qx-0050 · 古希腊
丘比特与普绪克
她举灯看了一眼，代价与补偿都落在她身上
原文影录
原文已校照录公版文本，不改一字。异体字与阙文一仍其旧。
出 金驴记（变形记） · 《金驴记》第四至六卷 · 译者 威廉·阿德林顿（William Adlington, 1566），据 1639 年重印本 · 核校出处
底本为古腾堡所收 Adlington 1566 年英译《The Golden Asse》，据 1639 年重印本，拼写一仍其旧（Psyches = Psyche）；…… 标示删节。
Let Psyches corps be clad in mourning weed,
And set on rock of yonder hill aloft:
Her husband is no wight of humane seed,
But Serpent dire and fierce as might be thought.
Who flies with wings above in starry skies,
And doth subdue each thing with firie flight.
The gods themselves, and powers that seem so wise,
With mighty Jove, be subject to his might,
The rivers blacke, and deadly flouds of paine
And darkness eke, as thrall to him remaine.
Thus poore Psyches being left alone, weeping and trembling on the toppe of the rocke, was blowne by the gentle aire and of shrilling Zephyrus, and carried from the hill with a meek winde, which retained her garments up, and by little and little bought her downe into a deepe valley, where she was laid in a bed of most sweet and fragrant flowers.
Shee espied likewise a running river as cleare as crystall: in the midst of the wood well nigh at the fall of the river was a princely Edifice, wrought and builded not by the art or hand of man, but by the mighty power of God: and you would judge at the first entry therin, that it were some pleasant and worthy mansion for the powers of heaven.
……
Finally, there could nothing be devised which lacked there: but among such great store of treasure this was most marvellous, that there was no closure, bolt, nor locke to keepe the same. And when with great pleasure shee had viewed all these things, she heard a voyce without any body, that sayd, Why doe you marvell Madame at so great riches? behold, all that you see is at your commandement, wherefore goe you into the chamber, and repose your selfe upon the bed, and desire what bath you will have, and wee whose voyces you heare bee your servants, and ready to minister unto you according to your desire.
All these pleasures finished, when night aproched Psyches went to bed, and when she was layd, that the sweet sleep came upon her, she greatly feared her virginity, because shee was alone. Then came her unknowne husband and lay with her: and after that hee had made a perfect consummation of the marriage, he rose in the morning before day, and departed.
……
The night following, Psyches husband spake unto her (for she might feele his eyes, his hands, and his ears) and sayd, O my sweet Spowse and dear wife, fortune doth menace unto thee imminent danger, wherof I wish thee greatly to beware: for know that thy sisters, thinking that thou art dead, bee greatly troubled, and are coming to the mountain by thy steps. Whose lamentations if thou fortune to heare, beware that thou doe in no wise make answer, or looke up towards them, for if thou doe thou shalt purchase to mee great sorrow, and to thyself utter destruction. Psyches hearing her Husband, was contented to doe all things as hee had commanded.
But he gave her a further charge saying, Beware that ye covet not (being mooved by the pernicious counsell of you sisters) to see the shape of my person, lest by your curiosity you deprive your selfe of so great and worthy estate.
Then they opened the gates of their subtill mindes, and did put away all privy guile, and egged her forward in her fearefull thoughts, perswading her to doe as they would have her whereupon one of them began and sayd, Because that wee little esteeme any perill or danger, to save your life we intend to shew you the best way and meane as we may possibly do. Take a sharpe razor and put it under the pillow of your bed; and see that you have ready a privy burning lampe with oyle, hid under some part of the hanging of the chamber, and finely dissembling the matter when according to his custome he commeth to bed and sleepeth soundly, arise you secretly, and with your bare feet goe and take the lampe, with the Razor in your right hand and with valiant force cut off the head of the poysonous serpent, wherein we will aid and assist you: and when by the death of him you shall be made safe, we wil marry you to some comely man.
When Psyches was left alone (saving that she seemed not to be alone, being stirred by so many furies) she was in a tossing minde like the waves of the sea, and although her wil was obstinate, and resisted to put in execution the counsell of her Sisters, yet she was in doubtfull and divers opinions touching her calamity. Sometime she would, sometime she would not, sometime she is bold, sometime she feareth, sometime shee mistrusteth, somtime she is mooved, somtime she hateth the beast, somtime she loveth her husband: but at length night came, when as she prepared for her wicked intent.
