the golden asse-第2部分

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　from　such　a　state　unfold；　　　　　　　　　　　Who　eftsoone　turn'd　to　pristine　shape　　　　　　　　　　　　　his　lot　unlucky　told。

What　and　who　he　was　attend　a　while；　and　you　shall　understand　that　it　was　even　I；　the　writer　of　mine　own　Metamorphosie　and　strange　alteration　of　figure。　　Hymettus；　Athens；　Isthmia；　Ephire　Tenaros；　and　Sparta；　being　fat　and　fertile　soiles　（as　I　pray　you　give　credit　to　the　bookes　of　more　everlasting　fame）　be　places　where　myne　antient　progeny　and　linage　did　sometime　flourish　：　there　I　say；　in　Athens；　when　I　was　yong；　I　went　first　to　schoole。　　Soone　after　（as　a　stranger）　I　arrived　at　Rome；　whereas　by　great　industry；　and　without　instruction　of　any　schoolmaster；　I　attained　to　the　full　perfection　of　the　Latine　tongue。　　Behold；　I　first　crave　and　beg　your　pardon；　lest　I　should　happen　to　displease　or　offend　any　of　you　by　the　rude　and　rusticke　utterance　of　this　strange　and　forrein　language。　　And　verily　this　new　alteration　of　speech　doth　correspond　to　the　enterprised　matter　whereof　I　purpose　to　entreat；　I　will　set　forth　unto　you　a　pleasant　Grecian　jeast。　Whereunto　gentle　Reader　if　thou　wilt　give　attendant　eare；　it　will　minister　unto　thee　such　delectable　matter　as　thou　shalt　be　contented　withall。




THE　FIRST　BOOKE





THE　FIRST　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　riding　in　Thessaly；　fortuned　to　fall　into　company　with　two　strangers；　that　reasoned　together　of　the　mighty　power　of　Witches。

As　I　fortuned　to　take　my　voyage　into　Thessaly；　about　certaine　affaires　which　I　had　to　doe　（　for　there　myne　auncestry　by　my　mothers　side　inhabiteth；　descended　of　the　line　of　that　most　excellent　person　Plutarch；　and　of　Sextus　the　Philosopher　his　Nephew；　which　is　to　us　a　great　honour）　and　after　that　by　much　travell　and　great　paine　I　had　passed　over　the　high　mountaines　and　slipperie　vallies；　and　had　ridden　through　the　cloggy　fallowed　fields；　perceiving　that　my　horse　did　wax　somewhat　slow；　and　to　the　intent　likewise　that　I　might　repose　and　strengthen　my　self　（being　weary　with　riding）　I　lighted　off　my　horse；　and　wiping　the　sweat　from　every　part　of　his　body；　I　unbrideled　him；　and　walked　him　softly　in　my　hand；　to　the　end　he　might　pisse；　and　ease　himself　of　his　weariness　and　travell　：　and　while　he　went　grazing　freshly　in　the　field　（casting　his　head　sometimes　aside；　as　a　token　of　rejoycing　and　gladnesse）　I　perceived　a　little　before　me　two　companions　riding；　and　so　I　overtaking　them　made　a　third。　　And　while　I　listened　to　heare　their　communication；　the　one　of　them　laughed　and　mocked　his　fellow；　saying；　Leave　off　I　pray　thee　and　speak　no　more；　for　I　cannot　abide　to　heare　thee　tell　such　absurd　and　incredible　lies；　which　when　I　heard；　I　desired　to　heare　some　newes；　and　said；　I　pray　you　masters　make　me　partaker　of　your　talk；　that　am　not　so　curious　as　desirous　to　know　all　your　communication　：　so　shall　we　shorten　our　journey；　and　easily　passe　this　high　hill　before　us；　by　merry　and　pleasant　talke。

