馃悰Cupid & Psyche Story II
You will learn and practice in this article:
✅ Mythology
✅ Art
✅ Vocabulary
✅ Phonetics
✅ Literary style
✅ Formal writing
✅ Grammar
Picture: Original Baroque group sculpture by Bernini's school in The Summer Garden, SAINT - PETERSBURG, RUSSIA.
PART II
THE JEALOUS SISTERS
Psyche rejoiced in the love of this husband who came to her only by night; but sad were the long days to which she had to live alone.
Psyche soon wearies of her life of ease luxury, and starts to pine in her solitude. Yielding at last to her please, Cupid grants her a visit from her two sisters, though he warns her that they will cause unhappiness and makes her promise to tell them nothing about himself. A Zephyr brings her sisters to Psyche the next day.
THE JEALOUS SISTERS
Psyche rejoiced in the love of this husband who came to her only by night; but sad were the long days to which she had to live alone.
Psyche soon wearies of her life of ease luxury, and starts to pine in her solitude. Yielding at last to her please, Cupid grants her a visit from her two sisters, though he warns her that they will cause unhappiness and makes her promise to tell them nothing about himself. A Zephyr brings her sisters to Psyche the next day.
Glad was she to see them again, and not less amazed were they by the riches and adornments of her new home. But when eagerly they questioned her as to the master of all this wealth, she put them off with short answers. Her husband, she said, was a handsome young prince who stayed out all day hunting in the woods. And lest she should be tempted by their curiosity to say more, she made haste to dismiss the sisters with costly presents before the hour that should bring him to her arms.
But they, filled with envy of her good fortune, came back next day set on knowing who could be that great lord so much richer than their own husbands. With caresses they again sought to worm the secret out of her; and this time, forgetting what she had said of him before, she gave out her husband as a gray-bearded (grey in UK) merchant, whose affairs called him often away from home. Nor did the sisters fail to note how she contradicted herself, so letting them understand she had nothing to hide.
Again dismissed with rich presents, the jealous elders were hotter than ever to know the secret of Psyche’s marriage.
They guessed that this husband of hers must be no mere man, and enviously railed at her for making a mystery of his real name. So they hatched a plot, of which he was well aware, for that night he murmured in her ear.
“Dearest one, beware of thy sisters. To-morrow they will tempt thee to look on me; but that would be the end of our happiness.”
But they, filled with envy of her good fortune, came back next day set on knowing who could be that great lord so much richer than their own husbands. With caresses they again sought to worm the secret out of her; and this time, forgetting what she had said of him before, she gave out her husband as a gray-bearded (grey in UK) merchant, whose affairs called him often away from home. Nor did the sisters fail to note how she contradicted herself, so letting them understand she had nothing to hide.
Again dismissed with rich presents, the jealous elders were hotter than ever to know the secret of Psyche’s marriage.
They guessed that this husband of hers must be no mere man, and enviously railed at her for making a mystery of his real name. So they hatched a plot, of which he was well aware, for that night he murmured in her ear.
“Dearest one, beware of thy sisters. To-morrow they will tempt thee to look on me; but that would be the end of our happiness.”
With tears and kisses Psyche said she would rather die a hundred times than disobey his least wish.
Though determined to keep her secret, Psyche admits to her sisters that she has never seen her husband and does not know his name. Jealousy they put it into her mind that he is a monster who, for all his fair words, will soon devour her. She must kill him while he sleeps. Though torn between love and dread, Psyche makes ready a lamp and knife as night draws near.
As always, her husband came home with the darkness, and after embracing Psyche, lay down in bed. Curiosity now aiding dread, she made up her mind at least to see what shape he bore. When his breathing told that he was asleep, she rose to light the lamp; then holding it up in one hand and the sharp knife in the other, she stole softly to his side.
A cry had almost burst from her lips as lamp-gleam showed the sweetest and loveliest of the monsters, Cupid himself in the bloom of youthful beauty, with ambrosial locks curling about his rosy cheeks, and snow-white shoulders on which his wings were softly folded like flowers. At such a sight the knife dropped from Psyche’s trembling hand. Beside him lay his bow and quiver, whence she drew out one of the golden- tipped arrows, and in examining it pricked her finger, instantly inflaming her blood with new love for a husband no longer unseen.
Bending over this sleeping form, she would have hastily stooped to kiss him, when in her agitation she let a drop of hot oil fall from the lamp upon his shoulder. Roused by the smart, Cupid sprang up, and at a glance understood all. “Ah Psyche!- he exclaimed-, thou has ruined our love. Why listen to the treacherous sisters rather than to my warning? Now we must part for ever!.”
In tearful entreaties she sank before him, and sought to clasp his knees; but he spread his wings and flew into the air without a look of forgiveness. At the same moment, the enchanted palace vanished about her like a dream, then Psyche stood alone in the cold darkness, calling vainly for the love she had lost, with his last words ringing in her ears.
In tearful entreaties she sank before him, and sought to clasp his knees; but he spread his wings and flew into the air without a look of forgiveness. At the same moment, the enchanted palace vanished about her like a dream, then Psyche stood alone in the cold darkness, calling vainly for the love she had lost, with his last words ringing in her ears.
Ana Dom铆nguez Ruiz
Language Coach
www.analanguagecoach.com
analanguagecoach@gmail.com
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San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid
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