the golden asse-第25章

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；　and　runneth　about　the　Countries；　and　　（as　I　thinke）　you　are　not　ignorant　of　the　brute　of　my　son　Cupid；　and　of　his　demeanour；　which　I　am　ashamed　to　declare。　　Then　they　understanding　the　whole　matter；　endeavoured　to　mitigate　the　ire　of　Venus　in　this　sort　：　What　is　the　cause　Madam；　or　how　hath　your　son　so　offended；　that　you　shold　so　greatly　accuse　his　love；　and　blame　him　by　reason　that　he　is　amorous？　and　why　should　you　seeke　the　death　of　her；　whom　he　doth　fancie？　　We　most　humbly　intreat　you　to　pardon　his　fault　if　he　have　accorded　to　the　mind　of　any　maiden　：　what　do　you　not　know　that　he　is　a　young　man？　　Or　have　you　forgotten　of　what　yeares　he　is？　　Doth　he　seeme　alwayes　unto　you　to　be　a　childe？　　You　are　his　mother；　and　a　kind　woman；　will　you　continually　search　out　his　dalliance？　　Will　you　blame　his　luxury？　　Will　you　bridle　his　love？　and　will　you　reprehend　your　owne　art　and　delights　in　him？　　What　God　or　man　is　hee；　that　can　endure　that　you　should　sowe　or　disperse　your　seed　of　love　in　every　place；　and　to　make　restraint　thereof　within　your　owne　doores？　certes　you　will　be　the　cause　of　the　suppression　of　the　publike　paces　of　young　Dames。　　In　this　sort　this　goddesse　endeavoured　to　pacifie　her　mind；　and　to　excuse　Cupid　with　al　their　power　（although　he　were　absent）　for　feare　of　his　darts　and　shafts　of　love。　　But　Venus　would　in　no　wise　asswage　her　heat；　but　（thinking　that　they　did　rather　trifle　and　taunt　at　her　injuries）　she　departed　from　them；　and　tooke　her　voiage　towards　the　sea　in　all　haste。　　In　the　meane　season　Psyches　hurled　her　selfe　hither　and　thither；　to　seeke　her　husband；　the　rather　because　she　thought　that　if　he　would　not　be　appeased　with　the　sweet　flattery　of　his　wife；　yet　he　would　take　mercy　on　her　at　her　servile　and　continuall　prayers。　　And　（espying　a　Church　on　the　top　of　a　high　hill）　she　said；　What　can　I　tell　whether　my　husband　and　master　be　there　or　no？　wherefore　she　went　thitherward；　and　with　great　paine　and　travell；　moved　by　hope；　after　that　she　climbed　to　the　top　of　the　mountaine；　she　came　to　the　temple；　and　went　in；　wheras　behold　she　espied　sheffes　of　corn　lying　on　a　heap；　blades　withered　with　garlands；　and　reeds　of　barly；　moreover　she　saw　hooks；　sithes；　sickles；　and　other　instruments；　to　reape；　but　every　thing　lay　out　of　order；　and　as　it　were　cast　in　by　the　hands　of　laborers　which　when　Psyches　saw　she　gathered　up　and　put　everything　in　order；　thinking　that　she　would　not　despise　or　contemne　the　temples　of　any　of　the　Gods；　but　rather　get　the　favour　and　benevolence　of　them　all　：　by　and　by　Ceres　came　in；　and　beholding　her　busie　and　curious　in　her　chapell；　cried　out　a　far　off；　and　said；　O　Psyches　needfull　of　mercy；　Venus　searcheth　for　thee　in　every　place　to　revenge　her　selfe　and　to　punish　thee　grievously；　but　thou　hast　more　mind　to　be　heere；　and　carest　for　nothing　lesse；　then　for　thy　safety。　　Then　Psyches　fell　on　her　knees　before　her；　watring　her　feet　with　her　teares；　wiping　the　ground　with　her　haire；　and　with　great　weeping　and　lamentation　desired　pardon；　saying；　O　great　and　holy　Goddesse；　l　pray　thee　by　thy　plenteous　and　liberall　right　hand；　by　the　joyfull　ceremonies　of　thy　harvest；　by　the　secrets　of　thy　Sacrifice；　by　the　flying　chariots　of　thy　dragons；　by　the　tillage　of　the　ground　of　Sicilie；　which　thou　hast　invented；　by　the　marriage　of　Proserpin；　by　the　diligent　inquisition　of　thy　daughter；　and　by　the　other　secrets　which　are　within　the　temple　of　Eleusis　in　the　land　of　Athens；　take　pitty　on　me　thy　servant　Psyches；　and　let　me　hide　my　selfe　a　few　dayes　amongst　these　sheffes　of　corne；　untill　the　ire　of　so　great　a　Goddesse　be　past；　or　until　that　I　be　refreshed　of　my　great　labour　and　travell。　Then　answered　Ceres；　Verely　Psyches；　I　am　greatly　moved　by　thy　prayers　and　teares；　and　desire　with　all　my　heart　to　aide　thee；　but　if　I　should　suffer　thee　to　be　hidden　here；　I　should　increase　the　displeasure　of　my　Cosin；　with　whom　I　have　made　a　treatie　of　peace；　and　an　ancient　promise　of　amity　：　wherefore　I　advise　thee　to　depart　hence　and　take　it　not　in　evil　part　in　that　I　will　not　suffer　thee　to　abide　and　remaine　here　within　my　temple。　　