Eros and Psyche were wed on Olympus after Zeus granted Psyche immortality. Their union produced a daughter, Hedone, the personification of pleasure.
Aphrodite, enraged that mortals worshipped Psyche's beauty above her own, sent Eros to curse the girl with love for a vile creature. When Eros instead married Psyche himself, Aphrodite subjected her daughter-in-law to four impossible labors — sorting grain, gathering golden fleece, filling a flask from the Styx, and descending to the Underworld for a box of Persephone's beauty.
Psyche tossed Cerberus a drugged honey cake to pass him on her descent into the underworld, following instructions to retrieve a box of Persephone's beauty for Aphrodite.
Psyche paid Charon two coins to ferry her across the Styx during her descent to the underworld — once going down and once returning — as instructed by the speaking tower.
Psyche sought Demeter's help while wandering in search of Eros. Demeter was sympathetic but refused to shelter her, fearing Aphrodite's wrath, and advised Psyche to surrender to the goddess directly.
Eros fell in love with the mortal princess Psyche and secretly married her. After Psyche broke his trust by looking upon him, Eros fled until her trials won her immortality and their reunion on Olympus.
Psyche appealed to Hera for protection during her wanderings. Like Demeter, Hera sympathized but would not defy Aphrodite, advising Psyche that she must face the goddess of love herself.
Pan found the distraught Psyche by a riverbank after Eros fled. The rustic god recognized her lovesickness and counseled her to win back Eros through prayer and devotion rather than despair.
Psyche descended to the underworld and asked Persephone for a box of her divine beauty as Aphrodite's final trial. Persephone granted the request, but the box contained deathly sleep instead.
Aphrodite's third task required Psyche to fill a crystal vessel with water from the source of the River Styx, which tumbled down unscalable cliffs guarded by sleepless dragons. An eagle of Zeus completed the task for her.
Zephyrus, the gentle West Wind, carried Psyche from the mountain crag to the hidden valley where Eros's golden palace awaited her. He served as Eros's agent in bringing his bride to their secret home.
Zeus summoned Psyche to Olympus, gave her a cup of ambrosia, and declared her immortal so that the marriage of Eros and Psyche would be equal and binding under divine law.
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