Lesson 3: Stories of Love

Love and tragedy feature strongly in Greek mythology, often in the same tales. For Ancient
Greeks, love was a fascinating emotional and mental condition. It’s no accident that in the
Greek language, especially ancient Greek, there are not just one, nor two, but eight different
words for love, each signifying a different aspect of affection for others and ourselves.

It is unsurprising, then, that ancient Greek mythology is full of powerful stories about love. In
fact, Greek mythology stories about love are often designed with lessons about human nature.

Throughout history, every culture has developed its own formula for the ideal love story.
Nowadays, most of our favorites start with “Once upon a time…” and end with a happily ever
after. But these stories differ greatly from those that came before them, especially if we are
talking about Greek mythology - their great love stories rarely end well. You may ask yourself,
what is the point? Let us first look at some of the most famous lovers in Greek mythology.

Here, we look at the most intense love stories and their not-so happy endings.

Love Stories in Greek Mythology

Ancient Greek myths are roller-coaster adventures. The characters often go through 'hero
cycles', where they have to overcome adversity to achieve a goal, only to find that they don't
live happily after at the end. This is particularly so with the classic love stories from Greek
mythology. These stories more often than not have a tragic ending, which is perhaps thought of
as unusual nowadays. To the ancient Greeks though, this was simply the cycle of life. Each man
and woman has to pass through different emotions and passions during their journey, and the
Greek Myths reflected this.

I. CUPID AND PSYCHE

The mention of Cupid typically conjures up images of a cherubic infant wielding a

bow and arrow, but this wasn’t always the case. Long before the Romans adopted
and renamed him—and way before his associati on with Valenti ne's Day—Cupid was
known to the Greeks as Eros, the handsome god of love.

One of the first authors to mention Eros (circa 700 B.C.) was Hesiod, who described
him in “Theogony” as one of the primeval cosmogonic deiti es born of the world egg.
But later accounts of the lineage of Eros vary, describing him as the son of Nyx and
Erebus; or Aphrodite and Ares; or Iris and Zephyrus; or even Aphrodite and Zeus—
who would have been both his father and grandfather.
Armed with a bow and a quiver filled with both golden arrows to arouse desire and
leaden arrows to ignite aversion, Eros struck at the hearts of gods and mortals and
played with their emotions. In one story from  ancient Greek mythology, which was
later retold by Roman authors, Cupid (Eros) shot a golden arrow at Apollo, who fell
madly in love with the nymph Daphne, but then launched a leaden arrow at Daphne
so she would be repulsed by him. 

The story of Cupid and Psyche comes to us from the ancient Roman novel "Metamorphoses" by
Apuleius, which was written in the latter half of the second century CE.

The great Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite (or Venus in Latin), was born from the
foam near the island of Cyprus, for which reason she is referred to as "the Cyprian." Aphrodite
was a jealous goddess, but she was also passionate. Not only did she love the men and gods in
her life, but her sons and grandchildren, as well. Sometimes her possessive instincts led her too
far. When her son Cupid found a human to love—one whose beauty rivaled hers—Aphrodite
did all in her power to thwart the marriage.

The Mystery about Cupid

Unfortunately for the young couple, Cupid and Psyche, Aphrodite was not the only one trying to
foul things up. Psyche had two sisters who were as jealous as Aphrodite.

Cupid was a wonderful lover and husband to Psyche, but there was one odd thing about their
relationship: He made sure Psyche never saw what he looked like. Psyche didn't mind. She had
a fulfilling life with her husband in the dark, and, during the day, she had all the luxuries she
could ever want.

When the sisters learned about the luxurious, extravagant lifestyle of their lucky, beautiful
sister, they urged Psyche to pry into the area of his life that Psyche's husband kept hidden from
her.

Cupid was a god, and, as beautiful as he was, he did not want his mortal wife to see his form.
Psyche's sister didn't know he was a god, although they may have suspected it. However, they
did know that Psyche's life was much happier than theirs. Knowing their sister well, they preyed
on her insecurities and persuaded Psyche that her husband was a hideous monster.

