This book contains five versions of the story of Cupid and Psyche (re)written by five different authors who lived during the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. They have been arranged chronologically, but, depending on your purpose, you might want to skip o read in a different order.
Bulfinch’s version is the oldest and probably the most let’s say neutral. It is a good way to have a general idea of the myth, and it is appropriate also for children (in which case you might want to skip the last part with references and external poems).
The versions by Peabody and Lang are also appropriate for children, but for them the best version is the one by Winder, which is narrated in a way more similar to a fairy tale and is divided into two parts: in the first one, the story is told from beginning to end; the second one elaborates on Psyche’s labors and her descent to the Underworld.
By the way, if you liked Winder’s style, you can get her whole book, with all the 25 stories, on my website: https://latinfromscratch.com/winder — available in paperback, Kindle, pdf…
Lastly, Hutchinson’s version is more appropriate for teenagers and grownups, not only because of its length, but also its style, more similar to a normal novel.
In any case, please double-check by reading yourself in advance before reading with your children.
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Paco
