Week 2 Storytelling: False

False

(Psyche grovels to Aphrodite from Web Source.)

Venus scowled at the girl from under thick brows and watched with no remorse when the girl hiccuped through her sobs as she fretted over her ruined silks, the shreds of her hair and hesitantly touched her shorn head.

Sitting on the floor was a rightful place for mortals, crying over their misfortunes.

How? How could mortal beings compare this child to her? A goddess? The sneer distorted her pale features at the thought of her son loving a mortal.

What her son saw in such creatures, she did not know. Nor did she desire to know. Mortal fear and worship energized the immortals, so why would her son fall to disgrace to bound himself to this girl?

Her son was a fool, falling in love with a mortal. He knew love was fleeting. He was the caster of fleeting love to please the mischief in his blood, creating chaotic love to soothe the unruliness inside him. The Goddess of Love herself knew, love was fleeting. She knew love diminished over time even for immortals.

There was only one kind of love to withstand time itself; millions claimed to have found such a treasure, but pure love had only existed twice in Venus’ lifetime.

The sneer turned into a malicious smirk as an idea wormed its way through her mind.

Oh, she thought, what a delicious way to destroy him, to make him see reason. No one can withstand my powers of persuasion.

She could not help the rumbling chuckle fall from her pink lips. She knew the girl, the foolish mortal, was trying to find Cupid. Her son was licking his wounds in her palace; he was biding his time until he could go search for his mortal lover not knowing his mortal was right under his nose. Even if he did know of his lover’s whereabouts, he would not be able to leave the confines of his chambers. He would not be seen unless she wished it.

Soon, but not yet.

Watery, green eyes cautiously peeked at the goddess. Psyche watched the beautiful immortal twirled her long fingers through long, reddish, blonde hair as light eyes pierced her soul.

The elegant immortal moved from her throne, floating slowly around the room as her eyes gazed daggers at the girl’s tense form.

The goddess circled the girl, staying far enough way from the mortal to decrease chances of touching her. She chuckled somewhat amused when the girl stared back at her. Brave and stupid. She had made the little mortal angry; her lips were pulled tight over her teeth as she smiled viciously.

Venus stopped in front of Psyche and knelt before her. Psyche drew in a startled breath, but did not move away out of defiance.

“Pricked by an arrow, you harbor false love for my son. After I show him the truth of your falseness, I will not allow you to live.”

Psyche’s eyebrows furrowed and squared her shoulders. Despite the shaking of her hands, Psyche’s voice was firm and loud. “I may have doubted his love for me, I may have fallen into fear and doubt of my future, I may have listened to unwise advice because of my sisterly love, but I have never doubted my love for Cupid. My love is strong; I do not doubt my love, is not false!”

Venus only smirked at her. Venus’ eyes shimmering with her spell and Psyche flinched away from her.

Venus stood then tilted her head to the ceiling, and she closing her eyes as she softly murmured, “I have found your love, my Son, come greet her in the parlor.”

She watched as the girl’s eyes widen - hope flooding her green irises though she could see wariness rise as well.

Fluttering wings echoed in her ears as Cupid entered the parlor. His eyes fell onto Psyche curled in on herself at her place on the floor. He took in her tattered clothes, her hair scattering the mosaic-tiled floor, the bruises forming on her pale skin. He rushed to Psyche to pull her into his embrace.

“My Psyche, who has done this to you?”

Psyche’s eyes darted to Venus, but then bowed her head to hide her face in his chest. The action was enough to unearth the rage in his belly and it overflowed his being.

“YOU,” he shouted at his mother, pulling Psyche closer to his body to shield her. “Why would you do this?”

Venus simply sighed. Her voice pleading as she said, “Oh, my Son, she was pricked by an arrow of your own. Her love is not true. You were struck by your own arrow; your love, as well, is false. I am saving you from this false heartache.”

“No,” he screamed, “I love her, it is pure love! My love has grown past my enchanted arrow’s power. My love is pure!”

Psyche tightened her hold on Cupid’s form and she felt his feathers tickle her arms. She squeezed her eyes shut as she murmured softly of her love to him.

Venus nodded her expression calm.

“But what of her love? Has it grown passed the influence of your arrow? I shall prove to you her love is false. No one can not be persuaded by my spell.”

Cupid looked aghast at his mother’s proposal and he shouted, “No!”

He moved to pull Psyche behind him to shield her from his mother’s eyes before she could cast her spell, but it was too late. Venus trapped the girl in her immortal gaze - her power of persuasion would prove to her son this mortal’s love was conjured up.

She beckoned the girl with her hand. “Come to me, little mortal.”

Psyche was not persuaded.

Author's Note: The story of Cupid and Psyche is similar to Beauty and the Beast. Psyche is known for her beauty and started receiving more and more worship than Venus, Goddess of Love. Venus became jealous and decided to have her son kill Psyche. Ultimately, Cupid falls in love with Psyche when he accidentally struck himself with his arrow. They both fall in love, but Psyche is unaware of Cupid's identity. Cupid only comes to her at night when she cannot see him. They make love and talk during the nights. Cupid told her many times not to try to find out his identity or they would be separated. She is tricked by her sisters to light a candle to expose Cupid, and in the process of admiring him she is pricked by one of his arrows making her "fall even more in love with him". Cupid leaves and Psyche goes to look for him. His mother finds out what happens and finally finds Psyche looking for Cupid. She tortures the girl as depicted in my story. In the end, Psyche becomes immortal and marries Cupid.

The issue I had with Psyche was she was timid, most often idiotic, succumbing to doubt and fear; I wanted her to stand up for herself and her love for Cupid. There was also a lack of Cupid's reaction of his mother torturing Psyche, so I included this in my story.

In mythology, Venus is mentioned to have a 'love power' over people where she can make them do whatever she wants them to do. I decided to play around with this idea with a few tweaks. I called it persuasion power because 'love' can be a powerful persuasion tool. However, her spell does not work on individuals who have found true love - so Psyche experiences 'pure love.' Psyche's love started before she was pricked by Cupid's arrow and it continued to grow beyond the arrow. So in the end, Venus' persuasion spell does not work on Psyche or Cupid since they have 'pure love.' Web Source.


Bibliography: Cupid and Psyche by Apuleius from Web Source