The xi (11) Bookes of the Golden Asse,

Conteininge the Metamorphosie
of Lucius Apuleius, enterlaced
with sondrie pleasaunt and delecta∣ble
Tales, with an excellent
Narration of the Mari∣age
of Cupide and
Psiches, set out
in the .iiij.
v. and vj. Bookes.

Translated out of Latine into Englishe
by VVilliam Adlington.

Imprinted at London in Fleetstreate,
at the signe of the Oliphante,
by Henry VVykes. Anno. 1566.



To the right Honorable, and Mightie Lorde, Thomas, Earle of Sussex, Viscont Fitz∣waltre, Lorde of Egremont and of Burnell, Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter, Iustice of the Forestes and Chases, from Trente sowthwarde, and Capi∣taine of the Gentlemen Pen∣tioners, of the house of the Queene out So∣ueraigne Lady.
AFter that I had ta∣ken
vpon me (right Hono∣rable)
in manner of that vn∣learned
and foolish poet Che∣rillus,
(who rashly, and vn∣aduisedly,
wrote a bigge vo∣lume
in verses of the gestes
and valiant prowesse of A∣lexander
the great) to trans∣late
this present booke, con∣teyninge
the Metamorphosy of Lucius Apuleius: beynge
moued therunto by the right pleasant pastime, and de∣lectable
matter therein: I eftsones consulted with my
selfe, to whome I might best offer so pleasant and woor∣thy
a woorke, deuised by the Author, it beyng now bar∣barously
and simply framed in our Englishe tongue.


And after longe deliberatiō had, your Honorable Lord∣shippe
came to my remembrance, a man muche more
woorthy then to whome so homely and rude a transla∣tion
should be presented. But when I againe remem∣bred
the iestinge and sportfull matter of the booke vn∣fitte
to be offred to any man of grauitie and wisedome,
I was wholly determined to make no Epistle dedica∣tory
at all: till as now of late, perswaded thereunto by
my fréendes, I haue boldly enterprised to offer the
same to your Lordshippe, who as I trust will with no
lesse good will accept the same, then if it did entreate of
some serious & loftie matter, consideryng that although
the matter therein séeme very light, and mery, yet the
effect thereof tendeth to a good and vertuous morall, as
in the followynge Epistle to the Reader may be cléerly
perceaued. For so hath all wryters in times paste em∣ployed
their trauell and labours, that their posteritie
might receaue some fruictfull profite by the same. And
therefore the Poetes feigned not their fables in vaine,
consideringe that children in time of their first studies,
are muche allured thereby to procéede to more graue
and déepe disciplines, whereas otherwise their mindes
would quickly lothe the wise and prudent woorkes of
learned men, wherein in suche vnripe yéeres they take
no sparke of delectation at all. And not onely that pro∣fite
arriseth to children by suche feigned fables, but al∣so
the vertues of men are couertly thereby commen∣ded,
and their vices discommended and abhorred. For
by the fable of Actaeon, where it is feigned, that when he
sawe Diana washinge her selfe in a well, he was imme∣diatly


turned into a Hart and so was slayne of his owne
Dogges: may be ment that when a man casteth his eies,
on the vaine and soone vadynge beautie of the worlde,
consentinge thereto in his minde, he seemeth to be tur∣ned
into a brute beast, and so to be slayne thorough the
inordinate desire of his owne affectes. By Tantalus
that standeth in the middest of the floode Eridan hauynge
before him a tree laden with pleasant apples, he beyng
neuerthelesse alwaies thursty and hungry, betokeneth
the insatiable desire of couetous persons. The Fa∣bles
of Atreus, Thiestes, Tereus and Progne signifieth the
wicked and abhominable factes wrought and attemp∣ted
by mortall men. The fall of Icarus is an example to
proude and arrogant persons that weeneth to clymbe
vp to the Heauens. By Mydas, who obteined of Bacchus
that all thinges whiche he touched mought be Golde,
is carped the foule sinne of auarice. By Phaeton, that
vnskilfully toke in hande to rule the Charriot of the
Sunne, are represented those persons whiche attempt
thinges passinge their power and capacitie. By Castor
and Pollux, turned into a signe in Heauen called Gemini,
is signified, that vertuous and godly persons shalbe
rewarded after life with perpetuall blisse. And in this
fable or feigned ieste of Lucius Apuleius is comprehended
a figure of mans life, ministringe moste swéete and de∣lectable
matter, to such as shalbe desirous to Reade the
same. The whiche if your Honorable Lordshippe shal
accept and take in good parte, I shall not onely thinke
my small trauell and labour well employed, but also
receaue a farther comforte to attempt some more se∣rious


matter whiche may be more acceptable to your
Lordshippe: desiring the same, to excuse my rashe and
•olde enterprise, at this time, as I nothinge doubte in
your Lordshippes goodnesse. To whome I beséeche Al∣mighty
God to imparte longe lyfe with increase of
much Honour.

From Vniuersitie Colledge in Oxforde
the .xviij. of September. 1566.

Your Honors most bounden William Adlington.


To the Reader.
WHen that I had (gen∣tle
Reader) slightly here &
there runne ouer the plea∣saunt
and delectable iestes
of Lucius Apuleius (a man
of auncient discent, & en∣dewed
with singuler lear∣ninge)
written in suche a
franke & flourishing stile,
as he séemed to haue the
Muses alwaies at will, to
féede and maineteine his penne: And when againe I
perceiued the matter to minister such excéedinge plen∣tie
of myrth, as neuer (in my iudgement) the like hath
bene showed by any other, I purposed accordinge to
my sclender knowledge (though it were rudely, and
farre disagréeyng from the fine and excellent dooinges
now a dayes) to translate the same into our vulgar
tongue, to the ende, that amongest so many sage and
serious woorkes (as euery man welny, endeuor dayly
to encrease) there might be some freshe and pleasante
matter, to recreate the mindes of the Readers withal.
Howbeit I was eftesoones driuen from my purpose by
two causes: First, perceiuinge that the Authour had
written his woorke in so darke and highe a stile, in so
strange and absurde woordes, and in such newe inuen∣ted
phrases, as he séemed rather to set it foorth, to show
his magnifency of prose, then to participate his doo∣inges
to other: Secondly, fearinge lest the translati∣on
of this present booke (which séemeth a méere iest and
fable, and a woorke woorthy to be laughed at, by reason


of the vanitie of the Authour, mighte be contemned &
despised of all men, and so consequently, I to be had
in derisiō, to occupy my selfe in such friuolous and tri∣fling
toyes: but on the other side, when I had through∣ly
learned the intent of the Author, and the purpose
why he inuented so sportfull a iest: I was verely per∣swaded,
that my small trauell, should not onely be ac∣cepted
of many, but the matter it selfe allowed, & prai∣sed
of all. Wherfore I intend (God willinge) as nighe
as I can, to vtter and open the meaning thereof to the
simple and ignorant, whereby they may not take the
same, as a thing onely to iest and laugh at (for the Fa∣bles
of Esope, & the feigninge of Poetes, weare neuer
writen for that purpose) but by the pleasauntnes ther∣of,
be rather induced to the knowledge of their pre∣sent
estate, and therby trāsforme them selues into the
right and perfect shape of men. The argument of the
booke is: How Lucius Apuleius the Author him selfe,
traueled into Thessaly (being a region in Grece, where
all the women for the most parte, be such wonderfull
witches, that thei can transfourme men into the figure
of beastes) wheare after he had cōtinued a fewe daies,
by the mighty force of a violent confection, he was
chaunged into a miserable Asse, and nothinge might
reduce him to his wonted shape, but the eatinge of a
Rose, whiche after endurāce of infinite sorow, at lēgth
he obteined by praier. Verely vnder the wrappe of this
transformation, is taxed the life of mortall men, when
as we suffer our mindes so to be drowned in the sensu∣all
lustes of the fleshe, and the beastly pleasure therof:
(whiche aptly may be called, the violent confection of
witches) that we léese wholy the vse of reason and ver∣tue
(which proprely should be in man) & play the partes


of bruite and sauage beastes. By like occasion we reade
how diuers of the compaignions of Vlisses, weare tur∣ned
by the meruelous power of Circe, into Swine.
And finde we not in the Scripture, that Nabuchodo∣noser
the ninth King of Babylō, by reason of his great
dominiōs and roialmes, fell into such excéedyng pride,
that he was sodenly transformed of almighty God, in∣to
an horrible monster, hauyng the head of an Oxe, the
féete of a Beare, and the taile of a Lion, and did eate
heye as a beast? But as Lucius Apuleius was chaun∣ged
into his humaine shape by a Rose, the compaigni∣ons
of Vlisses by great intercession, and Nabuchodo∣noser
by the continuall prayers of Daniell, whereby
they knewe them selues, and liued after a good & ver∣tuous
life: So can we neuer be restored to the right fi∣gure
of our selues, except we taste and eate the swéete
Rose of reason and vertue, which the rather by media∣tion
of prayer, we may assuredly attaine. Againe, may
not the meaning of this woorke, be altered & turned in
this sorte. A man desirous to apply his minde to some
excellent art, or giuen to the studie of any of the scien∣ces,
at the first appeareth to him selfe an Asse without
witte, without knowledge, & not much vnlike a bruite
beast, till such time as by muche paine and trauell, he
hath atchieued to the perfectnes of the same, & tastinge
the swéete floure and fruicte of his studies, doth thinke
him selfe well brought to the right and very shape of a
man. Finally, the Metamorphosie of L. Apuleius, may
be resembled to youth without discretion, and his re∣duction,
to age possessed with wisedome and vertue.
Now since this booke of Lucius, is a figure of mās life,
and toucheth the nature and manners of mortall men,
egginge them forward from their Asinall fourme, to


their humaine and perfect shape, beside the pleasaunt &
delectable iestes therein conteined, I trust if my simple
translatiō be nothing accepted, yet the matter it selfe,
shalbe estéemed by such, as not onely delight to please
their fancie in readinge the same, but also take a pat∣tern
thereby, to regenerate their mindes from brutish
and beastly custome. How be it, I haue not so exactly
passed thorough the Author, as to pointe euery sentēce
accordinge as it is in Latine, or so absolutely transla∣ted
euery woorde, as it lieth in the prose, (for so the
French and Spanish translators haue not done) consi∣dering
the same in our vulgar tongue would haue ap∣peared
very obscure and darke, & thereby cōsequently,
lothsome to the Reader, but nothing erringe as I trust
from the giuen and naturall meaninge of the author,
haue vsed more commo• and familiar woordes (yet not
so muche as I might doo) for the plainer settinge foorth
of the same. But how so euer it be (gentle Reader) I
pray thée take it in good part, considering that for thée
I haue taken this paine, to the intent, that thou maist,
Reade the same with pleasure.

FINIS.

THE LIFE OF LVCIVS Apuleius, briefly expressed.
LVcius Apuleius African, an excellent
folower of Plato his sect, borne in
Maudara, a countrey sometime inha∣bited
by the Romaines, and vnder the
iurisdiction of Syphar, situate, and li∣yng
vpon the borders of Numidia &
Getulia, whereby he calleth him selfe, halfe a Numi∣dian,
and halfe a Getulian: And Sidonius named him
the Platonian Madaurēce: his father called Theseus,
had passed all offices of dignitie in his countrey, with
much honour: his mother named Saluia, was of such
excellent vertue, that she passed all the dames of her
time, borne of an auncient house, & descended from the
noble Philosopher Plutarche, & Sextus his Nephew.
His wife called Pudētila was endowed with as much
vertue and richesse as any woman might be. He him
selfe was of high & comely stature, gray eied, his heare
yellow, & a beawtifull personage: he florished in Car∣thage
in the time of Iolianus Auitus, and Claudius
Maximus procōsules, where he spent his youth in lear∣ning
the liberall sciences, and much profited vnder his
maisters there, whereby not without cause, he glori∣ously
calleth him selfe, the nourice of Carthage, & the
Clestial Muse and venerable mistres of Affrick, sone
after at Athenes (wheare in times past the well of all
doctrine flourished) he tasted many of the cuppes of the
Muses, he learned Poetry, Geometry, Musike, Lo∣gicke,
and the vniuersall knowledge of Philosophie,
and studied not in vaine the nine Muses, that is to say,
the nine noble & roiall disciplines. Immediatly after


he went to Rome, & studied there the Latine tongue,
with such labour and continuall studie, that he atchie∣ued
to great eloquēce, and was knowen and approued
to be excellently learned, whereby he might woorthily
be called Polyhistor, y• is to say, one that knoweth much
or many thinges. And beinge thus no lesse endewed
with eloquēce, than with singular learning, he wrote
many bookes for them that should come after: Wherof
parte by negligence of times be intercepted, and parte
now extant, doo sufficiently declare with how muche
wisedome and doctrine he florished, & with how much
vertue he excelled emongst the rude and barbarous
people. The like was Anacharsis emōgst the most lus∣kishe
Scythes: but emongst the bookes of Lucius Apu∣leius
which are perished & preuented, howbeit greatly
desired of vs now a daies, was one entituled Banke∣ting
questions, an other entreatinge of the nature of
Fishe, an other of the generation Beastes, an other
conteininge his Epigrāmes, and an other called Her∣magoras:
but suche as are now extant, are the fower
bookes named Floridorum, wherein is conteined a flo∣rishinge
stile, and a sauery kinde of learninge, whiche
delighteth, holdeth, and reioyseth the Reader merue∣lously,
wherein you shall finde a great varietie of
thinges, as leapinge one from an other: One excellent
and copious oration conteininge all the grace and ver∣tue
of the art Oratorie, whereby he cléereth him selfe
of the crime of art Magicke, which was sclaunderously
obiected against him by his enuious aduersaries, wher∣in
is conteined such force of eloquence and doctrine, as
he séemeth to passe and excell him selfe. There is an o∣ther
booke of the God or spirit of Socrates, whereof
S. Augustine maketh often mētion in his booke of the


definition of Spirites and description of men, twoo o∣ther
bookes of the opinion of Plato, wherein is briefly
conteined that which before was largely expressed: one
booke of Cosmographie, comprisinge many thinges of
Aristoteles Meteors: the Dialogue of Trismegistus,
translated by him out of Gréeke into Latine, so fine,
that it rather séemeth with more eloquence turned in∣to
Latine, then it was before writen in Greke: but
principaly, these eleuen bookes of the Golden Asse, are
enriched with such pleasaunt matter, with such excel∣lencie
and variety of florishinge Tales, that nothing
may be more swéete and delectable, whereby woorthely
they may be intituled: The bookes of the Golden
Asse, for the passinge stile & matter therein. For what
can be more acceptable than this Asse of Gold in déede:
How be it there be many whiche would rather Intitle
it Metamorphosis, that is to say, a transfiguration or
transformation, by reason of the Argument and mat∣ter
therein.

FINIS.

THE PREFACE OF THE AVTHOVR, to his sonne Faustinus, and vnto the Readers of this booke.
THat I to thee some ioyous iestes, may show in gentle glose:
And frākly feede thy bēded eares, with passing pleasāt prose.
So that thou daine in seemely sorte, this wāton booke to view
That is set out and garnisht fine, with writen Phrases newe.
I will declare how one by happe, his humaine figure lost,
And how in brutishe fourmed shape, his lothed life he tost:
And how he was in course of time, from such estate vnfold.
Who eftsoones turnd to pristine shape, his lot vnlucky told.
WHat and who he was, attend a while and you
shall vnderstand, that it was euen I, the wri∣ter
of mine owne Metamorphosie, & straunge
alteration of figure. Hymettus, Athens, Isthmia, E∣phire,
Tenaros, and Sparta, beinge fat & fertill soiles
(as I pray you giue credit to the bookes of more euerla∣sting
fame) bée places where mine auncient progenie &
lignage did sometime flourishe: there I say, in Athens
when I was yonge, I went first to schoole. Sone after
(as a stranger) I arriued at Rome, wheras by great in∣dustrie
& without instruction of any scholemaster I at∣chieued
to the full perfection of the Latine tongue: be∣holde,
I first craue & begge your pardon, least I should
happen to displease or offend any of you by the rude &
rustike vtterance of this straunge & forrein language.
And verely, this new alteration of speach doth corre∣spond
to the enterprised matter whereof I purpose to
entreate, I wil set foorth vnto you a pleasant Grecian
lest. Wherunto gentle Reader if thou wilt giue atten∣dāt
eare, it wil minister vnto thée such delectable mat∣ter,
as thou shalt be well contented withall.

FINIS.

The first booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse.
¶How Apuleius ridinge into Thessalie, fortuned to fall
into companie with twoo straungers, that reasoned toge∣ther
of the mighty power of Witches.

cap. 1.
AS I fortuned to take my voiage into
Thessalie,* about certaine affaires
whiche I had to doo (for there mine
auncestrie by my mothers side inha∣biteth,
descended of the ligne of that
moste excellent person Plutarche,
& of Sextus the philosopher his Ne∣phew,
whiche is to vs a great woorshippe and honour:*
And after that by much trauell aud great paine, I had
passed ouer the high mountaines and slipperie valleis,
and had ridden thorough the cloggy fallowed fieldes,
perceiuinge that my horse did waxe somewhat slowe, &
to the intent likewise, I might repose and strengthen
my selfe, (beinge wery with ridinge) I lighted of my
horse, and wipinge away the sweate from euery parte
of his bodie, I vnbridled him, and walked him softly in
my hande, to the ende he might pisse, and ease him selfe
of his werines, and trauell: And while he wente gra∣singe
freshly in the fielde (castinge his head sometimes
aside as a token of reioysing and gladnes) I perceiued
a litle before me twoo compaignions ridinge, & so I o∣uertakinge
them made the third: And while I listened
to heare their communicatiō, the one of them laughed
and mocked his fellow: saiyng, leaue of I pray thée and
speake no more, for I cannot abide to heare thee tell


such absurde & incredible lies: Which when I heard, I
desired to heare some newes, and said: I pray you Mai∣sters
make me partaker of your talke, that am not so
curious, as desirous to know all your communication:
So shall we shorten our iourney, and easely passe this
high hill before vs, by merry and pleasant talke: but he
that laughed before at his felowe, said againe: verely
this tale is as true, as if a man would say, that by Sor∣cerie
and inchauntment the floodes might be enforced
to run against their course:* the seas to be immoueable:
the ayre to lacke the blowinge of windes: the Sunne
to be restrained from his naturall race: the Moone to
purge his skumme vpon hearbes and trées, to serue for
sorceries: the Starres to be pulled from heauen, the
day to be darkened, and the darke night to continew
still. Then I, beinge more desirouse to heare his talke
then his companions, said: I pray you, that beganne to
tell your tale euen now, leaue not of so, but tell the re∣side
we. And turning to the other, I saide: You perhaps
that are of an obstinate minde and grosse eares, mocke
and contemne those thinges whiche are reported for
truth, know you not, that it is accoūted vntrew by the
praue opinion of men, which either is rarely séene, sel∣dome
heard, or that passeth the capacitie of mans rea∣son,
whiche if it be more narrowly skanned, you shalt
not onely finde it euident & plaine, but also very easie
to be brought to passe.

