the golden asse-第20章

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per　her　selfe　from　indignation；　shaking　her　head　in　raging　sort；　reasoned　with　her　selfe　in　this　manner；　Behold　the　originall　parent　of　all　these　elements；　behold　the　Lady　Venus　renowned　throughout　all　the　world；　with　whome　a　mortall　maiden　is　joyned　now　partaker　of　honour　：　my　name　registred　in　the　city　of　heaven　is　prophaned　and　made　vile　by　terrene　absurdities。　　If　I　shall　suffer　any　mortall　creature　to　present　my　Majesty　on　earth；　or　that　any　shall　beare　about　a　false　surmised　shape　of　her　person；　then　in　vaine　did　Paris　the　sheepheard　（in　whose　judgement　and　competence　the　great　Jupiter　had　affiance）　preferre　me　above　the　residue　of　the　goddesses；　for　the　excellency　of　my　beauty　：　but　she；　whatever　she　be　that　hath　usurped　myne　honour；　shal　shortly　repent　her　of　her　unlawful　estate。　　And　by　and　by　she　called　her　winged　sonne　Cupid；　rash　enough　and　hardy；　who　by　his　evill　manners　contemning　all　publique　justice　and　law；　armed　with　fire　and　arrowes；　running　up　and　down　in　the　nights　from　house　to　house；　and　corrupting　the　lawfull　marriages　of　every　person；　doth　nothing　but　that　which　is　evill；　who　although　that　hee　were　of　his　owne　proper　nature　sufficiently　prone　to　worke　mischiefe；　yet　she　egged　him　forward　with　words　and　brought　him　to　the　city；　and　shewed　him　Psyches　（for　so　the　maid　was　called）　and　having　told　the　cause　of　her　anger；　not　without　great　rage；　I　pray　thee　（quoth　she）　my　dear　childe；　by　motherly　bond　of　love；　by　the　sweet　wounds　of　thy　piercing　darts；　by　the　pleasant　heate　of　thy　fire；　revenge　the　injury　which　is　done　to　thy　mother　by　the　false　and　disobedient　beauty　of　a　mortall　maiden；　and　I　pray　thee；　that　without　delay　shee　may　fall　in　love　with　the　most　miserablest　creature　living；　the　most　poore；　the　most　crooked；　and　the　most　vile；　that　there　may　bee　none　found　in　all　the　world　of　like　wretchednesse。　　When　she　had　spoken　these　words　she　embraced　and　kissed　her　sonne；　and　took　her　voyage　toward　the　sea。

When　she　came　upon　the　sea　she　began　to　cal　the　gods　and　goddesses；　who　were　obedient　at　her　voyce。　　For　incontinent　came　the　daughters　of　Nereus；　singing　with　tunes　melodiously　：　Portunus　with　his　bristled　and　rough　beard；　Salita　with　her　bosome　full　of　fish；　Palemon　the　driver　of　the　Dolphine；　the　Trumpetters　of　Tryton；　leaping　hither　and　thither；　and　blowing　with　heavenly　noyse　：　such　was　the　company　which　followed　Venus；　marching　towards　the　ocean　sea。

In　the　meane　season　Psyches　with　all　her　beauty　received　no　fruit　of　honor。　　She　was　wondred　at　of　all；　she　was　praised　of　all；　but　she　perceived　that　no　King　nor　Prince；　nor　any　one　of　the　superiour　sort　did　repaire　to　wooe　her。　　Every　one　marvelled　at　her　divine　beauty；　as　it　were　some　Image　well　painted　and　set　out。　　Her　other　two　sisters；　which　were　nothing　so　greatly　exalted　by　the　people；　were　royally　married　to　two　Kings　：　but　the　virgin　Psyches；　sitting　alone　at　home。　lamented　her　solitary　life；　and　being　disquieted　both　in　mind　and　body；　although　she　pleased　all　the　world；　yet　hated　shee　in　her　selfe　her　owne　beauty。　　Whereupon　the　miserable　father　of　this　unfortunate　daughter；　suspecting　that　the　gods　and　powers　of　heaven　did　envy　her　estate；　went　to　the　town　called　Milet　to　receive　the　Oracle　of　Apollo；　where　he　made　his　prayers　and　offered　sacrifice；　and　desired　a　husband　for　his　daughter　：　but　Apollo　though　he　were　a　Grecian；　and　of　the　country　of　Ionia；　because　of　the　foundation　of　Milet；　yet　hee　gave　answer　in　Latine　verse；　the　sence　whereof　was　this　：…

