Aidan Badhwar
Cupid and Psyche: Book IV, lines 29-32
Aidan Badhwar /
- Created on 2023-01-20 18:32:01
- Modified on 2023-02-06 18:08:40
- Translated by Unknown
- Aligned by Aidan Badhwar
Latin
English
[ 29 ] 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 praetereuntur , 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 frequenter floribus sertis et solutis adprecantur . haec honorum caelestium ad puellae mortalis cultum inmodica translatio verae Veneris vehementer incendit animos et inpatiens indignationis capite quassanti fremens altius sic secum disserit :
[ 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 Iuppiter , ob eximiam speciem tantis praetulit deabus . sed non adeo gaudens ista , quaecumque est , meos honores usurpabit : iam faxo huius etiam ipsius inlicitae formonsitatis 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 . hunc , quanquam genuina licentia procacem , verbis quoque insuper stimulat et perducit ad illam civitatem et Psychen—hoc enim nomine puella nuncupabatur— [ 31 ] coram ostendit et tota illa perlata de formositatis aemulatione fabula gemens ac fremens indignatione : ' per ego te , ' inquit , ' maternae caritatis foedera deprecor , per tuae sagittae dulcia vulnera , per flammae istius mellitas uredines , vindictam tuae parenti , sed plenam tribue et in pulchritudinem contumacem severiter vindica ; idque unum et pro omnibus unicum volens effice : virgo ista amore flagrantissimo teneatur hominis extremi , quem et dignitatis et patrimonii simul et incolumitatis ipsius Fortuna damnavit , tamque infimi ut per totum orbem non inveniat miseriae suae comparem . ' sic effata et osculis hiantibus filium diu ac pressule saviata proximas oras reflui litoris petit plantisque roseis vibrantium fluctuum summo rore calcato ecce iam profundi maris sudo resedit vertice . et ipsum quod incipit velle en statim , quasi pridem praeceperit , non moratur marinum obsequium . adsunt Nerei filiae chorum canentes et Portunus caerulis barbis hispidus et gravis piscoso sinu Salacia et auriga parvulus delphini Palaemon . iam passim maria persultantes Tritonum catervae : hic concha sonaci leniter bucinat , ille serico tegmine flagrantiae solis obsistit inimici , alius sub oculis dominae speculum progerit , curru biiuges alii subnatant . talis ad Oceanum pergentem Venerem comitatur exercitus . [ 32 ] Interea Psyche cum sua sibi perspicua pulchritudine nullum decoris sui fructum percipit . spectatur ab omnibus , laudatur ab omnibus , nec quisquam non rex , non regius , nec de plebe saltem cupiens eius nuptiarum petitor accedit . mirantur quidem divinam speciem , sed ut simulacrum fabre politum mirantur omnes . olim duae maiores sorores , quarum temperatam formonsitatem nulli diffamarant populi , procis regibus desponsae iam beatas nuptias adeptae , sed Psyche virgo vidua domi residens deflet desertam suam solitudinem aegra corporis , animi saucia , et quamvis gentibus totis complacitam odit in se suam formonsitatem . sic infortunatissimae filiae miserrimus pater suspectatis caelestibus odiis et irae superum metuens , dei Milesii vetustissimum percontatur oraculum et a tanto numine precibus et victimis ingratae virgini petit nuptias et maritum . sed Apollo , quanquam Graecus et Ionicus , propter Milesiae conditorem sic Latina sorte respondit
So
daily
more
and
more
increased
this
opinion
,
and
now
is
her
flying
fame
dispersed
into
the
next
island
,
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
perils
on
water
,
to
behold
this
glorious
virgin
.
By
occasion
whereof
such
a
contempt
grew
towards
the
goddess
Venus
,
that
no
person
travelled
to
the
town
Paphos
,
nor
to
the
isle
of
Cnidus
,
no
,
nor
to
Cythera
,
to
worship
her
.
Her
ornaments
were
thrown
out
,
her
temples
defaced
,
her
pillows
and
cushions
torn
,
her
ceremonies
neglected
,
her
images
and
statues
uncrowned
,
and
her
bare
altars
unswept
,
and
foul
with
the
ashes
of
old
burned
sacrifice
,
for
why
every
person
honoured
and
worshipped
this
maiden
instead
of
Venus
;
and
in
the
morning
at
her
first
coming
abroad
,
offered
to
her
oblations
,
provided
banquets
,
called
her
by
the
name
of
Venus
who
was
not
Venus
indeed
,
and
in
her
honour
presented
flowers
and
garlands
in
most
reverent
fashion
.
