And she found him apart, in the blooming orchard of Zeus, not alone, but with him Ganymedes, whom once Zeus had set to dwell among the immortal gods, being enamoured of his beauty.

And they were playing for golden dice, as boys in one house are wont to do.
And already greedy Eros was holding the palm of his left hand quite full of them under his breast, standing upright; and on the bloom of his cheeks a sweet blush was glowing.

But the other sat crouching hard by, silent and downcast, and he had two dice left which he threw one after the other, and was angered by the loud laughter of Eros.

And lo, losing them straightway with the former, he went off empty-handed, helpless, and noticed not the approach of Cypris.

And she stood before her boy, and laying her hand on his lips, addressed him: "Why dost thou smile in triumph, unutterable rogue?
Hast thou cheated him thus, and unjustly overcome the innocent child?
Come, be ready to perform for me the task I will tell thee of, and I will give thee Zeus' all-beauteous plaything--the one which his dear nurse Adrasteia made for him, while he still lived a child, with childish ways, in the Idaean cave--a well-rounded ball; no better toy wilt thou get from the hands of Hephaestus.