Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche, Part B

• Venus is absolutely furious with Cupid and scolds him for falling for the very girl she meant to punish. Her friends, Juno and Ceres, defend Cupid and tell her that he is not a child anymore and can make decisions for himself.
• I could add Mars, Cupid's stepfather, in as a character in the scene rather than simply a reference.
• I could also change the story so that Venus snatched Cupid away from Psyche and is holding him hostage to keep him from her. 
•  Psyche desperately searches for Cupid, knowing that Venus is on the hunt for her,  and encounters Juno and Ceres, each at their own palace. But she is turned away when asked for their help and refuge because of their friendship with Venus. 
• I imagine her approaching each palace as if they were lined up on a street in the heavenly neighborhood of gods and demigods, which would be fun to write. 
•  Venus enlists the help of her brother Mercury, the messenger god, to proclaim the pursuit and ransom for Psyche with the reward of seven kisses. Venus's mistress found Psyche and brought her forward as a hostage.
• Venus tortured and beat Psyche and assigned her several impossible tasks, including sorting a pile of lentils and wheat, obtaining golden wool, and a phial of freezing liquid from a swamp.
•  I could change the Eagle that helps Psyche complete the task to Cupid's best friend and pet, who knows that they are lovers being kept from each other.
•  Venus is helped by a turret through the traps of the underworld and the steps necessary to obtain Persepone's beauty in the jar. 
• Instead of a turret, there could be a kind old man (who had been a mentor to Cupid and knows who Psyche is) explain all of the traps and help Psyche.
• Cupid finally escapes and discovers Psyche, who opened the jar and fell asleep, but frees her and asks Jupiter for his support.
• I could change Jupiter from being a father figure to Cupid's absolute best friend growing up, who could also list many negative and awful things that Cupid has done or they have done together.
• There is an assembly of all the deities and Jupiter officially pronounces the wedding of Cupid and Psyche. She drinks the ambrosia and becomes immortal.
• I could change it so that Psyche is actually allergic to ambrosia, causing her to be unable to drink it and become immortal, so Cupid resigns himself to mortal life on earth.  

(Wedding Banquet of Cupid and Psyche by Rafaello)

 Bibliography: Cupid and Psyche by Apulieus and translated by Tony Kline