. When night was passed
Venus called Psyches, and said, Seest thou yonder Forest that extendeth
out in length with the river? there be great sheepe shining like gold,
and kept by no manner of person. I command thee that thou go thither
and bring me home some of the wooll of their fleeces. Psyches arose
willingly not to do her commandement, but to throw her selfe headlong
into water to end her sorrows. Then a green reed inspired by divine
inspiration, with a gratious tune and melody gan say, O Psyches I pray
thee not to trouble or pollute my water by the death of thee, and yet
beware that thou goe not towards the terrible sheepe of this coast,
untill such time as the heat of the sunne be past, for when the sunne
is in his force, then seeme they most dreadfull and furious, with their
sharpe hornes, their stony foreheads and their gaping throats, wherewith
they arme themselves to the destruction of mankinde. But untill they
have refreshed themselves in the river, thou must hide thy selfe here
by me, under this great plaine tree, and as soone as their great fury is
past, thou maist goe among the thickets and bushes under the wood side
and gather the lockes their golden Fleeces, which thou shalt finde
hanging upon the briers. Then spake the gentle and benigne reed, shewing
a mean to Psyches to save her life, which she bore well in memory, and
with all diligence went and gathered up such lockes as shee found,
and put them in her apron, and carried them home to Venus. Howbeit the
danger of this second labour did not please her, nor give her sufficient
witnesse of the good service of Psyches, but with a sower resemblance of
laughter, did say: Of a certaine I know that this is not thy fact, but I
will prove if that thou bee of so stout, so good a courage, and singular
prudency as thou seemest to bee. Then Venus spake unto Psyches againe
saying: Seest thou the toppe of yonder great Hill, from whence there
runneth downe waters of blacke and deadly colour, which nourisheth the
floods of Stix, Cocytus? I charge thee to goe thither, and bring me a
vessell of that water: wherewithall she gave her a bottle of Christall,
menacing and threatening her rigorously. Then poor Psyches went in all
haste to the top of the mountaine, rather to end her life, then to
fetch any water, and when she was come up to the ridge of the hill, she
perceived that it was impossible to bring it to passe: for she saw a
great rocke gushing out most horrible founta