Cupid is the most famous of Valentine symbols.
Usually symbolized by two hearts pierced by an arrow,
"Cupids Arrow"
According to Roman mythology Cupid was the son 
of the goddess of love, Venus. He is known as a 
mischievous winged boy armed with bow and arrows. 
The arrow signifies the desire of love. Those struck by 
one of his arrows tipped in gold, the person was said to 
have fallen madly in love with the first person they saw.
Cupid was the keeper of his own fate. One time he
pricked himself with one of his arrows and fell in love 
with a mortal princess, the beautiful Psyche. He married
her and kept her in his castle and visited her only at night.
Yet she remained happy and content until her sisters 
talked her into looking at Cupid. One night she crept into 
his room and was so startled by Cupids beauty she 
accidentally woke him. Cupid told Psyche that being a 
mortal if she would ever look at him he would 
punish her by leaving. 
In her despair she went to visit Venus. Who was very 
jealous of the beautiful princess and had requested that 
Cupid, before he fell in love with her himself, make her 
fall in love with an ugly person as punishment. 
Psyche begged to see Cupid again. 
Venus gave her three hard tests and the last one 
killed her. She was to take a box to the underworld 
and get some of the beauty of Plutos' wife, Proserpine.
She was told not to look in the box but again she was 
tempted and opened it. 
There she found a deadly slumber.
Cupid finding Psyche brought her back to life and went 
to his father, Jupiter, to beg that he make Venus forgive 
them both. Doing this Jupiter also granted Psyche 
immortality and made her a Goddess. 
Cupid represents the heart. Psyches' tasks and sorrow 
represent the struggles and sorrows of the human soul.



     
The wounded Cupid. Song.
Anacreontea (Anonymous c.100 BC-600 AD) 
Translated by Robert Herrick (1591-1674)     
 
    Cupid as he lay among 
    Roses, by a Bee was stung. 
    Whereupon in anger flying 
    To his Mother, said thus crying; 
    Help! O help! your Boy's a dying. 
    And why, my pretty Lad, said she? 
    Then blubbering, replyed he, 
    A winged Snake has bitten me, 
    Which Country people call a Bee. 
    At which she smil'd; then with her hairs 
    And kisses drying up his tears: 
    Alas! said she, my Wag! if this 
    Such a pernicious torment is: 
    Come, tel me then, how great's the smart 
    Of those, thou woundest with thy Dart! 
 


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Tag Info
Abduction of Psyche
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
In this painting, Bouguereau depicted the beautiful, 
mortal woman, Psyche being carried off by her 
immortal lover Cupid, also known in Mythology 
as the God of Love.  The two figures delicately 
entwined, give a feeling of "oneness".