In Greek and Roman mythology, a beautiful princess who won Cupid 's love.
Her beauty was such that worshipers began to turn away from Venus , and the envious goddess commanded her son Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with the most despicable of men. But Cupid himself fell in love with Psyche and hid her in a remote place, where he visited her secretly under cover of darkness. One night she lit a lamp and discovered her lover's identity. He left angrily, and Psyche wandered the earth searching for him and was captured by Venus. After Cupid rescued Psyche, Jupiter made her immortal and gave her in marriage to Cupid.
Psyche, depicted with wings, classical sculpture; in the Louvre, Paris
Alinari-Art Resource/EB Inc.