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21 pages

English

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The first known record of the the poignant tale of Psyche's labors to reclaim the love of Cupid is recorded by Lucius Apuleius in the second century AD. When the beautiful Psyche attracts the jealous wrath of Venus, Venus sends her son Cupid to bewitch the girl and cause her to fall in love with a monster, but Cupid himself falls in love with his mother's nemesis and secretly becomes her husband. Psyche is instructed that she must never look at Cupid, for in looking at him she will lose him. Unable to resist temptation she violates this law. Desperate to find her lost love the young woman commences a succession of grueling tasks dictated by the vengeful Venus aspiring to win him back. Unable to behold her anguish Cupid appeals to the gods. Psyche is granted immortality and the two are reunited and married. Many have interpreted Cupid as the allegorical representation of Love and Psyche as the Soul and their union is still seen as a perfect symbol of eternal love.

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Publié par	The Floating Press
Date de parution	01 janvier 2009
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781775411796
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0234€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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THE TALE OF CUPID & PSYCHES
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LUCIUS APULEIUS
Translated by
WILLIAM ADLINGTON

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The Tale of Cupid & Psyches From a 1639 edition.
ISBN 978-1-775411-79-6
© 2008 THE FLOATING PRESS.
While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike.
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The most pleasant and delectable tale of the marriage of Cupid andPsyches.
There was sometimes a certaine King, inhabiting in the West parts,who had to wife a noble Dame, by whom he had three daughters exceedingfair: of whom the two elder were of such comly shape and beauty, asthey did excell and pass all other women living, whereby they werethought worthily to deserve the praise and commendation of every person,and deservedly to be preferred above the residue of the common sort.Yet the singular passing beauty and maidenly majesty of the youngestdaughter did so farre surmount and excell then two, as no earthlycreature could by any meanes sufficiently expresse or set out the same.
By reason wherof, after the fame of this excellent maiden was spreadabout in every part of the City, the Citisens and strangers there beeinginwardly pricked by the zealous affection to behold her famous person,came daily by thousands, hundreths, and scores, to her fathers palace,who was astonied with admiration of her incomparable beauty, did no lessworship and reverence her with crosses, signes, and tokens, and otherdivine adorations, according to the custome of the old used rites andceremonies, than if she were the Lady Venus indeed, and shortly afterthe fame was spread into the next cities and bordering regions, that thegoddess whom the deep seas had born and brought forth, and the froth ofthe waves had nourished, to the intent to show her high magnificencieand divine power on earth, to such as erst did honour and worship her,was now conversant among mortall men, or else that the earth and notthe sea, by a new concourse and influence of the celestiall planets,had budded and yeelded forth a new Venus, endued with the floure ofvirginity.
So daily more and more encreased this opinion, and now is her flyingfame dispersed into the next Island, and well nigh unto every part andprovince of the whole world. Wherupon innumerable strangers resortedfrom farre Countries, adventuring themselves by long journies onland and by great perils on water, to behold this glorious virgin. Byoccasion wherof such a contempt grew towards the goddesse Venus, that noperson travelled unto the Towne Paphos, nor to the Isle Gyndos, norto Cythera to worship her. Her ornaments were throwne out, her templesdefaced, her pillowes and cushions torne, her ceremonies neglected, herimages and Statues uncrowned, and her bare altars unswept, and fowl withthe ashes of old burnt sacrifice. For why, every person honoured andworshipped this maiden in stead of Venus, and in the morning at herfirst comming abroad offered unto her oblations, provided banquets,called her by the name of Venus, which was not Venus indeed, and in herhonour presented floures and garlands in most reverend fashion.
This sudden change and alteration of celestiall honour, did greatlyinflame and kindle the love of very Venus, who unable to temper herselfe from indignation, shaking her head in raging sort, reasoned withher selfe in this manner, Behold the originall parent of all theseelements, behold the Lady Venus renowned throughout all the world,with whome a mortall maiden is joyned now partaker of honour: my nameregistred in the city of heaven is prophaned and made vile by terreneabsurdities. If I shall suffer any mortall creature to present myMajesty on earth, or that any shall beare about a false surmisedshape of her person, then in vaine did Paris the sheepheard (in whosejudgement and competence the great Jupiter had affiance) preferre meabove the residue of the goddesses, for the excellency of my beauty: butshe, whatever she be that hath usurped myne honour, shal shortly repenther of her unlawful estate. And by and by she called her winged sonneCupid, rash enough and hardy, who by his evill manners contemning allpublique justice and law, armed with fire and arrowes, running up anddown in the nights from house to house, and corrupting the lawfullmarriages of every person, doth nothing but that which is evill, whoalthough that hee were of his owne proper nature sufficiently prone toworke mischiefe, yet she egged him forward with words and brought him tothe city, and shewed him Psyches (for so the maid was called) and havingtold the cause of her anger, not without great rage, I pray thee (quothshe) my dear childe, by motherly bond of love, by the sweet woundsof thy piercing darts, by the pleasant heate of thy fire, revenge theinjury which is done to thy mother by the false and disobedient beautyof a mortall maiden, and I pray thee, that without delay shee may fallin love with the most miserablest creature living, the most poore, themost crooked, and the most vile, that there may bee none found in allthe world of like wretchednesse. When she had spoken these words sheembraced and kissed her sonne, and took her voyage toward the sea.
When she came upon the sea she began to cal the gods and goddesses,who were obedient at her voyce. For incontinent came the daughters ofNereus, singing with tunes melodiously: Portunus with his bristled andrough beard, Salita with her bosome full of fish, Palemon the driver ofthe Dolphine, the Trumpetters of Tryton, leaping hither and thither, andblowing with heavenly noyse: such was the company which followed Venus,marching towards the ocean sea.
In the meane season Psyches with all her beauty received no fruitof honor. She was wondred at of all, she was praised of all, but sheperceived that no King nor Prince, nor any one of the superiour sortdid repaire to wooe her. Every one marvelled at her divine beauty, as itwere some Image well painted and set out. Her other two sisters, whichwere nothing so greatly exalted by the people, were royally married totwo Kings: but the virgin Psyches, sitting alone at home, lamented hersolitary life, and being disquieted both in mind and body, althoughshe pleased all the world, yet hated shee in her selfe her owne beauty.Whereupon the miserable father of this unfortunate daughter, suspectingthat the gods and powers of heaven did envy her estate, went to the towncalled Milet to receive the Oracle of Apollo, where he made his prayersand offered sacrifice, and desired a husband for his daughter: butApollo though he were a Grecian, and of the country of Ionia, because ofthe foundation of Milet, yet hee gave answer in Latine verse, the sencewhereof was this:—
Let Psyches corps be clad in mourning weed, And set on rock of yonder hill aloft: Her husband is no wight of humane seed, But Serpent dire and fierce as might be thought. Who flies with wings above in starry skies, And doth subdue each thing with firie flight. The gods themselves, and powers that seem so wise, With mighty Jove, be subject to his might, The rivers blacke, and deadly flouds of paine And darkness eke, as thrall to him remaine.
The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo,returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserableand unhappy fate of his daughter. Then they began to lament and weep,and passed over many dayes in great sorrow. But now the time approachedof Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted,the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody ofHymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be marrieddid wipe her eyes with her vaile.