2/5 (구정SPECIAL)Two Toutching Love Stories in Greek Roman Myth

[논둑길맨발로]

Psyche and Eros

The name "Psyche" means "Soul" and her union with Eros (aka Cupid) tells the story of how Love and Soul came to be together. By the way, this story is Roman, not Greek, but it works just as well with the Greek, so that is how I shall tell it. This myth had an enormous impact on fairy tales for the next couple of thousand years.

Long, long ago a king had three daughters. Psyche, who was the youngest of the three daughters, was so incredibly beautiful that people in her village and outlying areas STOPPED praying to Aphrodite, taking Psyche for the Goddess of Beauty instead. That wasn't too good, because Aphrodite got mighty pissed off, and when that happens, you don't want to be on her bad side. She went straight to the source: the innocent Psyche. She grabbed Eros (in this version he is her son) and instructed him to make poor Psyche fall in love with the ugliest man on Earth. Eros, who had done jobs like this on his mother's behalf before, went down to Earth to find her. But when he did he, too, was stunned by her beauty. He was so stunned that as he lay his golden arrow on her heart, he pricked himself and fell in love with her then and there. He was so in love that he erased all of what he had done to her, and went away.

After a while Aphrodite realized that her darling son hadn't quite done his job, for Psyche wasn't falling for anyone, let alone someone hideous. SO Aphrodite sent down a spell of her own on Psyche. As soon as this happened, not another suitor knocked upon their door. Her parents got worried, they wanted their youngest daughter to be a rich noblewoman at least. Psyche's mother, the queen, went off to the Oracle to hear what was wrong.

"Psyche will never marry a mortal. She shall be given to one who waits for her on yonder mountain; he overcomes Gods and men."

Poor parents, poor Psyche! It seemed that she was destined to marry a monster. No one wanted to let her go. Whether because of her physical beauty or the beauty of her soul, everyone LOVED Psyche. Psyche, however, saw the futility of her situation, and knew that she had angered Aphrodite, however mistakenly. She accepted what the Fates had decreed and told her parents to take her to the mountain and leave her for the beast. After many denials, they finally agreed and most of the country accompanied her to her supposed death. As she watched them leave, her heart cried out in sorrow and though she stayed firm with courage she could not stop the tear from trickling down her cheek. Zephyr, the kindly West Wind, saw her sorrow and bore her away to the valley below the mountain into soft grass in place of the harsh rock of the mountaintop. It was there that she woke.

When she woke, she didn't see any monster around her but she did see a lush looking forest. Eager for the protection it could offer she went in. As she entered she heard the sound of water and followed it. Deeper and deeper into the forest she went until she found a bright pool with a fountain, and beyond it a beautiful palace. Then she heard a voice around her, its speaker invisible, telling Psyche that the palace was hers, and the invisible servants around her were to do her bidding. She was delighted and ran all around the palace finding all sorts of wonderful things waiting for her. At last she was tired and hungry and before she could ask a beautiful breakfast was laid out before her. That evening the palace grew dark and a new voice spoke to her. It was her husband! This voice was kind and loving, and she couldn't imagine that it was that of a monster. But that didn't stop her from wanting to see him. She begged him again and again to come in the daylight, but again and again he sadly refused telling her that the day she saw him was the day their happiness came to an end. It was Eros, of course, but he couldn't tell HER that.

Eros was very kind to Psyche in every way that he could be - giving her invisible servants to wait on her every wish - but he never ever let her see his face, ominously warning her that the day she did it would be over. Psyche, though kind and happy with her mysterious husband, was a woman, and with that came an almost insatiable curiosity (according to the Greeks, and the Christians, and most others). She was afraid that she was married to a monster, and wanted to know his true visage. One night she told him that she missed her family, and could they be allowed to visit her, please? Eros heard the loneliness in her voice and agreed, but he knew that this would be their downfall. When her sisters arrived they were very eager to hear about her new life, and asked all about her husband. But when they heard of her arrangement they laughed at her and told her that they had heard she was married to a dragon who was fattening her up now, but would soon eat her. They urged her to take out the lamp one nights and look at him while he slept, carrying a dagger that she might kill him if he was indeed a dragon. At first she held out, remembering the warnings of her husband, but in the end curiosity won out, for she could keep the mocking voices of her sisters from her head.

Finally, one night Eros went to sleep as usual, but Psyche remained awake. She took the oil lamp and lit it looking onto his face. Immediately she recognized his godliness and realized what had been going on. She was filled once again with love and contrition and worship, finally knowing who her husband was. But in her shock her hands trembled and she spilled some of the oil onto her lover. Eros awoke and saw the lamp and Psyche's sorrow and realized what she had done. He gave a cry of grief and then flew out the window. She realized now that she was truly abandoned for as she looked around her the palace had disappeared and she was again in the middle of the wood.

