And Venus cried, angrily, "My son, then, has a mistress! And it is Psyche, who witched away [78] my beauty and was the rival of my godhead, whom he loves!" Therewith she issued from the sea, and returning to her golden chamber, found there the lad, sick, as she had heard, and cried from the doorway, "Well done, truly! to trample thy mother's precepts under foot, to spare my enemy that cross of an unworthy love; nay, unite her to thyself, child as thou art, that I might have a daughter-in-law who hates me! I will make thee repent of thy sport, and the savour of thy marriage bitter.

There is one who shall chasten this body of thine, put out thy torch and unstring thy bow.

Not till she has plucked forth that hair, into which so oft these hands have smoothed the golden light, and sheared away thy wings, shall I feel the injury done me avenged." And with this she hastened in anger from the doors.
And Ceres and Juno met her, and sought to know the meaning of her troubled countenance.

"Ye come in season," she cried; "I pray you, find for me Psyche.

It must needs be that ye have heard the disgrace of my house." And they, ignorant of what was done, would have soothed her anger, saying, "What fault, Mistress, hath thy son committed, that thou wouldst destroy the girl he loves?
Knowest thou not that he is now of age?
Because he wears his years so lightly must he seem to thee ever but a child?
Wilt thou for ever thus pry into the [79] pastimes of thy son, always accusing his wantonness, and blaming in him those delicate wiles which are all thine own ?" Thus, in secret fear of the boy's bow, did they seek to please him with their gracious patronage.
But Venus, angry at their light taking of her wrongs, turned her back upon them, and with hasty steps made her way once more to the sea.
Meanwhile Psyche, tost in soul, wandering hither and thither, rested not night or day in the pursuit of her husband, desiring, if she might not sooth his anger by the endearments of a wife, at the least to propitiate him with the prayers of a handmaid.