Chapter 6 Translation

'Psyche, non ita ut pridem parvula es, et ipsa mox mater eris.

'psyche, you are not the little thing you were before, and soon you will be a mother yourself.

Qaue omnia nullo praesente dulcissimis sonis animos audientium mulcebant.

All these things with nobody present with their very sweet sounds soothed the minds of the listeners.

Statim eis via defessis imperat ut corpora curent; deinde, cum in triclinium eas duxisset, miris dapibus delectavit.

Immediately she orders them tired from the journey to care for their bodies; then when she had led them into the dining room she delighted them with a marvelous feast.

Nec tamen scelestarum feminarum nequitia conquievit, sed sciscitari coeperunt qualis ei esset maritus et unde natus esset.

Nevertheless the wickedness of the evil women did not rest, but they began to inquire what kind of husband she had and from what family he came.

Nec in sermone isto morata rursus opimis muneribus eas oneratas ventoso vehiculo reddidit.

Not having delayed on that speech again she returned them loaded with rich gifts to their wind powered vehicle.

Iubet citharam loqui: psallitur; choros canere: cantatur.

She orders the lyre to sound: it plays; she orders the chorus to sing: it sings.

Tunc illa prioris sermonis oblita novum mendacium instruit et dicit maritum suum de provincia proxima esse, mercatorem qui iam medium cursum aetatis ageret, sparsus rara canitae.

Then that girl having forgotten her first speech made up a new lie and she says that her husband is from a nearby province, a merchant who now was middle aged, sprinkled with grey hair rarely.

Sic amore simulato paulatim sororis invadunt animum.

Thus with simulated love little by little they invade the mind of their sister.

Heu! Quontis urgemur cladibus, Psyche dulcissima!

alas! by how many disasters we are surrounded, sweetest psyche!

his verbis et amplexibus mollibus decantatus, maritus se facturum promisit atque iam luce appropinquante de manibus uxoris evanuit.

beguiled by these words and soft embraces, the husband promised that he would do it and now with the light approaching, he vanished from the hands of his wife.

Sed iam pestes taeterrimae festinantes impia celeritate navigabant.

but now, those very filthy plagues, while hurrying, sailed with impious speed.

.At illae nihil moratae, cum primum domum intravissent, complexae praedam suam sorores, fraudem vultu laeto tegentes, sic adulatae sunt:

but they, having delayed not at all, as soon as they had entered the house, having embraced their prey, the sisters, covering their fraud with a happy face, thus they flattered her:

sed cum Zephyri tranquillo spirutu levatae domum redirent, sic secum colloquebantur:

but when they, having been lifted by the tranquil spirit of the Zephyr returned home, like this they were speaking with each other:

certe si divini pueri - quod absit - haec mater facta erit, (certe si...haec mater facta erit/ divini pueri-quod absit ), statim me laqueo suspendam. ergo interim ad parentes nostros redeamus, et consilium capiamus quo sororem nostrem fallamus.'

certainly if this girl will have been made the mother of a divine boy--god forbid let me suspend myself in a noose at once. therefore meanwhile let us return to our parents, and let us take a plan by which we may deceive our sister.'

Domum maritum, teque et istum parvulum nostrum imminenti ruina libera,

free your house, your husband, and yourself and that tiny little one of ours from imminent ruin;

Quam beatae erimus cum infantem illum crescenten videbimus!

how happy we will be when we see that growing infant!

nec illas scelestas feminas vel videas vel audias cum in morem sirenum scopulo prominentes funestis vocibus saxa personabunt.

neither see nor listen to those wicked women when like sirens leaning out from a rock they will make the rocks resound with their deadly voices.

iam gladio destricto iuglum tuum nefariae tuae sorores petunt.

now with a drawn sword, your nefarious sisters seek your throat.

Cum te videre non liceat, redde saltem conspectum sororum et Psyches tuae animum gaudio recrea.

since to see you is not allowed, at least give back the sight of my sisters and refresh the spirit of your psyche with joy'.

certe scito, mi soror, vel mendacium istam feminam dicere vel formam sui mariti nescire. quod si viri sui faciem ignorat, deo profecto nupsit et deum utero gerit.

surely know, my sister, either that that woman is telling a lie or that she does not know the form of her husband. because if she ignores the expression of her own man, she certainly has married a god and carries a god in the womb.

Sorores autem, ne parentibus quidem visis, recta de navibus scopulum illum petunt nec venti ferentis oppertae praesentiam, summa temeritae, prosiliunt in altum.

the sisters however, with the parents not even seen, straight from the ships they seek the rock, not waiting for the arrival of the wind which would carry them, with great foolishness, they leap into the chasm.

Nec immemor Zephyrus regalis imperii susceptas eas solo reddidit.

the zephyr, not forgetful of the regal command, returned them, having been caught, to the ground.

Tunc sic iterum maritus suam Psyche admonet: 'dies ultimus adest.

then thus again the husband warns his psyche: 'the last day is here.

'quid, soror, dicimus de tanto fatuae illius mendacio? tunc dixit maritum esse adulescentem modo barbam instruentem, nunc virum media aetate, canitie candidum. quis est ille qui tam repente consenuit?

what, sister, do we say about so great a lie of that silly girl? then she said that (her) husband was an adolescent just now sprouting a beard, now a man in middle age, bright with gray hairs. who is that man who so suddenly grew old?

Respondet Psyche lacrimas: 'iamdudum fidem atque silentium meum novisti nec iam mihi deerit firmitas animi.

while crying, psyche responds: for a long time now, you have known my silence and my fidelity nor now will firmness of spirit be lacking to me.

Qui si parentum, ut oportet, pulchritudini responderit, novus cupido nascetur.'

who, if he resembles the beauty of his parents as it should be, will be born a new cupid.'

Tu modo Zephyro nostro impera ut fungatur obsequio.

you just order our zephyr to carry out his duty.

Sanguis inimicus iam arma sumpsit et castra commovit et aciem direxit;

your sisters have taken up arms and have broken camp and have drawn up a battle line;