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Psyche | |
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Goddess of the soul | |
![]() Psyche Abandoned by Pietro Tenerani | |
Symbol | Butterfly wings |
Genealogy | |
Parents | Unnamed king and queen[2] |
Siblings | (sisters) Aglaura and Cidippe[1] |
Consort | Eros |
Children | Hedone |
Equivalents | |
Roman equivalent | Anima |
Psyche (/ˈsaɪkiː/;[3] Greek: Ψυχή, romanized: Psykhḗ Ancient Greek: [psyːkʰɛ̌ː]; Greek pronunciation: [psiˈçi]) is the Greek goddess of the soul and often represented as a beautiful woman with butterfly wings.[4] The name Psyche means "soul" in Greek[5] and was commonly referred to as such in Roman mythology as well, though the direct translation is Anima (Latin word for "soul").[6] She was born a mortal woman and eventually granted immortality, with beauty that rivaled even Aphrodite, goddess of love.[7] Psyche is known from the novel The Golden Ass, also known as Metamorphoses, written by the Roman philosopher and orator Apuleius in the 2nd century.[8] In the myth, she was given multiple trials to be with her beloved, Eros, also known as Cupid, god of physical love and desire and son of Aphrodite.[7] The cultural influences of Psyche's story can be depicted in art dating back to the 4th century BCE.