The story of Beauty and the Beast is one of the most beloved fairy tales in the world, but did you know that it has its roots in an ancient Greek myth about Greek god Eros (known as Cupid to the Romans – the symbol of Valentine’s Day)? The myth of Eros and Psyche tells the story of a mortal princess who falls in love with the god of love, who hides his true identity from her. The similarities between the two stories are striking, and reveal how the themes of love, trust, and transformation have captivated the human imagination for centuries.

The plot of Eros and Psyche

Psyche was the youngest and most beautiful daughter of a king, whose beauty was so great that people started to worship her instead of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Aphrodite was enraged by this, and sent her son Eros, also known as Cupid, to make Psyche fall in love with the most vile and miserable creature in the world. However, when Eros saw Psyche, he was so enchanted by her that he accidentally wounded himself with his own arrow, and fell in love with her.

The Oracle’s Prophecy

Psyche, meanwhile, had no suitors, as everyone was afraid to approach her divine beauty. Her father consulted an oracle, who told him that Psyche was destined to marry a monstrous serpent, who lived on a high mountain. Psyche was dressed in funeral clothes, and left on the mountain to await her fate. There, she was carried away by the wind god Zephyr to a magnificent palace, where she heard a gentle voice that told her that he was her husband, and that she could enjoy everything in the palace, except that she could never see his face.

The Jealous Sisters

Psyche was happy with her invisible husband, who visited her only at night, and who showered her with love and gifts. However, she missed her family, and begged him to let her see her sisters. He reluctantly agreed, but warned her not to listen to their advice, or to try to see his face. Psyche’s sisters came to visit her, and were amazed by her wealth and happiness. They became jealous, and convinced Psyche that her husband was actually a horrible monster, who would devour her and her unborn child (for Psyche was pregnant by then). They told her to hide a lamp and a knife under her bed, and to look at his face when he was asleep, and to kill him if he was indeed a beast.

Psyche followed their advice, and lit the lamp when her husband was sleeping. To her astonishment, she saw that he was not a monster, but the most handsome and charming of the gods, Eros himself. She was so overcome by his beauty, that she accidentally spilled some hot oil from the lamp on his shoulder, waking him up. He saw the lamp and the knife, and realized that Psyche had betrayed his trust. He flew away from her, saying that he could not love her anymore, and that she would never see him again.

The Quest for Reunion

Psyche was heartbroken, and wandered the earth in search of her lost love. She encountered many trials and dangers, and was tested by Aphrodite herself, who still hated her. Psyche had to sort a huge pile of mixed grains, to fetch the golden wool of a fierce flock of sheep, to fill a flask with the water of a dangerous river, and to descend to the underworld to bring back a box of beauty from Persephone, the queen of the dead. She managed to accomplish all these tasks, with the help of some animals and gods, who pitied her. However, she could not resist opening the box of beauty, hoping to make herself more attractive to Eros. But the box contained only a deadly sleep, which made her fall into a coma.

Eros, who had healed from his wound, and who still loved Psyche, came to her rescue, and woke her up with a kiss. He then took her to Olympus, the home of the gods, where he pleaded with Zeus, the king of the gods, to make Psyche his immortal wife. Zeus agreed, and gave Psyche a cup of ambrosia, the food of the gods, which made her immortal. Aphrodite was reconciled with Psyche, and welcomed her as her daughter-in-law. Eros and Psyche had a daughter, named Pleasure, and lived happily ever after.

The similarities with Beauty and the Beast

The story of Beauty and the Beast, as we know it today, was first written by the French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, in 1740. She was inspired by various folk tales and legends, but also by the myth of Eros and Psyche, which she had read in a Latin translation. (SPOILER WARNING! If you continue reading you will discover some of the plot of Beauty and the Beast.) The plot of her novel is as follows:

Beauty was the youngest and most beautiful daughter of a merchant, who had lost his fortune. She had two elder sisters, who were vain and selfish, and who treated her badly. One day, the merchant received news that one of his ships had arrived, and that he might recover some of his wealth. He asked his daughters what they wanted him to bring them. The two elder sisters asked for jewels and dresses, but Beauty asked only for a rose, as none grew in their region.

The Beast punishes the merchant

The merchant set off, but found that his ship had been seized by his creditors, and that he was still poor. On his way back, he got lost in a forest, and stumbled upon a mysterious palace, where he found a table full of food and a bed to sleep in. The next morning, he saw a beautiful garden, where he plucked a rose for Beauty. As he did so, a horrible beast appeared, and told him that he had to die for stealing his rose, unless he sent one of his daughters to take his place.

The merchant was terrified, and begged for mercy. The beast agreed to let him go, on the condition that he would return in three months, with one of his daughters, who had to come willingly, or else he would kill the merchant and his whole family. The beast gave him a ring, which would transport him and his daughter to the palace, and a chest full of jewels, to ease his poverty.

Beauty meets the Beast

The merchant returned home, and told his daughters what had happened. The two elder sisters blamed Beauty, and said that she should go to the beast, since it was her fault. Beauty agreed, out of love for her father, and put on the ring. She found herself in the palace, where she met the beast, who was gentle and kind to her. He showed her around, and told her that she was the mistress of the palace, and that he would obey her in everything. He also told her that he would visit her every evening, and ask her to marry him, but that she could refuse him if she wanted.

Beauty was surprised by the beast’s behavior, and started to feel pity and gratitude for him. However, she missed her father, and asked the beast if she could visit him. The beast agreed, but told her that she had to return in a week, or he would die of grief. He gave her a ring, which would bring her back to the palace, and a magic chest, which would fill with anything she wanted.

The Jealous Sisters

Beauty went back to her father, who was overjoyed to see her. Her sisters, however, were jealous of her happiness and wealth, and tried to make her stay longer than a week, hoping that the beast would die, and that Beauty would lose everything. Beauty fell for their trick, and stayed longer than she should have. To not totally ruin the story for you here, we will not go further into the plot. For more you can watch Beauty and the Beast here online at Disney’s official website.

Eros & Psyche vs Beauty and the Beast: The differences and variations

The similarities between the two stories are obvious. Both feature a beautiful and virtuous heroine, who is sacrificed by her father to a monstrous husband, who lives in a splendid palace. Both heroines are tested by their jealous sisters, who try to ruin their happiness. They both learn to love their husbands, despite their appearance, and their love transforms them into handsome princes. And both stories also have elements of magic, such as rings, mirrors, chests, and fairies.

However, there are also some differences and variations between the two stories. For example, in the myth of Eros and Psyche, the husband is not really a beast, but a god, who conceals his identity from his wife. He also does not ask her to marry him, but to trust him. In the story of Beauty and the Beast, the husband is a real beast, who is under a curse, and who asks his wife to marry him every night.

The story of Psyche and Eros is featured in a 1999 episode of Mythic Warriors: Guardians of the Legend. Watch it below:

You can watch all 26 of the episodes of Mythic Warriors: Guardians of the Legend on YouTube. The first 13 episodes of Season 1 are below. Each episode features a different Greek myth: