CUPID'S ARROW
Fascination engulfs us as we read Greek tales-they are short stories about human behavior and are known
as myths. Myth of Psyche is the most interesting of all.
Once there lived a
beautiful princess, Psyche, so beautiful that though she had innumerable admirers, nobody dared to propose marriage to her. The king, desperately worried, seeked the advice of Apollo god. Apollo asked the king to dress Psche in mourning and leave her, alone, on top of a mountain. By dawn , a serpent would come and marry her.
The king obeyed and Psyche was left alone on top of the mountain-she was terrified and cold in the dark night. Soon she fell asleep only to awake and find herself transformed into a queen and in a beautiful palace. Every night her husband would come to her and they were very happy-only one condition was imposed on her-she could have everything that she desired but she should never ask to see his face.
Psyche lived happily for long. She had everthing-comforts, affection. She was deeply in love with her husband. But
curiosity overtook her and one day she saw her face while he was sleeping. He was terribly handsome-he was Eros (Cupid). He awoke with the light of the lamp shone by Psyche and realising that she had failed to respect hsi only desire, he disappeared.
Torn with grief from seperation from her beloved husband, she pleads with Aphrodite (Venus), mother of Eros/Cupid and is assigned a series of tasks by her. One of the task is to deliver some of her beauty to Aphrodite, who is envious of Psyche's beauty. Once again unable to contain her curiosity, she opens the box which was supposed to contain her beauty. What she finds is not beauty, but an infernal sleep-an inert and immobile state.
Eros/Cupid filled with love for his wife, was regretful for his action manages to enter the palace and wakes her up from her deep-sleep state and reminds her that she had almost died on account of her curiosity.
Psyche had found in her search for knowledge, not security, but insecurity. It is ironical. But the fact remains that utmost faith and trust is required in love.