Reading Notes: Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche Reading B

Psyche's Prayer:

• Characters: Psyche, Juno (queen of Heaven and wife of Jupiter (Zeus)), and Ceres (goddess of the harvest)
• In this story, Psyche wanders upon the homes of Juno and Ceres, where she pleas for them to protect her, or at least let her rest there from Venus (Cupid's mother). Both denied her request as they are good friends with Venus and do not want to betray her. In the end of this story, Psyche decides there is no use in running from Venus and it is time for her to meet her fate. For this story, I would retell it by making the two goddesses help Psyche. In the previous readings, Psyche's sisters were envious of her and that cost them their lives. I think it would be interesting to turn the Gods/Goddesses against Venus due to her envy, as the Gods (well at least Cupid) did against Psyche's sisters. I would start out by having Psyche tell the whole story to both the Goddesses. The sotry would then compel them to side with Psyche and help her cause rather than side with Venus and her jealousy. Here would be a good time to recruit Zeus, so he could turn Psyche into a Goddess, since she is married to Cupid. Then, through them they would gain more Gods/Goddesses on their side. This would allow for the story to continue, but instead of letting Venus call the shots, it would give the power to Psyche. The ending of the story would not change, because I love happy endings, so no matter what Cupid and Psyche would end up together. Also, maybe like Venus made Psyche perform unreasonable tasks, make Venus perform impossible tasks, but she would not gain the help of others because of the wickedness her envy has caused her. Maybe I will even make Venus lose her beauty, since it was her who started the envy because of Psyche's beauty.
• Story Source: Apuleius's Golden Ass, as translated into English by Tony Kline (2013).

(Psyche at the Shrines of Juno and Ceres: Photo by Burne-Jones)