¶How Apuleius tolde to the twoo straungers, what he sawe
a Iuglar doo in Athens.

Cap. 2.
THe other night, beinge at supper with a sorte of
hūgry fellowes, while I did gréedely put a great

Page 2

morsell of meate in my wouth, that was fried with the
flower of chéese and barley, it cleaued so fast in the pas∣sage
of my throate, and stopped my winde, in such sort
that I was welnie choked. And yet at Athens before
the porche there, called Peale, I sawe with these eies, a
Iugler that swalowed vp a twoohand swoorde with a
very keene edge, and by & by, for a litle money that we,
that looked on, gaue him, he deuoured a chasing speare,
with the pointe downward. And after that he had cō∣uaide
the whole speare within the closure of his bodie,
and brought it out againe behinde, there appeared on
the toppe thereof (whiche caused vs all to maruell) a
fayre boye, pleasaunt and nimble, windinge and tur∣ninge
him selfe in such sorte, that you would suppose
that he had neither bone nor gristle, and verely thinke
that he were the naturall Serpent, crepinge & slidinge
on the knotted staffe,* whiche the God of Medicine is
feigned to beare. But turninge me to him that began
his Tale, I pray you ({quod} I) follow your purpose, and I
alone will giue credite vnto you, and for your paines
will pay your charges at the next Inne we come vnto.
To whome he aunsweared, Certes sir, I thanke you
for your gentle offer, and at your request, I will pro∣ceade
in my tale: but first I will sweare vnto you by
the light of this Sunne y• shineth here, y• those thinges
whiche I shall tell be trewe, least when you come to
the next Citie called Thessalie, you should doubte any
thinge, of that whiche is rife in the mouthes of euery
person, and done before the face of all men: And that I
may first make relation vnto you, what, & who I am,
and whither I goe, & for what purpose: know ye, that
I am of Egin; trauelinge these countries about from
Thessaly to Etolia, and from Etolia to Beotia, to pro∣uide


for hony, chéese, and other victuales to sell againe:
And vnderstāding, that at Hippata (which is the prin∣cipall
Citie of all Thessalie) is accustomed to be solde
newe chéeses of excéedinge good taste and relishe, I for∣tuned
on a day to goe thither, to make my market
there, but (as it often happeneth) I came in an euill
houre, for one Lupus a purueiour had bought and en∣grossed
vp all the daie before, and so I was deceaued.
Wherefore, towardes night (being very wery) I went
to the baines to refreshe my selfe, and beholde, I fortu∣ned
to espie, my compaignion Socrates sittinge vpon
the grounde, couered with a torne and course mantell,
who who so meigre and of so sallowe and miserable a
countenance, that I scantly knew him: for fortune had
brought him into such estate and calamitie, that he ve∣rely
séemed as a common begger, that standeth in the
stréetes to craue the beneuolence of the passers by: To∣wardes
whome (how be it he was my singuler friende
& familiar acquaintance,* yet halfe in despayre) I drewe
me, and said: Alas my Socrates, what meaneth this?
how fareth it with thée? what crime hast thou commit∣ted?
verely there is great lamentation and wéepinge
made for thée at home: Thy childrē are in warde by de∣crée
of the prouinciall iudge: thy wife (hauinge ended
her mourninge time in lamentable wise with face and
visage bloubered with teares, in suche sorte that she
hath welny wept out both her eies) is cōstrained by her
parentes to put out of remembrance the vnfortunate
losse and lacke of thée at home, and (against her will) to
take a newe husbande. And doest thou liue here as a
ghost or hegge, to our great shame & ignomie? Then
answeared he to me, & saide: O my friende Aristome∣nus,
now perceaue I well that you are ignorant of the

Page 3

whirlinge chaunges, the vnstable forces, and slipperie
inconstance of fortune: and therewithall he couered his
face (euen then blushing for very shame) with his rug∣ged
mātell, in so much that from his nauell downward
he appeared al naked. But I (not willing to sée him any
lenger in suche great miserie and calamitie) toke him
by the hande and lifted him vp from the grounde: who
(hauing his face couered in such sorte) let fortune ({quod} he)
triumphe yet more, let her haue her sway, and finishe
that whiche she hath begunne. And therwithall I put
of one of my garmentes and couered him, and immedi∣atly
I brought him to the baine, and caused him to be
annointed, wiped, and the filthie skurfe of his body to
be rubbed away, whiche done (although I weare very
wery my selfe) yet I ledde the poore miser to my Inne,
where he reposed his bodie vpon a bedde, and then I
brought him meate and drinke, and so we talked toge∣ther:
for there we might be mery & laugh at our plea∣sure,
and so we weare, vntill suche time as he (fetching
a pitifull sighe from the bottom of his harte, and bea∣tinge
his face in miserable sorte) began to say.

¶How Socrates in his returne from Macedonie to Larissa,
was spoiled and robbed, and how he fell acquainted with
one Meroe, a Witche.

Cap. 3
ALas poore miser that I am, that for the onely de∣sire
to sée a game of triall of weapons, am fallen
into these miseries and wretched snares of mis∣fortune.
For in my retorne from Macedonie, whereas
I solde all my wares, and plaied the marchant by the
space of tenne monethes, a litle before that I came to
Larissa, I turned out of the way to v•ew the situation


of the countrey there, and beholde in the bottom of a
deepe valley, I was sodenly enuironed with a compa∣ny
of théeues, who robbed & spoiled me, of such thinges
as I had, and yet woulde hardely suffer me to escape.
But I (beinge in such extremitie) in the ende, was hap∣pely
deliuered from their cruell handes: and so I for∣tuned
to come to the house of an old woman that solde
wine, called Meroe: who had her tongue sufficiētly in∣structed
to flattery: vnto whome I opened the causes of
my longe pexegrination and carefull trauell, and of
nune vnlucky abuēture, and after that I had declared
vnto her such thinges as then presently came to my re∣membraunce,
she gentely entertained me, and made
me good chere, and by and by beinge pricked by carnall
desire, she brought me to her owne bedde chamber,
where as I (poore miser) (the very first night of our li∣yng
together) did purchase to my selfe this miserable
face,* and for her lodging I gaue her such apparell, as
the théeues left to couer me withall.

Then I (vnderstanding the cause of his miserable
estate) said vnto him: In faith, thou art woorthy to su∣staine
the most extreme miserie and calamitie, whiche
hast defiled and maculate thine òwne bodie, forsaken
thy wife traitorouslie, and dishonoured thy children,
parentes, and friendes, for the loue of a vile harlot and
olde strumpet. When Socrates harde me raile against
Meroe in such sorte, he helde vp his finger to me, and
as halfe abashed, said: peace, peace, I pray you, and (lo∣kinge
about least any person should here,) I pray you
({quod} he) take héede what you say against so venerable a
woman as she is, lest by your intemperate tongue you
•••che some harme. Then (with resemblance of admi∣ration)
what ({quod} I) is she so excellent a person as you

Page 4

name her to be? I pray you tell me. Then answeared
he, verely she is a Magicien, whiche hath power to rule
the Heauens, to bringe downe the skie, to beare vp the
earth, to turne the waters into hilles, and the hilles
into runninge waters, to lift vp the terrestiall spirites
into the ayre, & to pull the Goddes out of the heauens,
to ertinguishe the Planetes, and to lighten the d•epe
darkenes of hell. Then said I vnto Socrates, I pray
thée leaue of this high and mysticall kinde of talke, and
tell the matter in a more plaine and simple fashion.
Then answeared he, will you heare one or twoo, or mo
of her factes, which she hath done, for where as she en∣forceth,
not onely the inhabitantes of ye countrey here,
but also the Indians and the Aethiopes the one and
the other, and also the Antictons, to loue her in moste
raginge sorte, such are but trifles and chippes of her oc∣cupation,
but I pray you giue eare, and I will declare
of more greater matters whiche she hath done openly
and before the face of all men.

¶How Meroe the witche turned diuers persons into mise∣rable
Beastes.

Cap. 4.
IN faith Aristomenus, to tell you the truth, this wo∣man
had a certaine louer, whome by the vtterance
of one onely woorde, she turned him into a Beuer,
because he loued an other woman beside her, and the
reason why she transformed him into suche a beast, is,
for that it is his nature, when he perceiueth the hun∣ters
and houndes to drawe after him, to bite of his mē∣bers,
and lay them in the way, that the houndes may
be at a stoppe when they finde them, and to the intent
it might so happen vnto him, (because he fancied an


other woman) she turned him into that kinde of shape.
Semblably she chaunged one of her neighbours, being
an olde man and one that solde wine, into a frogge, in
that he was one of her occupation, and therefore she
bare him grudge, and now the poore miser swimminge
in one of his pipes of wine, and welny drowned in the
dregges, doth crie and call with a hoarse voice, for his
olde gestes and acquaintance that passe by. Likewise
she turned one of the Aduocates of the courte (because
he pleaded and spake against her in a rightfull cause)
into a horned Ramme, and now the poore Rāme is be∣come
and Aduocate. Moreouer she caused that the wife
of a certaine louer that she had, should neuer be deliue∣red
of her childe, but accordinge to the computation of
all men, it is eight yéeres past since the poore woman
began first to swell, and now she is increased so bigge,
that she séemeth as though she would bring foorth some
great Oliphant, whiche when it was knowen abroade
and published thorough out al the towne, they toke in∣dignation
against her, and ordeined that the next day
she should most cruelly be stoned to death, whiche pur∣pose
of theirs she preuented, by the vertue of her en∣chauntmentes,
and as Medea (who obtained of kinge
Creon but one daies respite before her departure) did
burne all his house, him and his doughter, so she (by her
coniurations and inuocations of sprites, whiche she v∣seth
in a certaine hole in her house, as she her selfe de∣clared
vnto me the next day followinge) closed all the
persons of the towne so sure in their howses, and with
such violence of power, that for the space of twoo daies,
they coulde not come foorth, nor open their gates nor
doores, nor breake downe their walles, whereby they
weare enforced by mutuall consent, to crie vnto her,

Page 5

and to binde them selues (streictly) by othes, that they
would neuer afterwardes molest or hurt her, & more∣ouer
if any did offer her any iniurie they would be rea∣dy
to defende her, wherevpon she (moued at their pro∣mises,
and stirred by pitie) released all the towne. But
she conueied the principall Authour of this ordinance,
about midnight, with all his house, the walles, the
grounde, and the foundation, into an other towne di∣stant
from thense a hundred miles, situate and beinge
on the toppe of a high hill, and by reason thereof desti∣tute
of water, and because the edifices & houses, weare
so nighe builded together, that it was not possible for
the house to stande there, she threwe downe the same
before the gate of the towne. Then spake I and said:
O my friende Socrates, you haue declared vnto me
many meruelous thinges and straunge chaunces, and
moreouer stroken me with no small trouble of minde,
yea rather with great feare, least the same old woman
vsinge the like practise, should fortune to here all our*
communication: wherefore let vs now sléepe, and after
that we haue taken our rest, let vs rise betime in the
morninge and ride away from hens before day, as far
as we may possible.

¶How Socrates and Aristomenus slept together in one cham∣ber,
and how they were handled by Witches.

Cap. 5.
IN speakinge these woordes, and deuisinge with my
selfe of our departing the next morrow, least Meroe
the Witche should play by vs, as she had donē by di∣uers
other persons: It fortuned that Socrates did fall
a sleape, and slept very soundly, by reason of his trauell
and plentie of meate and wine, wherewithall he had


filled him selfe. Wherefore I closed and barred fast the
doores of the chamber, and put my bedde behinde the
doore,* and so laide me downe to rest, but I could in no
wise sleape for the great feare which was in my harte,
vntill it was about midnight, & then I began to slom∣ber:
but alas, beholde sodenly the chamber doores brake
open, the lockes, boltes and postes fell downe, that you
would verely haue thought, that some théeues had ben
presently come to haue spoiled and robbed vs. And my
bedde whereon I laye beinge a trockle bed, fashioned
in forme of a cradle, and one of the féete broken & rot∣ten,
by violence was turned vpside downe, and I like∣wise
was ouerwhelmed and couered liyng in the fame.
Then perceaued I in my selfe, that certaine affectes of
the minde by nature doth chaunce contrarie. For as
teares oftentimes trickleth downe the chéekes of him
that seeth or heareth some ioyfull newes, so I being in
this fearfull perplexitie, could not forbeare laughinge,
to sée how of Aristomenus I was made like vnto a
snayle in his shell. And while I lay on the grounde co∣uered
in this sorte, I péeped vnder the bed to sée what
would happen. And behold there entered in twoo olde
wemen, the one bearinge a burninge torche, and the o∣ther
a sponge and a naked swoorde: And so in this ha∣bite
they stoode aboute Socrates beinge fast a steape.
Then she (which bare the swoorde) said vnto the other,
behold sister Panthia this is my déere and my swéete
harte, whiche both daie and night hath abused my wā∣ton
youthfulnes. This is he (who litle regardinge my
loue) dothe not onely diffame me with reprochfull
woordes, but also intendeth to runne away: And I shal
be forsaken by like cras•e as Vlisses did vse, and shall
continually bewaile my solitarines as Calipso, (which

Page 6

said) she pointed to wardes me, that lay vnder the bed,
and showed me to Panthia. This is he ({quod} she) which is
his counseler, and perswadeth him to forsake me, and
now (being at the pointe of death) he lieth prostrate on
the grounde couered with his bedde, and hath séene all
our dooinges, and hopeth to escape (skotfrée) from my
handes, but I will cause that he shall repent him selfe
too late, nay rather forthwith of his former vntēperate
language, and his present curiositie. Whiche woordes
when I harde, I fell into a colde sweate, and my harte
trembled with feare, in so much that the bed ouer me
did like wise rattle & shake. Then spake Panthia vnto
Meroe, and said: Sister, let vs by and by teare him in
péeces, or els tie him by the members and so cutte them
of. Then Meroe (being so named because she was a ta∣uerner*
and loued well good wines) answeared: nay ra∣ther
lette him liue, and burie the Corps of this poore
wretche in some hole of the earth, and therewithall she
turned the head of Socrates on the other side, & thrust
her swoorde vp to the hiltes into the lefte parte of his
necke, and receaued the bloud, that gushed out, with a
potte, that no droppe thereof fell beside, which thinges
I sawe with mine owne eies, and (as I thinke) to the
intent she might alter nothinge that pertained to sa∣crifice,
whiche she accustomed to make, she thrust her
hande downe into the entrailles of his bodie, & (search∣inge
aboute) at length brought foorth the harte of my
miserable compaignion Socrates, who (hauinge his
throte cut in such sorte) yéelded out a dolefull crie, and
gaue vp the ghoste. Then Panthia stopped the wide
wounde of his throate with the sponge, and said: O
Sponge spronge and made of the sea, beware that thou*
passe not by the runninge riuer. This being saide, the


one of them moued and turned vp my bedde, and their
they stridde ouer me, and slapped their buttockes vpō
my face, and all bepissed me, till I was wringing wet:
when this was ended, they went their waies, and the
doores cl•sed fast, the postes stoode in their olde places,
and the lockes & boltes were shut againe. But I, that
l•ye vpon the grounde, like one without soule, naked
and colde, and wringinge wette with pisse, like to one
that weare more then halfe dead, yet reuiuinge my
selfe, and apointed as I thinke for the gallowes, began
to say: Alas what shall become of me to morrow, when
my compaignion shalbe founde murdred here in the
chamber?* To whom shall I séeme to tell any similitude
of truth, when as I shall tell the truth in déede? They
will say if thou wearest vnable to resist the violence of
the wemē, yet shouldest thou haue cried for helpe, wile
thou suffer the man to be slaine before thy face and say
nothinge? Or why did not they slea thée like wise? why
did they spare thée that stoode by and saw them cōmitte
that horrible facte? Wherefore although thou hast esca∣ped
their hādes, yet thou shalt not escape ours. While
I pondred these thinges with my selfe, the night passed
on: And so I thought best to take my horse before day,
and got forwarde in my iourney. How be it the waies
were vnknowen vnto me, and thereupō I toke vp my
pacquet, vnlocked and vnbarred the doores, but those
good and faithfull doores which in the night did open
of their owne accorde, coulde then scantly be opened
with their keies. And when I was out I cried hossra,
Osteler, where arte thou, open the stable doore, for I
will ride away by and by.* The Osteler liyng behinde
the stable doore vpon a pallet, and halfe a sleape, what
({quod} he) doo not you know that the waies he very dange∣rous?

