I can bring them round and restore them to one another's embraces；
they will be grateful to me and love me for ever afterwards。〃
Thereon laughter…loving Venus said； 〃I cannot and must not refuse
you； for you sleep in the arms of Jove who is our king。〃
As she spoke she loosed from her bosom the curiously embroidered
girdle into which all her charms had been wrought… love； 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
compunction； 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？ Come； 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 Graces…
Pasithea； 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
completed 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…tree… the 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 come hither from Olympus… and 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 come 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 Oceanus… for 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 yourself… not 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 comforter of mankind。 There was queen Ceres
again； and lovely Leto； and yourself… but 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 covered by a fair cloud of gold； from which
there fell glittering dew…drops。
Thus； then； did the sire of all things repose peacefully on the
crest of Ida； overcome at once by sleep and love； and he held his
spouse in his arms。 Meanwhile Sleep made off to the ships of the
Achaeans； to tell earth…encircling Neptune； lord of the earthquake。
When he had found him he said； 〃Now； Neptune； you can help the Danaans
with a will； and give them victory though it be only for a short
time while Jove is still sleeping。 I have sent him into a sweet
slumber； and Juno has beguiled him into going to bed with her。〃
Sleep now departed and went his ways to and fro among mankind；
leaving Neptune more eager than ever to help the Danaans。 He darted
forward among the first ranks and shouted saying； 〃Argives； shall we
let Hector son of Priam have the triumph of taking our ships and
covering himself with glory？ This is what he says that he shall now
do； seeing that Achilles is still in dudgeon at his ship； We shall get
on very well without him if we keep each other in heart and stand by
one another。 Now； therefore； let us all do as I say。 Let us each
take the best and largest shield we can lay hold of； put on our
helmets； and sally forth with our longest spears in our hands； will
lead you on； and Hector son of Priam； rage as he may； will not dare to
hold out against us。 If any good staunch soldier has only a small
shield； let him hand it over to a worse man； and take a larger one for
himself。〃
Thus did he speak； and they did even as he had said。 The son of
Tydeus； Ulysses； and Agamemnon； wounded though they were； set the
others in array； and went about everywhere e