Chapter 23

NOVEMBERNOVEMBER1But Aphrodite to the house of ZeusBeing bound, bade beckon out her milkwhite steeds,Four doves, that ready to her royal useIn golden cages stood and peck’d the seeds:Best of the nimble air’s high-sailing folkThat wore with pride the marking of her yoke,And cooed in envy of her gentle needs.2These drew in turn her chariot, when in stateAlong the heaven with all her train she fared;And oft in journeying to the skiey gateOf Zeus’s palace high their flight had dared,Which darkest vapour and thick glooms enshroudAbove all else in the perpetual cloud,Wherethro’ to mount again they stood prepared,3Sleeking their feathers, by her shining car;The same Hephæstos wrought for her, when he,Bruised in his hideous fall from heaven afar,Was nursed by Thetis, and Eurynomè,The daughter of the ever-refluent main;With whom he dwelt till he grew sound again,Down in a hollow cave beside the sea:4And them for kindness done was prompt to serve,Forging them brooches rich in make and mode,Earrings, and supple chains of jointed curve,And other trinkets, while he there abode:And none of gods or men knew of his home,But they two only; and the salt sea-foamTo and fro past his cavern ever flow’d.5’Twas then he wrought this work within the cave,Emboss’d with rich design, a moonèd car;And when return’d to heaven to Venus gave,In form imagined like her crescent star;Which circling nearest earth, maketh at nightTo wakeful mortal men shadow and lightAlone of all the stars in heaven that are.6Two slender wheels it had, with fretted tiresOf biting adamant, to take firm holdOf cloud or ether; and their whirling firesThrew off the air in halo where they roll’d:And either nave that round the axle turn’dA ruby was, whose steady crimson burn’dBetwixt the twin speed-mingling fans of gold.7Thereon the naked goddess mounting, shookThe reins; whereat the doves their wings outspread.And rising high their flight to heaven they took:And all the birds, that in those courts were bred,Of her broad eaves the nested families,Sparrows and swallows, join’d their companiesAwhile and twitter’d to her overhead.8But onward she with fading tracks of flameSped swiftly, till she reacht her journey’s end:And when within the house of Zeus she came,She pray’d the Sire of Heaven that he would lendHermes, the Argus-slayer, for her hest;And he being granted her at her request,She went forthwith to seek him and to send.9Who happ’d within the palace then to waitUpon the almighty pleasure; and her taleWas quickly told, and he made answer straightThat he would find the truant without fail;Asking the goddess by what signs her slaveMight best be known, and what the price she gaveFor capture, or admitted for the bail.10All which he took his silver stile to writeIn letters large upon a waxèd board;Her age and name, her colour, face and height,Her home, and parentage, and the reward:And then read o’er as ’twas to be proclaim’d.And she took oath to give the price she named,Without demur, when Psyche was restored.11Then on his head he closely set his capWith earèd wings erect, and o’er his kneeHe cross’d each foot in turn to prove the strapThat bound his wingèd sandals, and shook freeHis chlamys, and gat up, and in his handTaking his fair white-ribbon’d herald’s wand,Lept forth on air, accoutred cap-a-pè.12And piloting along the mid-day sky,Held southward, till the narrow map of CreteLay like a fleck in azure ’neath his eye;When down he came, and as an eagle fleetDrops in some combe, then checks his headlong stoopWith wide-flung wing, wheeling in level swoopTo strike the bleating quarry with his feet,13Thus he alighted; and in every townIn all the isle before the close of dayHad cried the message, which he carried down,Of Psyche, Aphrodite’s runaway;That whosoever found the same and caught,And by such time unto her temple brought,To him the goddess would this guerdon pay:14Six honied kisses from her rosy mouthWould Cytherea give, and one besideTo quench at heart for aye love’s mortal drouth:But unto him that hid her, Woe betide!Which now was on all tongues, and Psyche’s nameHerself o’erheard, or ever nigh she cameTo Aphrodite’s temple where she hied.15When since she found her way to heaven was safe,She only wisht to make it soon and sure;Nor fear’d to meet the goddess in her chafe,So she her self-surrender might secure,And not be given of other for the price;Nor was there