the golden asse-第15章

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ook　out　a　good　deale　of　oyntment　and　rubbed　my　selfe　withall。



THE　SEVENTEENTH　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　thinking　to　be　turned　into　a　Bird；　was　turned　into　an　Asse；　and　how　he　was　led　away　by　Theves。

After　that　I　had　well　rubbed　every　part　and　member　of　my　body；　I　hovered　with　myne　armes；　and　moved　my　selfe；　looking　still　when　I　should　bee　changed　into　a　Bird　as　Pamphiles　was；　　and　behold　neither　feathers　nor　appearance　of　feathers　did　burgen　out；　but　verily　my　haire　did　turne　in　ruggednesse；　and　my　tender　skin　waxed　tough　and　hard；　my　fingers　and　toes　losing　the　number　of　five；　changed　into　hoofes；　and　out　of　myne　arse　grew　a　great　taile；　now　my　face　became　monstrous；　my　nosthrils　wide；　my　lips　hanging　downe；　and　myne　eares　rugged　with　haire　：　neither　could　I　see　any　comfort　of　my　transformation；　for　my　members　encreased　likewise；　and　so　without　all　helpe　（viewing　every　part　of　my　poore　body）　I　perceived　that　I　was　no　bird；　but　a　plaine　Asse。

The　I　though　to　blame　Fotis；　but　being　deprived　as　wel　of　language　as　of　humane　shape；　I　looked　upon　her　with　my　hanging　lips　and　watery　eyes。　　　Who　as　soon　as　shee　espied　me　in　such　sort；　cried　out；　Alas　poore　wretch　that　I　am；　I　am　utterly　cast　away。　　The　feare　I　was　in；　and　my　haste　hath　beguiled　me；　but　especially　the　mistaking　of　the　box；　hath　deceived　me。　　But　it　forceth　not　much；　in　regard　a　sooner　medicine　may　be　gotten　for　this　than　for　any　other　thing。　　For　if　thou　couldst　get　a　rose　and　eat　it；　thou　shouldst　be　delivered　from　the　shape　of　an　Asse；　and　become　my　Lucius　againe。　　And　would　to　God　I　had　gathered　some　garlands　this　evening　past；　according　to　my　custome；　　then　thou　shouldst　not　continue　an　Asse　one　nights　space；　but　in　the　morning　I　shall　seek　some　remedy。　　Thus　Fotis　lamented　in　pittifull　sort；　but　I　that　was　now　a　perfect　asse；　and　for　Lucius　a　brute　beast；　did　yet　retaine　the　sence　and　understanding　of　a　man。　　And　did　devise　a　good　space　with　my　selfe；　whether　it　were　best　for　me　to　teare　this　mischievous　and　wicked　harlot　with　my　mouth；　or　to　kicke　and　kill　her　with　my　heels。　　But　a　better　thought　reduced　me　from　so　rash　a　purpose　：　for　I　feared　lest　by　the　death　of　Fotis　I　should　be　deprived　of　all　remedy　and　help。　　Then　shaking　myne　head；　and　dissembling　myne　ire；　and　taking　my　adversity　in　good　part；　I　went　into　the　stable　to　my　owne　horse；　where　I　found　another　asse　of　Milos；　somtime　my　host；　and　I　did　verily　think　that　mine　owne　horse　（if　there　were　any　natural　conscience　or　knowledge　in　brute　beasts）　would　take　pitty　on　me；　and　profer　me　lodging　for　that　night　：　but　it　chanced　far　otherwise。　　For　see；　my　horse　and　the　asse　as　it　were　consented　together　to　work　my　harm；　and　fearing　lest　I　should　eat　up　their　provender；　would　in　no　wise　suffer　me　to　come　nigh　the　manger；　but　kicked　me　with　their　heels　from　their　meat；　which　I　my　self　gave　them　the　night　before。　　Then　I　being　thus　handled　by　them；　and　driven　away；　got　me　into　a　corner　of　the　stable；　where　while　I　remembred　their　uncurtesie；　and　how　on　the　morrow　I　should　return　to　Lucius　by　the　help　of　a　Rose；　when　as　I　thought　to　revenge　my　selfe　of　myne　owne　horse；　I　fortuned　to　espy　in　the　middle　of　a　pillar　sustaining　the　rafters　of　the　stable　the　image　of　the　goddesse　Hippone；　which　was　garnished　and　decked　round　about　with　faire　and　fresh　roses　：　then　in　hope　of　present　remedy；　I　leaped　up　with　my　fore　feet　as　high　as　I　could；　stretching　out　my　neck；　and　with　my　lips　coveting　to　snatch　some　roses。　　But　in　an　evill　houre　I　did　go　about　that　enterprise；　for　behold　the　boy　to　whom　I　gave　charge　of　my　horse；　came　presently　in；　and　finding　me　climbing　upon　the　pillar；　ranne　fretting　towards　me　and　said；　How　long　shall　wee　suffer　this　wild　Asse；　that　doth　not　onely　eat　up　his　fellowes　meat；　but　also　would　spoyl　the　images　of　the　gods？　Why　doe　I　not　kill　this　lame　theefe　and　weake　wretch。　And　therewithall　looking　about　for　some　cudgel；　hee　espied　where　lay　a　fagot　of　wood；　and　chusing　out　a　crabbed　truncheon　of　the　biggest　hee　could　finde；　did　never　cease　beating　of　mee　poore　wretch；　until　such　time　as　by　great　noyse　and　rumbling；　hee　heard　the　doores　of　the　house　burst　open；　and　the　neighbours　crying　in　most　lamentable　sort；　which　enforced　him　being　stricken　in　feare；　to　fly　his　way。　And　by　and　by　a　troupe　of　theeves　entred　in；　and　kept　every　part　and　corner　of　the　house　with　weapons。　　And　as　men　resorted　to　aid　and　help　them　which　were　within　the　doores；　the　theeves　resisted　and　kept　them　back；　for　every　man　was　armed　with　a　sword　and　target　in　his　hand；　the　glimpses　whereof　did　yeeld　out　such　light　as　if　it　had　bin　day。　　Then　they　brake　open　a　great　chest　with　double　locks　and　bolts；　wherein　was　layd　all　the　treasure　of　Milo；　and　ransackt　the　same　：　which　when　they　had　done　they　packed　it　up　and　gave　every　man　a　portion　to　carry　：　but　when　they　had　more　than　they　could　beare　away；　yet　were　they　loth　to　leave　any　behind；　but　came　into　the　stable；　and　took　us　two　poore　asses　and　my　horse；　and　laded　us　with　greater　trusses　than　wee　were　able　to　beare。　　And　when　we　were　out　of　the　house；　they　followed　us　with　great　staves；　and　willed　one　of　their　fellows　to　tarry　behind；　and　bring　them　tydings　what　was　done　concerning　the　robbery　：　and　so　they　beat　us　forward　over　great　hils　out　of　the　way。　　But　I；　what　with　my　heavy　burden　and　long　journy；　did　nothing　differ　from　a　dead　asse　：　wherfore　I　determined　with　my　self　to　seek　some　civil　remedy；　and　by　invocation　of　the　name　of　the　prince　of　the　country　to　be　delivered　from　so　many　miseries　：　and　on　a　time　I　passed　through　a　great　faire；　I　came　among　a　multitude　of　Greeks；　and　I　thought　to　call　upon　the　renowned　name　of　the　Emperor　and　say；　O　Cesar；　and　cried　out　aloud　O；　but　Cesar　I　could　in　no　wise　pronounce。　　The　Theeves　little　regarding　my　crying；　did　lay　me　on　and　beat　my　wretched　skinne　in　such　sort；　that　after　it　was　neither　apt　nor　meet　to　make　Sives　or　Sarces。　　Howbeit　at　last　Jupiter　administred　to　me　an　unhoped　remedy。　　For　when　we　had　passed　through　many　townes　and　villages；　I　fortuned　to　espy　a　pleasant　garden；　wherein　beside　many　other　flowers　of　delectable　hiew；　were　new　and　fresh　roses　：　and　being　very　joyful；　and　desirous　to　catch　some　as　I　passed　by；　I　drew　neerer　and　neerer　：　and　while　my　lips　watered　upon　them；　I　thought　of　a　better　advice　more　profitable　for　me；　lest　if　from　an　asse　I　should　become　a　man；　I　might　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　theeves；　and　either　by　suspition　that　I　were　some　witch；　or　for　feare　that　I　should　utter　their　theft；　I　should　be　slaine；　wherefore　I　abstained　for　that　time　from　eating　of　Roses；　　and　enduring　my　present　adversity；　I　did　eat　hay　as　other　Asses　did。




