The next question we have to answer would seem to be this: Could paederastia be regarded as a consequence of the vengeance of Venus? As it is the Scythians that are in question, the first thing would naturally appear to be to determine what conception the Scythians had of Venus. But inasmuch as the data are lacking for any demonstration of the sort, while the Scythians themselves ascribe the νοῦσος θήλεια to the vengeance of Venus, we may very well refer for a reply to this first question to the general character of the cult of the goddess[307] and what has been said on the whole subject above; and herein there seems to exist no reason why we should not answer the query asked above in the affirmative. Granted that Venus was regarded as goddess of fruitfulness or as dispenser of the joys of Love, then in either aspect it was but natural she should withdraw the marks of her favour from the culprits (the paederasts). These neither wished for posterity nor enjoyed the delights connected with _natural_ coition, but were equally indifferent towards the one and towards the other[308]; and the first sign of the vengeance of the goddess consists in the withdrawal of her benefits. How _Stark_, following the lead of an anonymous French author quoted by _Larcher_[309], can maintain there is no question of punishment here, as in that case Venus would be acting against her own interest, we fail to understand; and _Larcher_ himself calls this unknown writer _un homme d’esprit, mais peu instruit_ (witty but superficial). This is proof sufficient in our opinion that only a jest is intended, but one that _Stark_, p. 7 (notes 19 and 20.), has taken with the utmost seriousness. However our view is _directly_ supported by another myth, which _Dio Chrysostom_ mentions, speaking of the sweating at the armpits with which the Lemnian women were afflicted. According to this legend Venus punishes the women of Lemnos[310]: