Cupid has long played a role in the celebrations of love and lovers.
He is known as a mischievous, winged child, whose arrows who would pierce
the hearts of his victims causing them to immediately fall deeply in love.
In ancient Greece he was known as Eros the young son of Aphrodite, the
goddess of love and beauty.
To the Roman's he was Cupid; his mother Venus and father Jupiter(Zeus). He
was a lively youth who delights in pranks and spreading love. He was
worshiped equally to Venus and in some sects considered more powerful.
In another interpritation he is the son of Nyx and Erebus and know for debauchery.
Another legend tells the story of Cupid and the mortal maiden, Psyche. Venus
was jealous of the beauty of Psyche, and ordered Cupid to punish the mortal.
But instead, Cupid fell deeply in love with her. He took her as his wife, but as
a mortal she was forbidden to look at him. Psyche was happy until her sisters
convinced her to look at Cupid. Cupid punished her by departing. Their lovely
castle and gardens vanished with him and Psyche found herself alone in an
open field. As she wandered to find her love, she came upon the temple of
Venus. Wishing to destroy her, the goddess of love gave Psyche a series of
tasks, each harder and dangerous than the last. For her last task Psyche was
given a little box and told to take it to the underworld. She was told to get some
of the beauty of Proserpine, the wife of Pluto, and put it in the box. During her
trip she was given tips on avoiding the dangers of the realm of the dead. And
also warned not to open the box. Temptation would overcome Psyche and she
opened the box. But instead of finding beauty, she found deadly slumber Cupid
found her lifeless on the ground. He gathered the sleep from her body and
put it back in the box. Cupid forgave her, as did Venus. The gods, moved by
Psyche's love for Cupid made her a goddess.