need of any artificeHer once resplendent beauty to obscure.16For now so changed she was by heavy woe,That for the little likeness that she boreTo her description she was fear’d to goWithin the fane; and when she stood beforeThe priestess, scarce coud she with oath persuadeThat she was Psyche, the renownèd maid,Whom men had left the temple to adore.17But when to Hermes she was shown and given,He took no doubt, but eager to be quit,And proud of speed, return’d with her to heaven,And left her with the proclamation writ,Hung at her neck, the board with letters large,At Aphrodite’s gate with those in charge;And up whence first he came made haste to flit.18But hapless Psyche fell, for so it chanced,To moodySynethea’scare, the oneOf Aphrodite’s train whom she advancedTo try the work abandon’d by her son.Who by perpetual presence made ill endOf good or bad; though she coud both amend,And merit praise for work by her begun.19But she to better thought her heart had shut,And proved she had a spite beyond compare:Nor coud the keenest taunts her anger glut,Which she when sour’d was never wont to spare:And now she mock’d at Psyche’s shame and grief,As only she might do, and to her chiefAlong the courtyard dragg’d her by the hair.20Nor now was Aphrodite kinder grown:Having her hated rival in her power,She laught for joy, and in triumphant toneBade her a merry welcome to her bower:‘’Tis fit indeed daughters-in-law should waitUpon their mothers; but thou comest late,Psyche; I lookt for thee before this hour.21‘And yet,’ thus gave she rein to jeer and gibe,‘Forgive me if I held thee negligent,Or if accustom’d vanity ascribeAn honour to myself that was not meant.Thy lover is it, who so dearly prizedThe pretty soul, then left her and despised?To him more like thy heavenward steps were bent:22‘Nor without reason: Zeus, I tell thee, swoon’dTo hear the story of the drop of oil,The revelation and the ghastly wound:My merriment is but my fear’s recoil.But if my son was unkind, thou shalt seeHow kind a goddess can his mother beTo bring thy tainted honour clear of soil.’23And so, to match her promise with her mirth,Two of her ministers she call’d in ken,That work the melancholy of the earth;Merimnathat with care perplexes, whenThe hearts of mortals have the gods forgot,AndLypè, that her sorrow spares them not,When mortals have forgot their fellow men.24These, like twin sharks that in a fair ship’s wakeSwim constant, showing ’bove the water blueTheir shearing fins, and hasty ravin makeOf overthrow or offal, so these twoOn Aphrodite’s passing follow hard;And now she offer’d to their glut’s regardSweet Psyche, with command their wont to do.25But in what secret chamber their foul taskThese soul-tormentors plied, or what their skill,Pity of tender nature may not ask,Nor poet stain his rhyme with such an ill.But they at last themselves turn’d from their rack,Weary of cruelty, and led her back,Saying that further torture were to kill.26Then when the goddess saw her, more she mockt,‘Art thou the woman of the earth,’ she said,‘That hast in sorceries mine Eros lockt,And stood thyself for worship in my stead?Looking that I should pity thee, or careFor what illicit offspring thou mayst bear;Or let thee to that god my son be wed?27‘I know thy trick; and thou art one of themWho steal love’s favour in the gentle way,Wearing submission for a diadem,Patience and suffering for thy rich array:Thou wilt be modest, kind, implicit, soTo rest thy wily spirit out of showThat it may leap the livelier into play:28‘Devout at doing nothing, if so beThe grace become thee well; but active yetAbove all others be there none to seeThy business, and thine eager face asweat.Lo! I will prove thy talent: thou mayst live,And all that thou desirest will I give,If thou perform the task which I shall set.’29She took her then aside, and bade her heedA heap of grains piled high upon the floor,Millet and mustard, hemp and poppy seed,And fern-bloom’s undistinguishable spore,All kinds of pulse, of grasses, and of spice,Clover and linseed, rape, and corn, and rice,Dodder, and sesame, and many more.30‘Sort me these seeds’ she said; ‘it now is night,I will return at morning; if I findThat thou hast separated all aright,Each grain from other grain after its kind,And set them in unmingl’d heaps apart,Then shall thy wish be granted to thine heart.’Whereat she turn’d, and closed the door behind.

