Psyche

Ψυχη Deified Goddess of the Human Soul

PSYKHE (Psyche) was the goddess of the soul and the wife of Eros (Roman Cupid) god of love. She was once a mortal princess whose extraordinary beauty earned the ire of Aphrodite (Roman Venus) when men began turning their worship away from the goddess towards the girl. Aphrodite commanded Eros make Psykhe fall in love with the most hideous of men but the god instead fell in love and carried her off to his hidden palace. Eros hid his true identity and told Psykhe she must never gaze upon his face. Her jealous sisters, however, tricked her into disobeying and the angry god forsook her. Psykhe searched the world for her lost love and eventually came into the service of Aphrodite. The goddess commanded her perform a series of seemingly impossible tasks which culminated in a journey to the Underworld. Psykhe was afterwards reunited with Eros and the couple were married in a ceremony attended by all the gods. Psykhe was depicted in ancient mosaic art as a butterfly-winged woman in the company of her husband Eros. Sometimes a pair of Pyskhai (Psychae) were depicted--the second perhaps representing their daughter Hedone (Pleasure).

“ It is not difficult to recognise in this lovely story the idea of which it is merely the mythical embodiment, for Psyche is evidently the human soul, which is purified by passions and misfortunes, and is thus prepared for the enjoyment of true and pure happiness. ” –Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology

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History/Myths Statistics Family Scope/Powers Trivia Poll Awards References History and Myths Psyche was the youngest of the three daughters of some king, and excited by her beauty the jealousy and envy of Aphrodite. In order to avenge herself, the goddess ordered Eros to inspire Psyche with a love for the most contemptible of all men: but Eros was so stricken with her beauty that he himself fell in love with her. He accordingly conveyed her to some charming place, where he, unseen and unknown, visited her every night, and left her as soon as the day began to dawn. Psyche might have continued to have enjoyed without interruption this state of happiness, if she had attended to the advice of her beloved, never to give way to her curiosity, or to inquire who he was. But her jealous sisters made her believe that in the darkness of night she was embracing some hideous monster, and accordingly once, while Eros was asleep, she approached him with a lamp, and, to her amazement, she beheld the most handsome and lovely of the gods. In her excitement of joy and fear, a drop of hot oil fell from her lamp upon his shoulder. This awoke Eros, who censured her for her mistrust, and escaped. Psyche's peace was now gone all at once, and after having attempted in vain to throw herself into a river, she wandered about from temple to temple, inquiring after her beloved, and at length came to the palace of Aphrodite. There her real sufferings began, for Aphrodite retained her, treated her as a slave, and imposed upon her the hardest and most humiliating labours. Psyche would have perished under the weight of her sufferings, had not Eros, who still loved her in secret, invisibly comforted and assisted her in her labours. With his aid she at last succeeded in overcoming the jealousy and hatred of Aphrodite; she became immortal, and was united with him for ever. It is not difficult to recognize in this lovely story the idea of which it is merely the mythical embodiment, for Psyche is evidently the human soul, which is purified by passions and misfortunes, and is thus prepared for the enjoyment of true and pure happiness. Vital Statistics Titles Deified Goddess of the Human Soul Goddess of the Soul Mortal Princess Gender Female Status Mortal [ Formerly ] Immortal Species Goddess Affiliation Olympians Eros Weapon Not specified Home Presumably Olympus Roman Form Anima Appearance Varies Family Father Unnamed King Mother Unnamed Queen Spouse(s) Eros Siblings Two unnamed sisters Demigod Children Psyche's Cabin Immortal Children Hedone Lover(s) N/A Other N/A Scope/Powers Patron Of Human Soul Symbols Waterfalls Crescent moon (waning) Grain Eye Three stars (representing body/life/soul) Perfumed oil Pottery jars Sacred Animals Butterfly Eagle Sheep and ram Mice Ants Fish Sacred Plants Willow Flowering almond Ivy Blackthorn Reeds Sweet alyssum Lily of the valley Water lily Figs Melons Assumed Powers Possesses the standard powers of a goddess. Control over the human mind and soul; it's emotions, desires, thoughts, way of thinking, and the persona of human being. The ability to use butterfly wings to fly, as well as control butterflies. Trivia Trivia She is the second known human to become a goddess by marrying a god, the first being Ariadne, who married Dionysus. As seen in Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes, Psyche understands human suffering better than any other god. She was one of, if not the first, Greek heroes to go to the Underworld. Her fatal flaw is insecurity. Her Norse equivalent is Nanna, wife of Balder. God/Goddess of the Month Awards Psyche won the God/Goddess of the Month Poll competition for January 2014. References References Pantheon.org (History and Myths) Riordan Wikia (Trivia) Mythology Wikia (Misc.) Theoi (Description) Goddess Gift (Symbols and Sacred Items)

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