“You know, if he weren't so fierce, he could stay with us!Why can't he just be a nice sheep?”
"Nay, nay, have a care, Psyche. This flock has not the gentle ways of sheep. While the sun burns aloft, they are themselves as fierce as flame; but when the shadows are long, they go to rest and sleep, under the trees; and you may cross the river without fear and pick the golden fleece off the briers in the pasture."
Ψυχη, Psyche (Greek for “soul”) looked at her invisible lover, the god Έρως, Eros (Greek for “spiritual love”) while he slept, using a lamp concealed in a pottery jar. For this, she lost her invisible palace as well as her lover, and had to search the world over until she could find him again. The mother of Eros was the goddess Αφροδιτη, Aphrodite (Greek goddess of romantic love), who set Psyche to several tasks, impossible to fulfill without divine help. This help was given her, secretly, by Eros who still loved her and wanted her to find him. One of the tasks was to bring tufts of wool from a flock of golden sheep, Μηλοι Χρυσεοι, Meloi Chryseoi, sheep that were too fierce to be approached by mortals. She listened to the advice of the naiads (nymphs, Greek for “brides”) who told her to wait until night when they dozed. Then she could cross the stream and gather tufts of their wool off the thorns. Psyche followed their advice and in the end was reunited with Eros.
Ψυχη, Psyche (Greek for “soul”) looked at her invisible lover, the god Έρως, Eros (Greek for “spiritual love”) while he slept, using a lamp concealed in a pottery jar. For this, she lost her invisible palace as well as her lover, and had to search the world over until she could find him again. The mother of Eros was the goddess Αφροδιτη, Aphrodite (Greek goddess of romantic love), who set Psyche to several tasks, impossible to fulfill without divine help. This help was given her, secretly, by Eros who still loved her and wanted her to find him. One of the tasks was to bring tufts of wool from a flock of golden sheep, Μηλοι Χρυσεοι, Meloi Chryseoi, sheep that were too fierce to be approached by mortals. She listened to the advice of the naiads (nymphs, Greek for “brides”) who told her to wait until night when they dozed. Then she could cross the stream and gather tufts of their wool off the thorns. Psyche followed their advice and in the end was reunited with Eros.
There are sheep, and then there are golden sheep.
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