Cupid and Psyche |Lesbian Version|

Chapter 14: The Pursuit

As Psyche wandered one day, she saw a lofty temple perched on the peak of a high mountain.

"Perhaps this is where I can perform my prayers to my beloved," she said to herself. Then she turned her steps thither. Her feet were utterly weary from her unremitting labors, but her hope and aspiration quickened them. She mounted the higher ridges with a stout heart and drew close to the sacred altar.

There she saw ears of wheat in a heap, and others were woven into a garland, and ears of barley as well. There were sickles lying close by and a whole array of harvesting tools, but they were in a jumbled and neglected heap, thrown carelessly by workmen's hands in summer-time.

Psyche carefully sorted them out and ordered them in separate piles, no doubt she reflected that she should not neglect the shrines and rites of any deity, but rather respect the kindly spirit of each and all.

At that moment, Ceres spied her as she carefully and diligently ordered these offerings, and at once she called out to her from the altar.

"Why, you poor Psyche, Venus is in a hot rage, mounting a feverish search for your traces all over the globe. She has marked you down for the sternest punishment. The goddess is using all the resources of her divinity to demand vengeance. And here you are, looking to my interests, with your mind intent on anything but your own safety!"

Psyche looked up and saw the goddess of the grains. She was too fatigued from the long journey that she collapsed to the floor.

When she woke up, she was in the lap of Ceres and watered them with a stream of tears. Her glorious hair swept the ground as she sobbed, begging for the goddess's favor.

"By your fruitful right hand, by the harvest ceremonies, by the silent mysteries of your baskets and winged steeds of your Dracones, by Proserpina's descent to a lightless marriage, and by your daughter's return to enliven the earth, I beg you, please lend aid to this soul of your Psyche, who deserve your pity," the maiden said in a tear-coated voice. "Please, allow me to lurk hidden here among these heaps of your grain, if only for a few days, until the great goddess's raging fury softens with the passage of time, or at least till my strength returns."

"Your tearful entreaties certainly earn my pity," the goddess said and stroked her cheek. "Of course, I am keen to help you, but I cannot provoke the wrath of Venus, for I maintain long-standing ties of friendship with her, and besides being my relative, she is also a fine woman. So you must quit this dwelling at once. Consider it a blessing that I have not imprisoned you for the angry goddess."

So this reversed her hope, and Psyche in her suffering was now beset by a double grief. She inclined her head without another word and right away retraced her steps from the goddess.

As she left Ceres's temple, she noticed an elegantly built shrine in a glimmering grove of the valley below. Not wishing to discard any promise of brighter hope, however uncertain, she turned her way to seek the favor of any divinity whatsoever. She drew close to its sacred portals. There she observed valuable offerings, and ribbons inscribed with gold letters pinned to the branches of trees and to the doorposts.

These attested the name of the goddess to whom they were dedicated, together with thanks for the favor received.

Psyche sank to her knees, and with her hands, she grasped the altar still warm from a sacrifice. The princess wiped away her tears then uttered this prayer to Juno: "Lady and spouse of mighty Jupiter, whether you reside in your ancient shrine at Samos, where you were born, or whether you occupy your blessed abode in lofty Carthage, where you are most worshiped, as a maiden who soars the sky on a lion's back, as a bride of the Thunderer and queen of all goddesses, be for me in my most acute misfortunes, O Juno, the savior, please, free me from my weariness, protect me from looming dangers. I am told that it is your practice to lend unsolicited aid to pregnant women in danger."

As she prayed like this, Juno at once appeared before her in all the venerable majesty of her divinity. There and then the goddess said: "Believe me, I only wish that I could crown your prayers with my consent, child. But shame prevents me from opposing the will of Venus, my daughter-in-law, whom I have always loved as my own daughter. This is my obstacle in saving you for the law forbids sanctuary to runaway slaves belonging to other gods, if their owners forbid it, too."

Poor Psyche was aghast at this second shipwreck. Unable to meet up with her elusive wife, she abandoned all hope of salvation and left the Temple of Juno in tears.

The maiden then returned to her own counsel.

"What other assistance can I seek to meet my desperate plight?" she said to herself. "Even the goodwill of goddesses has been of no avail to me. Now that I am trapped in a noose as tight as this, where else can I make for? Under what roof or in what dark corner can I hide? Where shall I escape the unwinking eyes of willful Venus?"

But as her spirit dropped to the lowest point where it could not go any further, Psyche began to realize that she must let go of all her fear.

"Why don't you show a manly heart and the strength to leave this idle hope?" Psyche advised herself. "Why don't you go and seek the one whom you have angered? Soften her savage onslaught by showing kindness and respect, however late this might be?"

And as she walked, her grief became her strength and her fear became her courage. She knew she must learn to save herself and find a way to get Cupid back.

This was how she steeled her heart for an uncertain outcome. Her footsteps became more sturdy, her back grew straighter as she mentally rehearsed what she shall utter.

~*~

Venus was disappointed by her earthly search for Psyche with no results. She ordered for her chariot. It was her wedding gift, which Vulcan had lovingly applied the finishing touches with elaborate crests. The divine workmanship of the smith god had made the metal gleam, and the coach's value was measured by the gold it was made from. Four white horses were harnessed to the jeweled yoke, and they took their mistress aboard before delightedly mounting back into the sky.

Sparrows flew with the combined chirps as they escorted the goddess on her carriage, and the other birds, sweet songsters, announced her approach with the pleasurable sound of their honeyed tunes.

Venus at once made for the royal citadel of Jupiter, and in arrogant tones sought the urgent service of the messenger god, Mercury.

Jupiter lowered his brows but did not refuse. Venus happily quit heaven with Mercury, and she spoke seriously to him.

"My lordly brother, you know that your sister Venus has never had any success without your help. You are well aware of how long I have never been unable to trace my maid who lies in hiding. So I have no choice other than that you as herald make a public announcement of a reward for tracking her down. So you must hasten to do my bidding, and clearly indicate the marks so she can be recognized, and whoever unlawfully conceal her shall be charged."

With these words, she handed him a scroll of goatskin which contained Psyche's name and other details. Then the goddess retired home.

Mercury did not fail to obey her. He flew here and there, appearing before gatherings of every state, and announced to them.

"If anyone can retrieve from her flight the runaway daughter of the king, the maidservant of Venus called Psyche, or indicate her hidden whereabouts, he or she should come to the herald Mercury. Whoever does so shall obtain as a reward from Venus herself seven sweet kisses and a particularly honeyed one with the thrust of her caressing tongue."

These lines aroused the eager populace everywhere, longing for this great reward, and this above all ended Psyche's hesitation. Now she must confront the goddess herself.