d and flowering Spring; even as the
second, with the garland and the buskins woven of pale ears of corn, and
the yellow draperies wherewith she was adorned, was intended to signify
the heat of Summer, and the third, representing Autumn, and all clothed
in red draperies, signifying the maturity of fruits, was seen likewise
all covered and adorned with those same fruits, vine-leaves, and grapes;
and the fourth and last, who represented the white and snowy Winter,
besides her dress of turquoise-blue all sprinkled with flakes of snow,
had the hair and the buskins likewise covered with similar snow,
hoar-frost, and ice. And all, as followers and handmaidens of Venus,
being grouped around the car on the same cloud with singular artistry
and most beautiful composition, were seen--leaving behind them Jove,
Juno, Saturn, Mars, Mercury, and the other Gods, from whom appeared to
be issuing the soft harmony described above--to sink gradually with most
beautiful grace towards the earth, and by their coming to fill the scene
and the whole hall with a thousand sweet and precious odours; while from
another part, with an aspect no less gracious, but appearing to walk on
earth, was seen to come the nude and winged Cupid, likewise accompanied
by those four Passions that seem so often to be wont to disturb his
unrestful kingdom; Hope, namely, all clothed in green, with a little
flowering branch on the head; Fear, recognized, in addition to his pale
garment, by the rabbits that he had on his hair and his buskins; Joy,
likewise clothed in white and orange and a thousand glad colours, and
with a plant of flowering borage on the hair, and Sorrow, all in black
and in aspect all weeping and sad; of whom, as his ministers, one
carried the bow, another the quiver and the arrows, another the nets,
and yet another the lighted torch. And while the above-described Hours
and Graces, having descended from the cloud, went slowly towards their
mother's car, now arrived on earth, and, having grouped themselves
reverently in a most graceful choir around the lovely Venus, seemed all
intent on singing in harmony with her, she, turning towards her son with
rare and infinite grace, and making manifest to him the cause of her
displeasure, when those in Heaven were silent, sang the two following
stanzas, the first of the ballad, saying:

A me, che fatta son negletta e sola,
Non piu gli altar ne i voti,
Ma di Psiche devoti
A lei sola si danno,