The story of Psyche is known only from The Golden Ass, a novel published in the 2nd century A.D. by Roman author Lucius Apuleius. Also known as The Metamorphoses, it was written in Latin. An English translation by William Adlington was published in 1566. As Apuleius tells it, Psyche was a beautiful young woman, the daughter of a king. She became so famous for her beauty that fewer people were worshipping at the shrines of the goddess Venus. Angry, Venus told her son Cupid (known as Eros in Greek tradition) to make Psyche fall in love with someone who was worthless. The plan did not work, however. One night in a castle, Psyche was visited by Cupid. It was dark and she could not see him, but he told her that he was her husband. He visited her for several nights but did not disclose his identity, and he also made her promise never to look upon his face.

When Psyche told her sisters about her lover, they were jealous and convinced her that she had married a serpent and must kill him while he slept. Following their instructions, Psyche held a lamp over the bed and saw the beautiful Cupid for the first time.