But　he　that　laughed　before　at　his　fellow；　said　againe；　Verily　this　tale　is　as　true；　as　if　a　man　would　say　that　by　sorcery　and　inchantment　the　floods　might　be　inforced　to　run　against　their　course；　the　seas　to　be　immovable；　the　aire　to　lacke　the　blowing　of　windes；　the　Sunne　to　be　restrained　from　his　naturall　race；　the　Moone　to　purge　his　skimme　upon　herbes　and　trees　to　serve　for　sorceries　：　the　starres　to　be　pulled　from　heaven；　the　day　to　be　darkened　and　the　dark　night　to　continue　still。　　Then　I　being　more　desirous　to　heare　his　talke　than　his　companions；　sayd；　I　pray　you；　that　began　to　tell　your　tale　even　now；　leave　not　off　so；　but　tell　the　residue。　　And　turning　to　the　other　I　sayd；　　You　perhappes　that　are　of　an　obstinate　minde　and　grosse　eares；　mocke　and　contemme　those　things　which　are　reported　for　truth；　know　you　not　that　it　is　accounted　untrue　by　the　depraved　opinion　of　men；　which　either　is　rarely　seene；　seldome　heard；　or　passeth　the　capacitie　of　mans　reason；　which　if　it　be　more　narrowly　scanned；　you　shall　not　onely　finde　it　evident　and　plaine；　but　also　very　easy　to　be　brought　to　passe。



THE　SECOND　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　told　to　the　strangers；　what　he　saw　a　jugler　do　in　Athens。

The　other　night　being　at　supper　with　a　sort　of　hungry　fellowes；　while　I　did　greedily　put　a　great　morsel　of　meate　in　my　mouth；　that　was　fried　with　the　flower　of　cheese　and　barley；　it　cleaved　so　fast　in　the　passage　of　my　throat　and　stopped　my　winde　in　such　sort　that　I　was　well　nigh　choked。　　And　yet　at　Athens　before　the　porch　there　called　Peale；　I　saw　with　these　eyes　a　jugler　that　swallowed　up　a　two　hand　sword；　with　a　very　keene　edge；　and　by　and　by　for　a　little　money　that　we　who　looked　on　gave　him；　hee　devoured　a　chasing　speare　with　the　point　downeward。　　And　after　that　hee　had　conveyed　the　whole　speare　within　the　closure　of　his　body；　and　brought　it　out　againe　behind；　there　appeared　on　the　top　thereof　（which　caused　us　all　to　marvell）　a　faire　boy　pleasant　and　nimble；　winding　and　turning　himself　in　such　sort；　that　you　would　suppose　he　had　neither　bone　nor　gristle；　and　verily　thinke　that　he　were　the　naturall　Serpent；　creeping　and　sliding　on　the　knotted　staffe；　which　the　god　of　Medicine　is　feigned　to　beare。　　But　turning　me　to　him　that　began　his　tale；　I　pray　you　（quoth　I）　follow　your　purpose；　and　I　alone　will　give　credit　unto　you；　and　for　your　paynes　will　pay　your　charges　at　the　next　Inne　we　come　unto。　　To　whom　he　answered　Certes　sir　I　thank　you　for　your　gentle　offer；　and　at　your　request　I　wil　proceed　in　my　tale；　but　first　I　will　sweare　unto　you　by　the　light　of　this　Sunne　that　shineth　here；　that　those　things　shall　be　true；　least　when　you　come　to　the　next　city　called　Thessaly；　you　should　doubt　any　thing　of　that　which　is　rife　in　the　mouthes　of　every　person；　and　done　before　the　face　of　all　men。　　And　that　I　may　first　make　relation　to　you；　what　and　who　I　am；　and　whither　I　go；　and　for　what　purpose；　know　you　that　I　am　of　Egin；　travelling　these　countries　about　from　Thessaly　to　Etolia；　and　from　Etolia　to　Boetia；　to　provide　for　honey；　cheese；　and　other　victuals　to　sell　againe　：　and　understanding　that　at　Hippata　（which　is　the　principall　city　of　all　Thessaly）；　　is　accustomed　to　be　soulde　new　cheeses　of　exceeding　good　taste　and　relish；　I　fortuned　on　a　day　to　go　thither；　to　make　my　market　there　：　but　as　it　often　happeneth；　I　came　in　an　evill　houre；　for　one　Lupus　a　purveyor　had　bought　and　ingrossed　up　all　the　day　before；　and　so　I　was　deceived。

