r person all its beauty,
and diffused so divine an odour, as refreshed all nature, and sweetened
both heaven and earth. She let her immortal tresses flow in the most
graceful manner, and took a particular care to dress herself in several
ornaments, which the poet describes at length, and which the goddess
chose out as the most proper to set off her person to the best
advantage. In the next place, she made a visit to Venus, the deity who
presides over love, and begged of her, as a particular favour, that she
would lend her for a while those charms with which she subdued the
hearts both of gods and men. "For," says the goddess, "I would make use
of them to reconcile the two deities who took care of me in my infancy,
and who, at present, are at so great a variance, that they are estranged
from each other's bed." Venus was proud of an opportunity of obliging so
great a goddess, and therefore made her a present of the cestus which
she used to wear about her own waist, with advice to hide it in her
bosom till she had accomplished her intention. This cestus was a fine
parti-coloured girdle, which, as Homer tells us, had all the attractions
of the sex wrought into it. The four principal figures in the embroidery
were Love, Desire, Fondness of Speech, and Conversation, filled with
that sweetness and complacency, which, says the poet, insensibly steal
away the hearts of the wisest men.

Juno, after having made these necessary preparations, came as by
accident into the presence of Jupiter, who is said to have been as much
inflamed with her beauty, as when he first stole to her embraces without
the consent of their parents. Juno, to cover her real thoughts, told
him as she had told Venus, that she was going to make a visit to
Oceanus and Tethys. He prevailed upon her to stay with him, protesting
to her, that she appeared more amiable in his eye than ever any mortal,
goddess, or even herself, had appeared to him till that day. The poet
then represents him in so great an ardour, that (without going up to the
house which had been built by the hands of Vulcan according to Juno's
direction) he threw a golden cloud over their heads as they sat upon the
top of Mount Ida, while the earth beneath them sprung up in
lotuses,[160] saffrons, hyacinths, and a bed of the softest flowers for
their repose.

This close translation of one of the finest passages in Homer, may
suggest abundance of instruction to a woman who has a mind to preserve
or