the golden asse-第11章

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ght；　but　to　the　end　this　fact　may　be　knowne；　we　crave　but　a　small　time　and　space　of　life。　　Whereat　this　Prophet　was　mooved；　and　took　a　certaine　herb　and　layd　it　three　times　against　the　mouth　of　the　dead；　and　he　took　another　and　laid　upon　his　breast　in　like　sort。　　Thus　when　hee　had　done　hee　turned　himself　into　the　East；　and　made　certaine　orisons　unto　the　Sunne；　which　caused　all　the　people　to　marvell　greatly；　and　to　looke　for　this　strange　miracle　that　should　happen。　　Then　I　pressed　in　amongst　them　nigh　unto　the　biere；　and　got　upon　a　stone　to　see　this　mysterie；　and　behold　incontinently　the　dead　body　began　to　receive　spirit；　his　principall　veines　did　moove；　his　life　came　again　and　he　held　up　his　head　and　spake　in　this　sort　：　Why　doe　you　call　mee　backe　againe　to　this　transitorie　life；　that　have　already　tasted　of　the　water　of　Lethe；　and　likewise　been　in　the　deadly　den　of　Styx？　　Leave　off；　I　pray；　leave　off；　and　let　me　lie　in　quiet　rest。　　When　these　words　were　uttered　by　the　dead　corps；　the　Prophet　drew　nigh　unto　the　Biere　and　sayd；　I　charge　thee　to　tell　before　the　face　of　all　the　people　here　the　occasion　of　thy　death　：　What；　dost　thou　thinke　that　I　cannot　by　my　conjurations　call　up　the　dead；　and　by　my　puissance　torment　thy　body？　　Then　the　corps　moved　his　head　again；　and　made　reverence　to　the　people　and　sayd；　Verily　I　was　poisoned　by　the　meanes　of　my　wicked　wife；　and　so　thereby　yeelded　my　bed　unto　an　adulterer。　　Whereat　his　wife　taking　present　audacity；　and　reproving　his　sayings；　with　a　cursed　minde　did　deny　it。　　The　people　were　bent　against　her　sundry　wayes；　some　thought　best　that　shee　should　be　buried　alive　with　her　husband　：　but　some　said　that　there　ought　no　credit　to　be　given　to　the　dead　body。　Which　opinion　was　cleane　taken　away；　by　the　words　which　the　corps　spoke　againe　and　sayd；　Behold　I　will　give　you　some　evident　token；　which　never　yet　any　other　man　knew；　whereby　you　shall　perceive　that　I　declare　the　truth　：　and　by　and　by　he　pointed　towards　me　that　stood　on　the　stone；　and　sayd；　When　this　the　good　Gard　of　my　body　watched　me　diligently　in　the　night；　and　that　the　wicked　Witches　and　enchantresses　came　into　the　chamber　to　spoyle　mee　of　my　limbes；　and　to　bring　such　their　purpose　did　transforme　themselves　into　the　shape　of　beasts　：　and　when　as　they　could　in　no　wise　deceive　or　beguile　his　vigilant　eyes；　they　cast　him　into　so　dead　and　sound　a　sleepe；　that　by　their　witchcraft　he　seemed　without　spirit　or　life。　　After　this　they　did　call　me　by　my　name；　and　never　did　cease　til　as　the　cold　members　of　my　body　began　by　little　and　little　and　little　to　revive。　　Then　he　being　of　more　lively　soule；　howbeit　buried　in　sleep；　in　that　he　and　I　were　named　by　one　name；　and　because　he　knew　not　that　they　called　me；　rose　up　first；　and　as　one　without　sence　or　perseverance　passed　by　the　dore　fast　closed；　unto　a　certain　hole；　whereas　the　Witches　cut　off　first　his　nose；　and　then　his　ears；　and　so　that　was　done　to　him　which　was　appointed　to　be　done　to　me。　　And　that　such　their　subtility　might　not　be　perceived；　they　made　him　a　like　paire　of　eares　and　nose　of　wax　：　wherfore　you　may　see　that　the　poore　miser　for　lucre　of　a　little　mony　sustained　losse　of　his　members。　　Which　when　he　had　said　I　was　greatly　astonied；　and　minding　to　prove　whether　his　words　were　true　or　no；　put　my　hand　to　my　nose；　and　my　nose　fell　off；　and　put　my　hand　to　my　ears　and　my　ears　fell　off。　　Wherat　all　the　people　wondred　greatly；　and　laughed　me　to　scorne　：　but　I　beeing　strucken　in　a　cold　sweat；　crept　between　their　legs　for　shame　and　escaped　away。　　So　I　disfigured　returned　home　againe；　and　covered　the　losse　of　myne　ears　with　my　long　hair；　and　glewed　this　clout　to　my　face　to　hide　my　shame。　　As　soon　as　Bellephoron　had　told　his　tale；　they　which　sate　at　the　table　replenished　with　wine；　laughed　heartily。　And　while　they　drank　one　to　another；　Byrrhena　spake　to　me　and　said；　from　the　first　foundation　of　this　city　we　have　a　custome　to　celebrate　the　festivall　day　of　the　god　Risus；　and　to…morrow　is　the　feast　when　as　I　pray　you　to　bee　present；　to　set　out　the　same　more　honourably；　and　I　would　with　all　my　heart　that　you　could　find　or　devise　somewhat　of　your　selfe；　that　might　be　in　honour　of　so　great　a　god。　　To　whom　I　answered；　verily　cousin　I　will　do　as　you　command　me；　and　right　glad　would　I　be；　if　I　might　invent　any　laughing　or　merry　matter　to　please　of　satisfy　Risus　withall。　　Then　I　rose　from　the　table　and　took　leave　of　Byrrhena　and　departed。　　And　when　I　came　into　the　first　street　my　torch　went　out；　that　with　great　pain　I　could　scarce　get　home；　by　reason　it　was　so　dark；　for　ear　of　stumbling　：　and　when　I　was　well　nigh　come　unto　the　dore；　behold　I　saw　three　men　of　great　stature；　heaving　and　lifting　at　Milos　gates　to　get　in　：　and　when　they　saw　me　they　were　nothing　afeard；　but　assaied　with　more　force　to　break　down　the　dores　whereby　they　gave　mee　occasion；　and　not　without　cause；　to　thinke　that　they　were　strong　theeves。　　Whereupon　I　by　and　by　drew　out　my　sword　which　I　carried　for　that　purpose　under　my　cloak；　and　ran　in　amongst　them；　and　wounded　them　in　such　sort　that　they　fell　downe　dead　before　my　face。　　Thus　when　I　had　slaine　them　all；　I　knocked　sweating　and　breathing　at　the　doore　til　Fotis　let　me　in。　　And　then　full　weary　with　the　slaughter　of　those　Theeves；　like　Hercules　when　he　fought　against　the　king　Gerion；　I　went　to　my　chamber　and　layd　me　down　to　sleep。