……
Soon after her husband came, and when he had kissed and embraced her he fell asleep. Then Psyches (somwhat feeble in body and mind, yet mooved by cruelty of fate) received boldnes and brought forth the lampe, and tooke the razor, so by her audacity she changed her mind: but when she took the lamp and came to the bed side, she saw the most meeke and sweetest beast of all beasts, even faire Cupid couched fairly, at whose sight the very lampe encreased his light for joy, and the razor turned his edge.
……
At the beds feet lay his bow, quiver, and arrowes, that be the weapons of so great a god: which when Psyches did curiously behold, she marvelling at her husbands weapons, took one of the arrows out of the quiver, and pricked her selfe withall, wherwith she was so grievously wounded that the blood followed, and thereby of her owne accord shee added love upon love; then more broyling in the love of Cupid shee embraced him and kissed him and kissed him a thousand times, fearing the measure of his sleepe. But alas while shee was in this great joy, whether it were for envy for desire to touch this amiable body likewise, there fell out a droppe of burning oyle from the lampe upon the right shoulder of the god. O rash and bold lampe, the vile ministery of love, how darest thou bee so bold as to burne the god of all fire? When as he invented thee, to the intent that all lovers might with more joy passe the nights in pleasure.
The god beeing burned in this sort, and perceiving that promise and faith was broken, hee fled away without utterance of any word, from the eyes and hands of his most unhappy wife. But Psyches fortuned to catch him as hee was rising by the right thigh, and held him fast as hee flew above in the aire, until such time as constrained by wearinesse shee let goe and fell downe upon the ground. But Cupid followed her downe, and lighted upon the top of a Cypresse tree, and angerly spake unto her in this manner: O simple Psyches, consider with thy selfe how I, little regarding the commandement of my mother (who willed mee that thou shouldst bee married to a man of base and miserable condition) did come my selfe from heaven to love thee, and wounded myne owne body with my proper weapons, to have thee to my Spowse: And did I seeme a beast unto thee, that thou shouldst go about to cut off my head with a razor, who loved thee so well? Did not I alwayes give thee a charge? Did not I gently will thee to beware? But those cursed aides and Counsellors of thine shall be worthily rewarded for their pains. As for thee thou shalt be sufficiently punished by my absence. When hee had spoken these words he tooke his flight into the aire.
……
Then Psyches fell flat on the ground, and as long as she could see her husband she cast her eyes after him into the aire, weeping and lamenting pitteously: but when hee was gone out of her sight shee threw her selfe into the next running river, for the great anguish and dolour that shee was in for the lack of her husband,
……
yet being brought in a vaine hope shee cried O Cupid take me a more worthy wife, and thou Zephyrus beare downe thy mistresse, and so she cast her selfe headlong from the mountaine: but shee fell not into the valley neither alive nor dead, for all the members and parts of her body were torne amongst the rockes, wherby she was made prey unto the birds and wild beasts, as she worthily deserved.
Neither was the vengeance of the other delayed, for Psyches travelling in that country, fortuned to come to another city where her other sister did dwel; to whom when shee had declared all such things as she told to her other sister shee ran likewise unto the rock and was slaine in like sort.
Wherefore without any further delay, she went up to an high tower to throw her selfe downe headlong (thinking that it was the next and readiest way to hell) but the tower (as inspired) spake unto her saying, O poore miser, why goest thou about to slay thy selfe? Why dost thou rashly yeeld unto thy last perill and danger? know thou that if thy spirit be once separated from thy body, thou shalt surely go to hell, but never to returne againe, wherefore harken to me;
……
but above all things have a regard that thou looke not in the boxe, neither be not too curious about the treasure of the divine beauty. In this manner the tower spake unto Psyches, and advertised her what she should do:
When Psyches was returned from hell, to the light of the world, shee was ravished with great desire, saying, Am not I a foole, that knowing that I carrie here the divine beauty, will not take a little thereof to garnish my face, to please my love withall? And by and by shee opened the boxe where she could perceive no beauty nor any thing else, save onely an infernall and deadly sleepe, which immediatly invaded all her members as soone as the boxe was uncovered, in such sort that she fell downe upon the ground, and lay there as a sleeping corps.
