supplication the kindly mercy of them all."

And Ceres found her bending sadly upon her task, and cried aloud,
"Alas, Psyche! Venus, in the furiousness of her anger, tracks thy
footsteps through the world, seeking for thee to pay her the utmost
penalty; and thou, thinking of anything rather than thine own safety,
hast taken on thee the care of what belongs to me!" Then Psyche fell
down at her feet, and sweeping the floor with her hair, washing the
footsteps of the goddess in her tears, besought her mercy, with many
prayers:--"By the gladdening rites of harvest, by the lighted lamps
and mystic marches of the Marriage and mysterious Invention of thy
daughter Proserpine, and by all beside that the holy place of Attica
veils in silence, minister, I pray thee, to the sorrowful heart of
Psyche! Suffer me to hide myself but for a few days among the heaps
of corn, till time have softened the anger of the goddess, and my
strength, out-worn in my long travail, be recovered by a little
rest."

But Ceres answered her, "Truly thy tears move me, and I would fain
help thee; only I dare not incur the ill-will of my kinswoman.
Depart hence as quickly as may be." And Psyche, repelled against
hope, afflicted now with twofold sorrow, making her way back again,
beheld among the half-lighted woods of the valley below a sanctuary
builded with cunning [81] art. And that she might lose no way of
hope, howsoever doubtful, she drew near to the sacred doors. She
sees there gifts of price, and garments fixed upon the door-posts and
to the branches of the trees, wrought with letters of gold which told
the name of the goddess to whom they were dedicated, with
thanksgiving for that she had done. So, with bent knee and hands
laid about the glowing altar, she prayed saying, "Sister and spouse