“When Juno heard this she thought it better to submit, so she sat down without a word, but all the gods throughout Jove’s mansion were very much perturbed.  Presently the cunning workman Vulcan tried to pacify his mother Juno, and said, ’It will never do for you two to go on quarrelling and setting heaven in an uproar about a pack of mortals.  The thing will not bear talking about.  If such counsels are to prevail a god will not be able to get his dinner in peace.  Let me then advise my mother (and I am sure it is her own opinion) to make her peace with my dear father, lest he should scold her still further, and spoil our banquet; for if he does wish to turn us all out there can be no question about his being perfectly able to do so.  Say something civil to him, therefore, and then perhaps he will not hurt us.’

“As he spoke he took a large cup of nectar and put it into his mother’s hands, saying, ’Bear it, my dear mother, and make the best of it.  I love you dearly and should be very sorry to see you get a thrashing.  I should not be able to help you, for my father Jove is not a safe person to differ from.  You know once before when I was trying to help you he caught me by the foot and chucked me from the heavenly threshold.  I was all day long falling from morn to eve, but at sunset I came to ground on the island of Lemnos, and there was very little life left in me, till the Sintians came and tended me.’

“On this Juno smiled, and with a laugh took the cup from her son’s hand.  Then Vulcan went about among all other gods drawing nectar for them from his goblet, and they laughed immoderately as they saw him bustling about the heavenly mansion.”

Then presently the gods go home to bed, each one in his own house that Vulcan had cunningly built for him or her.  Finally Jove himself went to the bed which he generally occupied; and Jove his wife went with him.

There is another quarrel between Jove and Juno at the beginning of the fourth book.

The gods are sitting on the golden floor of Jove’s palace and drinking one another’s health in the nectar with which Hebe from time to time supplies them.  Jove begins to tease Juno, and to provoke her with some sarcastic remarks that are pointed at her though not addressed to her directly.

“‘Menelaus,’ he exclaimed, ’has two good friends among the goddesses, Juno and Minerva, but they only sit still and look on, while Venus on the other hand takes much better care of Paris, and defends him when he is in danger.  She has only just this moment been rescuing him when he made sure he was at death’s door, for the victory really did lie with Menelaus.  We must think what we are to do about all this.  Shall we renew strife between the combatants or shall we make them friends again?  I think the best plan would be for the City of Priam to remain unpillaged, but for Menelaus to have his wife Helen sent back to him.’

“Minerva and Juno groaned in spirit when they heard this.  They were sitting side by side, and thinking what mischief they could do to the Trojans.  Minerva for her part said not one word, but sat scowling at her father, for she was in a furious passion with him, but Juno could not contain herself, so she said—­