istress, just now indeed thy calamity coming upon me unawares,
gave me a dreadful alarm. But now I perceive I was weak; and somehow or
other among mortals second thoughts are the wisest. For thou hast not
suffered any thing excessive nor extraordinary, but the anger of the
Goddess hath fallen upon thee. Thou lovest--what wonder this? with many
mortals.--And then will you lose your life for love? There is then no
advantage for those who love others, nor to those who may hereafter, if
they must needs die. For Venus is a thing not to be borne, if she rush on
vehement. Who comes quietly indeed on the person who yields; but whom she
finds haughty and of lofty notions, him taking (how thinkest thou?) she
chastises. But Venus goes through air, and is on the ocean wave; and all
things from her have their birth. She it is that sows and gives forth love,
from whence all we on earth are engendered. As many indeed as ken the
writings of the ancients, or are themselves ever among the muses, they know
indeed, how that Jove was formerly inflamed with the love of Semele; they
know too, how that formerly the lovely bright Aurora bore away Cephalus up
to the Gods, for love, but still they live in heaven, and fly not from the
presence of the Gods: but they acquiesce yielding, I ween, to what has
befallen them. And wilt thou not bear it? Thy father then ought to have
begotten thee on stipulated terms, or else under the dominion of other
Gods, unless thou wilt be content with these laws. How many, thinkest thou,
are in full and complete possession of their senses, who, when they see
their bridal bed diseased, seem not to see it! And how many fathers,
thinkest thou, have aided their erring sons in matters of love, for this is
a maxim among the wise part of mankind, "that things that show not fair
should be concealed." Nor should men labor too exactly their conduct in
life, for neither would they do well to employ much accuracy in the roof
wherewith their houses are covered; but having fallen into fortune so deep
as thou hast, how dost thou imagine thou canst swim out? But if thou hast
more things good than bad, mortal as thou art, thou surely must be well
off. But cease, my dear child, from these evil thoughts, cease too from
being haughty, for nothing else save haughtiness is this, to wish to be
superior to the Gods. But, as thou art in love, endure it; a God hath
willed it so: and, being ill, by some good means or other try to get rid of
thy