Eros
and Psyche
In an ancient city there lived a girl, Psyche, so beautiful that she was compared to Aphrodite. The goddess, irritated, ordered her son Eros to make the girl fall in love with the vilest man on earth. But Eros, having accidentally hit himself with his own arrow, fell in love with Psyche and married her with the condition that she would never see him. One night, the young woman looked at him and Eros ran away disappointed.
Psyche sought help from Aphrodite, who subjected her to some tests and made her fall into a deep sleep. Eros managed to wake up Psyche and take her with him to Olympus, where she became immortal. Their embrace represents eternal happiness.
Pyramus
and Thisbe
Pyramus and Thisbe, in love but opposed by their families, could only communicate with each other through a hole in the wall that divided their homes. One day, they decided to meet under a mulberry tree, but Thisbe met a lioness and ran away in fear, losing her veil.
Pyramus, finding the bloody veil, believed in the death of his beloved and took his own life with his sword. Thisbe, who returned shortly after, saw Pyramus dead and joined him with the same sword, asking the mulberry tree to produce dark red fruit to remember their immortal love, marked by a tragic fate.
Hero
and Leandro
Hero and Leandro, separated by a dangerous stretch of sea, defied the currents and hostile families to live their love. Leander dived into the troubled waters every night to reach his beloved Hero. The girl, aware of the risks that Leandro faced, showed him the route to follow with a lit candle at the top of the tower in which he lived.
One night,the candle went outand Leandro lost his bearings and his life. At the first light of dawn Hero, after waiting in vain for the arrival of her beloved, saw Leander’s body on the beach from her tower. Inconsolable, she threw herself from the tower to join him, marking the sad fate of their love.
Acamas
and Fillide
Acamas, a Greek hero traveling to Troy, fell madly in love with Fillide, princess of Thrace. The two soon had to separate: Acamante continued his journey and the young woman waited for his return for 10 years. Upon hearing the news of the fall of Troy and believing in Acamas’ death, Phyllis allowed herself to die of pain. The goddess Athena, moved, transformed the princess into an almond tree.
Al suo ritorno, Acamante abbracciò l’albero, facendolo fiorire con splendidi fiori bianchi, rivelando la presenza di Fillide al suo interno. Ogni primavera, la fioritura del mandorlo testimonia l’amore eterno ed è diventato simbolo di speranza.
Selene
and Endymion
Selene, goddess of the Moon, is the sister of Helios (god of the Sun) and Eos (god of Aurora). The three gods give light to humanity without ever meeting. One night, at sunset, Selene fell in love with a shepherd named Endymion, she followed him with her light into a cave and dazzled him with her beauty. Although she had to continue her run, she couldn’t give up seeing him again.
Chiese aiuto a Zeus, che stabilì che Endimione avrebbe dormito per sempre nella grotta, permettendo a Selene di visitarlo ogni notte. Da allora, Endimione sogna l’amore lucente di quella notte, mentre Selene continua a fargli visita, così come ogni notte la Luna illumina il nostro cielo.