Page 7

what meane you to rise at this time of night? If
you perhaps (giltie of some heynous crime) be werie of
your life, yet thinke you not that we are suche sottes
that we will die for you. Then said I, it is welny day,
& moreouer what can théeues take from him that hath
nothinge? doest not thou know (foole as thou arte) that*
if thou be naked, if tenne Giantes should assaile thée,
they coulde not spoile or robbe thée? Whereunto the
drowsie Osteler halfe a sleape, & turninge on the other
side, answeared: what know I whether you haue mur∣dred
your compaignion whome you brought in yester∣night
or no, and now seke the meanes to escape away.
O Lord, at that time I remēber, that the earth sée∣med
to open, and that I sawe at hell gate the dogge Cerbe∣rus*
gaping to deuoure me, and then I verely belieued,
that Meroe did not spare my throate, moued with pi∣tie,
but rather cruelly pardoned me to bringe me to the
gallowes. Wherfore, I returned to my chamber, and
there deuised with my selfe in what sorte I should fi∣nishe
my life. But when I sawe that fortune woulde
minister vnto me no other instrumēt, then that whiche
my bedde proffred me, I said: O bedde, O bedde, moste
déere vnto me at this present, whiche hast abode and
suffred with me so many miseries, iudge and arbiter
of such thinges as were done here this night, whome
onely I may call to witnesse for mine innocencie, ren∣der
(I say) vnto me some holsome weapon to ende my
life that am most willinge to die. And therewithall I
pulled out a piece of the rope wherwith the bedde was
corded, and tied one ende thereof about a rafter by the
window, and with the other ende I made a slidinge
knotte, and stoode vpon my bedde, and so put my necke
into hit. A•d when I leped from the bedde, thinkinge


verel• to strangle my selfe and so die, beholde the rope
beinge olde and rotten brast in the middle, and I fell
downe tomblinge vpon Socrates that lay vnder. And
euē at that same very time, the Osteler came in criyng
with a lowde voice, and said where are you that made
such hast at midnight, & now lies wallowinge a bedde,
whereupon (I know not whether it was by my fall or
by the great crie of the Osteler) Socrates (as waking
out of a sleape) did rise vp first and said: It is not with∣out
cause that strangers doo speake euill of all suche
Ostelers, for this captife in his comminge in, & with
his criyng out, I thinke vnder a colour to steale away
something, hath waked me out of a sound sleape. Then
I rose vp ioyfull, with a mery countenaunce, sa•ynge:
Beholde good Osteler, my friende, my compaignion &
my brother whome thou diddest falsely affirme to be
murdred by me this night. And therewithall I embra∣sed
my friende Socrates and kissed him, but he smel∣lyng
the stinke of the pisse wherwith those hegges had
embrued me, thrust me away and said clense thy selfe
from that filthy odour, and then he began gentely to
enquire how that noysome sente happened vnto me,
but I (finely feigninge and couloringe the matter for
the time) did breake of his talke, and toke him by the
hande and saide, why tarrie we? why leese we the plea∣sure
of this faire morning? Let vs goe, and so I toke vp
my pacquette, and paide the charges of the house and
departed: and we had not gone a mile out of the towne
but it was broade day, & then I diligently looked vpon
Socrates throate to sée if I could espie the place where
Meroe thrust in her swoorde, but when I could not per∣ceaue
any such thinge, I thought with my selfe what a
madde man am I, that (beinge ouercome with wine

Page 8

yesternight) haue dreamed such terrible thinges: Be∣hold
I see Socrates is sound, salue & in health, where
is his woūde? where is the sponge? where is his great
and newe cutte? and then I spake to him and saide: ve∣rely
it is not without occasion that Phisitions of expe∣rience
doth affirme, that such as fill their gorges abun∣dantly
with meate and drinke shall dreame of dire and
horrible sightes, for I my selfe (not tempryng mine ap∣petite
yesternight from the pottes of wine) did séeme
to sée this night strange and cruell visions, that euen
yet I thinke my selfe sprinkled & wette with humaine
bloud: whereunto Socrates laughing, made answeare
and saide: Nay thou arte not wette with the bloud of
men, but thou art embrued with stinkinge pisse: and
verely I my selfe dreamed this night, that my throate
was cutte and that I felt the paine of the wounde, and
that my harte was pulled out of my bellie, and the re∣membrance
thereof makes me nowe to feare, for my
knées doo tremble that I can vneth goe any further, &
therefore I would faine eate somewhat to strengthen
and reuiue my spirites: then said I, beholde here is thy
breakefast, and therwithall I opened my skrippe, that
hanged vpō my shoulder, and gaue him bread & chéese,
and we satte downe vnder a great plane tróe and I
eate parte with him: And while I behelde him eatinge
gréedely, I perceaued that he waxed meigre and pale, &
that his liuely colour vaded away, in so much that (be∣inge
in great feare and remembringe those terrible fu∣ries
of whome I lately dreamed) the firste morsell of
bread that I put in my mouth (whiche was but very
small) did so sticke in my iawes that I could nether
swallowe it downe nor yet yelde it vp, and moreouer
the small time of our beinge together encreased my


feare, and what is he, that seinge his compaignion die
in the high waie before his face, will not greatly lamēt
and be sorie: but when that Socrates had eaten suffi∣ciently
he wared very thirstie, for in déede he had wel∣nie
deuoured all a whole chéese, and beholde euill for∣tune,
there was behinde the plane trée a pleasant run∣ninge
water as cleere as Cri•tall, and I said vnto him:
come hither Socrates to this water and drinke thy fil.
And then he rose and came to the riuer, and knéeled
downe vpon the side of the banke to drinke, but he had
skase touched y• water with his lippes, whē as behold,
the woūde of his throate opened wide,* and the sponge
sodenly fell into the water and after issued out a litle
remnant of bloud, and his bodie (beinge then without
life) had fallen into the riuer, had not I caught him by
the legge, and so pulled him vp. And after that I had
lamented a good space the death of my wretched com∣paigniō,
I buried him in the sandes there by the riuer.
Which done, in great feare I rode through many out∣waies
and deserte places, and as culpable of the death
of Socrates, I forsoke my countrey, my wife, and my
children, and came to Aetolia where I maried an other
wife. This tale tolde Aristomenus, and his fellowe
whiche before obstinately would giue no credite vnto
hi, begā to say: Verely there was neuer so foolish a tale,
nor a more absurde lie tolde then this: & then he spake
vnto me, saiyng: Ho sir, what you are I know not, but
your habite and countenāce declareth,* that you should
be some honest gentleman, doo you beléeue his tale? yea
verely ({quod} I) why not? for what so euer the fates hath
apointed to men, that I beléeue shall happen. For ma∣ny
thingès chaunce vnto me, and vnto you, and to di∣uers
others, which beinge declared vnto the ignorant

Page 9

be accompted as lies. But verely I giue credite vnto
his tale, and render entier thankes vnto him in that
(by the pleasant relatiō thereof) we haue quickly passed
and shortned our iourney, and I thinke that my horse
also was delighted with the same, and hath brought
me to the gate of this Citie without any paine at all.
Thus ended both our talke and iourney, for they twoo
turned on the lefte hande to the next villages, and I
rode into the Citie.

¶How Apuleius came to a Citie called Hipate, and was
lodged in one Mil•s house, and brought him letters from
Demea of Corinthe.

Cap. 6.
AFter that those twoo compaigniōs were depar∣ted,
I entred into the Citie, where I espied an
old woman, of whome I enquired whether that
Citie was called Hypata, or no, who answeared yeas:
Then I demaunded whether she knewe one Milo an
Alderman of the Citie, whereat she laughed, and said:
verely it is not without cause that Milo is called an el∣der
man, and accompted as chiefe of those whiche dwel
without the walles of the Citie: To whome I saide
againe, I pray thée good mother doo not mocke, but tell
me what manner of man he is, and where he dwelleth:
Marry ({quod} she) doo not you sée those baye windowes
whiche on the one side abutte to the gate of the Citie,
and on the other side to the next lane, there Milo dwel∣leth,
very riche both in money & substance,* but by rea∣son
of his great Auarice and insatiable couetousnes, he
is euill spoken of, & he is a man that liueth all by Vsu∣rie,
and lendinge his money vpon pledges. Moreouer
he dwelleth in a small house, and is euer countinge his


money, and hath a wife that is a compaigniō of his ex∣treme
miserie,* neither kepeth he any more in his house
then one onely maide who goeth appareled like vnto a
begger: which when I heard, I laughed with my self, &
thought: in faith my fréende Demeas hath serued me
well, which hath sent me (being a straunger) vnto such
a man, in whose house I shall not be afearde either of
smooke or of the sent of meate, & therewithall I rode to
the doore whiche was fast barred, and knocked aloude,
thēn there came foorth a maide whiche saide, Ho Sira,
that knockes so faste, in what kinde of sorte will you
borrow money, know you not that we vse to take no
gage vnlesse it be either plate or Iuelles? To whome
I answeared, I pray thée maide speake more gētle & tel
me whether thy maister be within or no. Yes ({quod} she)
that he is, why doo you aske? Marry said I, I am come
from Corinthe, and haue brought him letters frō De∣meas
his fréende. Then saide the maide, I pray you
tarry here till I tell him so,* and therewithall she closed
faste the doores, and went in, and after a while she re∣turned
againe, & said, my master desireth you to alight
and come in: and so I did, whereas I found him sitting
vpon a litle bedde, goinge to supper, and his wife satte
at his féete, but there was no meate vpon the table, & so
(by apointment of the maide) I came to him, and salu∣ted
him, & deliuered the letters whiche I brought from
Demeas: whiche when he had redde, he said, verely I
thanke my fréende Demeas much, in that he hath sent
vnto me so woorthie a ge•t as you are: And therewithal
he commaunded his wife to sitte away, and bidde me
sitte in her place, whiche when I refused, by reason of
courtesie, he pulled me by the garment and willed me
to sitte downe, for we haue ({quod} he) no other stoole here,

Page 10

nor no other great store of household stuffe for feare of
robbinge. Then I (accordinge to his commaundement)
sat downe: and he fell in further communication with
me, and saide: Verely I doo coniecte by the comely fea∣ture
of your bodie, and by the maidenly shame fastnes
of your face, that you are a gentle man borne, as my
fréende Demeas hath no lesse declared the same in his
letters: Wherefore I pray you take in good parte our
poore lodginge, and behold, yonder chamber is at your
cōmaundement, vse it as your owne, and if you be con∣tented
therewithall, you shall resemble and follow the
vertuous qualities of your good father Theseus, who
disdeigned not the slēder and poore cotage of Hecades.
And then he called his maide, whiche was named Fo∣tis,
and said: Tarry this gentlemans pacquette into
the chamber, and lay it vp safelie, and bringe quickely
water to washe him, and a towell to rubbe him, & other
thinges necessarie: and then bringe him to the next
baines, for I knowe that he is very werie of trauell.
These thinges when I harde, I partly perceaued the
manners of Milo, and (endeuouring to bringe my selfe
further in his fauour) I saide, Sir there is no néede of
any of these things, for they haue ben euery where mi∣nistred
vnto me by the way, how be it I will goe vnto
the baines, but my chiefest care is that my horse be wel
loked too, for he brought me hither roundly, and there∣fore
I pray thée Fotis take this money & by some heye
and Dates for him.

¶How Apuleius goinge to bie fis•e mette with his com∣paignion Pithias.

Cap. 7.
WHen this was done, & all my thinges brought
into the chamber, I walked towardes the


vaines, but first I went to the market to bie some vic∣tualles
for my supper, where as I saw great plentie of
fish set out to be solde: and so I cheapened parte therof,
and that whiche they first helde at a hundred pence, I
bought at length for twenty: whiche when I had done
and was departinge away, one of mine olde compaig∣nions,
and fellow at Athens, named Pithias, fortuned
to passe by, and viewinge me a good space, in the ende
brought me to his remembraunce, and gentely came
and kissed me, saiyng: O my déere fréende Lucius, it is
a great while paste sithens we twoo sawe eche other,
and moreouer from the time that we departed frō our
maister Vestius, I neuer harde any newes of you, I
pray you Lucius tell me the cause of your peregrinatiō
hither: Then I answeared and said: I will make rela∣tion
thereof vnto you to morrow: but I pray you tell
me, what meaneth these seruitours that follow you, &
these roddes or verges whiche they beare: and this ha∣bite
whiche you weare,* like vnto a Magistrate: verely
I thinke that you haue obteined your owne desire,
wherof I am right gladde. Then answeared Pithias,
I beare the office and rule of the clarke of the market,
& therefore if you will haue any pittance for your sup∣per,
speake and I will puruey it for you: Then I than∣ked
him hartely, and said I had bought meate sufficiēt
already. But Pithias when he espied my basket wher∣in
my fishe was, toke it and shaked it, and demaun∣ded
of me what I payed for all my sprottes: in faith ({quod}
I) I could skase enforse the fishmonger to sell them for
twentie pence, whiche when he harde, he brought me
backe againe into the market, and enquired of me of
whome I bought them, I showed him the olde man
which satte in a corner, whome by and by (by reason of

Page 11

his office) he did greatly blame and said. Is it thus that
you serue and handle straungers? and specially our
fréendes? wherefore sell you this fishe so déere which is
not woorth a halfpennie? Now perceaue I wel that you
are an occasion to make this place, which is the princi∣pall
Citie of al Thessalie to be forsaken of all men, & to
reduce it into an inhabitable desert, by reason of your
excessiue prices of victuales, but assure your selfe that
you shall not escape without punishment, and you shal
know what mine office is, and how I ought to punish
such as doo offend. Then he toke my basket and cast the
fishe on the grounde, and commaunded one of his ser∣geantes
to treade them vnder his féete: this done he
perswaded me to departe, & said that that onely shame
and reproche done vnto the olde caitife did suffise him,
so I went away all amased and astonied, towardes the
bames (considering with my selfe, and deuisinge of the
grace of my compaignion Pythias) where when I had
washed and refreshed my bodie, I returned againe to
Milos house both without money and meate, and so
gotte into my chamber, then came Fotis immediatly
vnto me, and said that her maister desired me to come
to supper, but I (not ignorant of Milos abstinence)
prayed that I might be perdoned, since as I thought
best to ease my weary bones rather with sleape & quiet∣nes,
than with meate: when Fotis had tolde this vnto
Milo, he came him selfe, and toke me by the hande, and
while I did modestly excuse me, I wil not ({quod} he) depart
from this place, vntill suche time as you shall goo with
me, and to confirme the same he bounde his woordes
with an othe, whereby he enforced me to follow him
and so he brought me into his chamber, where he satte
him downe vpon the bedde, and demaūdes of me how


his fréende Demeas did, his wife his children and all
his familie: & I made him answeare to euery question,
specialy he enquired the causes of my peregrination &
trauell, whiche when I had declared, he• yet busilie de∣maunded
of the state of my countrie, and of the chiefe
Magistrates there, and principaly of our Lieutenant
and Viceroye, who when he perceaued that I was not
onely weried by trauel, but also with talke, and that I
fell a sleape in the middest of my tale, and further that
I spake nothinge directly or aduisedly, he suffred me to
departe to my chamber. So scaped I at length from the
pratlinge and hungry supper of this ranke olde man,*
and beinge compelled by sleape and not by meate (as
hauinge supped onely with talke) I returned into my
chamber and there be toke me to my quiet and longe
desired rest.

¶Here endeth the firste booke of Lucius Apuleius.

Page 12

The seconde Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse.
¶How Apuleius fortuned to meete with his cosin Byr∣rhena.

