(Reading) Notes to Self: Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche

Psyche Served by Invisible Spirits by Luca Giordano. Found on wikimedia.
Psyche's Beauty and the Anger of Venus 
This story is being told within a separate narrative, bookended with the tale of a kidnapped young girl being comforted during her ordeal with this story. I'm focusing in on the beginning of the story, because I think something really different and fun could be done here. Psyche is the youngest of three sisters and the most beautiful. People are speechless in her presence. People begin worshipping her instead of Venus, leading Venus to despise her. Venus asks her no good, trouble making son Cupid to do something about it, avenge her. According to her plan and wishes, Psyche would fall in love with the worst guy possible- ugly, not money, no social standing, pretty much useless. 
What if this was told through duel perspectives? Venus furious about this young upstart taking her place, people going to see her rather than worshiping in the temples of Venus. Her son doesn't follow her directions and is instead running around amuck causing issues. She is the goddess of love and beauty, but her son is seemingly toying with the former, while this you little upstart is taking the latter. She is a goddess on the verge, just beginning to lose it. Her realm is being taken and devalued with this encroachment, and what is a god or goddess if they are not worshiped, if they have no control over their sectors. 
Psyche lonely and separate from the rest of humanity by her beauty. Psyche can't even have a decent conversation with anyone but her family because her mere presence strikes them mute. She can have no friends; everyone is in awe of her or jealous of her, and no one regards her as a human being. There could be so much character building and exploration with either one of these women, and that could be an interesting story.

Author's Note: This week I'm focusing on Psyche and Cupid. The story Psyche's Beauty and the Anger of Venus is a part of Apuleius's Golden Ass, as translated by Tony Kline (2013).

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