Now begins a different part of the story. Psyche realized what she had done, but she was not about to give up her Love (literally) when she had just truly found it. On her own feet, she traveled to the houses of her sisters, married to their princes, and told the story of her treachery and its penalty. From there she left again, traveling she knew not where, only in search of her husband. At the end of the day she came upon a deserted hall filled with ears of corn and barley and wheat strewn all across the floor. Immediately she began picking up the mess and putting it together in a beautiful and decorative manner, making the deserted hall more like a temple. That is in fact what it was, and as she worked Demeter watched her, smiling at the goodness of her Soul. When Psyche had finished, Demeter appeared before her and said:

Psyche, you are worthy of happiness, and you may yet have it. Go now to the temple of Aphrodite and pray for her forgiveness, perhaps she will reward your patience.

Psyche was astonished that such an important goddess would show her favor, and left at once to do her bidding. She went to the temple of Aphrodite and humbly offered her prayer. But the jealous Aphrodite would not look at Psyche and said that if she truly desired repentence for her sins there was work enough. Saying this she led her into a room full of mixed grain, beans and lentils (the food of doves, Aphrodite's sacred bird), and bade Psyche sort them all into piles before the night was over. There was too much for Psyche to do on her own, but she settled down to do it anyway. As she was working a long train of ants came out of the crack in the wall, and helped her separate the piles. With their help the piles were separated by morning. Aphrodite returned to find the work done, and was even more angry, realizing that her son Eros had helped the girl. But instead of just sending the girl away, Aphrodite gave her some black bread and bade her sleep, saying she would need her wit for her next task. The next morning Psyche awoke to Aphrodite's impatient waiting.

Go now to yonder grove where the sheep with the golden fleece are wont to browse. Bring me a golden lock from every one of them, or you must go your ways and never come back again.

Then Aphrodite left her and Psyche prepared to cross the stream to the grove. But as she waded into the water the reeds swayed and the Naiads called out to her:

"Nay, nay, have a care, Psyche. This flock has not the gentle ways of sheep. While the sun burns aloft, they are themselves as fierce as flame; but when the shadows are long, they go to rest and sleep, under the trees; and you may cross the river without fear and pick the golden fleece off the briers in the pasture."

Psyche thanked the nymphs and did as they bade, and when Aphrodite returned Psyche gave her the fleece she had requested. Aphrodite was more enraged than ever, and cursed her son again for his help. This time she turned on Psyche, thrust a small box at her, and told her to descend to Persephone, the cold Queen of the Underworld, and bring back some of her beauty in the box - for Aphrodite was growing tired in tending her son.

Poor Psyche, she knew what Aphrodite knew, that no human could venture to the Underworld and return. And she realized the Eros must have forsaken her, and held no more value to her own life, turning and preparing to make her descent. But as she prepared another voice whispered in her ear - it was Eros, but she did not know - and told her all the ways to avoid the dangers of the Underworld, and warned her also not to open the box once Persephone's beauty was inside. Psyche did as she was told, and before she knew it she was back in the sunlight on Gaia carrying the box. But as she traveled she thought to herself, Aphrodite does not need the beauty, but how will I please Eros as travel-worn as I am. And so she opened the box.

But the spells of Gods are not meant for mortals and as she opened the box Psyche fell unconscious upon the ground. But Eros had recovered by now and was scouring the countryside for her. Soon he found her, woke her up and bade her return to Aphrodite and wait for him. Happily she did so, while Eros went to Olympus. On Olympus he told the feasting Gods his story, and begged them to appease to angry mother. The Gods, taken with the pure beauty of the tale agreed and summoned Aphrodite, soothing her until she was no longer angry. Then Hermes, the Messenger God, descended to Earth and brought Psyche back with him to Olympus. Once there, the gods bid the shy maiden to take the cup of ambrosia that Hebe held out to her. She took it, and upon drinking it blossomed into the fairest thing you've ever seen.

Eros took her in his arms, and from that day on the two were never parted again.

ORPHEUS & EURYDICE
(A Sad Love Story)

ORPHEUS & EURYDICE

The very earliest musicians were gods and their skill was unmatched. Gods such as Apollo, Athena and Hermes drew sounds so harmonious during their lavish banquets that their fellow deities on Mount Olympus forget all else, even their petty jealousies. Next to these gods came a few mortals who were so admirable in their art that they almost equaled the great gods.

One of these gifted mortals was Orpheus, son of the Muse Calliope and a Thracian king named Oeagrus. Orpheus was given the gift of music by his mother and that gift was nurtured in the land of Thrace where he grew up. The Thracians were the most musically inclined peoples of Greece. The great Apollo presented him with a lyre and the Muses taught him to use it, so that Orpheus was unparalleled in skill when it came to mere mortals, his only rivals were the gods.

