Psyche and Eros

Despite myself, I felt a flicker of curiosity. For so long I had hidden away from the other gods, fearing how they might demand use of my gift. But perhaps love was never meant to be bestowed on gods; after all, immortality meant living forever with the consequences of one’s actions. Perhaps what had been a curse among the gods might turn into a blessing among mortals. A shorter life might mean keener joys. Hadn’t Kronos and Gaia been happy for a little while?

So I tried my arrows on mortals and waited to see the results. I watched as love exalted the lowly and rendered the dull incomparably beautiful, making fragile lives sublime. But my hope soon faded. Just as it had been with gods, love also had the power to destroy in the same swift stroke. It turned the humans jealous and mournful and violent. In the end, I had only given them a new kind of madness.

But soon I realized that in humanity’s hands, desire spread like wildfire. Love sprang up, persistent as a weed, in places I had never sown my arrows, in the hearts of mortals I ha

So I tried my arrows on mortals and waited to see the results. I watched as love exalted the lowly and rendered the dull incomparably beautiful, making fragile lives sublime. But my hope soon faded. Just as it had been with gods, love also had the power to destroy in the same swift stroke. It turned the humans jealous and mournful and violent. In the end, I had only given them a new kind of madness.

But soon I realized that in humanity’s hands, desire spread like wildfire. Love sprang up, persistent as a weed, in places I had never sown my arrows, in the hearts of mortals I had never even seen.

The moon set and the sun rose, and day followed night as surely as Zeus chased after nymphs and lesser goddesses. My boredom grew unbearable. I was sure I had seen everything worth seeing, every marvel this world had to offer.

Then came humanity.