……
But Cupid being now healed of his wound and Maladie, not able to endure the absence of Psyches, got him secretly out at a window of the chamber where hee was enclosed, and (receiving his wings,) tooke his flight towards his loving wife, whom when he had found, hee wiped away the sleepe from her face, and put it againe into the boxe, and awaked her with the tip of one of his arrows, saying: O wretched Caitife, behold thou wert well-nigh perished againe, with the overmuch curiositie: well, goe thou, and do thy message to my Mother, and in the meane season, I will provide for all things accordingly: wherewithall he tooke his flight into the aire, and Psyches brought her present to Venus.
Incontinently after Jupiter commanded Mercury to bring up Psyches, the spouse of Cupid, into the Pallace of heaven. And then he tooke a pot of immortality, and said, Hold Psyches, and drinke, to the end thou maist be immortall, and that Cupid may be thine everlasting husband.
……
and thus Psyches was married to Cupid, and after she was delivered of a child whom we call Pleasure. This the trifling old woman declared unto the captive maiden: but I poore Asse, not standing farre of, was not a little sorry in that I lacked pen and inke to write so worthy a tale.
白话直译
逐句对应的现代汉语直译，力求不增益、不修饰。
（本层据上录 1639 年英译逐句直译，不是据拉丁原文。）
阿波罗的回答大意是：给普绪克身上穿上丧服，把她放到那边山上高高的岩石上；她的丈夫不是人类所生的东西（no wight of humane seed），而是一条可怕的蛇，凶猛得超乎想象。他带着翅膀飞在星空之上，用带火的飞行（firie flight，一解作「炽烈的飞翔」）制服一切。众神本身，以及那些看来如此明智的权能，连同强大的朱庇特，都屈从于他的力量；那些黑色的河流、痛苦的死亡之流，还有黑暗，也仍旧是他的奴隶。
就这样，可怜的普绪克独自留在岩石顶上哭、发抖，被轻柔的空气和尖啸的泽弗洛斯（Zephyrus，西风）吹起来，从山上带走；一缕温顺的风托着她的衣服，一点一点把她送下一座深深的山谷，放在一片最甜、最香的花上。
