Thus she spake, and Cypris addressed them both:  “Hera and Athena, he will obey you rather than me.  For unabashed though he is, there will be some slight shame in his eyes before you:  but he has no respect for me, but ever slights me in contentious mood.  And, overborne by his naughtiness, I purpose to break his ill-sounding arrows and his bow in his very sight.  For in his anger he has threatened that if I shall not keep my hands off him while he still masters his temper, I shall have cause to blame myself thereafter.”

So she spake, and the goddesses smiled and looked at each other.  But Cypris again spoke, vexed at heart:  “To others my sorrows are a jest; nor ought I to tell them to all; I know them too well myself.  But now, since this pleases you both, I will make the attempt and coax him, and he will not say me nay.”

Thus she spake, and Hera took her slender hand and gently smiling, replied:  “Perform this task, Cytherea, straightway, as thou sayest; and be not angry or contend with thy boy; he will cease hereafter to vex thee.”

She spake, and left her seat, and Athena accompanied her and they went forth both hastening back.  And Cypris went on her way through the glens of Olympus to find her boy.  And she found him apart, in the blooming orchard of Zeus, not alone, but with him Ganymedes, whom once Zeus had set to dwell among the immortal gods, being enamoured of his beauty.  And they were playing for golden dice, as boys in one house are wont to do.  And already greedy Eros was holding the palm of his left hand quite full of them under his breast, standing upright; and on the bloom of his cheeks a sweet blush was glowing.  But the other sat crouching hard by, silent and downcast, and he had two dice left which he threw one after the other, and was angered by the loud laughter of Eros.  And lo, losing them straightway with the former, he went off empty-handed, helpless, and noticed not the approach of Cypris.  And she stood before her boy, and laying her hand on his lips, addressed him: 

“Why dost thou smile in triumph, unutterable rogue?  Hast thou cheated him thus, and unjustly overcome the innocent child?  Come, be ready to perform for me the task I will tell thee of, and I will give thee Zeus’ all-beauteous plaything—­the one which his dear nurse Adrasteia made for him, while he still lived a child, with childish ways, in the Idaean cave—­a well-rounded ball; no better toy wilt thou get from the hands of Hephaestus.  All of gold are its zones, and round each double seams run in a circle; but the stitches are hidden, and a dark blue spiral overlays them all.  But if thou shouldst cast it with thy hands, lo, like a star, it sends a flaming track through the sky.  This I will give thee; and do thou strike with thy shaft and charm the daughter of Aeetes with love for Jason; and let there be no loitering.  For then my thanks would be the slighter.”

Thus she spake, and welcome were her words to the listening boy.  And he threw down all his toys, and eagerly seizing her robe on this side and on that, clung to the goddess.  And he implored her to bestow the gift at once; but she, facing him with kindly words, touched his cheeks, kissed him and drew him to her, and replied with a smile: