which he has
made, Venus animates it; on which he marries this new object of his
affections, and has a son by her, who gives his name to the island.

"When Pygmalion saw these women spending their lives in criminal
pursuits, shocked at the vices which Nature had {so} plentifully
imparted to the female disposition, he lived a single life without a
wife, and for a long time was without a partner of his bed. In the
meantime, he ingeniously carved {a statue of} snow-white ivory with
wondrous skill; and gave it a beauty with which no woman can be born;
and {then} conceived a passion for his own workmanship. The appearance
was that of a real virgin, whom you might suppose to be alive, and if
modesty did not hinder her, to be desirous to move; so much did art lie
concealed under his skill. Pygmalion admires it; and entertains, within
his breast, a flame for this fictitious body.

"Often does he apply his hands to the work, to try whether it is a
{human} body, or whether it is ivory; and yet he does not own it to be
ivory. He gives it kisses, and fancies that they are returned, and
speaks to it, and takes hold of it, and thinks that his fingers make an
impression on the limbs which they touch, and is fearful lest a livid
mark should come on her limbs {when} pressed. And one while he employs
soft expressions, at another time he brings her presents that are
agreeable to maidens, {such as} shells, and smooth pebbles, and little
birds, and flowers of a thousand tints, and lilies, and painted balls,
and tears of the Heliades, that have fallen from the trees. He decks her
limbs, too, with clothing, and puts jewels on her fingers; he puts,
{too}, a long necklace on her neck. Smooth pendants hang from her ears,
and bows from her breast.[40] All things are becoming {to her}; and she
does not seem less beautiful than when naked. He places her on coverings
dyed with the Sidonian shell, and calls her the companion of his bed,
and lays down her reclining neck upon soft feathers, as though it were
sensible.

"A festival of Venus, much celebrated throughout all Cyprus, had {now}
come; and heifers, with snow-white necks, having their spreading horns
tipped with gold, fell, struck {by the axe}. Frankincense, too, was
smoking, when, having made his offering, Pygmalion stood before the
altar, and timorously said, 'If ye Gods can grant all things, let my
wife be, I pray,' {and} he did not dare to say 'this ivory maid,' {but}
'like to this