NOVEMBER

But Aphrodite to the house of ZeusBeing bound, bade beckon out her milkwhite steeds,Four doves, that ready to her royal useIn golden cages stood and peck’d the seeds:Best of the nimble air’s high-sailing folkThat wore with pride the marking of her yoke,And cooed in envy of her gentle needs.

But Aphrodite to the house of Zeus

Being bound, bade beckon out her milkwhite steeds,

Four doves, that ready to her royal use

In golden cages stood and peck’d the seeds:

Best of the nimble air’s high-sailing folk

That wore with pride the marking of her yoke,

And cooed in envy of her gentle needs.

These drew in turn her chariot, when in stateAlong the heaven with all her train she fared;And oft in journeying to the skiey gateOf Zeus’s palace high their flight had dared,Which darkest vapour and thick glooms enshroudAbove all else in the perpetual cloud,Wherethro’ to mount again they stood prepared,

These drew in turn her chariot, when in state

Along the heaven with all her train she fared;

And oft in journeying to the skiey gate

Of Zeus’s palace high their flight had dared,

Which darkest vapour and thick glooms enshroud

Above all else in the perpetual cloud,

Wherethro’ to mount again they stood prepared,

Sleeking their feathers, by her shining car;The same Hephæstos wrought for her, when he,Bruised in his hideous fall from heaven afar,Was nursed by Thetis, and Eurynomè,The daughter of the ever-refluent main;With whom he dwelt till he grew sound again,Down in a hollow cave beside the sea:

Sleeking their feathers, by her shining car;

The same Hephæstos wrought for her, when he,

Bruised in his hideous fall from heaven afar,

Was nursed by Thetis, and Eurynomè,

The daughter of the ever-refluent main;

With whom he dwelt till he grew sound again,

Down in a hollow cave beside the sea:

And them for kindness done was prompt to serve,Forging them brooches rich in make and mode,Earrings, and supple chains of jointed curve,And other trinkets, while he there abode:And none of gods or men knew of his home,But they two only; and the salt sea-foamTo and fro past his cavern ever flow’d.

And them for kindness done was prompt to serve,

Forging them brooches rich in make and mode,

Earrings, and supple chains of jointed curve,

And other trinkets, while he there abode:

And none of gods or men knew of his home,

But they two only; and the salt sea-foam

To and fro past his cavern ever flow’d.

’Twas then he wrought this work within the cave,Emboss’d with rich design, a moonèd car;And when return’d to heaven to Venus gave,In form imagined like her crescent star;Which circling nearest earth, maketh at nightTo wakeful mortal men shadow and lightAlone of all the stars in heaven that are.

’Twas then he wrought this work within the cave,

Emboss’d with rich design, a moonèd car;

And when return’d to heaven to Venus gave,

In form imagined like her crescent star;

Which circling nearest earth, maketh at night

To wakeful mortal men shadow and light

Alone of all the stars in heaven that are.

Two slender wheels it had, with fretted tiresOf biting adamant, to take firm holdOf cloud or ether; and their whirling firesThrew off the air in halo where they roll’d:And either nave that round the axle turn’dA ruby was, whose steady crimson burn’dBetwixt the twin speed-mingling fans of gold.

Two slender wheels it had, with fretted tires

Of biting adamant, to take firm hold

Of cloud or ether; and their whirling fires

Threw off the air in halo where they roll’d:

And either nave that round the axle turn’d

A ruby was, whose steady crimson burn’d

Betwixt the twin speed-mingling fans of gold.

Thereon the naked goddess mounting, shookThe reins; whereat the doves their wings outspread.And rising high their flight to heaven they took:And all the birds, that in those courts were bred,Of her broad eaves the nested families,Sparrows and swallows, join’d their companiesAwhile and twitter’d to her overhead.

Thereon the naked goddess mounting, shook

The reins; whereat the doves their wings outspread.

And rising high their flight to heaven they took:

And all the birds, that in those courts were bred,

Of her broad eaves the nested families,

Sparrows and swallows, join’d their companies

Awhile and twitter’d to her overhead.

But onward she with fading tracks of flameSped swiftly, till she reacht her journey’s end:And when within the house of Zeus she came,She pray’d the Sire of Heaven that he would lendHermes, the Argus-slayer, for her hest;And he being granted her at her request,She went forthwith to seek him and to send.