Psyche assured her sisters they were wrong, but since she'd never seen him, even she started
having doubts. Psyche decided to satisfy the girls' curiosity, and so one night, she used a candle
to look at her sleeping husband.
Cupid Deserts Psyche

Cupid's divine form was exquisite, and Psyche stood there transfixed, staring at her husband
with her candle melting. While Psyche dawdled, a bit of wax dripped on her husband. Her
abruptly awakened, irate, disobeyed, injured husband-god flew away.

"See, I told you she was a no-good human," said mother Aphrodite to her convalescing son
Cupid. "Now, you'll have to be content among the gods."

Cupid might have gone along with the separation, but Psyche couldn't. Impelled by the love of
her beautiful husband, she implored her mother-in-law to give her another chance. Aphrodite
agreed, but there were conditions.

The Epic Trials of Psyche

Aphrodite had no intention of playing fair. She devised four tasks (not three as is conventional
in mythic hero quests), each task more exacting than the last. Psyche passed the first three
challenges, but the last task was too much for her. The four tasks were:

1. Sort a huge mount of barley, millet, poppy seeds, lentils, and beans. Ants (pismires) help
her sort the grains within the time allotted.
2. Gather a hank of the wool of the shining golden sheep. A reed tells her how to
accomplish this task without being killed by the vicious animals.
3. Fill a crystal vessel with the water of the spring that feeds the Styx and Cocytus. An eagle
helps her out.
4. Aphrodite asked Psyche to bring her back a box of Persephone's beauty cream.

Going to the underworld was a challenge for the bravest of the Greek mythical heroes.
Demigod Hercules could go to the underworld with ease, but human Theseus had trouble and
had to be rescued by Hercules. Psyche, however, was confident when Aphrodite told her she
would have to go to the most dangerous region known to mortals. The voyage was easy,
especially after a speaking tower told her how to find the entryway to the underworld, how to
get around Charon and Cerberus, and how to behave before the underworld queen.

The part of the fourth task that was too much for Psyche was to bring back the beauty cream.
The temptation was too great to make herself more beautiful—to use the cream she procured.
If the perfect beauty of the perfect goddess Aphrodite needed this underworld beauty cream,
Psyche reasoned, how much more would it help an imperfect mortal woman? Thus, Psyche
retrieved the box successfully, but then she opened it and fell into a deathlike sleep, as
Aphrodite had secretly predicted.
Reunion and Happy Ending to the Myth of Cupid and Psyche

At this point, divine intervention was called for if the story were to have an ending that made
anyone really happy. With Zeus' connivance, Cupid brought his wife to Olympus, where, at
Zeus's command, she was given nectar and ambrosia so she would become immortal.

On Olympus, in the presence of the other gods, Aphrodite reluctantly reconciled with her
pregnant daughter-in-law, who was about to give birth to a grandchild Aphrodite would
(obviously) dote on, named Voluptas in Latin, or Hedone in Greek, or Pleasure in English.

Activity 1: Vocabulary Development

Choose 5 words that you learned from all your readings on the story of Cupid and Psyche
(Edith Hamilton’s book and from the net) and use them in sentences. (10 pts)

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Activity 2: Answer the following questions.

1. Using your own words, summarize in 5 sentences the story of Cupid and Pysche. (15pts)

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2. What does the myth of Psyche seem to say about love? Is love something beyond our
control or something we earn? Is it based on physical attraction or something deeper?
Explain. (10 pts)

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Activity 3: Diary/ Journal Entry

Imagine that you are one of the immortals and you're trying to decide if you should help Psyche and risk
getting Venus mad at you. (Remember that Venus is very powerful -- more powerful than you!) Write an
imaginary diary or journal entry about what you are thinking of doing or what you hope will happen. ( 20
pts)

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Activity 4: Imagine that you have been chosen as Best Man or Maid of Honor at Cupid and Psyche’s
wedding, and it’s up to you to make some remarks about the happy couple. Write a short, kind speech
that talks about what they’ve been through and your good wishes for their happy future. (20 pts)
Activity 5: Newspaper Activity

Psyche went through a lot of sacrifice to achieve her goal. Look in the Sports section for a story about an
athlete who has worked hard to make a team, win a game or overcome an injury. Can you find stories
elsewhere in the paper about people who have put in extra effort to accomplish something when other
people might have given up? Share here. (50pts)
II: PYRAMUS AND THISBE

There once lived in Babylonia two lovers named Pyramus and Thisbe, who were separated by a
strange misfortune. For they lived in connected houses, and although their parents had
forbidden them to marry, these two had found a means of talking together through a crack in
the wall.