Cap. 8.
AS soone as night was passed, and the
day began to springe, I fortuned to
awake and rose out of my bedde as
halfe amased, and (very desirous to
knowe and sée some meruelous and
strange thinges, remembringe with
my selfe that I was in the middest
part of all Thessalie, whereas, by the common reporte
of all the world, the sorceries and enchauntmentes are
most vsed) I oftentimes repeted with my selfe the tale
of my compaignion Aristomenus touchinge the man∣ner
of this Citie, and (beinge moued by great desire) I
viewed the whole situation thereof, neither was there
any thinge which I sawe there, that I did beléeue to be
the same whiche it was in déede, but euery thinge séemed
vnto me to be transformed and altered into other
shapes by the wicked power of sorcerie and inchaunt∣ment,
in so much that I thought that the stones which
I founde, were indurate & turned from men into that
figure, and that the birdes whiche I harde chirpinge,
and the trées without the walles of the Citie, and the
runninge waters were chaunged from men into suche
kinde of likenesses: And further I thought that the sta∣tues,
images, and walles could goe, and the oxen and
other brute beastes could speake & tel straunge newes,
and that immediatly I should sée and here some Oracle


from the Heauen, and from the gléede of the Sunne.
Thus beinge astonied or rather dismaide & vexed with
desire, knowinge no certaine place whither I enten∣ded
to goe, I wente from streate to streate, & at length
(as I curiously gas•d on euery thinge) I fortuned vn∣wares
to come into the market place, where as I espied
a certaine woman accompaignted with a great many
seruantes, towardes whome I drewe nie and vlewed
her garmentes •esette with golde and pretious stone,
in suche sorte that she séemed to be some noble Matron:
And there was an olde man whiche followed her: who
(as sone as he had espied me) said to him selfe, verely
this is Lucius, and then he came and embrased me, and
by and by he went vnto his mistres, and whispered in
her eare, & came to me againe, saiynge: How is it Lu∣cius,
that you will not salute your déere cosin and sin∣guler
fréende? To whome I answered: Sir I dare not
be so bolde as to take acquaintance of an vnknowen
woman: how be it as halfe ashamed I drewe towardes
her, and she turned her selfe and said: Beholde how he
resembleth the very same grace as his mother Saluia
doth, beholde his countenaunce and stature agreyng
thereto in eche point, beholde his comely state, his fine
selendernes, his vermilion colour, his heare yellow by
nature, his graye and quicke eies like vnto the Egle,
and his trimme and comely gate which doo sufficiently
proue him to be ye naturall childe of Saluia: And more∣ouer
she saide: O Lucius I haue nourished thée with
mine owne proper handes, and why not? For I am
not onely of kinr•de vnto thy mother by bloude, but
also by nourice, for we both descended of the ligne of
Plutarche, lay in one belly, sucked the same pappes, &
brought vp together in one house: And further there is

Page 13

no other difference betwene vs twoo, but that she is
married more honorably then I: I am the same Byr∣rhena
whome you haue often harde named, emongest
your freendes at home. Wherefore I pray you to take
the paines as to come with me to my house, and vse it
as your owne, at whose woordes I was partely aba∣shed,
and said: God forbid cosin that I shoulde forsake
mine hoest Mylo without any iuste & reasonable cause,
but verely I will (as often as I haue occasion to passe
by your house) come and sée how you doo: And while we
went talkinge thus together, by litle & litle, we came
to her house, and beholde the gate of the same very
beautiful set with pillors quadrāglewise, on the toppe
whereof weare placed carued statues and images, but
principallie the goddesse of Victorie was so liuely and
with such excellencie portraide and set foorth, that you
would verely haue thought that she had flied, and ho∣•ered
with her winges hither and thither. On the con∣trary
parte, y• image of y• goddesse Diana was wrought
in white marble, whiche was a meruelous sight to sée,
for she séemed as though the winde did blowe vp her
garmentes, and that she did encounter with them that
came into the house: on eche side of her, were Dogges
made of stone, that séemed to menace with their firie
eies, their pricked eares, their bended nosethrilles, and
their grinning téeth, in such sorte that you would haue
thought they had bayed and barked: And moreouer
(which was a greater meruell to beholde) the excellent
caruer & deuiser of this worke had fashioned y• dogges
to stande vp fiersly with their former féete, and their
hinder féete on the ground readie to fight. Behinde the
backe of the Goddesse was carued a stone in manner of
a cauerne, enuironed with mosse, hearbes, leaues,


Sprigges, gréene braunches, and bowes, growingi•
and aboute the same, in so muche that within the stone
it glistened and shone meruelously, vnder the brimme
of the stone hanged appels and grapes carued finely,
wherein arte (enulynge nature) showed his great cun∣ninge:
For they were so liuelie set out, that you would
haue thought (if Sommer had bene come) they might
haue bene pulled and eaten, and while I behelde the
runninge water, whiche séemed to springe and leape
vnder the féete of the Goddesse, I marked the grapes
whiche hanged in the water, whiche were like in eue∣rie
point to the grapes of the vine, and séemed to moue
and stirre by violéce of the streame, moreouer emongst
the braunches of the stone appeared the image of Ac∣teon,
And how that Diana (whiche was carued with∣in
the same stone standinge in the water because he did
sée her naked) did tourne him into a harte, and so he
was torne and slayne of his owne houndes. And
while I was greatly delighted with the view of these
thinges, Birrhena spake to me and saide: Cosin, all
thinges here be at your commaundement. And there,
withall she willed secretely the residewe to departe,
who being gone she said: My most déere cosin Lucius I
sweare by this goddesse Diana that I doo greatly ten∣der
your safetie, and am as carefull for you, as if you
were mine owne natural childe, beware I say, beware
of the euill artes & wicked allurementes of that Pam∣philes
that is the wife of Milo, whome you call your
hoste, for she is accompted the moste chiefe and princi∣pall
Magicien and enchanteresse liuing, who by brea∣thinge
out certaine woordes and charmes ouer bowes,
stones, and other friuolous things, can throwe down
all the powers of the Heauens into the déepe bottome

Page 14

of Hell, and reduce all the whole worlde againe to the
olde Chaos: For as soone as she espieth any comely
yonge man, she is foorthwith stroken with his loue,
and presently setteth her whole minde and affection
on him: She soweth her séede of flatterie,* she inuades
his sprite, and entangleth him with continuall snares
of vnmeasurable loue. And then, if any accorde not
to her filthie desire, or if they séeme lothesome in her
eye, by and by in the moment of an hower she either
turneth them into stones, shéepe, or some other beaste
as she her selfe pleaseth, and some she presentely
s•eaeth and murdreth, of whome I woulde you should
earnestly beware. For she burneth continually, and
you, by reason of your tender age and comely beawtie
are capable of her fire and loue: This with great care
Birrhena gaue me in charge, but I (that alwaies co∣ueted
and desired, after that I harde talke of suche
Sorcerye and Witchecrafte, to be experienced in the
same) litle estéemed to beware of Pamphiles, but
willingely determined to bestowe my money in lear∣ninge
of that arte, and nowe whollie to become a
Witche: And so I wared ioyefull and wringinge my
selfe out of her companie, as out of linkes or chaines,
I badde her farewell, and departed towardes the
house of mine hoste Milo, by the waye I reasoned
thus with my selfe: O Lucius, nowe take héede, be
vigilant, haue a good care, for nowe thou haste time
and place to satiffie thy desire, nowe shake of thy shil∣dishnesse
and showe thy selfe a man, but specially
temper thy selfe from the loue of thine Ostesse, and
abstayne from violation of the bedde of Milo, but
hardely attempte to winne the maiden Fotis for she
is beautifull, wanton, and pleasant in talke. And son•


when thou goest to sleape,* and when she bringeth thée
gently into thy chamber, & tenderly layeth the downe
in thy bedde, and louingly couereth thée, and kisseth
thée sweetly, and departeth vnwillingly, and casteth
her eies oftentimes backe and standes still, then haste
thou a good occasion ministred vnto thée, to proue and
trie the minde of Fotis. Thus while I reasoned with
my selfe, I came to Milos doore perseueringe still in
my purpose, but I founde nether Milo nor his wife at
home.

¶How Apuleius fell in loue with Fotis.

Cap. 9.
WHen I was within the house I foūd my déere
and swéete loue Fotis minsing of meate, and
makinge potage for her Master and Mistris,
the cupborde was all set with wines, and I thought I
smelled the sauer of some deintie meates, she had about
her middle a white and cleane apron, and she was gir∣ded
about her bodie vnder her pappes with a swathell
of redde silke, and she stirred the potte and turned the
meate with her fayre and white handes, in such sorte
that with stirringe and turninge the same, her loines,
and hippes did likewise moue and shake, whiche was
in my minde a comely sight to sée. These thinges when
I sawe, I was halfe amased, and stoode musinge with
my selfe, and my courage came then vpon me, whiche
before was skant. And I spake vnto Fotis merely, and
said: O Futis, how trimly you can stirre the potte, and
how finelie (with shakinge your buttockes) you can
make potage. O happy and twise happy is he to whom
you giue leaue & licence but to touche you there: Then
she being likewise merely disposed gan answeare: De∣part

Page 15

I say miser from me, departe from my fire,* for if
the ••ame thereof doo neuer so litle blase foorth, it will
burne thée e•tremely: and none can extinguishe the
heate therof, but I alone who in stirring the potte, and
makinge the bedde can so finely shake my selfe: when
she had saied these woordes, she cast her eies vpon me
and laughed, but I did not departe from thence vntill
such time as I had viewed her in euery point: but what
should I speake of others? when as I doo accustome a∣broade
to marke and viewe the face and heare of euery
dame, and afterwardes delight my selfe therwith pri∣uately
at home, and thereby iudge the residew of their
shape, because the face is the principall parte of all the
bodie, and is firste open to our eies: And whatsoeuer
flourishyng and gorgeous apparell doth worke and set
foorth in the corporal partes of a woman, the same doth
the naturall and comely beautie set out in the face.
Moreouer there be diuers, that (to the intent to showe
their grace and feature) will cast of their partlettes,
collars, habillimentes, frontes, cornettes & krippins,
and doo more delight to showe the fairenes of their
skinne, then to decke them selues vp in golde and pre∣tious
stone. But because it is a crime vnto me to say,
so and to giue no example thereof, know ye: that if you
spoile and cut of the heare of any womā or depriue her
of the colour of her face, though she weare neuer so ex∣cellent
in beautie, though she weare throwen downe
from heauen, spronge of the seas, nourished of the
floudes, though she weare Venus her selfe, though she
weare accōpanied with the Graces, though she weare
wayted vpon of all the courte of C•pide, though she
weare grided with her beautifull skarfe of loue, and
though she smelled of perfumes and muskes, yet if she


appered balde: she coulde in no wise please, •o, not her
owne Vulcanus. O how well doth a fayre colour, and
a shininge face agrée with glitteringe heare? Beholde
it encoūtereth with the beames of the sunne, and plea∣seth
the eie meruelously. Sometimes the beautie of the
heare resembleth the colour of Golde and honie, some∣times
the blewe plume and asured feathers about the
neckes of dooues, especially when it is either annoin•∣ted
with the gumme of Arabia, or trimlie tufte out
with the téeth of a fine combe, whiche if it be tied vp in
the pole of the necke, it séemeth to the louer (that behol∣deth
the same) as a glasse that yeldeth foorth a more
pleasant and gratious comelines then if it shoulde be
sparsed abroade on the shoulders of the woman or hāge
downe scatteringe behinde. Finally, there is suche a
dignitie in the heare, that what so euer she be, though
she neuer be so brauely attired with golde, silkes, pre∣tious
stones, and other riche & gorgeous ornamentes,
yet if her heare be not curiously set foorth, she cannot
séeme faire. But in my Fotis, her garmentes vnbraste
and vnlaste, did encrease her beautie, her heare hanged
aboute her shoulders, and was disparsed abroade vpon
her partlette, and in euery parte of her necke, howbeit
the greater parte was trussed vp in her pole with a
lace: Then I vnable to sustaine the broylinge heate,
whiche I was in, ranne vpon her and kissed the place,
where she had thus layd her heare, whereat she turned
her face, and cast her rollinge eies vpon me, saying: O
schollar thou hast tasted now both hony and galle, take
héede that thy pleasure doo not turne into repentance:
tushe ({quod} I) my swéete harte, I am contented for such an
other kisse to be broyled here vpō this fier, wherwithal
I embrased & kissed her more often, and she embrased

Page 16

and kissed me likewise, and moreouer her breath smel∣led
like sinnamome, and the licour of her tongue was
like vnto swéete Nectar, wherewith when my minde
was greatly delighted, I saide: beholde Fotis I am
yours, & shall presently die, vnlesse you take pitie vpon
me, which when I had said, she eftsoones kissed me and
bidde me be of good courage, and I will ({quod} she) satisfie
your whole desire, and it shalbe no lenger delaied then
vntill night, when as (assure your selfe) I will come
and lie with you, wherefore goe your waies & prepare
your selfe, for I entende valiantly, and couragiously to
encounter with you this night: Thus when we had lo∣uingly
talked and reasoned together, we departed for
that time.

¶How Birrhena sente victuales vnto Apuleius, and how
he talked with Milo, of Diophanes, and how be laye
With Folis.

Cap. 10.
WHen noone was come Birrhena sent vnto me
a fatte pigge, fiue hennes, and a flagon of old
wine. Then I called Fotis and saide,* beholde
how Bacchus the egger and stirrer of venerie doth of
fer him selfe of his owne accorde, let vs therfore drinke
vp this wine, that we may prepare our selues, and get
vs courage against soone, for Uenus wanteth no other
prouision then this, that the lampe may be al the night
replemshed with oyle, & the cuppes filled with wine:
The residewe of the day I passed away at the baines,
and in banquettinge, and towardes eueninge I went
to supper, for I was bidde by Milo, and so I sat downe
at the table, out of Pāphiles sight as much as I could,
beinge mindefull of the commaundement of Birrhena


and sometimes I wonlde caste mine eies vpon her, as
if I shoulde loke vpon the furies of Hell, but I (es•∣sones
turninge my face behinde me, and beholding my
Fotis ministringe at the table) was againe refreshed
and made merie. And beholde when Pamphiles did
see the candell standinge on the table, she saide, verely
we shall haue muche raine to morrow, whiche when
her husbande did here, he demaunded of her, by what
reason she knew it: Marry (• she) the light on the table
doth showe the fame:then Milo laughed and saide, vs∣rely
we neurishe and bringe vp a Sibelle prophecier,
whiche by the viewe of a candell doth diuine of Cele∣stiall
thinges, and of the Sunne it selfe: Then I mu∣sed
in my minde and saide vnto Milo: Of truth it is a
good experience and proufe of diuination, neither is
it any maruell, for although this light is but a small
light and made by the handes of man, yet hath it a re∣membrance
of that great and heauenly light, as of his
parent, and dothe showe vnto vs, what will happen
in the skies aboue: For I knewe at Corinthe a cer∣taine
man of Assiria, who woulde giue answeares in
euery parte of the Citie, and for the gaine of money
woulde tell euery man his fortune, to some he would
tell the daies of their marriages, to other he woulde
tell when they should builde, that their edifices should
continue: to other, when they should best goe about
their assayres: to other when they should trauell by
lande: to other when they should goe by seas: and to
me (purposinge to take my iourney hither) he decla∣red
many thinges straunge and variable. For some∣times
he saide that I should winne glory •nough, som∣times
he saide, I shoulde write a great Historie, some∣times
againe he saide, that I should deuise an incredi∣ble

Page 17

tale, and sometimes, that I should make B•okes.
Whereat Milo laughed againe, and enquired of me of
what stature this man of Assiria was, and what he
was named: In faith ({quod} I) he is a talle man, and some∣what
blacke and he is called Diophanes. Then sayde
Milo the same is he and no other, who semblablie
hath declared many thinges here vnto vs, whereby he
gotte and obtained great substance and treasure. But
the poore miser fell at length into the handes of vnpi∣tifull
and cruell fortune. For beinge on a day emongst
a great assemblie of people, to tell the simple sorte
their fortune, a certayne Cobler came vnto him,* and
desired him to tell when it shoulde be best for him to
take his voiage, the which he promised to doo: the Cob∣ler
opened his purse, and tolde a hundred pence to pay
him for his paines, whereupon came a certaine yonge
Gentleman, & toke Diophanes by the garment: Then
he turninge him selfe embrased and kissed him, and de∣•ired
the Gentelman (who was one of his acquain∣tance)
to sitte downe by him. And Diophanes beinge
astonied with this sodaine chaunce forgatte what he
was doyng, & said: O déere fréend you are hartely wel∣come,
I pray you when arriued you into these partes:
then answeared he I will tell you soone, but brother I
pray you to tell me of your comminge from the Isle of
Euboea, and how you spedde by the way, whereunto
Diophanes (this notable Assirian, not yet come vnto
his minde but halfe amased) gaue answeare and saide,
I would to God that all our enemies and euill willers
mighte fall into the like daungerous peregrination
and trouble, for the shippe where we were in, (after
that it was by the waues of the seas, and by the great
tempestes t•ssed hither and thither, in great perill,


and after that the maste and sterne brake likewise in
pieces) coulde in no wise be brought vnto the shore, but
sonke into the water, and so we did swimme and hard∣ly
escape to lande: and after that, what so euer was
geuen vnto vs, in recompence of our losses, either by
the pitie of straungers or by the beneuolence of our
fréendes, was taken away from vs by théeues,* whose
violence when my brother Arisuatus did assay to re∣siste,
he was cruelly murdered by them before my face.
These thinges when he had sadly declared, the cobler
toke vp his money againe, whiche he had tolde out to
paye for the tellinge of his fortune and ranne away:
Then Diophanes cōming to him selfe, perceaued what
he had done, and we all that stoode by laughed greatly.
But that, ({quod} Milo) which Diophanes did tell vnto you
Lucius, that you should be happy, and haue a prospe∣rous
iourney, was onely true: Thus Milo reasoned
with me, but I was not a litle sorie in that I had trai∣ned
him in such a vaine of talke, that I lost a good parte
of the night, and the sweete pleasure thereof, but at
length I boldely saide vnto Milo. Let Diophanes fare∣well
with his euill fortune, & gette againe that whiche
he lost by sea and lande, for I verely doo yet féele the
werines of my trauell, wherefore I pray you perdon
me, and giue me licēce to departe to hedde, wherwith∣all
I rose vp & went vnto my chamber, where I found
al thinges finely prepared, and the childrens bedde (be∣cause
they should not here, what we did in the night)
was remoued farre of without the chamber doore. The
table was all couered with suche meates as was leste
at supper, the cuppes were filled halfe full with water
to temper & delay the wines, the flaggon stoode readdy
prepared, and there did nothinge lacke which was ne∣cessarie

Page 18

for the preparatiō of Venus: And when I was
enteringe into the bedde, beholde my Fotis (who had
brought her mistris to sléepe) came in & gaue me roses
and flowers, whiche she had in her apron, and some she
threwe about the bedde, and she kissed me swéetely, &
tied a garlande aboute my head, and bespred the cham∣ber
with the residewe. Whiche when she had done, she
toke vp a cuppe of wine, and delaide it with whote wa∣ter,
and proffred it me to drinke, & before I had drunke
vp all, she pulled it from my mouth, and then gaue it
me againe, and in this manner we emptied the potte
twise or thrise together. Thus when I had well reple∣nished
my selfe with wine, and was now readie vnto
Venerie not onely in minde but also in bodie, I remo∣ued
my clothes, and (showinge to Fotis my great im∣paciencie)
I said, O my swéete harte take pitie vpon me
and helpe me: for as you sée, I am now prepared vnto
the battaile whiche you your selfe did appointe, for af∣ter
that I felte the first arrow of cruell Cupide within
my brest, I bent my howe very stronge, and now feare
(because it is bended so harde) least the stringe should
breake, but that thou maist the better please me, vn∣dresse
thy heare and come and embrase me louingly,
wherewithall (she made no longe delaye) but set aside
all the meate and wine, and then she vnapparelled her
selfe, and vnatired her heare, presentinge her amiable
bodie vnto me, in manner of fayre Venus, when she
goeth vnder the waues of the sea. Now ({quod} she) is come
the howre of iustinge, now is come the time of warre,
wherefore showe thy selfe like vnto a man, for I will
not retire, I will not flie the fielde, sée then thou be va∣liant,
sée thou be couragious since, there is no time ap∣pointed
when our skirmishe shal cease: In saying these


woordes she came to me to bedde, and embrased me
swéetely, and so we passed all the night in pastime and
pleasure, and neuer slept till it was day: but we would
eftsoones refreshe our werines, and prouoke our plea∣sure,
and renewe our Venerie by drinkinge of wine.
In whiche sorte we pleasauntly passed away many
other nightes followinge.