But onward she with fading tracks of flame

Sped swiftly, till she reacht her journey’s end:

And when within the house of Zeus she came,

She pray’d the Sire of Heaven that he would lend

Hermes, the Argus-slayer, for her hest;

And he being granted her at her request,

She went forthwith to seek him and to send.

Who happ’d within the palace then to waitUpon the almighty pleasure; and her taleWas quickly told, and he made answer straightThat he would find the truant without fail;Asking the goddess by what signs her slaveMight best be known, and what the price she gaveFor capture, or admitted for the bail.

Who happ’d within the palace then to wait

Upon the almighty pleasure; and her tale

Was quickly told, and he made answer straight

That he would find the truant without fail;

Asking the goddess by what signs her slave

Might best be known, and what the price she gave

For capture, or admitted for the bail.

All which he took his silver stile to writeIn letters large upon a waxèd board;Her age and name, her colour, face and height,Her home, and parentage, and the reward:And then read o’er as ’twas to be proclaim’d.And she took oath to give the price she named,Without demur, when Psyche was restored.

All which he took his silver stile to write

In letters large upon a waxèd board;

Her age and name, her colour, face and height,

Her home, and parentage, and the reward:

And then read o’er as ’twas to be proclaim’d.

And she took oath to give the price she named,

Without demur, when Psyche was restored.

Then on his head he closely set his capWith earèd wings erect, and o’er his kneeHe cross’d each foot in turn to prove the strapThat bound his wingèd sandals, and shook freeHis chlamys, and gat up, and in his handTaking his fair white-ribbon’d herald’s wand,Lept forth on air, accoutred cap-a-pè.

Then on his head he closely set his cap

With earèd wings erect, and o’er his knee

He cross’d each foot in turn to prove the strap

That bound his wingèd sandals, and shook free

His chlamys, and gat up, and in his hand

Taking his fair white-ribbon’d herald’s wand,

Lept forth on air, accoutred cap-a-pè.

And piloting along the mid-day sky,Held southward, till the narrow map of CreteLay like a fleck in azure ’neath his eye;When down he came, and as an eagle fleetDrops in some combe, then checks his headlong stoopWith wide-flung wing, wheeling in level swoopTo strike the bleating quarry with his feet,

And piloting along the mid-day sky,

Held southward, till the narrow map of Crete

Lay like a fleck in azure ’neath his eye;

When down he came, and as an eagle fleet

Drops in some combe, then checks his headlong stoop

With wide-flung wing, wheeling in level swoop

To strike the bleating quarry with his feet,

Thus he alighted; and in every townIn all the isle before the close of dayHad cried the message, which he carried down,Of Psyche, Aphrodite’s runaway;That whosoever found the same and caught,And by such time unto her temple brought,To him the goddess would this guerdon pay:

Thus he alighted; and in every town

In all the isle before the close of day

Had cried the message, which he carried down,

Of Psyche, Aphrodite’s runaway;

That whosoever found the same and caught,

And by such time unto her temple brought,

To him the goddess would this guerdon pay:

Six honied kisses from her rosy mouthWould Cytherea give, and one besideTo quench at heart for aye love’s mortal drouth:But unto him that hid her, Woe betide!Which now was on all tongues, and Psyche’s nameHerself o’erheard, or ever nigh she cameTo Aphrodite’s temple where she hied.

Six honied kisses from her rosy mouth

Would Cytherea give, and one beside

To quench at heart for aye love’s mortal drouth:

But unto him that hid her, Woe betide!

Which now was on all tongues, and Psyche’s name

Herself o’erheard, or ever nigh she came

To Aphrodite’s temple where she hied.

When since she found her way to heaven was safe,She only wisht to make it soon and sure;Nor fear’d to meet the goddess in her chafe,So she her self-surrender might secure,And not be given of other for the price;Nor was there need of any artificeHer once resplendent beauty to obscure.

When since she found her way to heaven was safe,

She only wisht to make it soon and sure;

Nor fear’d to meet the goddess in her chafe,

So she her self-surrender might secure,

And not be given of other for the price;

Nor was there need of any artifice

Her once resplendent beauty to obscure.

