“Because Byblis’ hair is softer and more scented than the grass; because Byblis’ eyes--” But Cyanée stopped him. “Child! be silent!” Hoping to cure him of his illicit passion, she at once took him to a mountain-nymph who had seven daughters most wondrously and indescribably beautiful. Both of them, after planning together, said to him-- “Make your choice, Caunos, and the one who pleases you shall be your wife.” But Caunos looked at the seven young girls as unmovedly as if he had been looking at seven rocks; for the image of Byblis quite filled his little soul, and there was not room in him for an alien love. For a month Cyanée took her son from mountain to mountain, and from plain to plain without succeeding in diverting him from his desire. At last realizing that she would never overcome his obstinate passion, she began to hate her son and accuse him of infamous conduct. But the child did not understand why his mother reproached him. Why among all women was he to be refused the one he loved? Why was it that caresses, which would have been permissible in the importunate arms of another, became criminal in the arms of his beloved Byblis? For what mysterious reason was it that a sentiment which he knew to be good, tender and capable of any sacrifice, was deemed worthy of every punishment? Zeus, he thought, married his sister, and Aphrodite dared to deceive her brother Ares with her brother Hephaïstos. For he did not yet know that the gods alone have given themselves an intelligent morality and that they disturb men’s virtue by incomprehensible laws. Now Cyanée said to her son-- “I disown you as my child!” She made a sign to a Centaur which was going towards the sea, and had Caunos placed upon its back. Then the beast went rapidly away. For some time Cyanée followed her son with her eyes. Caunos in his fright clung to the shoulders of the beast, and was sometimes buried in its monstrous mane. Then Centaur moved with long and powerful strides; it travelled in a straight line, and soon grew small in the distance. Then it turned behind a clump of bushes, and reappeared looking from afar like a tiny and almost stationary speck. At last Cyanée could see it no longer. Slowly the mother of Byblis retraced her steps into the forest. She was sad, but at the same time proud of saving by a forced separation the destiny of her two children; and she thanked the gods for giving her the strength to accomplish such a heartrending duty. “Now,” she thought, “Byblis being alone will forget the brother who has been sacrificed for her. She will fall in love with the first man who knows how to caress her, and from the marriage-bed will spring, as is right, a race half human and half divine. Blest are the immortal gods!” But when she returned to the grotto, little Byblis had disappeared. CHAPTER II