　　　　　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。

The　King；　sometimes　happy　when　he　heard　the　prophesie　of　Apollo；　returned　home　sad　and　sorrowful；　and　declared　to　his　wife　the　miserable　and　unhappy　fate　of　　his　daughter。　　Then　they　began　to　lament　and　weep；　and　passed　over　many　dayes　in　great　sorrow。　But　now　the　time　approached　of　Psyches　marriage；　　preparation　was　made；　blacke　torches　were　lighted；　the　pleasant　songs　were　turned　into　pittifull　cries；　the　melody　of　Hymeneus　was　ended　with　deadly　howling；　the　maid　that　should　be　married　did　wipe　her　eyes　with　her　vaile。　　All　the　family　and　people　of　the　city　weeped　likewise；　and　with　great　lamentation　was　ordained　a　remisse　time　for　that　day；　but　necessity　compelled　that　Psyches　should　be　brought　to　her　appointed　place；　according　to　the　divine　appointment。

And　when　the　solemnity　was　ended；　they　went　to　bring　the　sorrowful　spowse；　not　to　her　marriage；　but　to　her　final　end　and　burial。　　And　while　the　father　and　mother　of　Psyches　did　go　forward　weeping　and　crying　unto　this　enterprise；　Psyches　spake　unto　them　in　this　sort　：　　Why　torment　your　unhappy　age　with　continuall　dolour？　Why　trouble　you　your　spirits；　which　are　more　rather　mine　than　yours？　　Why　soyle　ye　your　faces　with　teares；　which　I　ought　to　adore　and　worship？　　Why　teare　you　my　eyes　in　yours？　　why　pull　you　your　hory　haires？　　Why　knocke　ye　your　breasts　for　me？　Now　you　see　the　reward　of　my　excellent　beauty　：　　now；　now　you　perceive；　but　too　late；　the　plague　of　envy。　　When　the　people　did　honour　me；　and　call　me　new　Venus；　then　yee　should　have　wept；　then　　you　should　have　sorrowed　as　though　I　had　been　dead　：　for　now　I　see　and　perceive　that　I　am　come　to　this　misery　by　the　only　name　of　Venus；　bring　mee；　and　as　fortune　has　appointed；　place　me　on　the　top　of　the　rocke；　I　greatly　desire　to　end　my　marriage；　I　greatly　covet　to　see　my　husband。　　Why　doe　I　delay？　　why　should　I　refuse　him　that　is　appointed　to　destroy　all　the　world。

Thus　ended　she　her　words；　and　thrust　her　selfe　among　the　people　that　followed。　　Then　they　brought　her　to　the　appointed　rocke　of　the　high　hill；　and　set　＇her＇　hereon；　and　so　departed。　　The　Torches　and　lights　were　put　out　with　the　teares　of　the　people；　and　every　man　gone　home；　the　miserable　Parents　well　nigh　consumed　with　sorrow；　gave　themselves　to　everlasting　darknes。

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。

Thus　faire　Psyches　being　sweetly　couched　among　the　soft　and　tender　hearbs；　as　in　a　bed　of　sweet　and　fragrant　floures；　and　having　qualified　the　thoughts　and　troubles　of　her　restlesse　minde；　was　now　well　reposed。　　　And　when　she　had　refreshed　her　selfe　sufficiently　with　sleepe；　she　rose　with　a　more　quiet　and　pacified　minde；　and　fortuned　to　espy　a　pleasant　wood　invironed　with　great　and　mighty　trees。　　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。　　For　the　embowings　above　were　of　Citron　and　Ivory；　propped　and　undermined　with　pillars　of　gold；　the　walls　covered　and　seeled　with　silver；　divers　sorts　of　beasts　were　graven　and　carved；　that　seemed　to　encounter　with　such　as　entered　in。　　All　things　were　so　curiously　and　finely　wrought；　that　it　seemed　either　to　be　the　worke　of　some　Demy　god；　or　of　God　himselfe。　　The　pavement　was　all　of　pretious　stones；　divided　and　cut　one　from　another；　whereon　was　carved　divers　kindes　of　pictures；　in　such　sort　that　blessed　and　thrice　blessed　were　they　that　might　goe　upon　such　a　pavement　：　Every　part　and　angle　of　the　house　was　so　well　adorned；　that　by　reason　of　the　pretious　stones　and　inestimable　treasure　there；　it　glittered　and　shone　in　such　sort；　that　the　chambers；　porches；　and　doores　gave　light　as　it　had　beene　the　Sunne。　　Neither　otherwise　did　the　other　treasure　of　the　house　disagree　unto　so　great　a　ma