This sudden change and alteration of celestial honour did greatly inflame and kindle the mind of very Venus , who ( unable to temper herself from indignation , shaking her head in raging sort ) reasoned with herself in this manner , " Behold the original parent of all these elements , behold the Lady Venus renowned throughout all the world , with whom a mortal maiden is joined now 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 on earth , or if any shall bear about a false furnished shape of my person ! In vain did Paris that shepherd ( in whose just judgment and confidence the great Jupiter had affiance ) prefer me above the residue of the goddesses for the excellency of my beauty . But she , whatsoever she be that hath usurped my honour , shall shortly repent her of her unlawful estate .
Instantly 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 but that which is evil . Although he were of his own proper nature sufficiently prone to work mischief , yet she egged him forward with words , and brought him to the city , and showed him Psyche ( for so the maiden was called ) , and having , told the cause of her anger , not without great rage , " I pray thee , " ( quoth she ) , " my dear child , by motherly bond of love , by the sweet wounds of thy piercing darts , by the pleasant heat of thy fire , revenge the injury which is done to thy mother , by the false and disobedient beauty of a mortal maiden , and I pray thee without delay , that she may fall in love with the most miserable creature living , the most poor , the most crooked , and the most vile , that there may be none found in all the world of like wretchedness . "
When she had spoken these words she embraced and kissed her son , and took her voyage towards the sea . When she was come to the sea she began to call the gods and goddesses , who were obedient at her voice . For incontinent came the daughters of Nereus singing with tunes melodiously : Portunus with his bristled and rough beard : Salacia , with her bosom full of fish : Palemon , the driver of the dolphin , the trumpeters of Triton , leaping hither and thither , and blowing with heavenly noises . Such was the company which followed Venus marching towards the ocean sea .
In the mean season Psyche with all her beauty received no fruit of her honour . She was wondered at of all , she was praised of all , but she perceived that no king nor prince , nor any of the inferior sort , did repair to woo her . Everyone marvelled at her divine beauty , as it were at 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 Psyche , sitting at home alone , lamented her solitary life , and being disquieted both in mind and body , although she pleased all the world , yet hated she herself her own beauty .
Hereupon the miserable father of this unfortunate daughter , suspecting that the gods and powers of heaven envied her estate , went to the town called Miletus 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 Greek and of the country of Ionia , because of the foundation of Miletus , gave answer in Latin verse , the sense whereof was this :
This sudden change and alteration of celestial honour did greatly inflame and kindle the mind of very Venus , who ( unable to temper herself from indignation , shaking her head in raging sort ) reasoned with herself in this manner , " Behold the original parent of all these elements , behold the Lady Venus renowned throughout all the world , with whom a mortal maiden is joined now 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 on earth , or if any shall bear about a false furnished shape of my person ! In vain did Paris that shepherd ( in whose just judgment and confidence the great Jupiter had affiance ) prefer me above the residue of the goddesses for the excellency of my beauty . But she , whatsoever she be that hath usurped my honour , shall shortly repent her of her unlawful estate .
Instantly 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 but that which is evil . Although he were of his own proper nature sufficiently prone to work mischief , yet she egged him forward with words , and brought him to the city , and showed him Psyche ( for so the maiden was called ) , and having , told the cause of her anger , not without great rage , " I pray thee , " ( quoth she ) , " my dear child , by motherly bond of love , by the sweet wounds of thy piercing darts , by the pleasant heat of thy fire , revenge the injury which is done to thy mother , by the false and disobedient beauty of a mortal maiden , and I pray thee without delay , that she may fall in love with the most miserable creature living , the most poor , the most crooked , and the most vile , that there may be none found in all the world of like wretchedness . "
When she had spoken these words she embraced and kissed her son , and took her voyage towards the sea . When she was come to the sea she began to call the gods and goddesses , who were obedient at her voice . For incontinent came the daughters of Nereus singing with tunes melodiously : Portunus with his bristled and rough beard : Salacia , with her bosom full of fish : Palemon , the driver of the dolphin , the trumpeters of Triton , leaping hither and thither , and blowing with heavenly noises . Such was the company which followed Venus marching towards the ocean sea .
In the mean season Psyche with all her beauty received no fruit of her honour . She was wondered at of all , she was praised of all , but she perceived that no king nor prince , nor any of the inferior sort , did repair to woo her . Everyone marvelled at her divine beauty , as it were at 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 Psyche , sitting at home alone , lamented her solitary life , and being disquieted both in mind and body , although she pleased all the world , yet hated she herself her own beauty .
Hereupon the miserable father of this unfortunate daughter , suspecting that the gods and powers of heaven envied her estate , went to the town called Miletus 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 Greek and of the country of Ionia , because of the foundation of Miletus , gave answer in Latin verse , the sense whereof was this :