till time is rightly

Before Zephyrus brings her two contentious sisters to keep her company
 

“Rumor is you married a terrible serpent waiting to devour you both Psyche”

Pregnant with Eros’ child “Conceal a knife, an oil lamp, slay him when sleepy”

Advice taken, she recognizes god Cupid’s fair looks on the lit bed accidentally

Pricks herself with his arrow, kisses him with desire on his shoulder instantly
 

A drop of oil wakes him; he flies away as she falls to the ground romantically

She tells both resentful sisters what had happened and tricks them separately

Into believing Cupid has chosen them as wives on the mountaintop vengefully

Each sister jumps off the peak absent Zephyrus falling to their deaths eagerly
 

Psyche searches her lover endlessly, stumbles upon a slovenly temple finally

As she sorts out the mess, Ceres appears, advises her to call on Venus directly

Psyche next calls on Juno but she tells her the same “The Temple of Aphrodite”

Venus orders her to separate a basket full of grains of mixed kinds presently
 

An ant takes pity on Psyche, with its ant companions separates them gladly

Outraged “Retrieve some wool of the grazing golden sheep” says Aphrodite

River-god helps her “They are vicious and will kill you, but if waited patiently

At noon they go to the shady side of the field and sleep; pick the wool freely
 

That sticks to the branches and bark of the trees.” “Water” asks Aphrodite

Flowing from a cleft, guarded by serpents, impossible to obtain for Psyche

This time an eagle performs the task willingly. Venus still in disbelief furiously

Claims caring for Cupid and Psyche’s lack of faith made her lose some beauty
 

“Go to the Underworld and ask Queen Proserpina to place a bit of her beauty

In that box I gave you” she says, hoping this would be the last task for Psyche

Psyche decides the quickest way to the Underworld is to die fairly painlessly

By throwing herself off a high place so she climbs to the top of a tower hastily
 

But the tower speaks up and tells her how to get in The Underworld lively

And return, gives Psyche a biscuit for Cerberus the three-headed dog briefly

Notes to eat nothing but coarse bread beneath the Earth most importantly

As anything else would trap her there forever; she follows orders precisely
 

Once Psyche leaves the Underworld, she wants to herself a bit of the beauty

And opens the empty box; an infernal sleep arises, overcomes her suddenly

Cupid had forgiven Psyche, flies to her, wipes the sleep from her face gently

Puts it back, sends her on her way and begs Jupiter for his help passionately
 

Zeus calls a formal council of the gods, declares his will that Eros marry Psyche

He fetches her to Mount Olympus, a drink of Ambrosia grants her immortality

Love conquers all, Aphrodite and Psyche understand each other begrudgingly

Cupid and Psyche have a daughter, Voluptas whose Latin name means happily
 

Sichuan Dance Academy.

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