Psyche (mythology) facts for kids
Psyche (say it like: SY-kee) is a famous character from Greek mythology. She started as a human woman but later became a goddess. Psyche is known as the goddess of the soul.
She is married to Eros, who is also known as Cupid. Together, they have a daughter named Hedone. You can often spot Psyche in art because she is always shown with beautiful butterfly wings. Her most famous story is found in a book called The Golden Ass. This book was written by Lucius Apuleius way back in the 2nd century.
Contents
Who is Psyche?
Psyche was once a human princess. She was so incredibly beautiful that people started to worship her. They even thought she was more beautiful than Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. This made Aphrodite very jealous and angry.
Aphrodite decided to get revenge on Psyche. She sent her son, Eros (Cupid), to make Psyche fall in love with a monster. But things did not go as planned.
The Love Story of Psyche and Eros
When Eros saw Psyche, he accidentally pricked himself with one of his own arrows. This made him fall deeply in love with her instead! Eros secretly visited Psyche every night, but he told her she must never try to see his face.
Psyche's sisters were jealous of her good fortune. They tricked her into believing her husband was a monster. One night, Psyche lit a lamp to see Eros's face while he slept. A drop of hot oil fell on him, waking him up.
Eros felt betrayed and flew away, leaving Psyche heartbroken.
Psyche's Difficult Tasks
To win Eros back, Psyche had to complete several difficult tasks. These tasks were given to her by Aphrodite. Aphrodite wanted to make Psyche's life very hard.
One of the tasks was to go to the Underworld. She had to bring back a box of beauty from Persephone, the queen of the Underworld. Psyche was told not to open the box, but her curiosity got the best of her.
When she opened the box, she fell into a deep sleep. This was because the box contained a magical sleep, not beauty.
Becoming a Goddess
Eros found Psyche in her deep sleep. He still loved her very much. He asked Zeus, the king of the gods, for help. Zeus felt sorry for the young lovers.
Zeus decided to make Psyche immortal. This meant she would live forever, just like the gods. He also allowed her to marry Eros. This way, they could be together forever.
Psyche then became the goddess of the soul. Her story shows how love and challenges can lead to great things.
Images for kids
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Psyche with butterfly wings mounts on a camel in Louvre Museum
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Hermes and Psyche in Palais Garnier at Paris. Above Psyche's head there is a butterfly. Their names are in Greek, ΨΥΧΗ (Psyche) and ΕΡΜΗΣ (Hermes).
See also
In Spanish: Psique (mitología) para niños
