Aphrodite told her son, Cupid (also known as Eros), to shoot Psyche with his arrows and make her fall in love with a hideous beast as punishment for her beauty being worshipped instead of Aphrodite's.
Details of Aphrodite's Request:
Aphrodite was enraged by the fact that mortals were worshipping Psyche's beauty instead of worshipping her. Feeling slighted and jealous, she devised a plan to humiliate Psyche. She summoned her son, Cupid, and instructed him to:
- Use his arrows: Cupid's arrows were known for their power to incite love or aversion, depending on which arrow was used.
- Make Psyche fall in love with a hideous beast: The goal was to strip Psyche of her admired status and subject her to a loveless and miserable existence by making her fall in love with something repulsive.
This was intended to be Aphrodite's revenge on Psyche for inadvertently stealing the goddess's spotlight. However, as the story unfolds, Cupid himself ends up falling in love with Psyche, thwarting his mother's original plan.