¶How Apuleius supped with Birrhena, and what a
straunge tale Bellephoron tolde at the table.

Cap. 11.
IT fortuned on a daie that Birrhena desired me ear∣nestly
to suppe with her, and she woulde in no wise
take any excusation. Whereupon I went vnto Fo∣tis
to aske counsell of her as of some diuine, who (al∣though
she was vnwilling y• I should departe one foote
from her companie) yet at length she gaue me licence
to be absent for a while, saying: beware that you •acry
not longe at supper there, for there is a rabblement of
commō barrators and disturbers of the publique peace
that roueth about in the streates, and murdreth al such
as they may take, neither can lawe nor iustice redresse
them in any case. And they will the sooner sette vpon
you, by reason of your comelines and audacitie, in that
you are not affeard at any time to walke in ye stréetes.
Then I answeared and saide, haue no care of me Fo∣tis,
for I estéeme the pleasure whiche I haue with thée,
aboue the deintie meates that I eate abroade, & there∣fore
I will returne againe quickely. Neuerthelesse I
minde not to come without companie, for I haue here
my swoorde, whereby I hope to defende my selfe. And
so in this sorte I went to supper, and beholde I founde
at Birrhenas house a great companie of straungers,

Page 19

and of the chiefe and principall of the Citie, the beddes
(made of Citorne and Yuorie) were richly adornde and
spredde with clothe of Golde, the cuppes were garni∣shed
pretiously, and there was diuers other thinges of
sondrie fashion, but of like estimation and price: here
stoode a glasse gorgeously wrought, there stoode an o∣ther
of Cristall finely painted, there stoode a cuppe of
glitteringe Siluer, and here stoode a nother of shinyng
Golde, and here was an other of Ambre artificially
carued, and made with pretious stones: Finally there
was all thinges that might be desired, the Seruiters
waited orderly at the table in riche apparell, the pages
arrayed in silke robes did fill great gemmes, & pearles
made in forme of cuppes with excellent wine, then one
brought in candelles and torches: and when we weare
sette downe and placed in order, we began to talke, to
laugh and be merie. And Birrhena spake vnto me, and
saide: I pray you Cosin how like you our countrey?
Verely I thinke there is no other Citie which hath the
like Temples, Baynes, and other commodities as we
haue here: Further we haue aboundance of household-stuffe,
we haue pleasure, we haue ease, and when the
Romaine marchantes doo arriue in this Citie, they are
gentely and quietly entertained, and all that dwell
within this prouince (when they purpose to solace and
repose them selues) doo come to this Citie. Whereunto
I answeared: Verely ({quod} I) you tell truthe, for I can
finde no place in all the worlde, whiche I like better
then this, but I greatly feare, the blinde and incuita∣ble
trenches of Witchcrafte, for they say that the dead
bodies ar digged out of their graues, & the bones of thē
that are burned be stolen away, & the toes & fingers of
such as are slaine, be cut of to afflicte and torment such


as li•e: And the olde Witches assone as they heare of
the death of any person, doo foorthwith goe & vncouer
the hearse, & spoile the corpse, to worke their enchaunt∣mentes:
Then an other sittinge at the table spake and
saide, in faith you say true, neither yet doo they spare or
fauour the liuinge. For I know one not farre hense
that was cruelly handled by them, who (being not con∣tented
with cuttinge of his nose) did likewise cut of his
eares, whereat all the companie laughed hartely, and
looked vpon one that satte at ye boordes ende, who being
amased at their ga•inge, and somewhat angry withal,
would haue rysen from the table, had not Birrhena
spake vnto him & saide: I pray the fréende Telepheron
sitte still, and accordinge to thy accustomed curtesie,
declare vnto vs the losse of thy nose and eares, to the
ende that my cosin Lucius may be delighted with the
pleasauntnes of the tale: To whome he answeared,
a dame you in the office of your bountie shall preuaile
herein, but the insolencie of some is not to be suppor∣ted.
This he spake very angerly, but Birrhena was
earnest vpon him & assured him that he should haue no
wronge at no mans hande, whereby he was enforced
to declare the same: And so (lappinge vp the ende of the
table cloth and carpette together) he leaned with his
elbow thereon, and helde out the thrée forefingers of
his right hande in manner of an Oratour, and saide:
When I was a yonge man I wente vnto a certayne
Citie called Milet,* to sée the games and triūphes there
called Olympia, and beinge desirous to come into this
famous prouince, after that I had traueled ouer all
Thessalie, I fortuned in an euell houre to come to the
Citie Larissa, where (while I went vp and downe to
••ewe the stréetes, to séeke some reliefe for my poore

Page 20

estate, (for I had spent al my money) I espied a talle old
man standing vpon a stone, in the middest of the mar∣kette
place, cryinge with a loude voice, and sayinge:
that if any mā would watche a dead corpse that night,
he should be resonably rewarded for his paines: which
when I harde, I said to one that passed by: what is here
to doo, doo dead men vse to runne away in this coun∣trie.
Then answeared he: holde your peace for you are
but a babe and a straunger here, and not without cause
you are ignorant how you are in Thessalie, where the
women Witches doo bite of by morselles the fl•she of
the faces of dead men, and thereby woorke their Sorce∣ries
and enchauntmentes. Then ({quod} I) in good fellow∣shippe
tell me the order of this custodie and how it is:
Marry ({quod} he) first you must watche all the night, with
your eies bent continuallie vpon the corpse, neuer loo∣kinge
of nor mouinge aside: For these Witches doo
turne them selues into sundry kinde of beastes, wher∣by
they deceaue the eies of all men, sometimes they are
transformed into birdes, sometimes into dogges, and
myce, & somtimes into flies, moreouer they wil charme
the keapers of the corpse a sleape, neither cā it be decla∣red
what meanes and shiftes these wicked women doo
vse to bring their purpose to passe: and the rewarde for
such daungerous watchinge is no more then fower or
fire shillinges: but herken further, which I had welny
forgotten, if the keper of the dead bodie doo not render
(on the morninge following) the corps whole & sounde
as he receaued y• same, he shalbe punished in this sorte.
That is: if the corpse be diminished or spoyled in any
parte of his face handes or toes, the same shalbe dimi∣nished
and spoyled in the keper. Whiche when I harde
I toke a good harte and went vnto the crier, and bidde


him ceasse, for I would take the matter in hande, and
so I demaunded what I should haue: Marry ({quod} he) a
thousand pence, but beware I say yonge man that you
doo well defende the dead corps from the wicked Wit∣ches,
for he was the sonne of one of the chiefest of the
Citie: Tu•he (said I) you speake you can not tell what,
beholde I am a man made all of yron, and haue neuer
desire to sleape, and am more quicke of sight then Lynx
or Argus. I had skarse spoken these woordes, when
he toke me by the hande, and brought me to a certaine
house, the gate whereof was closed faste, so that I
went thorough the wicket, then he brought me into a
chamber somewhat darke, and showed me a matron
clothed in mourninge vesture and wepinge in lamen∣table
wise: And he spake vnto her and saide: Beholde,
here is one that will enterprise to watche the corpse
of your husbande this night, whiche when she harde,
she turned her bloubered face couered with her heare
vnto me, saiyng: I pray you yonge mā take good héede,
and sée well to your office: haue no care ({quod} I) so that
you will giue me any thinge aboue that which is dewe
to be giuen, wherewith she was contented: And then
she rose and brought me into a chamber whereas the
corpse lay couered with white shéetes, and she called
seuen witnesses, before whome she showed the dead
bodie, and euery parte and parcell thereof, and (with
wéepinge eies) desired them all to testifie the matter,
whiche done she saide these woordes of course as fol∣lowe:
Beholde his nose is whole, his eies salue, his
eares without scarre, his lippes vntoucht, & his chinne
sounde: All whiche was written and noted in tables, &
subscribed with the hādes of the witnesses to confirme
the same: which done, I said vnto the matron: Madame

Page 21

I pray you that I may haue all thinges here necessa∣rie:
what is that? ({quod} she) marry saide I a great lampe
replenished with oyle, pottes of wine, and water to
delaye the same, and some other drinke and deintie
dishe that was lefte at supper, then she shaked her
head, and saide: Away foole as thou arte, thinkest thou
to playe the glutton here, and to looke for deintie
meates, where so longe time hath not bene séene any
smoke at all? comest thou hither to eate, where we
should wéepe and lament? and there withall she turned
backe and commaunded her mayden Mirrhena to de∣liuer
me a lampe with oyle, which when she had done,
they closed the chamber doore and departed. Nowe
when I was alone I rubbed mine eies, and armed my
selfe to kéepe the corpse, and to the intent I would not
sleape, I beganne to singe, and so I passed the time till
it was midnight, when as beholde there crepte in a
Weasell into the chamber, and she came against me &
put me in very great feare, in so muche that I marue∣led
greatly of the audacitie of so little a beaste. To
whome I saide, gette thée hence thou whore, and hie
thée to thy fellowes, least thou féele my fingers? why
wilt not thou goe? Then incontinently she ranne a∣way,
and when she was gonne, I fell on the grounde
so faste a sléepe, that Apollo him selfe could not discerne
whether of vs twoo was the dead corpse, for I lay pro∣strate,
as one without lyfe, and néeded a keper like∣wise.
At length the cockes beganne to crowe declaring
that it was daye, wherewithall I waked and (beynge
greatly affeard) ran vnto the dead bodie with the lāpe
in my hande, and I viewed him roūde about: And im∣mediatly
came in the Matron wéepinge with her wit∣nesses,
& ranne vnto the corpse & eftsones kissinge him,


turned his body and found no parte diminished: Then
she commaunded one Philodespotus her stewarde to
pay me my wages foorthwith, which whē he had done,
he saide: we thanke you gentle yonge man for your
paines, and verely for your diligence herein, we will
accompte you as one of the familie. Whereunto I (be∣inge
ioyeous of my vnhoped gaine, and ratlinge my
money in my hande) did answeare: I pray you ma∣dame
estéeme me as one of your seruitours, and if you
néede my seruice at any time I am at your commaūde∣ment.
I had not fully declared these woordes, when as
beholde all the seruauntes of the house were assembled
with weapōs to driue me away, one buffeted me about
the face, an other about the shoulders, some stroke me
in the sides, some kicked me, and some tare my gar∣mentes,
and so I was handled emongest them and dri∣uen
from the house (as the proude yonge man Adonis
who was torne by a Bore). And when I was come in∣to
the next streate, I mused with my selfe and remem∣bred
mine vnwise and vnaduised woordes which I had
spoken, whereby I cōsidered that I had deserued much
more punishmēt, and that I was woorthely beaten for
my follie: And by and by the corpse came foorth, whiche
(because it was the bodie of one of the chiefe of the Ci∣tie)
was carried in funerall pompe rounde aboute the
markette place, accordinge to the rite of the countrie
there. And foorthwith stepped out an olde man weping
and lamentinge and ranne vnto the biere and embra∣sed
it, and with déepe sighes & sobbes cried out in this
sorte: O maisters I pray you by the faith whiche you
professe, and by the dutie whiche you owe vnto the
weale publique, take pitie and mercie vpon this dead
corps, who is miserablie murdred, and doo vengeaunce

Page 22

on this wicked and cursed woman his wife, whiche
hath committed this facte. For it is she and no other,
that hath poysoned her husbande, my sisters sonne, to
the intent to maintaine her whoredome and to get his
heritage. In this sorte the olde man complained before
the face of all the people. Then they (astonied at these
sayinges and because the thing séemed to be true) cried
out, burne her, burne her, and thei sought for stones to
throwe at her, and willed the boies in the streate to doo
the same: but she (wepinge in lamentable wise) did
sweare by all the goddes that she was not culpable of
this crime. No ({quod} the olde man)? Beholde here is one
sente by the prouidence of God to trie out the matter,
euen Zachlas an Egiptian, who is the most principall
Prophecier in all this countrie, and who was hired of
me for money to reduce the soule of this mā from Hell,
and to reuiue his bodie for the triall hereof. And there∣withal
he brought foorth a certaine yonge man clothed
in linnen rayment, hauing on his féete a payre of pan∣toffles,
and his crowne shauen, who kissed his handes
and knées, saying: O Priest haue mercie, haue mercie,
I pray thée by y• celestiall Planetes, by the powers in∣fernall,
by the vertue of the naturall Elementes, by
the silences of the night, by the buildinges of swal∣lowes
nigh vnto the towne of Copton, by the increase
of the floode Nilus, by the secreate misteries of Mem∣phis,
and by the instrumentes and trumpettes of the
Isle Pharos, haue mercie I say, and call againe to life
this dead bodie, and make that his eyes whiche be clo∣sed
and shutte, may be opened & sée, howbeit we meane
not to striue against the lawe of death, neither entend
we to depriue the yearth of his right, but (to the ende
this facte may he knowen) we craue but a small time


and space of life, whereat this Prophete was moued,
and toke a certaine hearbe, & laide it thrée times vpon
the mouth of the dead, and he toke an other, and laide
it vpon his brest in like sorte: Thus when he had done,
he turned him selfe int• the East, and made certaine
Oraisons vnto the Sunne, which caused all the people
to maruell greatly, & to loke for this straunge miracle
that should happen: Then I pressed in emongest them
nigh vnto the biere, and gotte vpon a stone to sée this
misterie, and beholde incontinently the dead bodie be∣gan
to receaue spirite, his principall vaines did moue,
his life came againe and he helde vp his head, & spake
in this sorte. Why doo you call me backe againe to this
transitorie life, that haue already tasted of the water
of Leche, and likewise bene in the deadlie denne of
Stir? leaue of I pray, leaue of, and lette me lie in quiet
teste: when these woordes were vttered by the dead
corpse, the Prophete drewe nighe vnto the biere, and
saide: I charge thée to tell (before the face of all the peo∣ple
here) y• occasion of thy death, what doest thou thinke
that I cannot by my comurations cal vp the dead? and
by my puissance tormēt thy bodie? Then che corps mo∣ued
vp his head againe, and made reuerence vnto the
people, & said: Verely I was poisoned by the meanes of
my wicked wife, & so thereby yelded my bedde vnto an
adulterer. Whereat his wife taking present audacitie,
& reprouing his sayings with a cursed minde, did denie
it: the people were bēt against her sondry waies, some
thought best y• she should be buried aliue wt her husbād,
but some said y• there ought no credite to be giuen vnto
the dead bodie, which opinion was cleane taken away
by the woordes that the corpse spake againe, & said: Be∣holde
I will giue you some euident token, which neuer

Page 23

yet any other man knew, wherby you shall perceaue y•
I declare the truth, & by and by he pointed towardes
me that stoode on the stone, & saide: when this, the good
gardian of my bodie watched me diligently in ye night,
& that the wicked Witches & enchanteresses came into
the chamber to spoile me of my limmes, & to bryng such
their purpose to passe, did trāsforme them selues into ye
shape of beastes: And when as thei could in no wise de∣ceaue
or beguile his vigilant eies, they cast him into so
dead & sounde a sleape that by their Wicthcrafte he sée∣med
without spirite or life. After this thei called me by
my name, & did neuer cease till as the colde members of
my bodie began by litle & litle to reuiue: then he (being
of more liuely soule, howbeit buried in sleape, in y• he &
I weare named by one name, and because he knew not
that they called me) rose vp first, & as one without sence
or persenerāce passed by the doore fast closed vnto a cer∣taine
hole, whereas the Witches cut of first his nose, &
then his eares, & so that was done to him, whiche was
appointed to be done to me. And that such their subtil∣tie
might not be perceaued, they made him a like payre
of eares and nose of waxe, wherefore you may sée that
the poore miser for lucre of a litle money, sustayned
losse of his membres. Whiche when he had saide, I
was greatly astonied, and (mindinge to proue whether
his woordes were true or no) put my hande to my nose,
& my nose fell of, and put my hande to mine eares, and
mine eares fel of. Whereat al y• people wondred great∣ly,
and laughed me to skorne? but I (beinge stroken in
a colde sweate) crept betwéene their legges for shame,
& escaped away. So I disfigured returned home again,
& couered the losse of mine eares, with my longe heare,
and glewed this cloute to my face to hide my shame.


Assone as Telephoron had tolde his tale, they whiche
satte at the table, (replenished with wine) laughed har∣telie.
And while they drāke one to an other, Birrhena
spake to me, and saide: From the first foūdation of this
Citie, we haue had a custome to celebrate the festiuall
day of the God Kisus, & to morrow is the feast, when
as I pray you to be present to sette out the same more
honorably, and I would with all my harte that you
could finde or deuise somwhat of your selfe, that might
be in honor of so great a God: to whome I answeared:
Verely Cosin I will doo as you commaunde me, & right
gladde would I be if I might inuent any laughinge or
mery matter to please or satisfie Kisus withall:* Then
I rose from the table, and toke leaue of Birchena and
departed, and when I came into the firste streate my
torche went out, that with great paine I coulde skarse
gette home, by reason it was so darke, and for feare of
stomblinge. And when I was welny come vnto the
doore, beholde I saw thrée men of great stature heuinge
and liftinge at Milos gates to gette in. And when
they sawe me, they weare nothing affeard, but assaide
with more force to breake downe the doores, whereby
they gaue me occasion and not without cause to thinke
that thei weare stronge théeues. Wherupon I, by and
by, drew out my swoorde which I carried for that pur∣pose
vnder my cloke, and ranne in emongst them, and
wounded them in such sorte that they fell downe dead
before my face. Thus when I had slaine them all, I
knocked, sweating and breathyng at the doore, till Fo∣tis
lette me in. And then full weary with the slaugh∣ter
of these théeues, like Hercules when he fought a∣gainst
the King Gerion, I wente to my chamber and
laide me downe to •leape.

