Psyche was a princess whose surpassing beauty caused people to worship her and neglect Venus. The vengeful goddess sent her son Cupid to cause Psyche to fall in love “with the vilest and most despicable creature” in the world, but he fell in love with her himself (122). Her sisters married kings, but Psyche remained alone, “only admired, never loved” (122). After receiving an oracle, her father ordered Psyche to be abandoned on a mountain top, where “a fearful winged serpent” would claim her for his wife (123). Instead, gentle Zephyr carried her to a fragrant meadow near a beautiful palace, where Cupid came to her each night.

They were happy together until she longed to see the sisters. Cupid warned her that they would bring her destruction, but she insisted. He relented but cautioned her that she should never try to see him. The sisters’ initial joy at reunion gave way to bitter jealousy and “devouring curiosity” (124). When they asked Psyche what her husband looked like and she was unable to answer, the sisters claimed that he must be the dreadful serpent of the prophecy and advised her to kill him. Fear overtook love, and Psyche decided to sneak a look at him by lamplight, discovering that he was “the sweetest and fairest of all creatures” (126).