Hit By Cupid's Arrow

Do you believe in love at first sight? How many friends or relatives have said they met their dream guy or gal by a chance encounter of eyes meeting across the room? Perhaps Cupid played a role --shooting his arrow and finding a target.

Cupid is represented in several ways. But the best-known image of Cupid is a winged, naked boy shooting arrows to join potential lovers together. Cupid has two types of arrows he can set sail. Gold-tipped arrows are what links people in love. However, Cupid also has a devious side. He can fire lead-tipped arrows, which cause people to feel hatred. This side of Cupid is little-known.

Cupid is the son of Venus in Roman mythology. Greek myths called him Eros, and he was the son of Aphrodite. Stories say that Venus, the goddess of love and beauty became jealous with a mortal woman named Psyche. She ordered her son to punish the mortal. However, Cupid became enamored with Psyche and married her instead. But being a mortal, Psyche was not able to look at her husband. She resisted until one day her sisters persuaded her to look at him, wondering why he'd want to hide himself from her. Upon doing so, Cupid punished Psyche by leaving her and making all of their belongings vanish.

Psyche wandered looking for her lost love. She eventually came upon the temple of Venus and wanted to plead her case and apologize. However, Venus was still jealous of Psyche. Venus ordered her to complete dangerous tasks to try and win back Cupid, in an effort to destory the mortal. In one of her tasks -- a visit to Pluto in the underworld -- Psyche failed and fell under a deadly slumber. Cupid was beside himself, found Psyche and rescued her. Both Cupid and Venus forgave Psyche. Eventually the rest of the gods -- moved by Psyche's devotion -- made her a goddess.

Today Cupid is the mascot of Valentine's Day. His mischievous or devious nature is downplayed, and he is best known as an adorable matchmaker with heart-tipped arrows. You can evoke Cupid this Valentine's Day by drawing arrow-pierced hearts on steamed-up mirrors in the bathroom for your mate to discover. Or send Valentines with hearts and arrows as the theme.