The myth of Cupid and Psyche - Brendan Pelsue

TED-Ed

3 Aug 201705:32

Summary

TLDRPsyche, celebrated for her unmatched beauty, is abandoned by her father on a cliff to marry a feared serpent. Instead, Zephyr carries her to a palace where she meets her unseen husband, Cupid. Discovering his identity, Psyche is devastated when he flees. To reunite with him, she completes impossible tasks set by Venus with help from divine sources. Finally, Cupid acknowledges their equal love, making Psyche immortal. They have a daughter, Pleasure, and continue to influence love. This tale explores themes of beauty, love, and resilience.

Takeaways

🌟 Psyche's beauty was so perfect that she was worshipped as an incarnation of Venus, causing her to be avoided by human lovers.
🗻 Psyche's father abandoned her on a cliff as per the Oracle of Apollo's guidance, believing she would marry a serpent-like creature.
🍃 Zephyr, the West Wind, rescued Psyche and brought her to a palace where she was told her husband awaited.
🌙 Psyche's husband visited her in the dark and was gentle and kind, but his identity was a mystery he refused to reveal.
🤰 Psyche became pregnant, adding to her confusion about how to raise a child without knowing her husband's true identity.
🔥 Psyche discovered her husband was Cupid when she accidentally burned him with a lamp, revealing his true form.
💔 Cupid believed gods and humans couldn't love equally and left Psyche, leaving her in despair.
🛤️ Encouraged by an unseen voice, Psyche embarked on a quest to find Cupid and prove their love could be equal.
📦 Venus set Psyche a series of impossible tasks as a condition for her to marry Cupid, including sorting seeds and retrieving items from dangerous places.
🐜 With the help of an ant colony and a river god, Psyche successfully completed the tasks set by Venus.
💤 Psyche fell into a deep sleep after opening a box from the Underworld, which was supposed to contain Proserpina's beauty.
💘 Cupid returned to Psyche, realized his love for her was true, and made her immortal with ambrosia.
👨‍👩‍👧 Psyche and Cupid had a daughter named Pleasure, symbolizing the complex nature of love and soul.

Q & A

Why was Psyche considered cursed by beauty?
-Psyche was cursed by beauty because her physical perfection was so complete that she was worshipped as a new incarnation of Venus, which intimidated real-life human lovers and prevented them from approaching her.
What did Psyche's father do when seeking guidance from the Oracle of Apollo?
-Psyche's father abandoned her on a rocky crag as instructed by the Oracle of Apollo, where she was told she would marry a cruel and savage serpent-like winged evil.
How did Psyche get to the palace?
-Zephyr, the West Wind, gently lifted Psyche into the air and set her down before the palace, indicating that she was home.
What was unusual about Psyche's husband in the palace?
-Psyche's husband was unusual because he did not feel serpent-like as she was led to believe. Instead, he had soft skin, a gentle voice, and manner.
Why did Psyche's husband refuse to reveal his identity?
-Psyche's husband believed that if she truly loved him, she would not need to know his identity, thus he refused to answer her question about who he was.
How did Psyche discover her husband's true identity?
-Psyche discovered her husband was Cupid when she approached him with an oil lamp while he was sleeping, accidentally burning him with hot oil.
What was Cupid's initial reason for using his arrow on Psyche?
-Cupid initially used his arrow on Psyche to embarrass her, as his jealous mother Venus had asked him to do so. However, he ended up falling in love with Psyche and used the arrow on himself instead.
Why did Cupid believe that gods and humans could not love as equals?
-Cupid believed that gods and humans could not love as equals due to the divine and mortal divide, and this belief led him to flee after Psyche discovered his true form.
What tasks did Venus set for Psyche to complete in order to marry Cupid?
-Venus set Psyche a series of impossible tasks: sorting a huge pile of seeds in a single night, bringing the fleece of the golden sheep, and traveling to the Underworld to get a drop of Proserpina's beauty.
How did Psyche manage to complete the task of sorting the seeds?
-Psyche managed to complete the task of sorting the seeds with the help of an ant colony, which took pity on her and assisted with the work.
What was the significance of the box Psyche received from Proserpina?
-The box Psyche received from Proserpina was supposed to contain a drop of beauty, but when Psyche opened it, hoping to keep some for herself, she found it filled with sleep instead, causing her to collapse.
How did Psyche become immortal and reconcile with Cupid?
-Cupid reconciled with Psyche after realizing her fearlessness in the face of the unknown proved her worthiness. He gave her ambrosia, the nectar of the gods, which made her immortal.
What is the name of Psyche and Cupid's daughter, and what does it symbolize?
-Psyche and Cupid's daughter is named Pleasure, symbolizing the joy and fulfillment that can come from overcoming the trials and tribulations of love.

Outlines

00:00

💔 Psyche's Curse and Divine Love

Psyche, cursed by her beauty, was worshipped as a new incarnation of Venus but was unable to find human love. Following the Oracle of Apollo's prophecy, her father abandoned her on a cliff where she was carried to a palace by Zephyr. There, she met her unseen husband, who turned out to be Cupid. Cupid, initially tasked by Venus to embarrass Psyche, fell in love with her instead. However, their happiness was short-lived as Psyche accidentally discovered his true identity, causing him to flee. Despite the setback, an unseen voice reassured Psyche that their love was possible, and she embarked on a journey to find Cupid.