THE　THIRD　BOOKE



THE　TWELFTH　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　was　taken　and　put　in　prison　for　murther。

When　morning　was　come；　and　that　I　was　awaked　from　sleep；　my　heart　burned　sore　with　remembrance　of　the　murther　I　had　committed　the　night　before　：　and　I　rose　and　sate　downe　on　the　side　of　the　bed　with　my　legges　acrosse；　and　wringing　my　hands；　I　weeped　in　most　miserable　sort。　　For　I　imagined　with　my　selfe；　that　I　was　brought　before　the　Judge　in　the　Judgement　place；　and　that　he　awarded　sentence　against　me；　　and　that　the　hangman　was　ready　to　lead　me　to　the　gallows。　　And　further　I　imagined　and　sayd；　Alasse　what　Judge　is　he　that　is　so　gentle　or　benigne；　that　will　thinke　that　I　am　unguilty　of　the　slaughter　and　murther　of　these　three　men。　Howbeit　the　Assyrian　Diophanes　did　firmely　assure　unto　me；　that　my　peregrination　and　voyage　hither　should　be　prosperous。　　But　while　I　did　thus　unfold　my　sorrowes；　and　greatly　bewail　my　fortune；　behold　I　heard　a　great　noyse　and　cry　at　the　dore；　and　in　came　the　Magistrates　and　officers；　who　commanded　two　sergeants　to　binde　and　leade　me　to　prison。　　　whereunto　I　was　willingly　obedient；　and　as　they　led　me　through　the　street；　all　the　City　gathered　together　and　followed　me；　and　although　I　looked　always　on　the　ground　for　very　shame；　yet　sometimes　I　cast　my　head　aside　and　marvelled　greatly　that　among　　so　many　thousand　people　there　was　not　one　but　laughed　exceedingly。　　Finally；　when　they　had　brought　me　through　all　the　streets　of　the　city；　in　manner　of　those　that　go　in　procession；　and　do　sacrifice　to　mitigate　the　ire　of　the　gods；　they　placed　mee　in　the　Judgement　hall；　before　the　seat　of　the　Judges　：　and　after　that　the　Crier　had　commanded　all　men　to　keep　silence；　and　people　desired　the　Judges　to　give　sentence　in　the　great　Theatre；　by　reason　of　the　great　multitude　that　was　there；　whereby　they　were　in　danger　of　stifling。　　And　behold　the　prease　of　people　increased　stil；　some　climed　to　the　top　of　the　house；　some　got　upon　the　beames；　some　upon　the　Images；　and　some　thrust　their　heads　through　the　windowes；　little　regarding　the　dangers　they　were　in；　so　they　might　see　me。

Then　the　officers　brought　mee　forth　openly　into　the　middle　of　the　hall；　that　every　man　might　behold　me。　And　after　that　the　Cryer　had　made　a　noise；　and　willed　all　such　that　would　bring　any　evidence　against　me；　should　come　forth；　there　stept　out　an　old　man　with　a　glasse　of　water　in　his　hand；　dropping　out　softly；　who　desired　that　hee　might　have　liberty　to　speake　during　the　time　of　the　continuance　of　the　water。　　Which　when　it　was　granted；　he　began　his　oration　in　this　sort。



THE　THIRTEENTH　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　was　accused　by　an　　old　man；　and　how　he　answered　for　himselfe。

O　most　reverend　and　just　Judges；　the　thing　which　I　propose　to　declare　to　you　is　no　small　matter；　but　toucheth　the　estate　and　tranquillity　of　this　whole　City；　and　the　punishment　thereof　may　be　a　right　good