5.18
[1] Nec diū blandīs alimōniārum obsequiīs tē sagīnātūrum omnēs adfirmant, sed cum prīmum praegnātiōnem tuam plēnus mātūrāverit uterus, opīmiōre frūctū praeditam dēvorātūrum. [2] Ad haec iam tua est exīstimātiō, utrum sorōribus prō tuā cārā salūte sollicitīs adsentīrī vēlīs et dēclīnātā morte nōbīscum sēcūra perīculī vīvere an saevissimae bēstiae sepelīrī vīsceribus. [3] Quodsī tē rūris huius vōcālis sōlitūdō vel clandestīnae vēneris faetidī perīculōsīque concubitūs et venēnātī serpentis amplexūs dēlectant, certē piae sorōrēs nostrum fēcerīmus.”
[4] Tunc Psȳchē misella utpote simplex et animī tenella, rapitur verbōrum tam trīstium formīdine: extrā terminum mentis suae posita prōrsus omnium marītī monitiōnum suārumque prōmissiōnum memoriam effūdit et in profundum calamitātis sēsē praecipitāvit tremēnsque et exsanguī colōre lūrida tertiāta verba sēmihiantī vōce substrēpēns sīc ad illās ait:
Psyche’s sisters continue to terrify her by fashioning a monstrous description of Cupid.
cum prīmum praegnātiōnem tuam plēnus mātūrāverit uterus: “As soon as your swelling womb has brought your pregnancy to full term.” (lit: “when first your full womb will have brought your pregnancy to maturity”).
utrum…visceribus: Very long indirect question introduced by the thinking of existimatio. The main verb of the indirect question is velis, + complementary infinitives adsentīrī, vīvere, and sepelīrī.
sorōribus… sollicitīs: Dative object of adsentīrī.
faetidī perīculōsīque: Nom. pl. modifying concubitūs.
nostrum fēcerīmus: “We will have done our (part).” Note the irony of piae, here, between their actions and intent.
misella… tenella: The use of diminutive adjectives amplify the immature and simplex nature of Psyche.
extrā terminum mentis suae: Cf. Met. 3.22.2 exterminatus animi. Psyche’s position closely resembles Lucius’ curiositas about magic. This foreshadows the consequences of her own curiositas later.
tertiāta verba semihiantī vōce substrēpēns sīc ad illās ait: Even in the Latin, Psyche scrambles to find her words three different times: tertiāta verba, semihiantī vōce substrēpēns, sīc… ait.
alimōnia, -ae f.: nourishment
obsequium, -ī: indulgence
sagīnō, -āre: to fatten, stuff
praeditus, -a, -um: endowed, burdened
sēcūrus, -a, -um: free from care, unconcerned (with) (+ gen.)
vōcālis, -e: speaking, talking
f(a)etidus, -a, -um: stinking, foul, disgusting
concubitus, -ūs m.: sexual embrace, a lying together
amplexus, -ūs, m.: embrace
misellus, -a, -um: poor, wretched
utpote: (adv.) as is natural
simplex, simplicis: naive
tenellus, -a, -um: delicate
exsanguis, -e: bloodless, lifeless
lūridus, -a, -um: pale, ghastly
tertiō, -āre: to try for a third time
sēmihians, -antis: half-open
substrēpēns, -entis: gasping, just uttering