4.) Describe Psyche's funeral-marriage. How is the sadness of the occasion underlined?
Psyche's funeral marriage is very dismal. First of all, it's intended for her to be taken away by some "vipereum malum" (line 14), which is not the most pleasant thing. There are also many more authorial choices setting the sad and gloomy atmosphere of her funeral marriage. Her mother and father "lamentantur dies plurimos" (line 16), putting the foundation down for the reader's sympathy for them. In addition, the torch that was supposed to light the way in the happy marriage procession "atro cinere marcescit", another very dismal and literally dark effect. On top of this, nobody is happily singing during the procession but the marriage hymn finishes in "lugubris ululatus", which more pity emerges from. And, personally, the most upsetting and flat out depressing part of this chapter that most definitely underlines the sadness of her funeral marriage, Psyche wipes her tears with her own veil! "puella nuptura deterget lacrimas ipso suo flammeo" (line 20). Also, Psyche does not get ready for a marriage but she attends to "exsequias suas". Being called a funeral marriage, it is to be expected that it will not be a very happy occasion. Apuleius definitely gets the point across that this is sad: there is crying, everybody is described as "miser" or "misella" or any other synonym for sad, and poor Psyche has to wiper her tears with her veil while preparing for her last rites, not even a marriage.
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