Psyche and Eros

Psyche and Eros 

On the aeroplane sky-soar from Miami to New York, I decided to be the one to do the crossword puzzle in the back of the American Airlines Magazine. Yes, I am that girl. One of the few answers I knew was "The lover of Psyche"... Eros! 

In the Greek language, the word "psyche" means the human mind or the soul. In the New Testament, sometimes it appears three times in the same sentence- meaning "wind" "breath" and "spirit." It's a beautiful word. 

In Greek mythology, Psyche was a young woman who was loved by Eros (also known as Cupid). He had sexual and emotional relations with Psyche, but only visited her at night and insisted that she never see his face. Psyche's sisters urged her to attempt to see him. She agreed, and lit a lamp whilst Eros was sleeping one night. She fell in love with him immediately. Shaken by his beauty, she spilled a drop of oil on him and he awakened. He left her angrily. In order to win him back, Psyche had to perform superhuman tasks set forth by Venus (his mother) before she could be united with Eros. The final task was to open a casket that supposedly contained beauty. Psyche was overcome by a deadly sleep. She was rescued however by the intervention of Jupiter. She was elevated to goddess-ship and was reunited with her godly man.

Psyche is often depicted as a figure with butterfly wings. She symbolizes the human soul, suffering in life, but emerging through death in a new, more beautiful existence. 

The lover of Psyche? Eros. Mother of Eros? Venus. Jupiter = Zeus (same gods, different names). 

I wish time travel were possible.