Proserpina Character Analysis in The Golden Ass

Proserpina is a goddess who was abducted and forced to live in the underworld. Her story isn’t recounted in The Golden Ass, but she plays a role in the story of Cupid and Psyche when Venus tasks Psyche with going to the underworld to obtain some of Proserpina’s loveliness. This is supposed to be an impossible task, but Psyche is able to achieve it.

Proserpina Character Timeline in The Golden Ass

The timeline below shows where the character Proserpina appears in The Golden Ass. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...and offers yet another challenge. She asks her to go take a box down to Proserpina in Tartarus, the underworld, and ask if Venus can have a day’s worth of Proserpina’s... (full context)

...pacify the underworld’s three-headed guard dog. This will allow Psyche to make her way to Proserpina, who will give Psyche a box that she is not allowed to open. Finally, on... (full context)

Psyche does as instructed. On the way back from Proserpina, though, she is tempted to open the box and take a tiny dab of Proserpina’s... (full context)