THE　FOURTH　BOOKE



THE　EIGHTEENTH　CHAPTER

How　Apuleius　thinking　to　eat　Roses；　was　cruelly　beaten　by　a　Gardener；　and　chased　by　dogs

When　noone　was　come；　that　the　broyling　heate　of　the　sunne　had　most　power；　we　turned　into　a　village　to　certaine　of　the　theeves　acquaintance　and　friends；　for　verily　their　meeting　and　embracing　together　did　give　me；　poore　asse；　cause　to　deeme　the　same；　and　they　tooke　the　trusse　from　my　backe；　and　gave　them　part　of　the　Treasure　which　was　in　it；　and　they　seemed　to　whisper　and　tell　them　that　it　was　stollen　goods；　and　after　that　we　were　unladen　of　our　burthens；　they　let　us　loose　in　a　medow　to　pasture；　but　myne　own　horse　and　Miloes　Asse　would　not　suffer　me　to　feed　there　with　them；　but　I　must　seeke　my　dinner　in　some　other　place。

Wherefore　I　leaped　into　a　garden　which　was　behinde　the　stable；　and　being　well　nigh　perished　with　hunger；　although　I　could　find　nothing　there　but　raw　and　green　fallets；　yet　I　filled　my　hungry　guts　therwithall　abundantly；　and　praying　unto　all　the　gods；　I　looked　about　in　every　place　if　I　could　espy　any　red　roses　in　the　gardens　by；　and　my　solitary　being　alone　did　put　me　in　good　hope；　that　if　I　could　find　any　remedy；　I　should　presently　of　an　Asse　be　changed　into　Lucius　out　of　every　mans　sight。　　And　while　I　considered　these　things；　I　loked　about；　and　behold　I　saw　a　farre　off　a　shadowed　valley　adjoyning　nigh　unto　a　wood；　where　amongst　divers　other　hearbes　and　pleasant　verdures；　me　thought　I　saw　bright　flourishing　Roses　of　bright　damaske　colour；　and　said　within　my　bestaill　minde；　Verily　that　place　is　th