Lecture on Greek Mythology: The Story of Eros and Psyche

Introduction

• Course on Greek Thought and Literature about love
• Different types of love in Greek:
  • Agape: Unconditional love for fellow humans
  • Phileo: Platonic love for friends
  • Storge: Love of family
  • Eros: Romantic/sexual love, also the Greek god of love

Eros

• Eros has multiple incarnations:
  • Ancient primordial deity, older than the gods
  • Child of Aphrodite
  • Roman counterpart: Cupid (less discussed)
• Major legend: Eros and Psyche

Myth of Eros and Psyche

1. Characters Introduction:
   • Psyche: Beautiful princess, worshipped more than Aphrodite
   • Aphrodite: Jealous goddess
   • Eros: Son of Aphrodite, god of love
2. Aphrodite's Plan: Make Psyche fall in love with a hideous monster; assigns Eros
3. Eros's Blunder: Sees Psyche, accidentally stabs himself with his arrow, falls in love with her
4. Psyche's Loneliness: Consults Oracle, prophesied to love a monster
   • Taken to a cliff for her monster boyfriend
   • Zephyr carries her to a luxurious palace
5. Monster Boyfriend:
   • Invisible, provides luxury, can't be seen (not even during intimacy)
6. Sisters' Persuasion: Convince her to see and possibly kill the monster boyfriend
7. Revelation and Betrayal: Psyche sees Eros, stabs herself, lamp oil wakes Eros, he flies away
8. Aphrodite's Tasks: To get Eros back, Psyche must complete tasks:
   • Sort grains: Done by ants
   • Get golden fleece: With help from a local spirit
   • Water from Styx: Assisted by Zeus's eagle
   • Retrieve Persephone's beauty: Goes to the Underworld, retrieves a box
9. Final Task's Twist: Psyche opens the box, dies (it contains 'murder')
10. Eros's Intervention: Saves Psyche, they fly to Olympus
11. Resolution: Zeus makes Psyche immortal, Eros and Psyche are married
    • Daughter named Hedona (Joy)