Wherefore　towards　night　being　very　weary；　I　went　to　the　Baines　to　refresh　my　selfe；　and　behold；　I　fortuned　to　espy　my　companion　Socrates　sitting　upon　the　ground；　covered　with　a　torn　and　course　mantle；　who　was　so　meigre　and　of　so　sallow　and　miserable　a　countenance；　that　I　scantly　knew　him　：　for　fortune　had　brought　him　into　such　estate　and　calamity；　that　he　verily　seemed　as　a　common　begger　that　standeth　in　the　streets　to　crave　the　benevolence　of　the　passers　by。　　Towards　whom　（howbeit　he　was　my　singular　friend　and　familiar　acquaintance；　yet　half　in　despaire）　　I　drew　nigh　and　said；　Alas　my　Socrates；　what　meaneth　this？　how　faireth　it　with　thee？　　What　crime　hast　thou　committed？　verily　there　is　great　lamentation　and　weeping　for　thee　at　home　：　Thy　children　are　in　ward　by　decree　of　the　Provinciall　Judge　：　Thy　wife　（having　ended　her　mourning　time　in　lamentable　wise；　with　face　and　visage　blubbered　with　teares；　in　such　sort　that　she　hath　well　nigh　wept　out　both　her　eyes）　is　constrained　by　her　parents　to　put　out　of　remembrance　the　unfortunate　losse　and　lacke　of　thee　at　home；　and　against　her　will　to　take　a　new　husband。　　And　dost　thou　live　here　as　a　ghost　or　hogge；　to　our　great　shame　and　ignominy？

Then　he　answered　he　to　me　and　said；　O　my　friend　Aristomenus；　now　perceive　I　well　that　you　are　ignorant　of　the　whirling　changes；　the　unstable　forces；　and　slippery　inconstancy　of　Fortune　：　and　therewithall　he　covered　his　face　（even　then　blushing　for　very　shame）　with　his　rugged　mantle　insomuch　that　from　his　navel　downwards　he　appeared　all　naked。

But　I　not　willing　to　see　him　any　longer　in　such　great　miserie　and　calamitie；　took　him　by　the　hand　and　lifted　him　up　from　the　ground　：　who　having　his　face　covered　in　such　sort；　Let　Fortune　（quoth　he）　triumph　yet　more；　let　her　have　her　sway；　and　finish　that　which　shee　hath　begun。　　And　therewithall　I　put　off　one　of　my　garments　and　covered　him；　and　immediately　I　brought　him　to　the　Baine；　and　caused　him　to　be　anointed；　wiped；　and　the　filthy　scurfe　of　his　body　to　be　rubbed　away；　which　done；　though　I　were　very　weary　my　selfe；　yet　I　led　the　poore　miser　to　my　Inne；　where　he　reposed　his　body　upon　a　bed；　and　then　I　brought　him　meat　and　drinke；　and　so　wee　talked　together　：　for　there　we　might　be　merry　and　laugh　at　our　pleasure；　and　so　we　were；　untill　such　time　as　he　（fetching　a　pittifull　sigh　from　the　bottom　of　his　heart；　and　beating　his　face　in　miserable　sort；　began　to　say。



THE　THIRD　CHAPTER


How　Socrates　in　his　returne　from　Macedony　to　Larissa　was　spoyled　and　robbed；　and　how　he　fell　acquainted　with　one　Meroe　a　Witch。

Alas　poore　miser　that　I　am；　that　for　the　onely　desire　to　see　a　game　of　triall　of　weapons；　am　fallen　into　these　miseries　and　wretched　snares　of　misfortune。　　For　in　my　returne　from　Macedonie；　wheras　I　sould　all　my　wares；　and　played　the　Merchant　by　the　space　of　ten　months；　a　little　before　that　I　came　to　Larissa；　I　turned　out　of　the　way；