THE STORY OF
EROS & PSYCHE
THE STORY OF
EROS & PSYCHE
(RETOLD FROM APULEIUS)
TOGETHER WITH SOME EARLY VERSES
BY
EDWARD CARPENTER
LONDON: GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN LTD.
RUSKIN HOUSE, 40 MUSEUM STREET, W.C. 1
First published in this form in 1923
(All rights reserved)
Printed in Great Britain by
UNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED, THE GRESHAM PRESS, LONDON AND WOKING
CONTENTS
| PAGE | |
| INTRODUCTORY NOTE | [9] |
| THE STORY OF EROS AND PSYCHE | [13] |
| ———— | |
| IN A CANOE | [55] |
| THE ARTIST TO HIS LADY | [58] |
| APHRODITE | [60] |
| SCHRECKHORN | [65] |
| THE VEILED ISIS | [67] |
| THE TIDE | [71] |
| SUMMER LIGHTNING | [72] |
| IN THE GRASS: BY A MONAD | [75] |
| THE WORLD-SPIRIT | [79] |
| TO A FRIEND | [83] |
| BY THE MOUTH OF THE ARNO | [86] |
| AS ROUND A LIGHTHOUSE | [87] |
| THE COMPLAINT OF JOB (CHAP. III) | [89] |
| THE EVERNEW | [93] |
| ON A CRUCIFIX | [94] |
| THE GREAT PEEPSHOW | [99] |
| THE FELLOWSHIP OF HUMANITY | [106] |
| THE FELLOWSHIP OF SUFFERING | [108] |
| THE ANGEL OF DEATH—AND LIFE | [110] |
| SONNETS: | |
| GENOA | [117] |
| BEETHOVEN | [118] |
| IN MORTEM. F. D. MAURICE | [119] |
| WILLIAM SMITH: AUTHOR OF “THORNDALE” | [120] |
| INSCRIBED ON A GRAVE | [121] |
| DEATH | [122] |
| SINCE, IN THINE HOUR OF SORROW | [123] |
| SEVERANCE | [124] |
| IT SHALL BE | [125] |
| WALDSTEIN SONATA. BEETHOVEN | [126] |
THE STORY OF EROS AND
PSYCHE
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
Tho’ the story of Eros and Psyche is alluded to by various earlier writers, our only source for its details is, I believe, in that animated and amusing romance, the Golden Ass of Apuleius; where it occurs as an Episode, and where it is told at considerable length and with elaboration.
Apuleius was a Roman citizen of Madaura in N. Africa, and was born about 130 A.D. He inherited a large sum of money from his father, and after spending much of it in extensive travels, settled down ultimately to a literary life at Carthage, where he was held in great honor. He had an inquiring adventurous turn of mind and character, uniting a thorough enjoyment of life with a tendency to mysticism and oriental speculation (the theosophy of the time), which shows itself in his works. He is said to have been initiated in the ‘mysteries’ of various religious fraternities.
The story of Eros and Psyche (or Cupid and Psyche as he calls it) probably came to Apuleius thro’ Greek channels; but it seems to be one of those world-old fables to which it is difficult to assign a date or locality, and which owing to some hidden pregnancy of meaning are graciously received in all ages and places. In this respect Eros and Psyche may be compared with Cinderella and with the Sleeping Beauty, to both of which stories it shows considerable resemblance both in detail and meaning.
Cinderella the cinder-maiden sits unbeknown in her earthly hutch;
Gibed and jeered at she bewails her lonely fate;
Nevertheless youngest-born she surpasses her sisters and endues a garment of the sun and stars,
From a tiny spark she ascends and irradiates the universe, and is wedded to the prince of heaven.
To what extent Apuleius may have amplified and elaborated the material that came to him, it would be impossible to say. As a writer he is full of invention, humour, lively wit and varied learning and experience; but his style is often overloaded and affected; and the Story as told by him is somewhat involved and laborious in places.
In re-telling the story I have taken the liberty (while adhering to his outlines) of using Greek instead of Latin names for the divinities, also of cutting down the details and transposing and slightly varying a few items—with the view of rendering the whole more transparent, so to speak.
For the conduct of Aphrodite, however, who is represented as ‘bawling’ and brawling in so undignified a way Apuleius is alone responsible!
Here and there I have adopted a phrase from the excellent translation in Bohn’s “Classics.” For the rest, there is a prose paraphrase of the story by Mr. Walter Pater in Marius, and one in verse by Mr. Robert Bridges, which may be consulted by those interested in the subject.
As to the “Early Verses” here reprinted with Eros and Psyche, they are selected from a small volume entitled Narcissus and other Poems, which was published by Henry S. King & Co. in 1873 (i.e. some fifty years ago). I was at that time at Cambridge, and I vividly remember the care and even anxiety with which—following the ideals then and there current—I launched these first attempts at verse. Nor is it impossible that as specimens of the work of that period they may (notwithstanding their juvenile character) present even now some points of interest.