Here, again and again, Pyramus on his side of the wall and Thisbe on hers, they would meet to
tell each other all that had happened during the day, and to complain of their cruel parents.
Eventually, they decided that they could endure it no longer and they would leave their homes
and be married, no matter what. They planned to meet, on a certain evening, by a mulberry-
tree near the tomb of King Ninus, outside the city gates. Once safely met, they were resolved to
elope together.

So far all went well. At the appointed time, Thisbe, heavily veiled to disguise herself, managed
to escape from home unnoticed, and after a secret journey through the streets of Babylon, she
came to a garden of mulberry trees near the tomb of Ninus. The place was deserted, and once
there, she took off the veil from her face to see if Pyramus waited anywhere among the
shadows. She heard the sound of footsteps and turned to see—not Pyramus, but a creature
unwelcome to any rendezvous—none other than a lioness crouching to drink from a pond
nearby.

Without a cry, Thisbe fled, dropping her veil as she ran. She found a hiding place among the
rocks at some distance, and there she waited, not knowing what else to do.

The lioness, having quenched her thirst after some violent meal, turned from the spring and,
coming upon the veil, sniffed at it curiously, tore and tossed it with her bloody jaws,—as she
would have done with Thisbe herself,—then dropped the plaything and walked away to the
forest once more.

It was but a little after this that Pyramus came hurrying to the meeting place, breathless with
enthusiasm to find Thisbe and tell her what had delayed him. He found no Thisbe there. For a
moment he was puzzled. Then he looked about for some sign of her, some footprint by the
pool. There was the trail of a wild beast in the grass, and nearby a woman’s veil, torn and
stained with blood; he picked it up and knew it was Thisbe’s.

So she had come at the appointed hour, true to her word; she had waited there for him alone
and defenseless, and she had been eaten by some beast from the jungle! As these thoughts
rushed upon the young man’s mind, he could endure no more.

“Was it to meet me, Thisbe that you came to such a death?” he cried. “And I followed all too
late. But I will pay. Even now I come late, but I promise it wasn’t my fault!”

As he said this, the poor youth drew his sword and fell upon it, there at the foot of that
mulberry tree which he had named as the rendezvous point, and his blood ran over the roots.
During these very moments, Thisbe, hearing no sound and a little reassured, had left from her
hiding-place and came to the edge of the forest. She saw that the lioness had left the spring,
and, eager to show her lover that she had dared all things to keep faith, she came slowly, little
by little, back to the mulberry tree.

She found Pyramus there, according to his promise. His own sword was in his heart, the empty
sheath by his side, and in his hand he still held her veil. Thisbe saw these things as if she were in
a dream, and suddenly the truth awoke her. She saw the tragic misfortune of all, and when the
dying Pyramus opened his eyes and fixed them upon her, her heart broke. With the same sword
she stabbed herself, and the lovers died together.

There the parents found them, after an exhausting search, and they were buried together in the
same tomb. But the berries of the mulberry tree turned red that day, and red they have
remained ever since.

Activity 1: Vocabulary Development

Choose 5 words that you learned from all your readings on the story of Pyramus and Thisbe
(Edith Hamilton’s book and from the net) and use them in sentences. (10 pts)

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Activity 2: Answer the following questions.

1. Using your own words, summarize in 5 sentences the story of Pyramus and Thisbe. (15
pts)
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2. Using a Venn diagram, Compare and contrast Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to
Pyramus and Thisbe. On the first circle, write 4 facts about the story of Romeo and Juliet
and on the 2nd circle, write 4 facts about Pyramus and Thisbe. In the middle, write 4 facts
in which they are the same. (25 pts)

Romeo and Juliet Pyramus and Thisbe

Similarities
1. 1.
1.
2. 2.
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3. 3.
3.
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4.
Activity 3: Story Rewriting: Rewrite the story and its ending. Create your own title. (50pts)
 III. ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE
Orpheus was a legendary musician, poet, and prophet in ancient Greek
religion and myth. It is not told where he met his wife and how he courted her, but it
is known that no maiden Orpheus desired could have resisted the power of his
music. Sadly immediately after the wedding as Eurydice, his wife, walked in the
meadow with her bridesmaids, a viper stung her and she died. Orpheus' grief was so
great that he vowed to go down to the world of death and try to bring Eurydice back.
He traveled to the underworld and by his music softened the hearts of Hades and
Persephone (he was the only person ever to do so), who agreed to allow Eurydice to
return with him to earth on one condition: he should walk in front of her and not look
back until they both had reached the upper world. He set off with Eurydice following,
and, in his anxiety, as soon as he reached the upper world, he turned to look at her,
forgetting that both needed to be in the upper world, and she vanished for the
second time, but now forever.