For now so changed she was by heavy woe,That for the little likeness that she boreTo her description she was fear’d to goWithin the fane; and when she stood beforeThe priestess, scarce coud she with oath persuadeThat she was Psyche, the renownèd maid,Whom men had left the temple to adore.

For now so changed she was by heavy woe,

That for the little likeness that she bore

To her description she was fear’d to go

Within the fane; and when she stood before

The priestess, scarce coud she with oath persuade

That she was Psyche, the renownèd maid,

Whom men had left the temple to adore.

But when to Hermes she was shown and given,He took no doubt, but eager to be quit,And proud of speed, return’d with her to heaven,And left her with the proclamation writ,Hung at her neck, the board with letters large,At Aphrodite’s gate with those in charge;And up whence first he came made haste to flit.

But when to Hermes she was shown and given,

He took no doubt, but eager to be quit,

And proud of speed, return’d with her to heaven,

And left her with the proclamation writ,

Hung at her neck, the board with letters large,

At Aphrodite’s gate with those in charge;

And up whence first he came made haste to flit.

But hapless Psyche fell, for so it chanced,To moodySynethea’scare, the oneOf Aphrodite’s train whom she advancedTo try the work abandon’d by her son.Who by perpetual presence made ill endOf good or bad; though she coud both amend,And merit praise for work by her begun.

But hapless Psyche fell, for so it chanced,

To moodySynethea’scare, the one

Of Aphrodite’s train whom she advanced

To try the work abandon’d by her son.

Who by perpetual presence made ill end

Of good or bad; though she coud both amend,

And merit praise for work by her begun.

But she to better thought her heart had shut,And proved she had a spite beyond compare:Nor coud the keenest taunts her anger glut,Which she when sour’d was never wont to spare:And now she mock’d at Psyche’s shame and grief,As only she might do, and to her chiefAlong the courtyard dragg’d her by the hair.

But she to better thought her heart had shut,

And proved she had a spite beyond compare:

Nor coud the keenest taunts her anger glut,

Which she when sour’d was never wont to spare:

And now she mock’d at Psyche’s shame and grief,

As only she might do, and to her chief

Along the courtyard dragg’d her by the hair.

Nor now was Aphrodite kinder grown:Having her hated rival in her power,She laught for joy, and in triumphant toneBade her a merry welcome to her bower:‘’Tis fit indeed daughters-in-law should waitUpon their mothers; but thou comest late,Psyche; I lookt for thee before this hour.

Nor now was Aphrodite kinder grown:

Having her hated rival in her power,

She laught for joy, and in triumphant tone

Bade her a merry welcome to her bower:

‘’Tis fit indeed daughters-in-law should wait

Upon their mothers; but thou comest late,

Psyche; I lookt for thee before this hour.

‘And yet,’ thus gave she rein to jeer and gibe,‘Forgive me if I held thee negligent,Or if accustom’d vanity ascribeAn honour to myself that was not meant.Thy lover is it, who so dearly prizedThe pretty soul, then left her and despised?To him more like thy heavenward steps were bent:

‘And yet,’ thus gave she rein to jeer and gibe,

‘Forgive me if I held thee negligent,

Or if accustom’d vanity ascribe

An honour to myself that was not meant.

Thy lover is it, who so dearly prized

The pretty soul, then left her and despised?

To him more like thy heavenward steps were bent:

‘Nor without reason: Zeus, I tell thee, swoon’dTo hear the story of the drop of oil,The revelation and the ghastly wound:My merriment is but my fear’s recoil.But if my son was unkind, thou shalt seeHow kind a goddess can his mother beTo bring thy tainted honour clear of soil.’

‘Nor without reason: Zeus, I tell thee, swoon’d

To hear the story of the drop of oil,

The revelation and the ghastly wound:

My merriment is but my fear’s recoil.

But if my son was unkind, thou shalt see

How kind a goddess can his mother be

To bring thy tainted honour clear of soil.’

And so, to match her promise with her mirth,Two of her ministers she call’d in ken,That work the melancholy of the earth;Merimnathat with care perplexes, whenThe hearts of mortals have the gods forgot,AndLypè, that her sorrow spares them not,When mortals have forgot their fellow men.