05:01

🏰 Trials of Love and Immortality

Psyche faced a series of seemingly impossible tasks set by Venus as a condition for her to marry Cupid. First, she sorted a vast pile of seeds with the help of an ant colony. Next, she retrieved the golden fleece of a dangerous sheep, guided by a river god. Finally, she ventured into the Underworld to obtain Proserpina's beauty, aided by the unseen voice's advice on navigating the realm. After completing these tasks, Psyche mistakenly opened the box of beauty, which contained sleep, causing her to collapse. Cupid, having recovered, found her and acknowledged her bravery, granting her immortality with ambrosia. They were reunited and had a daughter named Pleasure, continuing to influence the complexities of love.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Psyche

Psyche is a figure from Greek mythology who is the personification of the soul. In the video's narrative, she is portrayed as a woman with such physical beauty that she is worshipped as an incarnation of Venus. Her journey in the story is a central theme, illustrating the challenges faced in the pursuit of love and understanding one's true self.

💡Venus

Venus is the Roman goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, who in the script is depicted as jealous of Psyche's beauty and sets a series of trials for her. Venus's role is crucial in the story as she represents the challenges and obstacles that Psyche must overcome to achieve her love with Cupid.

💡Cupid

Cupid, also known as Eros in Greek mythology, is the god of love and desire. In the video, he is Psyche's husband who is initially hidden from her due to a prophecy. His character represents the ideal of love that transcends physical appearance and societal expectations.

💡Oracle of Apollo

The Oracle of Apollo is a reference to the ancient Greek practice of seeking prophecies and guidance from the god Apollo. In the script, Psyche's father consults the oracle, which sets the tragic course of Psyche's life, illustrating the influence of fate and divine will in human lives.

💡Zephyr

Zephyr, the West Wind, is a figure in Greek mythology associated with gentle breezes and the spring season. In the video, Zephyr rescues Psyche by lifting her to a palace, symbolizing a turning point in her story and the idea of divine intervention in human affairs.

💡Trials

Trials in the script refer to the series of impossible tasks Psyche must complete to marry Cupid, set by Venus. These trials represent the challenges and tests of love and commitment, emphasizing the theme of perseverance and the transformative power of love.

💡Underworld

The Underworld is a concept in Greek mythology representing the realm of the dead, ruled by Hades and his wife Proserpina. In the script, Psyche's journey to the Underworld to retrieve beauty from Proserpina is a pivotal moment, symbolizing her courage and the depths to which she is willing to go for love.

💡Cerberus

Cerberus is a multi-headed dog from Greek mythology that guards the entrance to the Underworld. In the script, Psyche is advised to bring barley cakes for Cerberus, showing her resourcefulness and the importance of respecting the customs and beings of the Underworld.

💡Charon

Charon is the ferryman of the dead in Greek mythology, who transports souls across the river Styx to the Underworld. Psyche's payment of coins to Charon in the script is a traditional part of the journey to the Underworld, illustrating the theme of respect for the divine order and the passage of souls.

💡Ambrosia

Ambrosia is the food of the gods in Greek mythology, often associated with immortality. When Cupid gives Psyche ambrosia, it symbolizes her transformation from mortal to immortal, reflecting the theme of love's power to transcend the boundaries of life and death.

💡Pleasure

Pleasure is the name of the daughter of Cupid and Psyche, representing the joy and fulfillment that can come from true love. In the script, her birth signifies the culmination of Psyche's trials and the establishment of a harmonious and divine love.

Highlights

Psyche, born with physical perfection, was worshipped as an incarnation of Venus but faced loneliness as people were too intimidated to approach her.

Psyche's father abandoned her on a cliff following the Oracle of Apollo's guidance, where she was supposed to marry a cruel serpent-like creature.

Zephyr the West Wind rescued Psyche, transporting her to a palace where she was told her husband awaited her.

Psyche's husband, initially thought to be serpent-like, turned out to have a gentle demeanor and soft skin.

Psyche's husband refused to reveal his identity, stating that love did not require knowing who he was.

Psyche became pregnant, leading to her conflict over raising a child with a man she had never seen.

Psyche discovered her husband was Cupid by accident, burning him with hot oil from a lamp.

Cupid revealed his love for Psyche, which began when he was supposed to embarrass her but ended up pricking himself with the arrow of love.

Cupid believed gods and humans could not love as equals, and flew away after Psyche saw his true form.

An unseen voice encouraged Psyche that love between her and Cupid as equals was possible, motivating her to find him.

Venus set Psyche a series of impossible tasks as a condition for her to marry Cupid.

Psyche successfully sorted a huge pile of seeds in a single night with the help of an ant colony.

A river god assisted Psyche in obtaining the fleece of the golden sheep, which was considered dangerous.

Psyche had to travel to the Underworld to retrieve a drop of Proserpina's beauty for Venus as her final task.

The unseen voice guided Psyche through her tasks, including advice on dealing with Cerberus and Charon in the Underworld.

Psyche mistakenly opened the box of Proserpina's beauty, which contained sleep, causing her to collapse.

Cupid returned to Psyche, admitting his previous beliefs were wrong and recognizing her fearlessness.

Cupid made Psyche immortal by giving her ambrosia, the nectar of the gods.

Psyche bore Cupid a daughter named Pleasure, symbolizing the complex nature of love and soul.