Activity 1: Vocabulary Development

Choose 5 words that you learned from all your readings on the story of Orpheus and
Eurydice(Edith Hamilton’s book and from the net) and use them in sentences. (10 pts)

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Activity 2: Answer the following questions.

1. Using your own words, summarize in 5 sentences the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. (15
pts)
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2. What is the moral of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice?

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3. What is the main theme of the story? Explain.

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4. What does the story reveal about the concepts of gods?

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 5. What does the story reveal about the Greeks?

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6. What is the purpose in writing the story? Explain.

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IV: Ceyx and Alcyone

The lovely Alcyone was the daughter of Aeolus, the Greek god of the wind, and her mother was
either Enarete or Aegiale. She was the devoted wife of Ceyx, King of Trachis, in central Greece.
Ceyx ruled his kingdom with justice and in peace. Alcyone and Ceyx were admired by gods and
mortals alike for their great physical beauty, as well as the profound love they had for each
other.

They were so happy in their marriage that they used to often playfully call one another Zeus
and Hera. This infuriated the chief of the gods who regarded it an audacity. Zeus waited for the
proper time to punish the arrogant couple who dared to make themselves comparable to gods.

Ceyx was still in mourning over his brother's death and deeply troubled over some ominous
signs that had observed. So, he decided to consult the oracle of Apollo at Carlos in Ionia
(Western Anatolia). Alcyone, however, tried to dissuade her husband from his decision to travel
through the dangerous seas to consult the oracle.

She reminded him of the danger from the fury of the winds which even her father, the god of
the winds, often found difficult to control: she put pressure over her husband to take her along
with him. But Ceyx wouldn't put his beloved wife through unnecessary danger. Alcyone
watched with a bad feeling as the ship carrying her husband was getting away from the
harbour.

The punishment
Zeus, the chief god, decided this was an opportune time to punish the couple for their sacrilege.
He launched a thunderbolt that raised a furious hurricane engulfing the ship which began to
sink.

Ceyx realized that the end had come for him and, before he got drowned, he prayed to the
gods to allow his body be washed ashore so as to enable his beloved Alcyone to perform the
funeral rites. As Ceyx gasped his last breath, his father Esophorous, the morning star, watched
helplessly, shrouding his face with clouds, unable to leave the heavens and rescue his son.

The atonement

The lovely Alcyone waited for her husband for a long time, praying continually to the gods,
especially Hera, queen of the gods, for the safe return of Ceyx. Hera felt profound sorrow for
the tragic fate of Ceyx. She sent her messenger Iris, goddess of the rainbow, to look for Hypnos,
the god of Sleep and comforter of the afflicted, to whom was assigned the mission of gently
informing Alcyone about the death of her husband. Hypnos, in his turn, entrusted the mission
to his son Morpheus, an expert in forming apparitions.

Morpheus created a life-like specter of Ceyx which revealed to Alcyone the tragic circumstances
concerning the shipwreck and death of her husband. In profound grief, Alcyone ran to the
seashore beating her breasts and tearing her garments. She suddenly beheld the body of a man
that had been washed ashore. Coming closer, she realized it was the body of her beloved Ceyx.
After performing the last rites and unable to continue living without her husband, Alcyone
threw herself into the sea and got drowned, determined to join her husband in the land of the
dead.

The gods on Olympus were profoundly affected by the tragic fate of Alcyone and Ceyx, as well
as their wonderful love for one other which not even the frosty hands of death could
extinguish. In order to atone for his rash action that was responsible for this tragedy, Zeus
transformed the couple into the Halcyon birds (kingfisher).