And so, to match her promise with her mirth,

Two of her ministers she call’d in ken,

That work the melancholy of the earth;

Merimnathat with care perplexes, when

The hearts of mortals have the gods forgot,

AndLypè, that her sorrow spares them not,

When mortals have forgot their fellow men.

These, like twin sharks that in a fair ship’s wakeSwim constant, showing ’bove the water blueTheir shearing fins, and hasty ravin makeOf overthrow or offal, so these twoOn Aphrodite’s passing follow hard;And now she offer’d to their glut’s regardSweet Psyche, with command their wont to do.

These, like twin sharks that in a fair ship’s wake

Swim constant, showing ’bove the water blue

Their shearing fins, and hasty ravin make

Of overthrow or offal, so these two

On Aphrodite’s passing follow hard;

And now she offer’d to their glut’s regard

Sweet Psyche, with command their wont to do.

But in what secret chamber their foul taskThese soul-tormentors plied, or what their skill,Pity of tender nature may not ask,Nor poet stain his rhyme with such an ill.But they at last themselves turn’d from their rack,Weary of cruelty, and led her back,Saying that further torture were to kill.

But in what secret chamber their foul task

These soul-tormentors plied, or what their skill,

Pity of tender nature may not ask,

Nor poet stain his rhyme with such an ill.

But they at last themselves turn’d from their rack,

Weary of cruelty, and led her back,

Saying that further torture were to kill.

Then when the goddess saw her, more she mockt,‘Art thou the woman of the earth,’ she said,‘That hast in sorceries mine Eros lockt,And stood thyself for worship in my stead?Looking that I should pity thee, or careFor what illicit offspring thou mayst bear;Or let thee to that god my son be wed?

Then when the goddess saw her, more she mockt,

‘Art thou the woman of the earth,’ she said,

‘That hast in sorceries mine Eros lockt,

And stood thyself for worship in my stead?

Looking that I should pity thee, or care

For what illicit offspring thou mayst bear;

Or let thee to that god my son be wed?

‘I know thy trick; and thou art one of themWho steal love’s favour in the gentle way,Wearing submission for a diadem,Patience and suffering for thy rich array:Thou wilt be modest, kind, implicit, soTo rest thy wily spirit out of showThat it may leap the livelier into play:

‘I know thy trick; and thou art one of them

Who steal love’s favour in the gentle way,

Wearing submission for a diadem,

Patience and suffering for thy rich array:

Thou wilt be modest, kind, implicit, so

To rest thy wily spirit out of show

That it may leap the livelier into play:

‘Devout at doing nothing, if so beThe grace become thee well; but active yetAbove all others be there none to seeThy business, and thine eager face asweat.Lo! I will prove thy talent: thou mayst live,And all that thou desirest will I give,If thou perform the task which I shall set.’

‘Devout at doing nothing, if so be

The grace become thee well; but active yet

Above all others be there none to see

Thy business, and thine eager face asweat.

Lo! I will prove thy talent: thou mayst live,

And all that thou desirest will I give,

If thou perform the task which I shall set.’

She took her then aside, and bade her heedA heap of grains piled high upon the floor,Millet and mustard, hemp and poppy seed,And fern-bloom’s undistinguishable spore,All kinds of pulse, of grasses, and of spice,Clover and linseed, rape, and corn, and rice,Dodder, and sesame, and many more.

She took her then aside, and bade her heed

A heap of grains piled high upon the floor,

Millet and mustard, hemp and poppy seed,

And fern-bloom’s undistinguishable spore,

All kinds of pulse, of grasses, and of spice,

Clover and linseed, rape, and corn, and rice,

Dodder, and sesame, and many more.

‘Sort me these seeds’ she said; ‘it now is night,I will return at morning; if I findThat thou hast separated all aright,Each grain from other grain after its kind,And set them in unmingl’d heaps apart,Then shall thy wish be granted to thine heart.’Whereat she turn’d, and closed the door behind.

‘Sort me these seeds’ she said; ‘it now is night,

I will return at morning; if I find

That thou hast separated all aright,

Each grain from other grain after its kind,

And set them in unmingl’d heaps apart,

Then shall thy wish be granted to thine heart.’

Whereat she turn’d, and closed the door behind.

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