Hi, everyone! This is your intro to Mythology, kind of like Mythology 101. You have questions or confusions? Just send them to me using the form at the bottom of the page, or you can email me yourself at MythologyMind@usa.net. If I can, I’ll find an answer and post it in an upcoming article. If I can’t your question might possibly wind up in Tartarus, with the Titans laughing about how dumb I am.
Most of the time, the answers will come from my own accumulation of mythological knowledge and facts, but sometimes I’ll rely on outside sources. When possible, I’ll include the source and page numbers and stuff. Most mythological stories and characters are not exactly as they appear in the Hercaverse, so for you Herc fanatics out there, please don’t start sending me hate mail! For the sake of the regular readers, I’ll try not to repeat the same info over and over, but I will try to include Greek and Roman names and how to pronounce them whenever I can. Feel free to ask me all kinds of questions! That’s how I know I’m not alone out here. I hope to hear from you soon!
MM: Psyche, like so many others you were despised by one of the gods because of your beauty. How did you manage to get through it all and become who you are today?
P: It wasn’t easy. I was living as a mortal in Rome when Venus [goddess of love, aka Aphrodite] sent Cupid to punish me. One of his arrows must have jabbed him in the back, because we just… fell in love.
MM: But things didn’t go well for the two of you, did they? Why don’t you tell us why Cupid left you and returned to Olympus?
P: As a mortal, I could never look upon his face. Do you have any idea how hard that was for me? I couldn’t stand it anymore! One day I looked at his face, and, boom, he’s outta there. Venus already hated me, and then she wanted to destroy me. She sent me to do so many tasks! Finally, the last one came. I had to take a box, unopened, to Pluto [ruler of the Underworld, aka Hades]. I never was very good at not looking, was I?
MM: So you looked into the box? Was it the box that eventually caused you to rise to Olympus?
P: Yes to both of your questions. The box caused me to go into a deep sleep that I never would have woken from, but Cupid found me and forgave me, as did his mother [Venus]. The rest of the gods thought our love was So Cute, and they made me immortal so Cupid and I could be together forever.
MM: What a great story! Are things working out for you now?
P: Yes, they are. We’re very happy together. Life is a constant state of Bliss, you might say. Except for one thing. Noelle [our editor who is really very nice] wants me to read my mail and get some answers up today! If you don’t have any more questions, I really have to go!
MM: Nope. That’s it. Thanks for sharing!
P: No problem! And you know where to go for advice when you need it, too! Just drop me a note.
You heard it from the lady herself. I hope you liked this edition of MythologyMind. It was a Roman myth, and I put in the Greek names for everyone except Psyche. I thought she had one, but I can’t find it. If I do, I’ll go ahead and post it in a later edition. For those of you who haven’t, go check out Dear Psyche and see what she has to say! And I leave you with our thought/quote of the day: "Um, guys? Olympus is *that* way."