The myth lives till today through a phrase

The phrase halcyon days owes its origin to this beautiful myth of Alcyone and Ceyx. According
to the legend, for two weeks every January, Aeolus, father of Alcyone, calms down the winds
and the waves so that Alcyone, in the form of a kingfisher bird, can safely make her nest on the
beach and lay her eggs. Hence, the term "halcyon days" comes to signify a period of great
peace and calm.
Activity 1: Vocabulary Development

Choose 5 words that you learned from all your readings on the story of Ceyx and Alcyone
(Edith Hamilton’s book and from the net) and use them in sentences. (10 pts)

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Activity 2: Answer the following questions.

Using your own words, summarize in 5 sentences the story of Ceyx and Alcyone. (15 pts)

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Activity 3: Create your own concept of Halcyon Days. This might be in the form of drawings,
collage, poem, doodle, bricolage, bullet journal, dream board and others. (50pts.)
V: Pygmalion and Galatea

The story of Pygmalion and Galatea is quite known and popular till nowadays. Pygmalion, a
famous sculptor, falls in love with his own creation and wishes to give this creation life. This
simple and imaginary concept is actually the basis from a psychological understanding of male
behaviour and wish. This nice myth is considered as the depiction of the masculine need to rule
over a certain woman and to inanimate his ideas into a female living creature. The modern
concept of Pygmalion is thought as a man who "shapes" an uncultivated woman into an
educated creature.

The Strange Sculptor

Pygmalion was a sculptor par excellence, a man who gave to every one of his ivory a life-like
appearance. His deep devotion to his art spared him no time to admire the beauty of women.
His sculptures were the only beauty he knew. For reasons known only to him, Pygmalion
despised and shunned women, finding solace only in his craft. In fact, he was so condemning to
women that he had vowed never to marry.

Falling in Love with his Own Creation

One fine day, Pygmalion carved the statue of a woman of unparalleled beauty. She looked so
gentle and divine that he could not take his eyes off the statue. Enchanted with his own
creation, he felt waves of joy and desire sweeping over his body and in a moment of inspiration
he named the figurine, Galatea, meaning "she who is white like milk". He draped over her the
finest of cloths and bedecked her with the most dazzling of ornaments, adorned her hair with
the prettiest of flowers, gave to her the choicest of gifts and kissed her as a sign of adoration.
Pygmalion was obsessed and madly in love with his creation. The spell the lifeless woman cast
on him was too much to resist and he desired her for his wife. Countless were the nights and
days he spent staring upon his creation.

The Realization of his Dream

In the meanwhile, the celebration of goddess Aphrodite was fast approaching and preparations
were well under way. On the day of the festival, while making offerings to goddess Aphrodite,
Pygmalion prayed with all his heart and soul, beseeching the goddess that she turns his ivory
figurine into a real woman. Touched by his deep veneration, Aphrodite went to the workshop
of Pygmalion to see this famous statue by herself. When he looked upon the statue of Galatea,
she got amazed by its beauty and liveliness. Looking better at it, Aphrodite found that Galatea
looked like her in beauty and perfection, so, satisfied, she granted Pygmalion his wish.

Upon returning home the master-sculptor went straight to Galatea, full of hope. At first, he
noticed a flush on the cheeks of the ivory figurine but slowly it dawned upon him that
Aphrodite had heard his pleas. Unable to restrain himself, he held Galatea in his arms and kept
her strongly. What had been cold ivory turned soft and warm and Pygmalion stood back in
amazement as his beloved figurine came into life, smiling at him and speaking words of
admiration for her creator.

Their love blossomed over the days and before long, wedding vows were exchanged between
the two lovers with Aphrodite blessing them with happiness and prosperity. The happy couple
had a son, Paphos, who later founded the city of Paphos in Cyprus. Some say that Pygmalion
and Galatea also had a daughter, Metharme. The bottom line is that the couple lived happily
ever after.

The Influence of the Myth on the Arts

The story of Pygmalion and Galatea was made famous by Ovid in his famous work,
Metamorphoses. However, the name Galatea was ascribed to the figurine only in the 18th
century and gained prominence through Jean-Jacque Rousseau's opera, Pygmalion (1762).
Another famous work that is based on this myth is the play "Educating Rita", written by Willy
Russel in 1980. The story of the two lovers has been portrayed by many famous painters.
Furthermore, we can't but observe the similarity between the story of Galatea and the fable of
Pinocchio, the wood-carved boy who was brought to life by a fairy-lady because of a man's wish
to have children.

