where the sun never penetrates, where no wind blows through; a gloomy
dwelling, permeated by numbing chill, ever fireless, ever shrouded in thick
darkness. When Minerva reached this spot she stopped in front of the house
... and struck the doors with the tip of her spear, and at the blow they flew
open and revealed Envy within, busy at a meal of snake’s flesh, the food on
which she nourished her wickedness. At the sight, Minerva turned her eyes
away. But the other rose heavily from the ground, leaving the half-eaten
corpses, and came out with dragging steps. When she saw the goddess in all
the brilliance of her beauty, in her flashing armor, she groaned.... Envy’s
face was sickly pale, her whole body lean and wasted, and she squinted
horribly; her teeth were discolored and decayed, her poisonous breast of a
greenish hue, and her tongue dripped venom. Only the sight of suffering
could bring a smile to her lips. She never knew the comfort of sleep, but was
kept constantly awake by care and anxiety, looked with dismay on men’s
good fortune, and grew thin at the sight. Gnawing at others, and being
gnawed, she was herself her own torment. Minerva, in spite of her loathing,
yet addressed her briefly: “Instill your poison into one of Cecrop’s
daughters—her name is Aglauros. This is what I require of you. ” Without
another word she pushed against the ground with her spear, left the earth,
and soared upwards.
From the corner of her eye the other watched the goddess out of sight,
muttering and angry that Minerva’s plan should be successful. Then she
took her staff, all encircled with thorny briars, wrapped herself in dark
clouds, and set forth. Wherever she went she trampled down the flowery
fields, withered up the grass, seared the treetops, and with her breath
tainted the peoples, their cities and their homes, until at length she came to
Athens, the home of wit and wealth, peaceful and prosperous. She could
scarcely refrain from weeping when she saw no cause for tears. Then
entering the chamber of Cecrop’s daughter, she carried out Minerva’s
orders. She touched the girl’s breast with a hand dipped in malice, filled her
heart with spiky thorns, and breathing in a black and evil poison dispersed
it through her very bones, instilling the venom deep in her heart. That the
reason for her distress might not be far to seek, she set before Aglauros’
eyes a vision of her sister, of that sister’s fortunate marriage [with the god
Mercury], and of the god in all his handsomeness; and she exaggerated the
glory of it all. So Aglauros was tormented by such thoughts, and the jealous
anger she concealed ate into her heart. Day and night she sighed,