Cupid & Psyche — Chapter 26

Latin

English

4sic 3locuto 2deo 1pastore 6nullo 5-que 7sermone 8reddito 9sed 11adorato 10tantum 12numine 13salutari, 14Psyche 15pergit 16ire.

1sed 2cum 4aliquam 5multum 6viae 7laboranti 8vestigio 3pererrasset, 9inscia 10quodam 11tramite 12die 13iam 14labente

1accedit 2quandam 3civitatem, 4in 5qua 11regnum 6maritus 7unius 8sororis 9eius 10optinebat.

1qua 2re 3cognita 4Psyche 8nuntiari 7praesentiam 6suam 9sorori 5desiderat.

1mox 2inducta, 3mutuis 4amplexibus 5alternae 6salutationis 7expletis, 8percontanti 9causas 10adventus 11sui 13sic 12incipit:

1meministi 3consilium 2vestrum 4scilicet 5quo 7mihi 6suasistis 8ut 12bestiam, 13quae 16mariti 14mentito 15nomine 18mecum 17quiescebat, 19priusquam 24ingluvie 23voraci 22me 21misellam 20hauriret, 10ancipiti 11novacula 9peremerem.

When the shepherd god had spoken thus, and no reply being given back, but only having worshipped the saving deity, Psyche goes on her way.

But when she had wandered over a good deal of road with weary steps, unknowing, by some path, the day now fading,

she comes to a certain town in which the husband of one sister of hers held the kingship.

this fact having been realised, Psyche wants her presence to be announced to her sister.

Soon led in, the mutual embraces of their shared greeting being done, as (her sister) asks the reasons for her arrival, she begins thus:

You remember your advice, of course, by which you advised me to kill with the two-edged razor the beast who, under the false name of husband, used to sleep with me, before could gulp down poor little me his ravenous throat,

Content — what is happening

When the shepherd-god has spoken and gone — Psyche answering nothing, only worshipping the deity who saved her — she sets off on her way.
After trudging a long stretch of road on weary feet, lost on some path as the day fades, she comes to a city ruled by the husband of one of her sisters.
Learning this, she asks to be announced; soon she is led in, the greetings and embraces are exchanged, and when her sister asks why she has come, she begins:
‘You remember, of course, the advice by which you urged me to kill with a two-edged razor the beast who, under the false name of husband, slept beside me — before his ravenous throat could swallow poor little me.’