Greek Eros - Tumblr Posts
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Epithets of Psyche (UPG)
The Abduction of Psyche (William-Adolphe Bouguereau)
Psyche was not worshipped in antiquity, so she has few (if any) epithets to her name.
Based on her myths and my personal experience with her, I've decided to create a few for her as a devotional act. These are all UNVERIFIED and PERSONAL GNOSIS or UPGs and are not commonly associated with Psyche from my knowledge. Please let me know if something is incorrect!
💜 Ἀνθεία [Antheia/Anthea], the blooming or friend of flowers
Anthea is a shared epithet of Hera and Aphrodite. In Apuleius' novel, Metamorphoses (of Apuleius):
Psyche is described as: "...from a new fertilization by drops from heaven, not sea but earth had grown another Venus in the flower (or bloom) of her virginity."
Additionally, when the people used to worship Psyche as the second Aphrodite, they would crowd around Psyche and offer her wreaths and flowers to hear their prayers.
Finally, as Psyche waited for her "monstrous" husband alone on the mountaintop, Zephyrus (the West Wind) used his winds to guide her down to a flowery field where she could relax and rest.
💜 ἐυπλοκάμις [euplokámis], lovely-haired
This was a commonly used epithet used by Homer for beautiful women, which Psyche was definitely considered.
💜 Forlorn, Lonesome, Lone(ly)
In Metamorphose, Psyche often cries because of how alone she feels. She is first isolated due to her beauty, as nobody wants to truly befriend or marry her due to being worshipped as the second Aphrodite. Then, she is abandoned on the top of a mountain to eventually marry Eros. Afterward, she is left alone in a cave, never seeing another person outside of her jealous sisters, who eventually ruin her marriage with Eros, causing her to be abandoned once more.
💜 ἐρώμενος [eromenos], Beloved or Loved by the Lover
Eros, the lover (erastes), is Psyche's husband. It makes sense for her to be the eromenos, the subject of love and devotion by the erastes. This is one of Eros' epithets, but it feels fitting for Psyche, too.
💜 πτερόεις [pteroeis], Winged or Winged One
This is another one of Eros' epithets that fits well with Psyche.
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~ Eros & Psyche ~ I can’t forget about my drama kids here on tumblr :D One of the most difficult illustrations I’ve done, with how much they resisted me getting painted. I’m glad I saw them through at some point, and that they resonate well with people : > Print available: https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/juliametzgerart/eros-psyche/
Canon details of Eros and Psyche tale often missed out by the retellings [Part 1]
There is only one ancient source of this myth/tale (so no variations here) is 2nd century AD novel "The Golden Ass or Metamophoses", written in Latin thus most names of the gods are the Roman ones. For example Eros is Cupid, Aphrodite is Venus etc.
The context of the story with the story is that the tale is told by an old woman to calm down a girl kidnapped to blackmail her wealthy parents. Funny enough her kidnappers aren't that violent or sadistic. They just need money.
Here comes a brief icky part. Although it's hard to impress Greek/Roman mythology enthusiasts with incest but this one has an extra ick. Apparently Eros/Cupid is the son of Aphrodite/Venus and Zeus/Jupiter, they both at least refer to him as their son. Venus confirms Jupiter's parentage of Cupid in her rant. However towards the end of the tale Jupiter calls Venus his daughter. I'm not entirely sure that he means it litterally since Venus still has assossiation with the sea (more on that below). So take it as you will.
Venus demands Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with the most miserable man alive. No monsters or beasts.
After giving Cupid the task Venus essentially leaves for the marine leisure with her entourage of various sea deities in which she temporarily abandons her duties as a love goddess.
Before leaving Venus gives Cupid a kiss which, depending on translation, may also have incestuous undertones.
The Oracle's prophecy doesn't describe Cupid as a monster or a beast either, but rather "a ferocious and viperous evil". The misconception likely comes from a) characters themselves (like Psyche's sisters) misinterpreting the prophecy; b) given that the prophecy is written as a poem translators often take liberties with it for the sake of a rhyme, rhythm or both; c) the tendency towards simplification when it comes to retelling.
And you must keep in mind that the one makes such unflattering description of Eros/Cupid is non-other than Apollo. Just a reminder these two have quite an extensive history of mutual hatred.
Psyche was never happy with being perceived as a 'Venus incarnate', she always knew it would lead her into trouble.
Cupid's palace unsurprisingly has all kinds of luxuries including invisible servants, musicians and a choir.
The first night probably wasn't all enjoyable for Psyche (may depend on translation). At the very least she was nervous about losing her virginity. And no wonder, given that the only info she got on her fiancé at the time was the prophecy, and their first interaction was just... sex. Though in subsequent nights she learned to have pleasure from it.
Cupid's "Don't listen to your sisters" began even before he agreed upon letting them in into the palace.
Part 2 coming tomorrow
Canon details of Eros and Psyche tale often missed out by the retellings [Part 2]
Psyche's sisters actually make several visits to Cupid and Psyche's palace.
Psyche lies to them when they ask what her husband is like. They find it out by noticing inconsistencies in Psyche's lies.
Funny enough they actually figure out that Psyche's husband is a god before Psyche herself (but they don't know which one). Since they are extremely jealous of her, they come up with an "assassination" plan and trick Psyche into it.
When Psyche sees Cupid for the first time she gets curious about his arrows and accidentally pierces her finger with one of them. Meaning that Cupid never forced Psyche to fall in love with him and she pretty much does that on her own.
After Cupid leaves Psyche, she falls into a river, but obviously doesn't die. She stumbles upon Pan and Echo, whom he teaches to sing (it may actually be a sexual innuendo).
Pan thinks Psyche tried to commit suicide because of love problems and tells her to pray to Cupid. She thanks him but never tells him that her lover is actually Cupid.
Psyche is actually responsible of her sisters' deaths. She comes to each of them telling Cupid wants them as his bride instead of her, they just need to jump off the cliff just so Zephyrus takes them to the palace, which he obviously never does. Apuleius however portrayed as despicable as he could so the reader would feel too bad about the fact that Psyche herself practically killed them.
Part 3 coming
💕 Eros! God of love and lewd acts hihi
He is always flying around, as the 'love is in the air' and because of that, his legs dosent have much strength and he cant walk. His wings looks like buterflys, hummingbird silhouette, but its actually fly fish wings (as he takes a lot after his mother Afrodite)
I forgoto to post his design ;w; (It will have some lil changes, but the base is that)
Ares n Eros!
Here's Aphrodite
Reblogs are appreciated!