His music was enchanting; no one and nothing could resist him. He had the ability to control both animate and inanimate objects, subduing wild beasts and making the trees and rocks move from their places in their eagerness to follow the sound of his music.

Little is known about Orpheus prior to his marriage, but it is known that after a visit to Egypt he sailed with the Greek hero Jason on the ship called the Argo. He was quite useful on this Quest for the Golden Fleece, because when the heroes were weak and weary or the rowing was immensely difficult he would play his lyre to arouse the freshness in the heroes and thus allow them to continue the voyage. Orpheus also saved the Argonauts from the Sirens, playing his lyre so exquisitely as to hypnotize the feared monsters and drive out all thoughts save the longing to hear more of his sweet music. The Argonauts than sailed off and set their course, avoiding certain death thanks to the sweet song of Orpheus.

It is not told where he met his wife and how he courted her, but surely no maiden Orpheus desired could have resisted the power of his music. The by now renowned poet and musician chose a beautiful woman named Eurydice, whom some called by the name Agriope, and they had decided to settle down and raise a family among the savage Cicones of Thrace.

Sadly immediately following the wedding as Eurydice walked in a meadow with her bridesmaids, a serpent stung her and she died. Others say that a brute named Aristaeus tried to force her near Tempe, in the valley of the river Peneius. Either way, his beloved new bride was dead and the grief of Orpheus was so great that he vowed to venture down to the Underworld and try to bring Eurydice back, a feat very few had managed.

Orpheus used the passage which opens at Aornum in Thesprotis and boldly descended into the realm of Hades. He charmed with his song the ferryman Charon and gained the other side, even though he wasn't dead. As he played his lyre, Cerberus the three-headed dog relaxed his guard and the three Judges of the Dead were mesmerized by the sound. Even the tortures of the damned were temporarily suspended: The wheel of Ixion stood motionless; Sisiphus sat at rest upon his stone; Tantalus forgot his thirst; for the first time the faces of the horrific Furies were wet with tears.

No one under his spell could refuse him. Hades and his queen Persephone granted Orpheus’ wish and summoned Eurydice and gave her to him, but upon one single condition: that he would not look back at her as she followed him, until they reached the upper world and were safely back under the light of the sun.

As they exited the Underworld, passing through the great doors of Hades to the path that would take them out of the darkness, Orpheus knew Eurydice was close behind him, following the sound of his lyre, but he longed to make sure. The moment that he joyfully stepped out of the darkness into the light he turned back, but it was too soon, for Eurydice still hadn’t exited the cavern and was still in the shadows of Hades. He saw her in the dim light, and he held out his arms to clasp her, but she slipped away from him. As Orpheus reached for the hand of his beloved wife Eurydice disappeared with one last word: "Farewell."

And she was gone forever.

Totally dismayed he attempted to rush after her, but the gods would not consent to allowing Orpheus to enter the Underworld a second time, while he was still alive. Forced to return to earth alone and overcome with grief, he forsook the company of men and wandered through the wild playing his melodious lyre. Only the creatures of nature and the rocks, rivers and trees were fortunate enough to hear the sad strains of his lyre, singing of his heartbreak.

When the god of wine Dionysus invaded Thrace, Orpheus failed to properly honor him and taught other sacred mysteries, much to the chagrin of the slighted deity. At last, a band of Maenads, who were frenzied nymphs in the service of Dionysus, came upon him,  and they mutilated Orpheus, tearing him limb from limb, flinging his head into the swift river Hebrus.

The Muses discovered his intact unchanged head at the Lesbian shore, where it had floated, still singing. Tearfully they found and collected his limbs,  and placed them in a tomb at the foot of Mount Olympus. To this day, the nightingales there sing more sweetly than anywhere else.

The murderous Maenads were turned into oak trees by Dionysus to save their lives from the furious Olympian gods, who were distraught at the loss of such a great musician. The Maenads had attempted to cleanse themselves of Orpheus' blood in the river Helicorn, but the River-god did not want to be accessory to murder and dived under the ground, disappearing for nearly four miles, finally emerging with a different name, the Baphyra.

What about the head of Orpheus? A jealous Lemnian serpent attacked it but Apollo at once turned the snake into a stone. The head was laid to rest in a cave at Antissa, where it prophesized so accurately that Apollo's oracles at Delphi, Gryneium and Clarus were becoming deserted, as people flocked to Orpheus day and night. This would not do! So Apollo ordered Orpheus' head to cease talking or singing, and the head fell silent. The Muses had found Orpheus' lyre, which had likewise drifted to Lesbos, and had dedicated it in a temple of Apollo. Eventually the lyre was placed in heaven as a Constellation.

Another account of the death of Orpheus says that Zeus killed him with one of his fearsome thunderbolts because Orpheus had revealed divine secrets involving the Mysteries of Apollo in Trace; those of Hecate in Aegina; and those of Demeter at Sparta.