lden
head, pleasant with the unction of the gods, shed down in graceful
entanglement behind and before, about the ruddy cheeks and white
throat. The pinions of the winged god, yet fresh with the dew, are
spotless upon his shoulders, the delicate plumage wavering over them as
they lie at rest. Smooth he was, and, touched with light, worthy of
Venus his mother. At the foot of the couch lay his bow and arrows, the
instruments of his power, propitious to men.

And Psyche, gazing hungrily thereon, draws an arrow from the quiver,
and trying the point upon her thumb, tremulous still, drave in the
barb, so that a drop of blood came forth. Thus fell she, by her own
act, and unaware, into the love of Love. Falling upon the bridegroom,
with indrawn breath, in a hurry of kisses from eager and open lips, she
shuddered as she thought how brief that sleep might be. And it chanced
that a drop of burning oil fell from the lamp upon the god's shoulder.
Ah! maladroit minister of love, thus to wound him from whom [76] all
fire comes; though 'twas a lover, I trow, first devised thee, to have
the fruit of his desire even in the darkness! At the touch of the fire
the god started up, and beholding the overthrow of her faith, quietly
took flight from her embraces.

And Psyche, as he rose upon the wing, laid hold on him with her two
hands, hanging upon him in his passage through the air, till she sinks
to the earth through weariness. And as she lay there, the divine
lover, tarrying still, lighted upon a cypress tree which grew near,
and, from the top of it, spake thus to her, in great emotion. "Foolish
one! unmindful of the command of Venus, my mother, who had devoted thee
to one of base degree, I fled to thee in his stead. Now know I that
this was vainly done. Into mine own flesh pierced mine arrow, and I
made thee my wife, only that I might seem a monster beside thee--that
thou shouldst seek to wound the head wherein lay the eyes so full of
love to thee! Again and again, I thought to put thee on thy guard
concerning these things, and warned thee in loving-kindness. Now I
would but punish thee by my flight hence." And therewith he winged his
way into the deep sky.

Psyche, prostrate upon the earth, and following far as sight might
reach the flight of the bridegroom, wept and lamented; and when the
breadth of space had parted him wholly from her, cast herself down from
the bank of a river [77] which was nigh. But the stream, tur