Cupid and Psyche is a story originally from
Metamorphoses (also called
The Golden Ass), written in the 2nd century AD by Lucius
Apuleius Madaurensis (or Platonicus). It concerns the overcoming of obstacles to the love between Psyche (, , "Soul" or "Breath of Life") and
Cupid (Latin
Cupido, "Desire") or Amor ("Love", Greek
Eros ’′Ερως), and their ultimate union in a
sacred marriage. Although the only extended narrative from
antiquity is that of Apuleius, Eros and Psyche appear in
Greek art as early as the 4th century BC. The story's
Neoplatonic elements and allusions to
mystery religions accommodate multiple interpretations, and it has been analyzed as an
allegory and in light of
folktale,
Märchen or
fairy tale, and
myth.