Immediatelie as she was going away came Juno and Ceres, demaunding the
cause of her anger. Then Venus answered, Verily you are come to comfort
my sorrow, but I pray you with all diligence to seeke out one whose name
is Psyches, who is a vagabond, 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