APHRODITE
Eros, my boy, you must watch what you’re about. I don’t mean on earth, when you persuade men to work against themselves or each other, but in heaven too, when you make Zeus turn into shape after shape, changing him into whatever you choose for the time, and bring Lady Moon down from the sky, and sometimes keep the Sun-god lingering at Clymene’s side forgetful of his driving. You may go scot-free for the liberties you take with me, your mother but you’ve had the audacity even to turn the thoughts of Rhea to love of boys and have her pining for that Phrygian lad Attis. Cf. On Sacrifices 5 and 7. —at her time of life, too, and she the mother of so many gods! Now you’ve driven her mad, and she’s taken her team of lions and her Corybants, who are just as mad as herself, and is wandering up and down Ida; she keeps shrieking for Attis, while the Corybants slash their arms with swords, or let down their hair and rush madly over the mountains, or blow on the horn, thunder on the drums, or bang cymbals; it’s just chaotic frenzy all over Ida. So I fear everything; yes, your mother’s afraid of such goings on, for you’re just one big nuisance, and I’m scared that one day Rhea, in a fit of madness, or, more likely, when still in her right mind, will tell her Corybants to catch you and tear you to pieces or throw you to her lions. That’s what I fear, when I see you running such risks.