Activity 1: Vocabulary Development

Choose 5 words that you learned from all your readings on the story of Pygmalion and
Galatea (Edith Hamilton’s book and from the net) and use them in sentences. (10 pts)

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Activity 2: Using your own words, summarize in 5 sentences the story of Pygmalion and
Galatea. (15 pts)

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Activity 3:

In education, the terms “Pygmalion Effect’ and “Galatea Effect” were coined. Discuss
comprehensively each and give ways how they be implemented as an approach in teaching.

A. Pygmalion Effect(25 pts)

 B. Galatea Effect

VI: Daphne

This charming myth talks about the platonic love of god Apollo for the beautiful nymph Daphne.
It is said that Daphne was the first love of Apollo but unfortunately the girl never responded his
love. It was not usual or possible for a nymph or a mortal woman in the Greek mythology to
resist to the love of a god, but Daphne did so and in fact, she lost her life trying to escape this
love.

Trying to Win her Love

The myth says that once Apollo, the god of light and poetry, found Eros, who is nowadays
known as Cupid, dealing with his bows and arrows. Eros was using bows to struck people into
love. Apollo had just won Python, a horrible earth-dragon that was living in the area of Delphi,
and had got so arrogant from his victory that he abruptly told Eros to leave war-like weapons to
mighty gods like him and stick to his own pastimes, devaluing his duty to inflate love and
passion to others.

This infuriated the headstrong Eros who decided to take his revenge on the audacious Apollo.
Eros climbed on a rock of Mt Parnassus and unleashed two arrows: one sharp and gold-tipped
and another blunt and lead-tipped. The sharp, gold-tipped arrow pierced the heart of Apollo
inflaming his love for Daphne, a beautiful nymph, daughter of the river god Peneus, while the
blunt, lead-tipped arrow struck the nymph creating an intense aversion for love in the her
heart.

She was constantly rejecting the love of the glorious Apollo, despite his repeated pleadings and
cajoleries. She similarly detested all the other men who were trying to get her. It is said that
Leucippus, a handsome man, had been so desperate to win Daphne that he disguised himself
into a girl and mixed her company. However, the nymphs understood his trickery and killed
him.

The Escape

In the meanwhile, Apollo was persistently pursuing Daphne. The poor girl, in order to escape
from him and to protect his virginity, pleaded for help from her father, Peneus (or from Mother
Earth, according to another version), who drew back to Daphne's prayers and transformed the
nymph into a nice short plant with excellent smell.

This plant was the laurel, which is called "Daphne" is Greek, after the nymph's name. Apollo
was heart-broken at the loss of Daphne and to remember her forever, he made the laurel the
symbol of tribute to poets. The laurel became therefore the symbol of the god. Note that
Pythia, the priestess in the oracle of Delphi, was chewing leaves of laurel to communicate with
Apollo and give her prophesies to people.

Activity 1: Vocabulary Development

Choose 5 words that you learned from all your readings on the story of Daphne (Edith
Hamilton’s book and from the net) and use them in sentences. (10 pts)

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Activity 2: Using your own words, summarize in 5 sentences the story of Daphne. (15 pts)

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Activity 3: Answer the following questions.

1. What customs are explained in the story?

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2. If you were Cupid, do you think you would have made the same choice? Why or why
not?
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3. If you were in Apollo’s place, how might you have handled the situation? Explain.

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4. If someone liked you but you don’t like him or her, how would you handle the
situation?

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Activity 4: Create your own coat of arms from symbols that represent your personality
and interests.

1. Students will write at least four personality traits or hobbies.

2. Beside each trait or hobby they should write an idea or sketch a symbol they could use to
represent it. Symbols are things that stand for something else. A lion is sometimes a
symbol of courage, and a heart is a symbol of love. Think about what makes them special:
Do you like to read? Maybe a book could be one of your symbols. Are you a good friend?
What could symbolize friendship? (Perhaps a handshake.)
3. With your writing and sketching as your guide, create a coat of arms incorporating your
personal symbols. You may choose to have the four symbols separated into quadrants or
combine them into a singular design.
4. Create your own title.