Page 24

The thirde Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse.
¶How Apuleius was taken and put in prison for
Murder.

Cap. 12.
WHen morninge was come, and that
I was awaked from sléepe, my harte
burned sore, with remembraunce of
the murder which I had committed
the night before: and I rose and sat
downe on the side of the bedde, with
my legges a crosse, and wringinge
my handes, wepinge in miserable sorte. For I imagi∣ned
with my self, that I was brought before the iudge
in the iudgement place, and that he awarded sentence
against me, & that the hangeman was readdie to leade
me to the gallowes. And further I imagined, and said:
Alas what iudge is he that is so gentle or benigne that
will thinke that I am vugiltie of the slaughter & mur∣der
of these thrée men? How be it, the Assirian Diopha∣nes
did firmely assure vnto me, that my peregrination
and voiage hither should be prosperous. But while I
did thus vnfolde my sorrowes, and greatly bewayle
my fortune, beholde, I harde a great noyes and crie at
the doore, and in came the Magistrates and Officers,
who cōmaunded twoo sergeantes to binde me, & leade
me to pryson, whereunto I was willingly obedient,
and as they ledde me thorough the streate, all the Ci∣tie
gathered together and followed me, and although
I looked alwaies on the grounde for very shame, yet
sometimes I cast my head aside, and merueled greatly


that amongst so many thousand people there was not
one but laughed excéedingly. Finally, when they had
brought me thorough all the stréetes of the citie, in mā∣ner
of those as goe in procession, & doo sacrafice to miti∣gate
the Ire of the Gods, they placed me in the iudge∣mēt
hall, before the seate of the iudges: & after that the
crier cōmaunded all men to kéepe silence, the people de∣sired
the iudges to giue sentence in the great Theatre
by reason of y• great multitude that was there, wherby
thei weare in daunger of stifling. And beholde y• prease
of people encreased stil, some climed to the toppe of the
house, some gotte vpon the beames, some vpō the ima∣ges,
and some thrust in their heades through the win∣dowes,
litle regardyng the daunger they were in, so
they might see me. Then the officers brought me forth
opēly into the midle of the hall y• euery man might be∣holde
me. And after that the crier had made an oies &
willed all suche as would bringe any euidence against
me shoulde come forth, there stepped out an olde man,
with a glasse of water in his hande, droppyng out soft∣ly,
who desired that he might haue libertie to speake
duringe the time of the continuance of the water,
which when it was graunted he beganne his Oration
in this sorte.

¶How Apuleius was accused by an olde man, and how
he answeared for him selfe.

Cap. 13.
O Most reuerēde and iust iudges, the thinge which
I purpose to declare vnto you, is no smal matter
but toucheth the estate and tranquillitie of this
whole Citie, and the punishment therof may be a right
good example to others. Wherefore I pray you moste
venerable fathers to whome, and to euery of whome it

Page 25

doth appertaine to prouide for the dignitie & safetie of
the common weale, that you would in no wise suffer
this wicked homicide, embrewed with the bloud of so
many murdred Citizens to scape vnpunished. And
thinke you not y• I am moued hereunto by enuie or ha∣tred,
but by reason of mine office in y• I am capitaine of
the night watche, and because no man aliue should ac∣cuse
me to be remisse in the same I will declare all the
whole matter, orderly, as it was done this last night.

This night past when as at our accustomed howre I*
diligently searched euery parte of the Citie: Behold, I
fortuned to espie this cruell yonge man, drawinge out
his swoorde against thrée Citizens, & after a longe com∣bate
foughten betwene them, he murdred one after an
other miserably, which whē he had done (moued in his
conscience at so great a crime) he ranne away, & ayded
by reason of darkenes, slipt into a house & there lay hid∣den
all night, but by the prouidence of the Gods, which
suffereth no heynous offences to remaine vnpunished,
he was takē by vs this morninge before he escaped any
further, & so brought hither to your honorable presence
to receaue his desert accordingly. So haue you here a
giltie person, a culpable homicide, & an accused straun∣ger,
wherefore pronounce ye iudgement against this
man being an alien, when as you would most seuerely
& sharpely reuenge such an offence found in a knowen
Citizen. In this sort y• cruel accuser finished & ended his
terrible tale: then the crier commaunded me to speake,
if I had any thinge to say for my selfe, but I could in
no wise vtter any woorde at all for wéepinge. And on
the other side I estéemed not so much his rigorous ac∣cusation,
as I did consider mine owne miserable con∣science.
Howbeit (beinge inspired by diuine audacitie)


at length I ganne say:* Verely I know that it is a hard
thinge for him, that is accused to haue slayne thrée per∣sons,
to persuade you that he is not innocent although
he should declare the whole truth, & confesse the matter
how it was in déede, but if your Honours will vouch∣salue
to giue me audience, I will show you that if I be
cōdemned to die, I haue not deserued it by mine owne
deserte, but that I was moued by fortune, and reaso∣nable
cause to doo that facte. For returninge somewhat
late from supper yesternight (beinge well tippled with
wine, whiche I will not denie) and approchinge nighe
vnto my common lodginge, which was in the house of
one Milo a Citizen of this Citie, I fortuned to espie
thrée great Théeues attemptinge to breake downe his
walles & gates, and to open the lockes to enter in. And
whē they had remoued the doores out of the hookes, thei
consulted emongst them selues, how they would hādle
such as they founde in the house: And one of them be∣yng
of more courage, & of greater stature then the rest,
spake vnto his fellowes, and saide: Tushe you are but
boyes, take mens hartes vnto you, and let vs enter in∣to
euery parte of the house, & suche as we finde a sléepe
let vs slea, and such likewise as resist let vs kill, and so
by that meanes we shall escape without daunger. Ve∣rely,
ye iudges, I confesse that I drew out my swoorde
against those thrée citizens, but I thought that it was
the office & duetie of one that heareth good will to this
weale publique so to doo, specially since they put me in
great feare, and assayed to robbe and spoile mine hoste
Milo. But when those cruell and terrible men woulde
in no case rūne away, nor feare my naked swoorde, but
boldly resist against me, I ranne vpō them and fought
valiantly. One of them which was the Capitaine in∣uaded

Page 26

me strongly, and drewe me by the heare, with
both his handes, and beganne to beate me with a great
stone, but in the ende I proued the hardier man, and
threwe him downe at my féete and killed him. I toke
likewise the seconde that clasped about my legges and
bitte me, and slewe him also. And the thirde that came
running violently against me, after that I had strokē
him vnder the stomake fell downe dead. Thus when I
had deliuered my selfe, the house, mine hoste, & all his
familie from this present daunger, I thought that I
should not onely escape vnpunished, but also haue some
great rewarde of the Citie for my paines. Moreouer I,
that haue alwaies béene cléere and vnspotted of crime,
and that haue estéemed mine innocencie aboue all the
treasure of the worlde, can finde no reasonable cause
why vpon mine accusation I should be condemned to
die: since, First I was moued to set vpō the théeues by
iust occasion: Secondly, because there is none that can
affirme, that there hath bene at any time either grudge
or hatred betwene vs: Thirdly, we were men mere
straungers and of no acquaintance: Last of all, no man
can proue that I committed that facte for any lucre or
gaine. When I had ended my woordes in this sort. Be∣holde,
I wéeped againe pitiously, and holdinge vp my
handes, I prayed all the people by the mercie of the cō∣mon
weale, and for the loue of my poore infantes and
children, to showe me some pitie and fauour. And whē
I sawe their hartes somewhat relented and moued by
my lamentable teares, I called all the Goddes to wit∣nesse
that I was vngiltie of the crime, and so to their
diuine prouidence I committed my present estate, but
turninge my selfe againe, I perceaued that all the peo∣ple
laughed encéedingly, and especially my good fréende


and hoste Milo. Then thought I with my selfe: Alas
where is faith? where is remorse of cōscience? Beholde
I am condemned to die as a murderer, for the salue∣garde
of mine hoste Milo and his familie. Yet is he not
contented with y•, but likewise laugheth me to skorne,
where otherwise he should comfort and helpe me.

¶How Apuleius was accused by twoo women, and how
the slaine bodies were founde blowen bladders.

Cap. 14.
WHen this was done, out came a woman we∣pinge
into the middle of the Theatre arrayed
in mourninge vesture, and bearinge a childe
in her armes. And after her came an olde woman in
ragged robes cryinge and howlinge likewise: And thei
brought with thē the Oliue bowes wherwith the thrée
slaine bodies were couered on the biere, and cried out
in this māner: O right Iudges we pray you by the iu∣stice
& humanitie whiche is in you, to haue mercie vpon
these slaine persons, and succour our widowhed and
losse of our déere husbandes, and especially this poore
infant, who is now an orphan and depriued of all good
fortune: And execute your iustice by order & lawe vpon
the bloud of this théefe who is the occasion of all our so∣rowes.
When they had spokē these woordes, one of the
most auncient iudges did rise, and say: Touchinge this
murder which deserueth great punishment, this male∣factor
him selfe cānot denie, but our dutie is to enquire
& trie out, whether he had no coadiutors to helps him.
For it is not likely, that one man alone could kill thrée
such great & valiant persons, wherefore the truth must
be tried out by y• racke, & so we shall learne, what other
compaignions he hath, and coote out the nest of these
mischeuous murderers. And there was no long delay,

Page 27

for accordinge vnto the custome of Grecia, the fire, the
whele, & many other tormentes were brought in: Thē
my sorow encreased or rather doubled, in y• I could not
ende my life with whole & vnperished mēbers. And by
& by the olde woman, who troubled all the courte with
her howling desired the iudges that (before I should be
tormented on the racke) I might vncouer the bodies
which I had slaine, y• euery man might sée their comely
shape & youthfull beautie, & that I might receaue con∣digne
& woorthy punishment, according to y• qualitie of
the offence, and therewithall she made a signe of ioye.
Then y• iudge cōmaūded me foorthwith to discouer the
bodies of the slaine, liynge vpon the biere, with mine
owne handes, but whē I refused a good space, by reason
I would not make my facte apparant to the eies of all
men, the sergeantes charged me by cōmaundement of
the iudges, and thrust me forwarde to doo the same:
I then (beyng enforced by necessitie) though it weare
against my will, vncouered their bodies: but O good
Lord, what a straunge sight did I sée? what a monster?
what sodeine chaunge of all my sorrowes? I séemed as
though I weare one of the house of Proserpina, & of the
familie of death, in so much y• I could not sufficiently
expresse y• forme of this new sight, so far was I amased
& astonied thereat: For why, the bodies of y• thrée slaine
men were no bodies, but thrée blowen bladders man∣gled
in diuers places, and they séemed to be wounded
in those partes, where I remember I wounded the
théeues the night before: Whereat the people laughed
excéedingely. Some reioysed meruelously with the re∣membraunce
thereof, some helde their stomakes that
aked with ioye, but euery mā delighted at this passyng
sporte, and so departed out of the Theatre. But I from


the time that I vncouered the bodies stoode still as cold
as ise, no otherwise then as the other statues & images
there, neither came I vnto my right senses vntill such
time as Milo mine hoste came and toke me by the •hād,
and with ciuill violence ledde me away wepinge and
sobbinge where I would or no: & because that I might
not be séene, he brought me through many blind waies
and lanes to his house, where he wente about to com∣fort
me beinge sadde and yet fearefull, with gentle en∣treatie
of talke: but he coulde in no wise mitigate my
impaciencie of the iniurie whiche I conceiued within
my minde. And behold, by and by the Magistrates and
Iudges with their ensignes entred into the house and
endeuored to pacifie me in this sorte, saying: O Lucius
we are aduertised of your dignitie, and know the Ge∣nelogie
of your auncient lignage, for the nobilitie of
your kinne doo possesse the greatest parte of al this pro∣vince.
And thinke not that you haue suffred the thinge
wherefore you wéepe, to any your reproche or igno∣minie,
but put away all care and sorrowe out of your
minde: For this day whiche we celebrate once a yéere
in honour of the God Risus, is alwaies renoumpned
with some solempne Nouell, and the god doth cōtinu∣ally
accōpanie with the inuentor thereof, and will not
suffer that he should be sorowfull, but pleasantly beare
a ioyfull face. And verely al the Citie for the grace that
is in you, entende to rewarde you with great honours
& to make you a patron. And further that your statue
or image shalbe set vp for a perpetuall remembraunce.
To whome I answeared: As for suche benefites as I
haue receaued alreadie of this famous Citie of Thessa∣lie,
I yéelde and render moste entier thankes, but as
•ouchinge the settinge vp of any statues or images, I

Page 28

would wishe that they should be reserued for mine aū∣cientes
and such as are more woorthy then I. When I
had spoken these woordes somewhat grauely, & showed
my self nore merry then I was before, the Iudges and
Magistrates departed, and I reuerently toke my leaue
of them and bidde them farewell. And beholde, by and
by there came one runnyng to me in hast, and said: Sir,
your cosin Birrhena desireth you to take the paines, ac∣cordinge
to your promise yesternight, to come to sup∣per,
for it is ready. But I greatly fearing to goe any
more to her house in the night, said vnto y• messenger:
My fréende I pray you to tell my cosin your Misteris
that I would willingly be at her commaūdement, but
for breakinge my troth & credite. For mine hoste Milo
enforced me to assure him, and cōpelled me by the feaw
of this present day, that I should not departe from his
companie, wherefore I pray you to excuse me and to
differ my promise to an other time. And while I was
speakinge these woordes, Milo toke me by the hande &
ledde me towardes the next baine, but by the way, I
went couchinge vnder him to hide my selfe from the
sight of men, because I had ministred such an occasion
of laughter: And when I had washed & wiped my selfe
and returned home againe, I neuer remembred any
such thing, so greatly was I ashamed at the noddinge
and pointyng of euery person. Then I went to supper
with Milo, where God wotte we fared but poorely.
Wherefore (feigninge that my head did ake by reason
of my sobbinge & weping all the daie) I desired licence
to departe to my chamber and so I went to bedde.


¶How Fotis tolde to Apuleius, what Witchcratie her
Mistris did vse:

Cap. 15.
WHen I was a bedde I beganne to cal to minde
al the sorrowes and griefes that I was in the
day before vntill such time as my loue Fotis
(hauinge brought her Mistris to sléepe) came into the
chamber not as she was wonte doo, for she séemed no∣thinge
pleasant neither in countenance nor talke, but
with a sower face & frowning looke, gan speake in this
sorte. Verely, I confesse that I haue bene the occasion
of all thy trouble this day, and therewithall she pulled
out a whippe from vnder her apron, and deliuered it
to me saying, reuenge thy selfe of me mischieuous har∣lotte
or rather slea me. And thinke you not that I did
willingly procure this anguishe and sorrow vnto you
I call the Goddes to witnesse. For I had rather suffer
mine owne bodie to be punished, then that you should
receaue or sustaine any harme by my meanes, but that
whiche I did was by the commaundement of an other,
and wrought (as I thought) for some other, but be∣holde
the vnlucky chaunce fortuned on you by mine
euil occasion. Then I very curious & desirous to know
the matter, answeared: in faith ({quod} I) this moste pesti∣lent
& euill fauoured whippe (whiche thou hast brought
to scourge thée withall) shall firste be broken in a thou∣sande
pieces, then that it should touch or hurte thy de∣licate
and deintie skinne, but I pray you tell me, how
haue you bene the cause and meane of my trouble and
sorrowe. For I dare sweare by the loue that I beare
vnto you, & I will not be perswaded (though you your
selfe shoulde endeuour the same) that euer you wente
about to trouble or harme me: Perhappes sometimes
Page 29

you imagined an euill thought in your minde, whiche
afterwardes you reuoked but that is not to be déemed
as a crime. When I had spoken these woordes, I per∣ceaued
by Fotis eies beinge wette with teares, and
welnie closed vp, that she had a desire vnto pleasure,
and specially because she embraced & kissed me swéete∣ly.
And when she was somwhat restored vnto ioye she
desired me that she might first shutte the chāber doore,
least by the vntemperance of her tongue in vtteringe
any vnsittinge woordes there might growe further in∣conuenience.
Wherewithall she barred and propped
the doore and came to me againe, and embrasing me lo∣uingly
about the necke with both her armes, spake wt
a softe voice and saide, I doo greatly feare to discouer
the priuities of this house, and to vtter the secrete mi∣steries
of my Dame: But I haue suche a confidence in
you and in your wisedome, by reason that you ar come
of so noble a ligne and endewed with so profounde sa∣pience,
and further enstructed in so many holy & diuine
thinges, that you will faithfully kéepe silence, and that
what so euer I shall reueale or declare vnto you, you
woulde close them within the bottome of your hart,
and neuer discouer the same: for I ensure you the loue
that I beare vnto you enforceth me to vtter it. Now
shall you knowe all the estate of our house, nowe
shall you knowe the hidden secreates of my Mistris,
vnto whome the powers of Hell doo obaye, and by
whome the celestiall Planettes are troubled, the
Goddes made weake, and the Elements subdued, nei∣ther
is the violence of her arte in more strength and
force, then when she espieth some comely yonge man
that pleaseth her fancie as oftētimes it happeneth. For
nowe she loueth one Beotian a fayre and beautifull