Then　Psyches　driven　away　contrary　to　her　hope；　was　double　afflicted　with　sorrow　and　so　she　returned　back　againe。　　And　behold　she　perceived　a　far　off　in　a　vally　a　Temple　standing　within　a　Forest；　faire　and　curiously　wrought；　and　minding　to　over…passe　no　place　whither　better　hope　did　direct　her；　and　to　the　intent　she　would　desire　pardon　of　every　God；　she　approached　nigh　unto　the　sacred　doore；　whereas　she　saw　pretious　riches　and　vestiments　ingraven　with　letters　of　gold；　hanging　upon　branches　of　trees；　and　the　posts　of　the　temple　testifying　the　name　of　the　goddesse　Juno；　to　whom　they　were　dedicate；　then　she　kneeled　downe　upon　her　knees；　and　imbraced　the　Alter　with　her　hands；　and　wiping　her　teares；　gan　pray　in　this　sort　：　O　deere　spouse　and　sister　of　the　great　God　Jupiter　which　art　adored　and　worshipped　amongst　the　great　temples　of　Samos；　called　upon　by　women　with　child；　worshipped　at　high　Carthage；　because　thou　wast　brought　from　heaven　by　the　lyon；　the　rivers　of　the　floud　Inachus　do　celebrate　thee　：　and　know　that　thou　art　the　wife　of　the　great　god；　and　the　goddesse　of　goddesses；　all　the　east　part　of　the　world　have　thee　in　veneration；　all　the　world　calleth　thee　Lucina　：　I　pray　thee　to　be　my　advocate　in　my　tribulations；　deliver　me　from　the　great　danger　which　pursueth　me；　and　save　me　that　am　weary　with　so　long　labours　and　sorrow；　for　I　know　that　it　is　thou　that　succorest　and　helpest　such　women　as　are　with　child　and　in　　danger。　　　Then　Juno　hearing　the　prayers　of　Psyches；　appeared　unto　her　in　all　her　royalty；　saying；　Certes　Psyches　I　would　gladly　help　thee；　but　I　am　ashamed　to　do　any　thing　contrary　to　the　will　of　my　daughter　in　law　Venus；　whom　alwaies　I　have　loved　as　mine　owne　child；　moreover　I　shall　incurre　the　danger　of　the　law；　intituled；　De　servo　corrupto；　whereby　am　forbidden　to　retaine　any　servant　fugitive；　against　the　will　of　his　Master。　　Then　Psyches　cast　off　likewise　by　Juno；　as　without　all　hope　of　the　recovery　of　her　husband；　reasoned　with　her　selfe　in　this　sort　：　Now　what　comfort　or　remedy　is　left　to　my　afflictions；　when　as　my　prayers　will　nothing　availe　with　the　goddesses？　what　shall　I　do？　whither　shall　I　go？　　In　what　cave　or　darknesse　shall　I　hide　my　selfe；　to　avoid　the　furor　of　Venus？　　Why　do　I　not　take　a　good　heart；　and　offer　my　selfe　with　humilitie　unto　her；　whose　anger　I　have　wrought？　　What　do　I　know　whether　he　（whom　I　seeke　for）　be　in　his　mothers　house　or　no？　Thus　being　in　doubt；　poore　Psyches　prepared　her　selfe　to　her　owne　danger；　and　devised　how　she　might　make　her　orison　and　prayer　unto　Venus。　　After　that　Venus　was　weary　with　searching　by　Sea　and　Land　for　Psyches；　shee　returned　toward　heaven；　and　commanded　that　one　should　prepare　her　Chariot；　which　her　husband　Vulcanus　gave　unto　her　by　reason　of　marriage；　so　finely　wrought　that　neither　gold　nor　silver　could　be　compared　to　the　brightnesse　therof。　Four　white　pigeons　guided　the　chariot　with　great　diligence；　and　when　Venus　was　entred　in　a　number　of　sparrowes　flew　chirping　about；　making　signe　of　joy；　and　all　other　kind　of　birds　sang　sweetly；　foreshewing　the　comming　of　the　great　goddesse：　the　clouds　gave　place；　the　heavens　opened；　and　received　her　joyfully；　the　birds　that　followed　nothing　feared　the　Eagle；　Hawkes；　or　other　ravenous　foules　of　the　aire。　Incontinently　she　went　unto　the　royall　Pallace　of　God　Jupiter；　and　with　a　proud　and　bold　petition　demanded　the　service　of　Mercury；　in　certaine　of　her　affaires；　whereunto　Jupiter　consented：　then　with　much　joy　shee　descended　from　Heaven　with　Mercury；　and　gave　him　an　earnest　charge　to　put　in　execution　her　words；　saying　：　O　my　Brother；　borne　in　Arcadia；　thou　knowest　well；　that　I　（who　am　thy　sister）　did　never　enterprise　to　doe　any　thing　without　thy　presence；　thou　knowest　also　how　long　I　have　sought　for　a　girle　and　cannot　finde　her；　wherefore　there　resteth　nothing　else　save　that　thou　with　thy　trumpet　doe　pronounce　the　reward　to　such　as　take　her：　see　thou　put　in　execution　my　commandment；　and　declare　that　whatsoever　he　be　that　retaineth　her　wittingly；　against　my　will　shall　not　defend　himselfe　by　any　meane　or　excusation：　which　when　she　had　spoken；　she　delivered　unto　him　a　libell；　wherein　was　contained　the　name　of　Psyches；