7-较为次要的奥林波斯神

Chapter3TheGodsofOlympus(5)蔡海燕[e-mail]mpusErosTheThreeGraces(TheCharites)TheNineMusesTheThreeFatesTheThreeFuriesAeolusToday’scontent:ErosTHEGreekstoldmanywonderfulstoriesaboutEros,thesonofAphroditeandAres.TheGreeksthoughtthatErosalwaysremainedayouth,nevergrowingupastheothergodsdid.Andtheyrepresentedhimintheirpicturesasabeautifullad,withagoldenbowandaquiverfullofarrows.ThegoldenarrowTheleadenarrowAphroditeandEros(Apulianvase)TheStoryofErosandPsycheOneofthestorieswhichtheGreekslikedtotellaboutEroswasofhisloveforayounggirl,andthewayinwhichshebecameimmortalthroughit.Thisgirl’snamewasPsyche,whichmeans“soul;”herunionwithErostellsthestoryofhowLoveandSoulcametobetogether.PeopleinhercountryandoutlyingareasstoppedprayingtoAphrodite,takingPsychefortheGoddessofBeautyinstead.Enragedatthistransferenceofherhonorstoanother,AphroditecalledtoherhelpherwingedsonEros,instructedhimtomakepoorPsychefallinlovewiththeugliestmanonEarth.Therewasonceakingandqueenwhohadthreedaughters.Whilethebeautyofthetwoeldersisterswasremarkable,thatoftheyoungestwasbeyondthepowerofhumantonguetoexpress.Eroswentdowntoearthtofindher.Butwhenhedidhe,too,wasstunnedbyherbeauty.Hewassostunnedthatashelaidhisgoldenarrowonherheart,heprickedhimselfandfellinlovewithher.Heleftquietly,withoutpunishingher.AfterawhileAphroditerealizedthatherdarlingsonhadn'tquitedonehisjob,forPsychewasn'tfallingforanyone,letalonesomeonehideous.SoAphroditesentdownaspellofherownonPsyche.Assoonasthishappened,notanothersuitorknockedupontheirdoor.Herparentsgotworried.Psyche'smother,thequeen,wentofftotheOracletohearwhatwaswrong.--Psychewillnevermarryamortal.Sheshallbegiventoonewhowaitsforheronyondermountain;heovercomesGodsandmen.Itseemedthatshewasdestinedtomarryamonster.PsycheacceptedwhattheFateshaddecreedandtoldherparentstotakehertothemountainandleaveherforthebeast.Aftermanydenials,theyfinallyagreedandmostofthecountryaccompaniedhertohersupposeddeath.Asshewatchedthemleave,herheartcriedoutinsorrowandthoughshestayedfirmwithcourageshecouldnotstopthetearfromtricklingdownhercheek.Zephyr,thekindlyWestWind,sawhersorrowandboreherawaytothevalleybelowthemountain.Itwastherethatshewoke.Asitturnedout,Psychewaswafteddownintoawonderful,magicalvalleywhereallherneedsarecaredfor.Alldaylongshewandersthevalley,enjoyingthisnewhomethathasalltheconveniencesandprovidesforeverything.Everynightherbridegroomcomesthroughthewindow,andleavesbymorningsosheneverseeshim.Shebeggedhimagainandagaintocomeinthedaylight,butagainandagainhesadlyrefused,tellingherthatthedayshesawhimwasthedaytheirhappinesscametoanend.ItwasEros,ofcourse,buthecouldn'ttellherthat.Asamortal,Psychewasforbiddentolookathim.Psyche'seldersisters,whothoughttheiryoungestsisterdead,cametothecragtomournandcryatherloss.AndsoPsychebeseechesherunseenbridegroom,askinghimtoletherseehersisters.Incomingdownandraisingquestions,thesistersremindedPsychethatshewassupposedtowedaninhumanbridegroom.Theyurgedhertotakeoutthelamponenightandlookathimwhileheslept,carryingaknifethatshemightkillhimifhewasindeedamonster.Atfirstsheheldout,rememberingthewarningsofherhusband,butintheendcuriositywonout.Finally,onenightEroswenttosleepasusual,butPsycheremainedawake.Shebetrayshisadmonishmentbyliftingupthelamp.Knowingwhoherhusbandwas,shewasfilledonceagainwithloveandworship.Butinhershockherhandstrembledandshespilledsomeoftheoilontoherlover.Heawakens,hurtandangry,blamingPsychefordestroyingthesituationasitwas.Hegaveacryofgriefandthenflewoutthewindow.Psycherealizedwhatshehaddone,butshewasnotabouttogiveupherLovewhenshehadjusttrulyfoundit.ShewenttothetempleofAphroditeandhumblyofferedherprayer.ButthejealousAphroditewouldnotlookatPsycheandsaidthatifshetrulydesiredrepentenceforhersinstherewasworkenough.Aphroditegivesherthreetasksthatshemustlearntogetthrough.Thestory,then,isaboutherthreetasksandhergrowth.Asshelearnseachtask,shegrowsbeyondwhatsheknewbefore.ThefirsttaskThefirsttaskistosortalltheseedsthatareheapedupinaroom.(Thisisawonderfulmetaphorforallofthepossibilities,alloftheemotionsatthebeginningofatransitionperiod.)Inthisparticularstory,Psyche'sfirstreactiontothetaskwasdespair,andthenshesettleddowntodoitanyway.Asshewasworking,alongtrainofantscameoutofthecrackinthewall,andhelpedhersortouttheseeds.Oneseedatatime,sothatbymorningthey'vebeensorted;eachintoitsownkind.ThesecondtaskThesecondtaskistogetsomegoldenfleecefromthefierceramsofthesun,andbringittoAphrodite.Psycherealizesthat,ifshetriestograbsomefleecefromtheramsshewouldbetrampled.Asshegoesdowntotheriver,areedtellsher:Psyche,theramsareenergizedbythesun.Waituntilthesungoesdown.Thenyoucangopickfleecethattheyhavescrapedoffagainstthebushesandtrees.Gatherenoughofitforyouruseandfulfillthetask.Thewisdomofthereedtellsyoutolistentoyourownrhythms.Itadviseswhenandhowyoucangainthepowerthatyouneed,butnothaveyoursouldestroyedintheacquisition.ThethirdtaskAsherverylasttask,AphroditecommandsthatPsychemustgointotheunderworld,fillanemptyboxwithbeautyfromPersephone,thegoddessoftheunderworld,andreturnitt