person, on whome she employeth all her sorcery & en∣chauntment,
& I harde her say with mine owne eares
yesternight, that (if the Sunne had not then presently
gone downe, & the Hight come to minister conuenient
time to woorke her Magicall enticementes) she would
haue brought perpetuall darknes ouer all the worlde
her self. And you shall know that when she saw yester∣night
this Beotian sittinge at the barbours a polinge,
when she came from the baines, she secretely cōmaun∣ded
me to gather some of the heare of his head, whiche
lay dispersed vpon the grounde, and to bringe it honie:
whiche when I thought to haue done, the Barbour
espied me, and by reason it was bruted thorough out
all the Citie that we weare Witches and enchantres∣ses,
he cried out, and said: Will you neuer leaue of stea∣linge
of yonge mens heares? In faith I assure you vn∣lesse
you cease your wicked sorceries, I will complaine
to y• Iustices: wherwithall he came angerly towardes
me, & toke away the heare whiche I had gathered, out
of mine apron, whiche grieued me very muche. For I
knew my mistris manners, that she would not be con∣tented,
but beate me cruelly. Wherfore I entended to
runne away, but the remembrance of you put alwaies
that thought out of my minde, & so I came homewarde
very sorowfull, but because I would not séeme to come
in my mistris sight with emptie handes, I sawe a man
shearynge of blowen goate skinnes, and the heare
that he had shorne of was yellow, and much resembled
the heare of Beotian: And I toke a good deale thereof,
and colouringe the matter, brought it to my Mistris.
And so when night came, before your retorne frō sup∣per,
she (to bringe her purpose to passe) wente vp to a
high gallery of her house, openyng to the East parte of
Page 30

the worlde, and preparinge her selfe accordinge to her
accustomed practise, she gathered together all her sub∣stance
for fumigatiōs, she brought forth plates of met∣tall
carued with straunge charecters, she prepared the
bones of such as were drowned by tempest in the seas,
she made reddy the mēbers of dead men, as their nose∣thrilles
and fingers, She sette out the lumpes of flesh
of suche as weare hanged, the bloudde whiche she had
reserued of such as weare slaine, and the iawe bones,
& téeth of wilde beastes, then she said certaine charmes
ouer the heare, and dipped it in diuers waters, as in
well water, cowe milke, mountaine hony and other li∣cour,
whiche when she had done she tied and lapped it
vp together, and with many perfumes and smelles
threw it into a whote fire to burne. Then by the great
force of this sorcerie, and the violence of so many con∣fections,
those bodies (whose heare was burnyng in the
fire) receaued humaine shape, and felte, hard, and wal∣ked.
And (smellinge the sent of their owne heare) came
and rappid at our doores in stéede of Boetius. Thē you
beinge well tippled, & deceaued by the obscuritie of the
night, drewe out your swoorde couragiously, like furi∣ous
Aiax, and killed, (not as he did the whole hearde of
beastes) but thrée blowen skinnes, to the intent that I
after the slaughter of so many enemies without effusiō
of bloud, might embrace and kisse not an homicide but
an Vtricide: thus when I was pleasantly mocked and
taunted by Fotis, I said vnto her: Verely, now may I
for this atchieued enterprise be numbred, as Hercules
who by his valiaunt prowesse perfourmed the twelue
notable labours, as Gerion with thrée bodies, and as
Cerberus with thrée heades. For I haue s•aine thrée
blowen geate skinnes, but to the ende that I may par∣don


thée of that whiche thou hast committed, performe
the thinge whiche I shall most earnestly desire of thée,
that is, bringe me that I may sée and beholde when thy
Mistris goeth about any Sorcerie or enchauntment,
and when she prayeth vnto the Goddes, for I am ve∣rie
desirous to learne that arte, and as it séemeth vnto
me, thou thy selfe haste some experience in the same.
For this I knowe and plainely féele, that (whereas I
haue alwaies yrked and lothed the embrasinges and
loue of Matrones) I am so stryken and subdued, with
thy shininge eyes, ruddy chéekes, glitteringe heare,
swéete cosses and lillie white pappes, that I neither
haue minde to goe home, nor to departe hense, but
estéeme the pleasure whiche I shall haue with thée this
night, aboue all the ioyes of the worlde: Then ({quod} she)
O my Lucius how willinge would I be to fulfill your
desire, but by reason she is so hated, she getteth her
selfe into solitary places, and out of the presence of e∣uerie
person when she mindeth to woorke her enchant∣mentes,
how be it I regarde more to gratifie your re∣quest,
then I doo estéeme the daunger of my life: and
when I sée oportunitie and time I wil assuredly bring
you woorde, so that you shall sée all her enchauntment,
but alwaies vpon this condicion that ye secreately
keepe close suche thinges as are done: thus as we rea∣soned
together the courage of Venus assayled aswell
our desires as our members: And so she vnrayed her
selfe and came to bedde, and we passed the nighte in
pastime and dalliance, till as by drowsie and vnlustie
sléepe I was constrained to lie still.

Page 31
¶Howe Fotis brought Apuleius to see her Mistris
Enchaunt.

Cap. 16.
ON a day Fotis came runninge to me in great
feare, and saide that her Mistris (to worke her
sorceries on such as she loued) entēded, the night
followinge, to transforme her selfe into a birde, and to
flie whither she pleased, wherefore she willed me pri∣uily
to prepare my selfe to sée the same. And whē mid∣night
came she ledde me softly into a highe chamber, &
bidde me looke thorough the chinke of a doore. Where
firste I saw how she put of all her garmentes, and toke
out of a certaine coffer sondrie kinde of boxes, of the
which she opened one and tempred the ointment ther∣in
with her fingers, and then rubbed her bodie there∣with
frō the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head:
And when she had spoken priuilie with her selfe, ha∣uinge
the candle in her hande she shaked the partes of
her bodie, and beholde I perceaued a plume feathers
did burgen out, her nose waxed croked and harde, her
nailes turned into clawes, & so she became an Owle:
Then she cried and skriched like a birde of that kinde,
& willinge to proue her force, moued her selfe from the
groūd by litle & litle, till at last she flewe quight away:
Thus by her Sorcery she transformed her body into
what shape she wold. Which whē I saw I was great∣ly
astonied & although I was enchaunted by no kinde
of charme, yet I thought y• I séemed not to haue y• like∣nes
of Luci{us}, for so was I banished frō my senses ama∣sed
in madnes, & so I dreamed wakinge, y• I felte mine
eies to know whether I weare a sléepe or no. But whē
I was come againe to my selfe, I toke Fotis by y• hāde,
& moued it to my face, & said: I pray thée while occasion


doth serue that I may haue the fruition of the fruictes
of my desire, and graunt me some of this ointment.
O Fotis I praye the by thy swéete pappes, to make
that in the great flames of my loue I may be turned
into a birde, so will I euer hereafter be boūde vnto you
& obedient to your commaundement. Then said Fotis
will you goe about to deceaue me now? and enforce me
to worke mine owne sorrowe? Are you in that minde
that you will not tarry in Thessalie? if you be a birde
where shal I seeke you? and when shal I see you? Then
answeared I: God forbidde that I should commit such a
crime. For though I could flie into y• ayre as an Egle,
or though I were the messenger of Iupiter, yet would
I haue recourse to nest with thee. And I sweare by the
knotte of thy amiable heare, that since the time that I
firste loued thée, I neuer fancied any other person:
moreouer this commeth to my minde, that if by vertue
of the ointment I shall become an Owle, I will take
héede that I come nigh no mans house. For I am not
to learne how these matrones would handle their lo∣uers
if they knewe that they were transformed into
Owles: moreouer when they are taken in any place,
they are nayled vpon postes, and so they are woorthely
rewarded, because it is thought that they bringe euill
fortune to the house. But I pray you (whiche I had al∣most
forgotten) tell me by what meanes, when I am
an Owle, I shall returne to my pristine shape and be∣come
Lucius againe? Feare not ({quod} she) for my Mistris
hath taught me the way to bringe that to passe, neither
thinke 〈◊〉 that she did it for any good will or fauour,
but to the ende I might helpe her, & minister some re∣medie
when she re•urneth home. Consider I pray you
with your selfe, with what friu•lous trifles so merue∣lous
Page 32

a thinge is wrought, for by Hercules I sweare, I
giue her nothinge els, saue a little dill & lawrell leaues
in well water, the whiche she drinketh and washeth
her selfe withall: which when she had spoken she went
into the chambre, & toke a boxe out of the coffer, whiche
I first kissed and embrased, and prayed that I might
haue good successe in my purpose. And then I put of all
my garmentes and gréedely thrust my hande into the
boxe, and toke out a good deale of ointment and rubbed
my selfe withall.

¶How Apuleius thinkinge to be turned into a Birde, was
turned into an Asse, and howe he was ledde away by
theeues.

Cap. 17.
AFter that I had wel rubbed euery parte & mem∣ber
of my bodie, I houered with mine armes, &
moued my selfe, lokinge still when I should be
chaunged into a birde as Pamphile was, and beholde
neither feathers nor apparaūce of feathers did burgen
out, but verely my heare did turne into ruggednes, &
my tender skinne waxed tough and harde, my fingers
and toes lesing the nūber of fiue chaunged into hoofes,
and out of mine arse grewe a great taile, now my face
became monstruous, my nosethrilles wide, my lippes
hanginge downe, and mine eares rugged with heare:
Neither could I sée any comfort of my transformatiō,
for my membres encreased likewise, and so without all
helpe (viewyng euery parte of my poore bodie) I percea∣ued
that I was no birde, but a plaine Asse. Then I
thought to blame Fotis, but beinge depriued aswell of
language as humaine shape, I loked vpon her with my
hanginge lippes and watrie eies, who (assone as she


espied me in suche sorte) cried out alas poore wretche
that I am, I am vtterly caste away. The feare that I
was in, & my hast hath beguiled me, but especially the
mistaking of the boxe hath deceaued me. But it forceth
not much, since as a sooner medicine may be gotten for
this, then for any other thyng. For if thou couldest get
a Rose and eate it, thou shouldest be deliuered from the
shape of an Asse, and become my Lucius againe. And
would to God I had gathered some garlādes this eue∣ning
past according to my custome, then thou shouldest
not continue an Asse one nightes space, but in the mor∣ninge
I will séeke some remedie. Thus Fotis lamen∣ted
in pitifull sorte, but I that was now a perfect Asse,
and for Lucius a bruite beaste, did yet retaine the sense
and vnderstandinge of a man. And did deuise a good
space with my selfe, whether it were beste for me to
teare this mischieuous and wicked harlotte with my
mouth, or to kicke and kill her with my héeles. But a
better thought reduced me from so rashe a purpose, for
I feared least by the death of Fotis I should be depri∣ded
of all remedie and helpe. Then shakinge my head
and dissimuling mine yre, and takinge mine aduersitie
in good parte, I went into y• stable to mine owne-horse,
where I found an other Asse of Miloes, somtime mine
hoste, and I did verely thinke that mine owne horse (it
there were any natural cōsciēce or knowledge in brute
beastes) would take pitie vpō me, & proffer me lodging
for that night, but it chaunced farre otherwise: For see
my horse & the Asse, as it weare, consented together to
worke my harme, & fearing least I should eate vp their
prouender, would in no wise suffer me to come nighe
the manger, but kicked me with their héeles from their
meate, whiche I my selfe gaue them the night before:
Page 33

Then I, beinge thus handled by them & driuen away,
gotte me into a corner of the stable, where (while I re∣membred
their vncourtesie, and how on the morrow I
should returne to Lucius by the helpe of a Rose, when
as I thought to reuēge my selfe of mine owne horse) I
fortuned to espie in the middle of a pillor sustainyng y•
rafters of the stable, the Image of the Goddesse Hip∣pone,
whiche was garnished and decked rounde about
with faire fresh Roses: then in hope of present remedie
I leaped vp with my fore féete as highe as I coulde,
and stretchinge out my necke, and with my lippes
coueted to snatche some Roses. But in an euill howre
did I goe aboute that enterpryse, for beholde, the boye
to whome I gaue charge of my horse came presently
in, and findinge me climinge vpon the pillor, ranne
freatinge towardes me, and said: How longe shall we
suffer this vile Asse, that dothe not onely eate vp his
fellowes meate, but also would spoile the images of the
Goddes? why doo I not kill this lame théefe, and weake
wretche? & therewithall lokinge about for some kidgel,
he espied where lay a faggot of woodde, & choosinge out
a crabbed trunchion of the biggest he could finde, did
neuer cease beating of me poore wretch, vntil such time
as by great noyes and rumbling, he harde the doores of
the house burst open, and the neighbours crying in la∣mentable
sorte, whiche enforced him (being stroken in
feare) to flie his way. And by and by a troope of théeues
entred in, and kepte euery parte & corner of the house
with weapons. And as men resorted to ayde and helpe
thē which weare within the doores, the théeues resisted
& kept them backe, for euery man was armed with his
swoorde and Targette in his hande, the glympses
whereof did yelde out such light as if it had bene daye.


Then they brake opē a great cheste with double lockes
and boltes, wherein was laide all the treasure of Milo,
and ransakt the same, which when they had done they
packed it vp, and gaue euery one a porciō to carry, but
when they had more then they could beare away, yet
weare they lothe to leaue any behinde, they came into
the stable, and toke vs twoo poore Asses, and my horse,
and laded vs with greater trusses then we weare able
to beare. And when we weare out of the house, they
followed vs with great staues, and willed one of their
fellowes to tarry behinde, and bringe them tidinges
what was done concerninge the robbery, and so they
beate vs forwarde ouer great hilles out of y• high way.
But I, what with my heauy burthen, and my longe
iourney did nothinge differ from a dead Asse, wherfore
I determined with my selfe to séeke some ciuill reme∣die,
and by inuocation of the name of the Prince of the
countrie, to be deliuered from so many miseries. And
on a time as I passed thorough a great faire, I came a∣mongst
a multitude of Gréekes, and I thought to call
vpon the renoumed name of the Emperour, & to say:
O Cesar, and I cried out aloude, O, but Cesar I could
in no wise pronounce: the théeues little regardinge my
criynge did lay me on, and beate my wretched skinne
in such sorte, that after it was neither apte nor méete to
make siues or sarces. How be it at laste Iupiter mini∣sterd
vnto me an vnhoped remedie. For when we had
passed thorough many townes & villages, I fortuned
to espie a pleasaunt garden, wherein, besides many
other flowers of delectable hewe, weare newe and
freshe Roses, and (beinge very ioyfull and desirous to
catche some as I passed by) I drewe nerer and nerer,
and while my lippes watred vpō them, I thought of a
Page 34

better aduise more profitable for me: least if from an
Asse I should become a man, I might fal into the hādes
of the theeues, and either by suspitiō that I weare some
Witche, or for feare that I would vtter their thefte, I
should be slaine, wherfore I abstained for that time frō
eatinge of Roses. And (enduringe my present aduersi∣tie)
I eate hay as other Asses did.

The fourth Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse.
¶How Apuleius thinkinge to goe to eate Roses, was cru∣elly
beaten by a Gardener and chased by Dogges.

Cap. 18.
WHen noone was come, that the broy∣linge
heate of the Sunne had moste
power, we turned into a village to
certaine of the théeues acquaintāce
and fréendes, for verely their me∣tinge
and embrasinge together, did
giue me (poore Asse) cause to déeme ye
same: And thei toke the trusse from my backe, and gaue
them parte of the treasure whiche was in it, and they
séemed to whisper & tel them that it was stolen goodes,
and after that we weare vnladen of our burthens, thei
lette vs lose into a medow to pasture, but mine owne
horse, & Milos Asse, would not suffer me to féede there
with them, but I muste séeke my dinner in some other
place. Wherefore I leaped into a gardein, whiche was
behinde the stable, and beinge welnie perished with
honger, although I could finde nothing there but raw
& gréene sallettes, yet I filled my hongry guttes there∣withall


abundantly, and praying vnto all the Goddes,
I loked about in euery place if I could espie any redde
Roses in the gardens by, and my solitarie being alone
did put me in good hope, y• if I could finde any remedie
I should presently of an Asse be chaunged into Lucius
out of euery mans sight, and while I considered these
thinges, I looked about, & behold I saw a farre of a sha∣dowed
valley adioyninge nigh vnto a woodde, where,
emongst diuers other hearbes & pleasaunt verdures, I
thought I sawe many florishinge Roses of bright Da∣maske
colour. And I said within my bestiall minde: ve∣rely
y• place is the place of Venus & the Graces, where
secretely glittereth the royall hewe, of so liuely & dele∣ctable
a flower: Then I desiring y• helpe of the guide of
my good fortune, ranne lustely towardes the woodde,
in so much y• I felt my self that I was no more an Asse,
but a swifte coursinge horse, but my agilitie and quick∣nes
could not preuent the crueltie of my fortune: For
when I came to the place, I perceaued that they were
no Roses, neither tēder, nor pleasant, neither moisted
with the heauenly droppes of dew nor celestiall licour,
whiche grewe out of the thicket and thornes there.
Neither did I perceaue y• there was any valley at all,
but onely the banke of the riuer enuironed with great
thicke trées, which had lōg braūches like vnto Lawrel,
& bearinge a flower without any manner of sente, and
the common people call them by the name of Lawrell
roses, whiche be very poyson to all manner of beastes.
Then was I so entangled with vnhappy fortune, that
I litle estéemed mine owne daunger, & went willingly
to eate of those Roses, though I knewe them to be pre∣sent
poyson. And as I drewe nere, I sawe a yong man
that séemed to be the Gardener, come vpon me, & when
Page 35

he perceaued that I had deuoured vp all his hearbes in
the gardein, he came swearinge with a great staffe in
his hande, and laide vpon me, in such sorte that I was
welnie dead, but I spéedely deuised some remedy for
my selfe, for I lifte vp my legges and kicked him with
my hinder héeles, that I lefte him liynge at the hill
foote welnie slaine, and so I ranne away: incontinent∣ly
came out his wife, who seinge her husbande halfe
dead, cried and houled in pitifull sorte, and wente to∣warde
her husbande to the intent that by her lowde
cries she might purchase to me present destruction: thē
all the persons of the towne, moued and raysed by her
noyes came foorth, and cried for dogges to teare me
downe: Out came a great company of bandogges and
masties more fitte to pull downe Beares and Lions
then me, whom when I behelde, I thought verely that
I should presently die, but I turned my selfe aboute &
ranne as faste as euer I might to the stable frō whense
I came. Then the men of the towne called in their
dogges, and toke me, and bounde me to the staple of a
poste, and scourged me with a great knotted whippe
till I was welny dead, and they would vndoubtedly
haue slaine me, had it not come to passe that what with
the paine of their beatinge and the gréene hearbes that
lay in my guttes, I caught suche a laske that I all be
sprinkled their faces, with my liquide donge, and en∣forced
them to leaue of.

