Psyche | Page 2

profound we now enjoy, And games and bliss without alloy;
Earth's mightiest king has giv'n us rest; To him be praise and thanks
addrest. Descend thou, lovely Venus, And happy hours grant us.
VEN. (_in her chariot_). Cease, cease, all your songs of joy. Such rare
honours do not belong to me, and the homage which in your
consideration you now pay me ought to be reserved for lovelier charms.
To pay your court to me is a custom indeed too old; everything has its
turn, and Venus is no longer the fashion. There are rising charms to
which now all carry their incense. Psyche, the beauteous Psyche, to-day
has taken my place. Already now the whole world hastens to worship
her, and it is too great a boon that, in the midst of my disgrace, I still
find some one who stoops to honour me. Our deserts are not even fairly
weighed together, but all are ready to abandon me; while of the
numerous train of privileged graces, whose care and friendship
followed me everywhere, I have now only two of the smaller ones who
cling to me out of mere pity. I pray you, let these dark abodes lend their
solitude to the anguish of my heart, and suffer me to hide my shame
and grief in the midst of their gloom.
FLORA _and the other deities withdraw; and_ VENUS with her

retinue descends from her chariot.

SCENE II.--VENUS, CUPID, AEGIALE, PHAËNE, CUPID
AEGI. know not what to do, goddess; while we see you overwhelmed
by this grief, our respect bids us be silent, our zeal would have us
speak.
VEN. Speak; but if your cares would please me, leave all your advice
for a fitter time; and speak of my wrath but to own me right; that was
the keenest insult my divinity could ever receive; but revenge I shall
have if gods have any power.
PHA. Your wisdom, your discernment, are greater than ours in
deciding what may be worthy of you; yet, methinks, a mighty goddess
should not thus give way to wrath.
VEN. That is the very reason of my extreme anger; the greater the
brilliancy of my rank, the deeper the insult. If I did not stand on so lofty
a height, the indignation of my heart would not be so violent. I, the
daughter of the Thunderer, mother of the love-inspiring god; I, the
sweetest yearning of heaven and earth, who received birth only to
charm; I, who have seen everything that hath breath utter so many vows
at my shrines, and by immortal rights have held the sovereign sway of
beauty in all ages; I, whose eyes have forced two mighty gods to yield
me the prize of beauty--I see my rights and my victory disputed by a
wretched mortal. Shall the ridiculous excess of foolish obstinacy go so
far as to oppose to me a little girl? Shall I constantly hear a rash verdict
on the beauty of her features and of mine, and from the loftiest heaven
where I shine shall I hear it said to the prejudiced world, "She is fairer
than Venus"?
AEGI. This is the way with mortals, this is the style of mankind; they
are impertinent in their comparisons.
PHA. In the century in which we live, they cannot praise without
insulting great names.
VEN. Ah! how well does the insolent rigour of these words avenge
Juno and Pallas, and comfort their hearts for the dazzling glory which
the famous apple has won me. I see them rejoicing at my sorrow,
assuming every moment a cruel smile, and with fixed gaze carefully
seeking the confusion that lurks in my eyes. Their triumphant joy,
when this affront is keenest felt, seems to tell me, "Boast, Venus, boast,

the charms of thy features; by the verdict of one man was the victory
made over us, but by the judgment of all, a mere mortal snatches it
from you." Ah! that blow is the direst; it pierces my heart, I cannot bear
its unequalled severity; the pleasure of my rivals is too great an
addition to my poignant grief. My son, if ever my feelings had any
weight with you, if ever I have been dear to you, if you bear a heart that
can share the resentment of a mother who loves you so tenderly, use
here your utmost power to support my interests, and cause Psyche to
feel the shafts of my revenge through your own darts. To render her
miserable, choose the dart that will please me most, one of those in
which lurks the keenest venom, and which you hurl in your wrath. See
that she loves, even to madness, the basest and lowest of mortals, and
let her hear the cruel torture of love