Apuleius, Metamorphoses 4.29-30

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Sic immensum procedit in dies opinio , sic insulas iam proxumas et terrae plusculum provinciasque plurimas fama porrecta pervagatur : iam multi mortalium longis itineribus atque altissimis maris meatibus ad saeculi specimen gloriosum confluebant : Paphon nemo , Cnidon nemo ac ne ipsa quidem Cythera ad conspectum deae Veneris navigabant . Sacra differuntur , templa deformantur , pulvinaria proteruntur , caerimoniae negleguntur ; incoronata simulacra et arae viduae frigido cinere foedatae . Puellae supplicatur , et in humanis vultibus deae tantae numina placantur , et in matutino progressu virginis victimis et epulis Veneris absentis nomen propitiatur , iamque per plateas commeantem populi frequentes floribus sertis et solutis apprecantur . Haec honorum caelestium ad puellae mortalis : cultum immodica translatio verae Veneris vehementer incendit animos , et impatiens indignationis capite quassanti fremens altius , sic secum disserit :

4 . 30
' En rerum naturae prisca parens , en elementorum origo initialis , en orbis totius alma Venus , quae cum mortali puella partiario maiestatis honore tractor et nomen meum caelo conditum terrenis sordibus profanatur ! Nimirum communi numinis piamento vicariae venerationis incertum sustinebo , et imaginem meam circumferet puella moritura . Frustra me pastor ille , cuius iustitiam fidemque magnus comprobavit Iupiter , ob eximiam speciem tantis praetulit deabus . Sed non adeo gaudens ista , quaecumque est , meos honores usurpaverit : iam faxo eam huius etiam ipsius illicitae formositatis paeniteat ' . Et vocat confestim puerum suum pinnatum illum et satis temerarium , qui malis suis moribus contempta disciplina publica , flammis et sagittis armatus per alienas domos nocte discurrens et omnium matrimonia corrumpens impune committit tanta flagitia , et nihil prorsus boni facit .
So daily more and more increased this opinion , and now was her flying fame dispersed into the next islands and well nigh into every part and province of the whole world . Whereupon innumerable strangers resorted from far countries , adventuring themselves by long journeys on land and by great travels on water , to behold this wonder of the age . By occasion whereof such a contempt grew towards the goddess Venus , that no person travelled unto the town Paphos nor unto Cnidos , no nor to the isle Cythera to worship her . Her liturgies were left out , her temples defaced , her couches contemned , her ceremonies neglected , and her bare altars unswept and foul with the ashes of old burnt sacrifice . For why , every person honoured and worshipped this maiden instead of Venus , calling upon the divinity of that great goddess in a human form , and in the morning at her first coming abroad , offered unto her oblations , provided banquets , called her by the name of Venus which was not Venus indeed , and in her honour , as she walked in the streets , presented flowers and garlands in most reverent fashion . This sudden change and alteration of celestial honour unto the worship of a mortal maiden did greatly inflame and kindle the mind of very Venus , who ( unable to temper her head in raging sort ) reasoned with herself in this manner :


4 . 30
' Behold I , the original of nature , the first beginning of all the elements , behold I , the Lady Venus of all the world , am now joined with a mortal maiden as a partaker of my honour ; my name , registered in the city of heaven , is profaned and made vile by terrene absurdities . If I shall suffer any mortal creature to present my majesty in earth , and must be content with sharing the godhead and receiving worship through other , or that any girl that one day is to die shall bear about a false surmised shape of my person , then in vain did Paris that shepherd ( in whose just judgement and confidence the great Jupiter had affiance ) prefer me above the other great goddesses for the excellency of my beauty : but she , whatsoever she be , shall not for nought have usurped mine honour , but she shall shortly repent her of her unlawful loveliness ' . Then by and by she called her winged son Cupid , rash enough and hardy , who by his evil manners , contemning all public justice and law , armed with fire and arrows , running up and down in the nights from house to house , and corrupting the lawful marriages of every person , doth nothing ( and yet he is not punished ) but that which is evil .

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