她还看见一条清得像水晶的流水；在林中、几乎就在河水落下的地方，有一座王者的建筑，不是靠人的技艺、人的手盖起来的，而是靠神的大能；你刚进门就会断定，这是天上诸神的一处美好而配得上的宅子。……最后，凡是想得出来的东西那里都不缺；而在这么多财宝里最叫人惊奇的，是这里没有一道围栏、门闩或锁把这些东西关住。她满心欢喜地把这一切看过以后，听见一个没有身体的声音说：夫人，你为什么对这么大的财富吃惊呢？看吧，你所看见的一切都在你的支配之下；所以你进卧房去，在床上歇一歇，想要什么样的浴就吩咐，你听见的这些声音都是你的仆人，随时按你的心意侍候你。
这些乐子完了，夜色临近，普绪克上床去；躺下、睡意上来的时候，她非常害怕自己的童贞，因为她是一个人。然后她那个不认识的丈夫来了，和她同床；他完整地行过婚礼之后，天没亮就起身走了。……第二天夜里，普绪克的丈夫对她说话（她能摸到他的眼睛、他的手和他的耳朵），说：我甜蜜的配偶、亲爱的妻子，命运在威胁你一种近在眼前的危险，我极愿你小心提防：你要知道，你的姐姐们以为你死了，非常不安，正顺着你的脚印到山上来。你要是碰巧听见她们的哭喊，千万不可回答，也不可抬头朝她们看；因为一回答、一看，你就会给我招来极大的痛苦，给你自己招来彻底的毁灭。普绪克听了丈夫的话，愿意照他吩咐的一切去做。
可是他又更嘱咐了一层，说：当心，不要受了姐姐们那有害的劝告，起念要看我的形貌；否则你会因为自己的好奇，失掉这么大的、这么好的一份家业。
于是她们打开了自己那机巧的心门，把一切藏着的心计都摆出来，催她顺着她们的意思走；其中一个人开口说：因为我们几乎不把什么危险放在眼里，为了救你的命，我们打算把最好的办法告诉你，能做的我们都做。拿一把锋利的剃刀，放在你床的枕头底下；还要备一盏藏着的、点着的油灯，藏在你卧房帷幔的某处；他按习惯上床、睡熟之后，你轻手轻脚起来，光着脚去拿那盏灯，右手握着剃刀，用力把那毒蛇的头砍下来，我们会帮你的忙；他一死你就安全了，我们会把你嫁给一个俊俏的男人。
普绪克独自留下时（她好像并不孤单，因为那么多复仇女神在她心里搅动），她的心像海面的浪一样翻来覆去；她的意志很固执，抗拒着去执行姐姐们的建议，可她又对自己的灾祸抱着种种犹疑不定的看法。她一会儿要，一会儿不要；一会儿大胆，一会儿害怕；一会儿怀疑，一会儿被打动；一会儿恨那头野兽，一会儿爱她的丈夫。夜里到底来了，她为那个邪恶的念头做好了准备。
丈夫随后就到了；他吻过、抱过她之后，睡熟了。于是普绪克（身体和心都有些虚弱，却被命运的残酷推动）壮起胆，把灯端出来，拿起剃刀——她就这样凭着一股胆气改变了自己的心意。可是当她端着灯走到床边，看见的是所有野兽里最温驯、最甜美的一头，就是俊美的丘比特安稳地睡在那里；他一露面，那盏灯竟欢喜得亮了几分，剃刀也卷了刃。……床脚放着他的弓、箭袋和箭，那是这么一位大神的兵器；普绪克仔细看着，一边惊叹丈夫的兵器，一边从箭袋里抽出一支箭，扎了自己一下，伤得那样重，血跟着就出来了——她由此自己给自己在爱上又加了一层爱；她更加为丘比特燃烧起来，抱住他，吻他，吻了上千次，还怕他睡不够。可是，唉，正当她在这样的大欢喜里——不知是出于妒羡，还是也想摸一摸这可爱的身子——一滴烧着的油从灯里落下来，落在这位神的右肩上。啊，鲁莽大胆的灯，爱神那卑贱的仆役，你怎么敢大胆到烧了那位掌管一切火的神？他发明你，本来是为了让所有相爱的人更快乐地度过长夜。
这位神就这样被烧着了，知道承诺和信义已经被破，一句话也没说，就从他那最不幸的妻子的眼前和手里飞走了。普绪克趁他起身时一把抓住他的右腿，牢牢抓住，任他在空中飞；直到她累得没了力气，才松手落在地上。丘比特跟着她落下来，停在一棵柏树顶上，怒气冲冲地对她说：哦，单纯的普绪克，你自己想想：我几乎不顾我母亲的命令（她本来要把你嫁给一个卑贱可怜的人），亲自从天上下来爱你，用我自己的兵器刺伤了我自己的身体，只为了娶你；我在你眼里竟像一头野兽，以至于你要拿剃刀砍下我的头？我这么爱你。我不是一直吩咐过你吗？我不是好好地劝过你当心吗？可是你那些该受咒骂的帮手和谋士，会为她们的辛苦得到应得的报偿。至于你，我的不在场就足够惩罚你了。他说完这些话，就飞进空中。……随后普绪克扑倒在地，只要还看得见丈夫，就把眼睛追着他在空中看，凄惨地哭喊；等到他从她眼里消失，她就为着失去丈夫的极大痛苦，把自己投进旁边那条奔流的河里去。……可是她被一种虚妄的希望拢住，喊道：丘比特，娶一个更配得上你的妻子吧；泽弗洛斯，把你的女主人送下去吧——说着就从山上头朝下跳了下去。她没有落到山谷里，无论死是活都没有落到：她全身的肢体碎在岩石之间，因此成了飞鸟和野兽的食物，正如她所应得的那样。
