Cupid and Venus Talk

As Cupid passed through the firmament and entered Olympus, he had two tasks. One was to talk to Venus. She would probably be a little upset that he had not done anything to Psyche. However, he was sure she would understand after he explained that Psyche was not a threat to her. The task he dreaded was talking to Apollo.

Venus was waiting anxiously in her chambers for Cupid's return, and when she heard his footsteps in the corridor, she flung open the door.

"My son!"

"Mother."

Venus had never seen such a beautiful smile on Cupid's face. "Your face tells me you must have devised something deliciously fiendish for that imposter. So tell me! What did you do to Psyche?"

Standing before his mother, seeing her look of eager anticipation, Cupid frowned as he realized that telling her might not be as easy as he had thought.

"Is something the matter?" she wanted to know. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Mother. It's just that, well, Psyche is not trying to take your place. Did you hear her prayer?"

"Of course I did," Venus snapped. "Don't tell me you believed what she said?"

"Didn't you?"

"Of course not. She's more clever than I gave her credit for. But if she thinks that little bit of acting is going to persuade me to withhold my wrath, she is mistaken!"

Cupid could not believe what he was hearing. "But Mother. I was there. I saw her as she prayed to you. She was not acting."

Venus glared at her son. "Are you telling me you didn't do as I asked?"

"I-I thought you would have changed your mind after hearing her prayer," he responded fearfully.

Venus shook her head in dismay. "I can't believe you allowed yourself to be taken in by her! But that merely shows how powerful she is. If she was able to fool you, her powers to deceive are greater than I could have imagined. Now that you know the truth, I'm sure you will do as your mother asked you to."

"Why don't you believe me?" Cupid asked with fervent sincerity. "I was there. I saw her as she prayed to you. I heard her tell her father how devoted she was to you. You have nothing to fear from her. She adores you!"

Venus gave Cupid an indulgent smile. "You may be the god of love, but you do not know the wiles and ways of women, how they can ensnare a male, even a god, it appears, by their pretenses. I know women far better than you ever will. You must not let yourself be taken in by her. Seeing the effect she has had on you, it is imperative that you make sure she never again uses her magic on god or mortal."

In all of his eternal life there had never been and never would be another moment like this one. Cupid had to choose which truth meant more to him—the truth of his love for his mother, or this new truth with its promise of a beauty that would unfold, evermore and evermore. But he did not choose truth. Cupid lied. "Of course I will do as you ask, Mother." With those words, words he had no intention of abiding by, he betrayed himself and his love for Psyche and bound himself more tightly to his mother.

Venus smiled and kissed him on the cheek, then turned and walked away, ignoring the look of sadness on his face. Cupid was disappointed that he had not been able to share with his mother this new and strange joy, this ecstatic confusion, the bewildering awe enthralling him. But he did not want to disappoint his mother. However, as he left her chambers, he was disappointed with himself for caring more about her feelings than his own.

It is fearful to merge one's spirit with that of another's. This is why the beginning of relationships can be fraught with terror. Love requires courage, and I am sad to say, Cupid was a coward. In lying to his mother, he was choosing to keep secret his soul's love. True, he kept his mother's love, but he placed himself in danger of losing something of greater value— himself. However, we must be fair to him. He was new to love. He did not know how much courage love required.

Cupid was not accustomed to emotions of disappointment and selfloathing. So he ignored these feelings that might have forced him to stand up to his mother and tell her that he loved Psyche. Instead he convinced himself that by lying, he had mollified Venus. Now he had to confront Apollo, that most formidable of the deities, who would not be as easy to handle as his mother had been.

Chapter end