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girdle into which all her charms had been wroughtlove； desire；
and that sweet flattery which steals the judgement even of the
most prudent。 She gave the girdle to Juno and said； 〃Take this
girdle wherein all my charms reside and lay it in your bosom。 If
you will wear it I promise you that your errand； be it what it
may； will not be bootless。〃
When she heard this Juno smiled； and still smiling she laid the
girdle in her bosom。
Venus now went back into the house of Jove； while Juno darted
down from the summits of Olympus。 She passed over Pieria and fair
Emathia； and went on and on till she came to the snowy ranges of
the Thracian horsemen； over whose topmost crests she sped without
ever setting foot to ground。 When she came to Athos she went on
over the； waves of the sea till she reached Lemnos； the city of
noble Thoas。 There she met Sleep； own brother to Death； and
caught him by the hand； saying； 〃Sleep； you who lord it alike
over mortals and immortals； if you ever did me a service in times
past； do one for me now； and I shall be grateful to you ever
after。 Close Jove's keen eyes for me in slumber while I hold him
clasped in my embrace； and I will give you a beautiful golden
seat； that can never fall to pieces； my clubfooted son Vulcan
shall make it for you； and he shall give it a footstool for you
to rest your fair feet upon when you are at table。〃
Then Sleep answered； 〃Juno； great queen of goddesses； daughter of
mighty Saturn； I would lull any other of the gods to sleep
without punction； not even excepting the waters of Oceanus
from whom all of them proceed； but I dare not go near Jove； nor
send him to sleep unless he bids me。 I have had one lesson
already through doing what you asked me； on the day when Jove's
mighty son Hercules set sail from Ilius after having sacked the
city of the Trojans。 At your bidding I suffused my sweet self
over the mind of aegis…bearing Jove； and laid him to rest；
meanwhile you hatched a plot against Hercules； and set the blasts
of the angry winds beating upon the sea； till you took him to the
goodly city of Cos； away from all his friends。 Jove was furious
when he awoke； and began hurling the gods about all over the
house； he was looking more particularly for myself； and would
have flung me down through space into the sea where I should
never have been heard of any more； had not Night who cows both
men and gods protected me。 I fled to her and Jove left off
looking for me in spite of his being so angry； for he did not
dare do anything to displease Night。 And now you are again asking
me to do something on which I cannot venture。〃
And Juno said； 〃Sleep； why do you take such notions as those into
your head？ Do you think Jove will be as anxious to help the
Trojans； as he was about his own son？ e； I will marry you to
one of the youngest of the Graces； and she shall be your own
Pasithea； whom you have always wanted to marry。〃
Sleep was pleased when he heard this； and answered； 〃Then swear
it to me by the dread waters of the river Styx； lay one hand on
the bounteous earth； and the other on the sheen of the sea； so
that all the gods who dwell down below with Saturn may be our
witnesses； and see that you really do give me one of the youngest
of the GracesPasithea； whom I have always wanted to marry。〃
Juno did as he had said。 She swore； and invoked all the gods of
the nether world； who are called Titans； to witness。 When she had
pleted her oath； the two enshrouded themselves in a thick mist
and sped lightly forward； leaving Lemnos and Imbrus behind them。
Presently they reached many…fountained Ida； mother of wild
beasts； and Lectum where they left the sea to go on by land； and
the tops of the trees of the forest soughed under the going of
their feet。 Here Sleep halted； and ere Jove caught sight of him
he climbed a lofty pine…treethe tallest that reared its head
towards heaven on all Ida。 He hid himself behind the branches and
sat there in the semblance of the sweet…singing bird that haunts
the mountains and is called Chalcis by the gods； but men call it
Cymindis。 Juno then went to Gargarus； the topmost peak of Ida；
and Jove； driver of the clouds； set eyes upon her。 As soon as he
did so he became inflamed with the same passionate desire for her
that he had felt when they had first enjoyed each other's
embraces； and slept with one another without their dear parents
knowing anything about it。 He went up to her and said； 〃What do
you want that you have e hither from Olympusand that too
with neither chariot nor horses to convey you？〃
Then Juno told him a lying tale and said； 〃I am going to the
world's end； to visit Oceanus； from whom all we gods proceed； and
mother Tethys； they received me into their house； took care of
me； and brought me up。 I must go and see them that I may make
peace between them： they have been quarrelling； and are so angry
that they have not slept with one another this long time。 The
horses that will take me over land and sea are stationed on the
lowermost spurs of many…fountained Ida； and I have e here from
Olympus on purpose to consult you。 I was afraid you might be
angry with me later on； if I went to the house of Oceanus without
letting you know。〃
And Jove said； 〃Juno； you can choose some other time for paying
your visit to Oceanusfor the present let us devote ourselves to
love and to the enjoyment of one another。 Never yet have I been
so overpowered by passion neither for goddess nor mortal woman as
I am at this moment for yourselfnot even when I was in love
with the wife of Ixion who bore me Pirithous； peer of gods in
counsel； nor yet with Danae the daintily…ancled daughter of
Acrisius； who bore me the famed hero Perseus。 Then there was the
daughter of Phoenix； who bore me Minos and Rhadamanthus： there
was Semele； and Alcmena in Thebes by whom I begot my lion…hearted
son Hercules； while Semele became mother to Bacchus the forter
of mankind。 There was queen Ceres again； and lovely Leto； and
yourselfbut with none of these was I ever so much enamoured as
I now am with you。〃
Juno again answered him with a lying tale。 〃Most dread son of
Saturn；〃 she exclaimed； 〃what are you talking about？ Would you
have us enjoy one another here on the top of Mount Ida； where
everything can be seen？ What if one of the ever…living gods
should see us sleeping together； and tell the others？ It would be
such a scandal that when I had risen from your embraces I could
never show myself inside your house again； but if you are so
minded； there is a room which your son Vulcan has made me； and he
has given it good strong doors； if you would so have it； let us
go thither and lie down。〃
And Jove answered； 〃Juno； you need not be afraid that either god
or man will see you； for I will enshroud both of us in such a
dense golden cloud； that the very sun for all his bright piercing
beams shall not see through it。〃
With this the son of Saturn caught his wife in his embrace；
whereon the earth sprouted them a cushion of young grass； with
dew…bespangled lotus； crocus； and hyacinth； so soft and thick
that it raised them well above the ground。 Here they laid
themselves down and overhead they were co