By reason whereof, after the fame of this excellent maiden was spread about in every part of the city, the citizens and strangers there being inwardly pricked by the zealous affection to behold her famous person, came daily by thousands, hundredths, and scores, to her father’s palace, who was astonied with admiration of her incomparable beauty, did no less worship and reverence her with crosses, signs, and tokens, and other divine adorations, according to the custom of the old used rites and ceremonies, than if she were the lady Venus indeed, and shortly after the fame was spread into the next cities and bordering regions, that the goddess whom the deep seas had born and brought forth, and the froth of the waves had nourished, to the intent to show her high magnificence and divine power on earth, to such as erst did honour and worship her, was now conversant among mortal men, or else that the earth and not the sea, by a new concourse and influence of the celestial planets, had budded and yielded forth a new Venus, endued with the flower of virginity.
So daily more and more increased this opinion, and now is her flying fame dispersed into the next island, and well-nigh unto 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 unto the town Paphos, nor to the isle Gyndos, 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 burnt sacrifice. For why, every person honoured and worshipped this maiden instead of Venus, 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 presented flowers and garlands in most reverend fashion.
This sudden change and alteration of celestial honour, did greatly inflame and kindle the love 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 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 that any shall bear about a false surmised shape of her person, then in vain did Paris the shepherd (in whose judgment and competence the great Jupiter had affiance) prefer me above the residue of the goddesses, for the excellency of my beauty: but she, whatever she be that hath usurped mine honour, shall shortly repent her of her unlawful estate. And by and by she called her winged son Cupid, rash enough and hardy, who by his evil manners condemning 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, who although that 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 maid 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, that without delay she may fall in love with the most miserablest 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 toward the sea.
When she came upon 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, Salita with her bosom full of fish, Palemon the driver of the Dolphin, the trumpeters of Triton, leaping hither and thither, and blowing with heavenly noise: 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 honor. She was wondered at of all, she was praised of all, but she perceived that no king nor prince, nor any one of the superior sort did repair to woo her. Everyone 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 Psyche, sitting alone at home, lamented her solitary life, and being disquieted both in mind and body, although she pleased all the world, yet hated she in herself her own beauty. Whereupon the miserable father of this unfortunate daughter, suspecting that the gods and powers of heaven did envy her estate, went to the
