Some goddess consorts and lovers are part of world religions and are actively worshipped today, such as Lakshmi and Vishnu and Shiva and Parvati from the Hindu tradition. They represent the "sacred marriage" between the feminine and masculine principles. Their ancient temple sculptures bless museums, but you can also find them in modern temples and religious services.
Other consorts are part of the ancient religions that became famous "myths" over time. Many mythologies describe their unions as a marriage between heaven and earth. The stories of divine lovers are as old as time, such as the story of Inanna and her descent to the underworld to rescue her fallen lover, Damuz. There are also famous stories about Isis and Osirus, Hades and Persephone, and Venus and Mar, to name a few. Their love stories are told in art and sculptures found in New York museums.
One of the most captivating ancient divine love stories is the tale of Cupid and Psyche (Eros and Psyche or Anima in Greek). Psyche, whose name means "soul," was the mortal bride of Cupid, the Roman God of love. She was granted divinity after attempting Goddess-like feats of devotion to reclaim her beloved after a nasty misunderstanding.
The image of Cupid is embedded in our collective consciousness as the representative of romantic love. In most iconic images, he is depicted as a cherub with an arched quiver. It is only when you see Psyche and Cupid together that you come to know the Love God in his fullness (less of a baby, and more of a hero and lover). In popular images of Cupid and Psyche together, he is often seen swooping her up in his arms and flying her into the heavens. She is often pictured as a young woman lost in love's embrace. (Or she looks weary and vulnerable because she has been through hell!)
These two lovers represent classic elements of favorite ancient stories about soul mates. They are the masculine and feminine merged. They are dark and hidden (Cupid) and out in the world (Psyche). And their love speaks of the bringing together heaven and earth. Their story represents a love that is meant to be — a test of faith and a willingness to do what it takes to keep their love alive brings them the reward of eternal love.
The story of Psyche and Cupid goes like this: She was a beautiful maiden who, without trying, got a lot of male attention. Angered that attention was being taken away from her, Goddess Venus, in a demonstration of the darker side of her nature, sent her son, Cupid, the love archer, to inflame Psyche with passion for an ugly, horrible man. When Cupid arrived he was "accidentally" hit by his own arrow! Inflamed by Psyche's beauty, he took her as his bride. Cupid made her promise never to look at him, or question who he was, because he knew if she set her mortal eyes upon him their relationship would have to end. They were deeply in love, but Psyche only saw her mate in the darkness, when he would come to her bed and ravish her.
She was content to have his love in the darkness, but her sisters meddled after hearing that Psyche had never seen her husband's true face. Suggesting he could be an ugly monster for all she knew, they pushed her into peeking. One night, Psyche held a candle near his sleeping figure, and found a beautiful boy beneath her gaze — but she was a little shocked to see his wings. When a bit of wax fell from her candle, it caused him to wake.
Mortified by her betrayal, Cupid fled, also making their castle and gardens vanish. Psyche found herself alone in an open field, with no signs of other beings or her beloved. She tearfully wandered in search of him until she came upon a temple of Venus. The Goddess gave her daughter-in-law a series of impossible tasks — each harder and more dangerous than the next — and informed her they were the only way to get Cupid back. Psyche took on each one with courage, hoping to soon see her lover, but in the end it was he who rescued her.
Psyche literally went to hell and back to be reunited with her beloved Cupid. The final task was to take a little box to the underworld and collect some of the beauty of Persephone, wife of Hades, in the box. She was warned not to open the box once she had filled it. Temptation got the best of her, and she opened it, only to be besieged by deadly slumber. She was out cold when Cupid came upon her, but he gathered the essence of deadly sleep from her being and put it back safely in the box. He was so touched by her willingness to go into the darkness to save their relationship that he forgave her indiscretions. She forgave him for leaving her and came alive again in his loving embrace. Even her mother-in-law, Venus, got over her jealousy.
The gods were so moved by her devotion, that they made her immortal. Cupid and Psyche went to live with the other Gods and had a daughter, Voluptas. Her name means pleasure.
- Laurie Sue Brockway