另一个也没有躲过报复：普绪克在那地方旅行，碰巧到了她另一个姐姐所住的城；她把对前一个姐姐说过的那些话又说了一遍，这个姐姐同样跑到那块岩石上去，也一样送了命。
因此她不再耽搁，爬上一座高塔，要从上面头朝下跳下去（以为这是去冥界最近、最省事的路）；可是那座塔（像是受了神的感应）对她说：哦，可怜的东西，你为什么要寻死？你为什么要鲁莽地把自己交给最后一种危险？你要知道，你的灵魂一旦和身体分开，你就一定会下到冥界，却再也回不来；所以听我说；……不过最要紧的是小心：不要往盒子里看，也不要对神的美貌太好奇。塔就这样对普绪克说了，告诉她该怎么做。
普绪克从冥界回到世上的光里，被一股强烈的欲望攫住，说：我难道是个傻子吗？明明知道自己带着的是神的美貌，却不肯取一点来打扮我的脸，好让我的爱人喜欢？她立刻打开盒子，可里面看不见美貌，也看不见别的东西，只有一场冥界的、致死的睡眠；盒子一揭开，这睡就立刻侵入她全身的关节，她倒在地上，躺在那里像一具睡着的尸首。……丘比特这时伤已经好了、病已经好了，受不了普绪克不在身边，悄悄从关着他的卧房窗口出去，（接过他的翅膀，）朝他的爱妻飞去。找到她以后，他把她脸上的睡抹掉，又装回盒子里，用一支箭的箭尖把她弄醒，说：哦，可怜的东西，看吧，你又因为过分的好奇几乎死了一次。好了，你去把该送的礼送给我母亲，这期间我会把一切都安排好。说完他就飞进空中，普绪克把礼物交给了维纳斯。
随后朱庇特立刻命令墨丘利把普绪克，也就是丘比特的配偶，带上天宫。然后他拿起一罐不死之药，说：普绪克，接过去喝了吧，好让你成为不死之身，让丘比特做你永远的丈夫。……就这样，普绪克嫁给了丘比特，后来生下一个孩子，我们叫他「快乐」（Pleasure）。这是那个多嘴的老妇人讲给被掳的少女听的；而我这头可怜的驴子就站在不远处，只因为缺笔少墨，没能把这样好的一篇故事写下来。
AI 重述
以原文为骨架的文学重述。情节与结局依原典，仅语言与叙事视角重写。
国王有三个女儿，最小的那个美得过了头。人们不再去维纳斯的庙，改去宫里看这个活人，说她就是维纳斯本人。维纳斯听见了，让儿子丘比特去罚她，要她嫁给世上最卑贱的东西。可丘比特自己动了心。
两个姐姐都嫁了国王，只有普绪克没有人敢来求亲。父亲去米利都求阿波罗的谕示，得到的回答是：给她穿上丧服，放到山岩上；她的丈夫不是凡人，是一条连神都要低头的毒蛇。婚礼办成出殡，火炬被眼泪浇灭，父母把女儿丢在崖顶就走了。
风把她托起来，轻轻放在山谷的花丛里。她醒来，看见一座不是人手造的宫殿：金柱、银墙、宝石铺地，库房里堆满财宝，却没有一把锁。有声音在她旁边说话，看不见人，替她备好浴汤和饭食，还有乐声伴奏。夜里，一个看不见的丈夫来和她同床，天不亮就走。他吩咐她：你的姐姐们以为你死了，会到山上来哭；你不许回答，也不许抬头看她们。
日子越好，她越觉得像一个没有窗的牢房。丈夫终于让步，让风把两个姐姐送来，又额外嘱咐一句：不要因为好奇，要看我的形貌。姐姐们看完这座宫殿和这些财宝，回去时心里已经装进了嫉妒。第二次来，她们带来一套话：住在这里的是一条蛇，猎人见过它在河边游水，等普绪克肚子大了，就连她带孩子一起吞掉；要活命，就趁它睡着，用一把剃刀和一盏藏好的油灯，砍下它的头。
她信了。原文把她那一刻写成海面的浪：一会儿要，一会儿不要，一时恨那只野兽，一时爱她的丈夫。夜里他睡熟，她端出灯，拿起刀。灯照见的不是蛇，是丘比特，翅膀收在肩上睡在那里；灯自己亮了一下，刀自己卷了刃。她又从箭袋里抽出一支箭，扎进自己的手指，血出来了，爱上又加了一层爱。
然后一滴灯油落在他右肩上。
他一言不发，从她眼前飞走。她抓住他的腿跟到半空，抓不住了，落在地上。他在一棵柏树顶上停下来，说：我不顾母亲的命令来爱你，你却要砍下我的头；你的姐姐们会得到报应，至于你，我的不在场就够了。她的两个姐姐后来各自爬上那块岩石，喊泽弗洛斯来接她们，都碎在石头上。
