Venus Looks for Psyche

Having been betrayed by her own son and laughed at by Ceres and Juno, there remained only one individual Venus could trust to help her find Psyche, but she needed Jupiter's permission.

Jupiter was the god of gods, the highest of the high, the boss, the CEO, Big Daddy, and anything else along those lines you might want to add. He lived in a palace at the center of a complex of buildings. Here was where all the business of Olympus and Earth was recorded. This was also the place where the deities came together for monthly meetings to discuss what was happening on Earth and what they should do about those events of which they disapproved.

Because he was who he was, Jupiter knew all that had taken place between Cupid and Psyche. And, if the truth be known, he was a little upset with himself that he had somehow overlooked a young woman that beautiful. And if Cupid didn't stop acting like a mama's boy fairly soon, Jupiter would not hesitate to let Psyche know how much pleasure her beauty gave him.

He looked out the window and saw Venus making her way across the plaza. She was probably on her way to ask him to do something about Psyche. He was disappointed that Venus was so angry. He wanted to tell her it was time to let her son grow up, but Venus was too angry to listen to reason. The only person who could make Venus change her behavior was the very one sitting in his chambers feeling sorry for himself. If Cupid could not stand up to his mother, Jupiter would accomplish nothing by doing it for him.

Just then the guards at the doors to the throne room announced, "Lord Jupiter! The goddess Venus requests an audience with you."

"Admit her at once!"

Venus walked rapidly across the long marble floor to Jupiter, who sat on his golden throne.

"Father!"

"My daughter! It is good to see you, as always. What brings you here today?"

"I come seeking your permission."

Jupiter raised his thick brows. "If you are asking my permission for something, it must be a matter of great and grave importance."

"Nothing has ever been more important to me."

"Please continue."

"I am asking for the services of Mercury, the town crier of Olympus, to help me in a matter of urgency."

Jupiter wanted to ask what it was she wanted Mercury to do, but he decided that the less he knew, the better. "So it shall be. Your request is granted."

"Thank you, Father." Venus hurried from the room.

"Thank you, Father." Venus hurried from the room.

Of all the gods, Mercury was the only one who did not have a palace. The reason was simple: he was always so busy flying from one end of Olympus to the other, delivering messages, he would not have had time to spend in a palace had he had one. Instead, he generally spent the night at whichever palace he delivered the last message of the day. Everyone was always happy to have Mercury as an overnight guest, because he knew the best gossip on Olympus and on Earth. Down there, on Earth, the Four Winds went everywhere and saw and heard everything and were always happy to share anything they knew. The deities loved Mercury because he was not shy about telling everything he knew about anyone.

As Venus walked down the steps from Jupiter's palace, she wondered where she was going to find Mercury. He could be anywhere on Olympus or down on Earth. And even if he was on Olympus, he flew so fast it was hard to see him sometimes.

Venus had just reached street level when who should appear at her side but Mercury.

"You're just the one I was coming to look for," Venus said, smiling.

Those walking by at that moment and seeing the smile Venus gave Mercury had all the proof they thought they needed to confirm the rumor that Mercury was Cupid's father. But there were many others who were convinced the father was Mars. This is a matter I would pursue further if the story wasn't telling me it's not important who Cupid's father was. I'm not convinced that's true, but if I stop and argue the matter, the story will go on without me, and I can't have that.

"Oh, I know," Mercury answered. "I've been waiting for you to ask for my services."

"Oh?"

"The first time I saw that little hussy Psyche, I knew she was going to be trouble. Never in all eternity would I have thought Cupid would permit her to rule his heart. And I am outraged that she allowed mortals to believe she had come to replace you! How dare she!"

Venus smiled. At least one of the gods understood. "I'm glad you feel the way you do. What I want you to do is simple: go down to Earth and announce that I will give a reward to the person who finds Psyche."

"And what shall I say the reward is?"

"A kiss from my lips."

Mercury raised his eyebrows. "I can't imagine you bestowing a kiss on some dirty peasant."

"Juno forbid! I will tell any lie I need to in order to get my hands on Psyche."

"Would you consider a kiss or two, or more, for your coconspirator in this enterprise?" he asked flirtatiously.

"Well, after this affair between Psyche and my son is settled, I will be more than happy to show you how grateful I am. And as you know, I have a weakness for a god with wings."

Mercury blushed. "Then, the longer I linger here, the longer it is until this sordid affair between your son and Psyche ends." With those words, he flew down to Earth.

Mercury's feet were hardly on the ground before he shouted, "Yo! Listen up! Everybody! Listen up."
People gathered around him quickly.

"The goddess Venus is offering a reward to the person who captures Psyche and takes her to the goddess's temple."

"What's the reward?" someone in the crowd wanted to know.

Mercury's face lit up. "Ah, yes. The reward. The reward is a kiss from the mouth of Venus herself."

The thought of receiving kisses from Venus excited some in the crowd, but not most. They were being asked to betray Psyche. That was a lot to ask of them. But they were not sure she was still alive. The last time they had seen her, she was on her way to the top of the mountain, where, they were convinced, she met her death at the hands of her monster husband. But Triple A (remember him, the inventor of sunglasses?) said he thought he had seen her wandering through the countryside, except that the sad and distraught figure he had seen looked more like a ghost than a person.

Just then a woman called out, "That's who that was! Earlier today I saw someone I thought was her but I said to myself, 'Can't be Psyche. She's dead.' But now that you mention it, I believe it was her!"

"Where did you see her?" Mercury wanted to know.

"She was coming out of the grove where Juno's temple stands."

The crowd did not have to go far along the road to Juno's temple before they came upon Psyche sitting beneath a tree.

The young woman they saw bore only a faint resemblance to the Psyche they had known. Where Psyche's hair had been silken straight and shone with blackness, this young woman's hair was dull and lay in tangles like brambles down her back. Where Psyche's face had glowed, this young woman's face was dirty. Where Psyche's eyes had gleamed with life, this young woman's eyes looked as if she had tasted the most bitter dregs of sorrow.

"Why do you stare so with your mouths agape? Do you not recognize me?" Psyche asked, standing up. "I am the one who, not too long ago, you thought was more beautiful than Venus. Look on me and see what happens when one incurs the wrath of a deity."

The crowd was silent. They were ashamed that they had once lain awake at nights gazing at the image of Psyche they carried in their minds.

However, a few in the crowd saw that Psyche's beauty had not been taken from her. It had merely been transformed. To them she seemed more beautiful than ever because the challenges of living were writing themselves on her face.

Triple A stepped out of the crowd and bowed before Psyche. "My lady, please forgive me," he began. "We have no desire to turn you over to Venus, not even for a kiss from her lips. But what the gods command, we mortals must do."

"I am weary of this ordeal. I am ready to meet my fate," Psyche responded firmly.

Chapter end