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Psyche

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
Psyche (sī`kē), in Greek mythology, personification of the human soul. She was so lovely that Eros (Cupid), the god of love, fell in love with her. He swept her off to a beautiful, isolated castle but forbade her to look at him since he was a god. When she disobeyed, he abandoned her, but she ceaselessly searched for him, performing difficult and dangerous tasks, until at last she was reunited with him forever and made immortal.

Psyche

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Psyche, depicted with wings, classical sculpture; in the Louvre, Paris
(credit: Alinari-Art Resource/EB Inc.)
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.
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Thus I pacified Psyche and kissed her, And tempted her out of her gloom -- And conquered her scruples and gloom; And we passed to the end of the vista -- But were stopped by the door of a tomb -- By the door of a legended tomb: -- And I said -- "What is written, sweet sister, On the door of this legended tomb?
Poems by Poe, Edgar Allan View in context
Lady Wetherby, having got the Dance of Psyche out of her system, and replaced it with a glass of iced coffee, was inclined for conversation.
Uneasy Money by Wodehouse, Pelham Grenville View in context
Their names were Isis, Amphitrite, Hebe, Pandora, Psyche, Thetis, Pomona, Daphne, Clytie, Galatea and Arethusa.
The Phantom of the Opera by Leroux, Gaston View in context
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