In the year 1058, a young man of noble birth had been married at Rome, and during the period of the nuptial feast, having gone with his companions to play at ball, he put his marriage-ring on the finger of a broken statue of Venus in the area, to remain while he was engaged in the recreation. Desisting from the exercise, he found the finger on which he had put his ring contracted firmly against the palm, and attempted in vain either to break it or to disengage his ring. He concealed the circumstance from his companions and returned at night with a servant, when he found the finger extended and his ring gone. He dissembled the loss and returned to his wife; but whenever he attempted to embrace her, he found himself prevented by something dark and dense, which was tangible though not visible, interposing between them, and he heard a voice saying, “Embrace me! For I am Venus, whom this day you wedded, and I will not restore your ring.”