普绪克一路找丈夫，最后落到维纳斯手里做奴隶：分拣混在一起的麦子、豆子和罂粟籽，蚂蚁替她分完；去取金羊的毛，芦苇教她等羊群伏过河再动手；去取冥河的河水，鹰替她把瓶子装满；最后维纳斯要她去冥后那里讨一盒「美貌」。塔教她怎么过冥界，临了叮嘱她绝不许打开盒子。
回来的路上她打开了。盒子里没有美貌，只有一场冥界的死睡。丘比特伤好了，从关着他的窗子里出来，把睡意装回盒子，用箭尖把她扎醒，说：你又差点死在这份过分的好奇上。
他带她到朱庇特面前。朱庇特让她喝下永生的酒，命墨丘利把她领上天堂。诸神入席，美惠女神撒花，缪斯唱歌，维纳斯跳舞。她生了一个孩子，名字叫「快乐」。
按语
编纂者就该条所见母题、异文与流传所作的说明。
主母题 G01「人神婚」：神来到人间与凡人结合，凡人不得窥其真身或追问来历。副目 F02「禁看与泄密」在这条里有一个罕见的形状——禁令不是从外部加上的规矩，而是丈夫自己给出的条件：看见我，就会失去我。他要的是不被追究来历的共处；她要的是知道他到底是谁。
四处「不许看」，四种动机。qx-0040 的俄耳甫斯从冥王那里领回的条款只有一条，不许回头，而文本从头到尾不给理由：不是惩罚，也不是警告，只是一条边界，撞上就作废。qx-0041 的伊邪那岐是自己点起火去照妻子，理由由伊邪那美事后追加——「令见辱吾」，是羞耻。qx-0043 罗得的妻子被告知的理由是活命，「免得你被剿灭」，那是逃亡纪律，理由管得住脚，管不住眼睛。普绪克这一处不同：禁令有理由（失掉「这么大的一份家业」），也有明确的来源（丈夫本人），而促使她违约的不是她的怀疑——怀疑只是弹药——是两个姐姐的嫉妒。她们被风接下来，看遍宫殿和库房里的财宝，回去时心里已经装满嫉妒，合计道：如果妹妹怀的是神的孩子，传到母亲耳里，我就可以去上吊了。第二次来，她们带来一套编好的话，把阿波罗那句「你的丈夫是一条蛇」重新递到她手里。于是「看」成了社会压力下的求证动作。
求知在这里可以赎偿。这是它与其他三处最分明的差别。俄耳甫斯的回头是终局：欧律狄刻死第二次，此后只剩歌。伊邪那岐的一眼换来婚姻解除，并被换算成一项按日结算的制度：她一天绞杀一千人，他一天建一千五百座产屋。罗得之妻的一眼把她自己变成一根盐柱，成为地形。三处都是一次结清，不可挽回。普绪克犯的是同一类错，而且犯了两次——一次举灯，一次开盒——两次都被文本用同一个词定性：curiositie（好奇）。但两次都没有结清：第一次的刑罚由丘比特亲口定成「我的不在场」（sufficiently punished by my absence），是缺席，不是死亡；第二次她昏睡过去，是丘比特自己把她叫醒。她随后付出的代价是一条完整的赎偿之路：当奴隶、分拣谷粒、取金羊毛、取冥河之水、下冥界取盒，最后喝下不死之药。害人者也各有报应——两个姐姐跳崖碎在岩石上，而俄耳甫斯那一处，没有任何人被清算。差异就在这里：在希腊这一支里，看错一眼不是把人挡在门外的墙，而是把人推上一条路的起点。
这一层与全书的骨架有关。阿普列乌斯这部长篇的主角卢基乌斯，正是因为对巫术的好奇才变成一头驴，直到末尾由伊西斯解救；而在故事里，说「好奇」这个词的正是丘比特本人。普绪克（Psyche）这个名字在希腊语里就是「灵魂／呼吸」，她最后生下的孩子名叫 Voluptas/Pleasure，「快乐」。把「灵魂」安排成那个忍不住要看的人，再让她靠受苦换回位置，这不是一个惩罚故事，是一次命名。
文本问题。这段故事不是独立神话，而是小说中的小说：强盗窝里一个老妇人讲给被掳的少女卡里特听的，讲完紧接着是驴子的旁白——「只因为缺笔少墨，没能把这样好的一篇故事写下来」。它是阿普列乌斯写定的文学文本，不是民间采集记录；「与看不见的丈夫同住、违约后寻夫」这一型故事在后世民间故事里分布很广（近代的故事分类常拿它作原型），但古代成文只有这一份。本条所据为 William Adlington 1566 年英译（电子本据 1639 年重印本，拼写与标点一仍其旧），不是拉丁原文的对译本；Adlington 有时添词，例如神谕说米利都、把「Psyche」写成「Psyches」。白话层只据这份英译直译，凡英译本身可能引起误解处已在括号内注明。拉丁原文未核校，故原文层不附拉丁文，也不代它立论。