¶How Apuleius was preuented of his purpose, and how the
theeues came to their denne.

Cap 19.
NOt longe after, the théeues laded vs againe, and
especially me, and brought vs foorth out of the
stable, and when we had gone a good parte of our


iourney, what with the longe way, my great burthen,
the beatinge of staues, and my worne hoofes, I was so
weary that I could scantly goe: then I sawe a litle be∣fore
me a riuer, runninge with faire water, & I said to
my selfe: behold now I haue founde a good occasiō. For
I will fall downe when I come yender, and surely I
will not rise againe, neither with scourginge nor bea∣tinge,
for I had rather be slaine there presently, then
goe any further. And the cause why I determined so
to doo, was this, I thought that when the théeues did
sée me so féeble and weake that I could not trauell, to
the intent they would not stay in their iourney, they
would take of the burthen from my backe, and put it
vpon my fellowes, and so for my further punishment
to leaue me as a praye to the Wolues and rauenous
beastes: but euill fortune preuented so good a conside∣ration:
For the other Asse, beinge of the same purpose
that I was of, by feigned and coloured werines, fell
downe first with all his burthen vpon the grounde as
though he weare dead, and he would not rise neither
with beatinge nor prickinge, nor stande vpon his féete
though they pulled him vp by the taile, by his legges,
and by his eares, whiche when the théeues behElde, as
without al hope, they said one to an other, what should
we stande here so longe, about a dead, or rather a stony
Asse? let vs be gonne. And so thei toke his burthen, and
deuided some to me, and some to my horse. And then
they drewe out their swoordes and cutte of his legges,
and threwe his bodie from the pointe of a hill downe
into a great valley: then I considering with my selfe of
the euill fortune of my poore compaignion, and purpo∣sed
now to forgette al subtiltie and deceite, and to play
the good Asse to gette my Maisters fauour, for I per∣ceaued
Page 36

by their talke that we weare welny come home
to our iourneis end. And after that we had passed ouer
a litle hil, we came to our appointed place, where, whē
we weare vnladen of our burthens, & all thinges car∣ried
in, I tumbled and wallowed in the dust, to refresh
my selfe, in stéede of water. The thing and the time cō∣pelleth
me to make description of the places, and speci∣ally
of the denne where the théeues did inhabite, I wil
proue my witte what I can doo, and then consider you
whether I was an Asse in iudgement and sense, or no.

First, there was an excéeding great hill compassed
about with bigge trées, very high, with many turning
bottomes, full of sharpe stones whereby it was inac∣cessible:
there was many windinge and hollow valleis
enuironed with thickettes and thornes, and naturally
fortressed round about: Frō the toppe of the hill ranne
a runninge riuer as cléere as siluer, and watred all the
valeis below, that it séemed like vnto a sea enclosed, or
a standinge floode: before the denne, where was no hill,
stoode a highe towre, & at the foote thereof weare shepe∣cotes
fenced and watled with clay: Before the gate of
the house were pathes made in stéede of walles, in such
sorte that you would easely iudge it to be a very denne
for théeues, & there was nothinge else saue a litle coate
couered with thatche, wherein the théeues did nightly
accustome to watch by order, as after I perceaued. And
when they were all crepte into the house, and we faste
tied with halters at the doore, they began to chide with
an olde woman there, crooked with age, who had the
gouernment and rule of al the house, and said: How is
it olde Witche, olde trotte and strumpet, that thou sit∣test
idely all day at home, and (hauinge no regarde to
our perillous labors) haste prouided nothinge for our


suppers? but sittest eating and swillinge thy selfe from
morning til night: Then the old woman trembled and
scantly able to speake, gan say: Beholde my puisant &
faithful maisters you shal haue meate & potage inough
by and by. Here is first store of bread, wine plentie, fil∣led
in cleane rinsed pottes, likewise here is whote wa∣ter
prepared to bathe you. Whiche when she had said,
they put of all their garmentes & refreshed them selues
by the fire. And after thei were washed & nointed with
oyle, they satte downe at the table garnished with all
kinde of deinty meates: thei were no sooner set downe,
but in came an other company of yonge men, more in
number then was before, who séemed likewise to be
théeues: For thei brought in their praies of Golde, and
Siluer, Plate, Iuelles, & riche robes, & when they had
likewise washed, they satte emōgst the rest and serued
one an other by ordre. Thē thei dranke & eate exceding∣ly,
criyng, laughing, & making such noyes, y• I thought
I was emongst the tirannous & wilde Lapithes, The∣banes,
& Centaures. At length one of thē more valiant
then the rest spake in this sorte, we verely haue man∣fully
cōquered the house of Milo of Hypata, & beside all
the richesse, & treasure which by force we haue brought
away, we are all come home salue, and are encreased
the more by this horse & this Asse. But you that haue
roued about in the countrey of Beotia haue loste your
valiant Capitaine Lamathus. Whose life I more re∣garded
then all this treasure which you haue brought.
And therefore the memorie of him shalbe renoumed
for euer emongst the moste noble Kinges, and valiant
Capitaines, but you accustome when you goe abroade
like men with ganders hartes to créepe through eue∣ry
corner and hole for euery trifle. Then one of them
Page 37

that came laste answeared: Why are you onely igno∣rant,
that the greater the number is, the sooner they
may robbe and spoyle the house? and although the fa∣milie
be dispersed in diuers lodginges, yet euery man
had rather to defende his owne life then to saue the ri∣chesse
of his maister, but when there be but a fewe
théeues, then will they rather not onely regarde them
selues, but also their substāce, how litle or great so euer
it be. And to the intent you may beléeue me I wil show
you an example: we weare come nothinge nighe vnto
Thebes, where is the fountaine of our arte and sciēce,
but we learned where a riche chuffe called Chryseros
did dwell, who for feare of offices in y• publique weale,
dissimuled his estate, and liued sole and solitary in a
small cote, how be it replenished with aboundaunce of
treasure, and wente dayly in ragged & torne apparell.
Wherefore we deuised with our selues to goe to his
house and spoyle him of all his richesse. And whē night
came, we drew towardes his doore which was so strōg∣ly
closed y• we could neither moue it. nor lifte it out of y•
hookes, & we thought it not best to breake it open, least
by y• noyes we should raise vp (to our harme) the neigh∣bors
bie. Then our stronge & valiant Capitaine Lama∣thus
trustinge his owne strength & force, thrust in his
hāde through a hole of the doore, & thought to pull backe
the bolte, but the couetous caytife Chryseros beinge a∣wake
& making no noyes, came softely to the doore and
caught his hande, & with a great naile nailed it fast to a
poste, which when he had donne, he ranne vp to a high
chāber, & called euery one of his neighbours by name,
desiringe them to succour him with all possible spéede,
for his house was a fire: Then euery one for feare of
their owne daunger came runninge out to ayde him,


wherewith we (fearinge our present perill) knewe not
what was best to be done, whether we should leaue
our compaignion there, or yelde our selues to die with
him, but we by his consent deuised a better way: For
we cut of his arme by the elbow, & so let it hange there▪
then we boūd his wound with cloutes, least we should
be traced by the droppes of bloud, which done we tooke
Lamathus and ledde him away for feare we should be
taken, but when we weare so nighe pursued that we
weare in present daunger: And that Lamathus coulde
not kéepe our companie by reason of faintnes: and on y•
other side perceauinge that it was not for his profite to
linger behinde, he spake vnto vs as a man of singuler
courage & vertue, desiringe vs by much entreatie and
prayer, and by the puisance of the God Mars, and the
faith of our confederacie to deliuer his bodie from tor∣ment
& miserable captiuitie: And further he said, how
is it possible that so couragious a Capitaine can liue
without his hand? wherwith he could somtimes robbe
and slea so many people, I would thinke my selfe suffi∣cient
happy if I might be slaine by one of you: but whē
he saw that we all refused to cōmitte any such facte, he
drewe out his swoorde with his other hande, and after
that he had often kissed it, he thrust it cleane thorough
his bodie: Then we honored the corps of so puisant a
man, and wrapped it in linnen clothes and threw him
into the sea: so lieth our master Lamathus buried and
hidde in the graue of water, & ended his life as I haue
declared: but Alcinus though he weare a man of great
enterprise, yet could he not beware by Lamathus, nor
volde him selfe from euil fortune: for on a day when he
had entred into an olde womans house to robbe her, he
went vp into a high chāber, where he should first haue
Page 39

strāgled her, but he had more regarde to throw downe
the bagges of money and Golde out at the window to
vs that stoode vnder: And when he was so gréedie that
he would leaue nothinge behinde, he went to the olde
womans bedde where she lay a sléepe, and would haue
taken of the couerlet to haue throwē downe likewise,
but she awaked & (knelyng vpon her knées) desired him
in this manner: O sir I pray you caste not away suche
torne and ragged clouses into my neighbours houses,
for they are riche inough & néede no such thinges: then
Alcinus (thinking her woordes to be true) was brought
in beliefe that such thinges as he had throwen out al∣ready,
and such thinges as he should throwe out after,
was not fallen downe to his fellowes, but into other
mens houses, wherfore he went to the window to sée,
and as he thought to beholde the places rounde about,
thrustinge his bodie out of the window, the old womā
marked him well, & came behinde him softlie, and al∣though
she had but small strength, yet with a sodaine
force she tooke him by the héeles & thrust him out head∣longe,
and so he fell vpon a meruelous great stone, and
burst his ribbes, whereby he vomited and spued flakes
of bloud, and presently died: Then we threw him into
the riuer likewise, as we had done Lamathus before:
When we had thus lost twoo of our compaignions, we
liked not Thebes, but marched towardes the next Ci∣tie
called Platea, where we founde a mā of great fame
named Demochares, that purposed to set foorth a great
game, where should be a triall of al kinde of weapons:
he was come of a good house, meruelous riche, liberall,
and well deserued that which he had, and had prepared
many showes and pleasures for the common people: in
so much that there is no mā can either by witte or elo∣quence


showe in woordes his woorthy preparatiōs. For
first he had prouided all sortes of armes, he greatly de∣lighted
in huntinge and chasinge, he ordeyned great
towres and tables to moue hither and thither: he made
many places to chase and encounter in: he had ready a
great number of men and wilde beastes, and many cō∣demned
persons were brought from the iudgement
place to trie and fight with those beastes, but emongst
so great preparations of noble pryce, he bestowed the
moste parte of his patrimonie in biynge of Beares,
whiche he nourished to his great coste, and estéemed
more then all the other beastes, which eitheir by cha∣singe
he caught him selfe, or whiche he déerely bought,
or which were giuen him from diuers of his fréendes,
howbeit for al his sumptuous coste, he could not be frée
frō the malitious eies of enuie: for some of them were
welnie dead, with too longe tiynge vp: some meigre
with the broyling heate of the Sunne: some lāguished
with liynge, but all (hauinge sundry diseases) weare so
afflicted taht they died one after an other, and there
was welnie none lefte, in such sorte that you might sée
them liyng in the stréetes piteously dead: And the com∣mon
people hauing no other meate to féede on, litle re∣gardinge
any curiositie, would come foorth & fill their
bellies with the fleash of the Beares. Then by and by
Babulus and I deuised a pretie sporte, we drewe one
of the greatest of the Beares to our lodging, as though
we would prepare to eate thereof, where we fleade of
his skinne, and kepte his vngles whole, but we medled
not with the head but cutte it of by the necke, and so
let it hange to the skinne: Then we rased of the fleash
from the backe, and cast dust thereon, and set it in the
Sunne to drie.

Page 39
¶How Thrasileon was disguised in a Beares skinne, and
how he was handled.

Cap. 20.
WHile the skinne was a driynge, we made me∣ry
with the fleashe, and then we deuised with
our selues that one of vs, being more vali∣ant
then the rest bothe in bodie and courage, (so that
he would consent thereto) shoulde put on the skinne,
and (feminge that he weare a Beare) should be ledde to
Demochares house in the night, by whiche meanes
we thought to be receaued and lette in. Many were
desirous to play the Beare, but especially one Thrasi∣leon
of a couragious minde would take this enterprise
in hande. Then we put him into the Beares skinne,
whiche fitted him finely in euery pointe, we buckled it
fast vnder his belly, & couered the seame with the heare
y• it might not be séene. After this, we made litle holes
thorough the Beares head, & thorough his nosethrilles
and cies for Thrasileon to sée out and take winde at, in
such sorte that he séemed a very liuely & naturall beast:
when this was done, we went into a caue whiche we
hired for y• purpose, and he crepte in after like a Beare
with a good courage. Thus we began our subtiltie, and
then we imagined thus, we feigned letters as though
they come frō on Nicanor whiche dwelled in the coun∣trey
of Thracia, which was of great acquaintāce with
this Demochares, wherein we wrote that he had sent
him, being his fréende, the first fruictes of his coursing
and huntinge, when night was come (whiche was a
méete time for our purpose) we brought Thrasileon, &
our forged letters and presented thē to Demochares.
When Demochares behelde this mightie Beare, and
saw the liberalitie of Nicanor his fréende, he cōmaun∣ded
his seruaunt to deliuer vnto vs tenne crownes, as


he had great store in his coffers: Then (as the noueltie
of a thing doth accustome to stirre mens mindes to be∣holde
the same) many persons came on euery side to sée
this Beare, but Thrasileō, (lest they should by curious
viewyng and priyng perceaue the truthe) ranne vpon
them to put them in feare, that thei durst not come nie.
The people said: verely Demochares is right happy, in
that, after the death of so many beastes, he hath gotten
(maugre fortunes head) so goodly a Beare, then Demo∣chares
commaunded that with great care he should be
put into the parke by, emongst the other beastes, but I
immediatly spake vnto him, and said: Sir I pray you
take héede how you put a beaste tyred with the heate of
the Sunne, and with longe trauell emongst others,
whiche (as I here say) haue diuers maladies & diseases:
let him rather lie in some opē place of your house nighe
to some water, where he may take ayre and ease him
selfe, for doo not you know that suche kinde of beastes
doo greatly delight ot couche vnder shadow of trées, &
hillockes, nigh vnto pleasant welles & waters. Hereby
Demochares admonished, and remembringe how ma∣ny
he had before that perished, was contented that we
should put the Beare where we would: Moreouer we
saide vnto him, that we our selues wre determined to
lie all night nigh vnto the Beare, to looke vnto him, &
to giue him meate and drinke at his due hower. Then
he answeared: Verely maisters you néede not to put
your selues to such paines: for I haue men taht serueth
for nothinge but for that purpose: so we toke leaue of
him and departed, and when we weare come without
the gates of the towne, we perceaued before vs a great
Sepulchre standinge out of the highe way, in a priuie
and secreate place. And thither we wente and opened
Page 40

the mouth thereof, whereas we founde the sides coue∣red
with the corruption of man, and the ashes and dust
of his longe buried bodie, wherein we gotte our selues
to bringe our purpose to passe, and (hauinge a respect to
the darke time of the night accordinge to our custome)
when we thought that euery man was a sléepe, we
went with our weapōs and besieged the house of De∣mochares
round about: Then Thrasileon was reddy
at hande, and leaped out of the cauerne, and wente to
kill all such as he founde a sléepe, but when he came to
the porter he opened the gates and let vs all in: and thē
he showed vs a large counter, wherin he sawe put (the
night before) a great aboundaunce of treasure, whiche
when by violence we had broken open, I bidde euery
one of my fellowes take as much Golde and Siluer as
they could beare away, and carry it to the Sepulchre,
and still as they caried, I stoode at the gate, watchinge
diligently when they would retorne. The Beare run∣ned
about the house to make such of the familie affeard
as fortuned to wake and come out: For who is he that
is so puisant and courageous, that at the vgly sight of
so great a Monster will not quaile and kéepe his cham∣ber
especially in the night, but when we had brought
this matter to so good a pointe, there chaunced a pitiful
case: For as I looked for my compaignions that should
come from the Sepulchre, beholde there was a boye of
the house, that fortuned to looke out at a windowe and
espied the Beare rūning about, and he went and tolde
al the seruaūtes of the house, whereupon incontinent∣ly
they came foorth with torches, lanthornes, and other
lightes that they might sée all the yarde ouer, thei came
with clubbes, speares, naked swoordes, greyhoundes
& masties to slea the poore beast: Then I (duringe this broile)


thought to runne away, but because I would sée
Thrasileon fightinge with the dogges, I lay behinde y•
gate to beholde him. And although I might perceaue
that he was welnie dead, yet remembred he his owne
faithfulnes and ours, and valiātly resisted the gaping
and rauenous mouthes of the helhoūdes, so toke he in
grée the pageant which willingly he toke in hande him
selfe, and with much a doo tumbled at length out of the
house, but when he was at libertie abroade, yet coulde
he not saue him selfe, for all the dogges of the streate
ioyned them selues to the greyhoūdes & masties of the
house, and came vpon him: Alas what a pitifull sight it
was, when our poor Thrasileon was thus enuironed &
compassed with so many dogges, that tare & rente him
miserably, then I (impatient of so great his miserie)
rāne in emongst the prease of the people, & (ayding him
with my woordes as much as I might) exhorted them al
in this manner. O great & extreame mischaunce, what
a pretious and excellent beast haue we loste: but my
woordes did nothinge preuaile. For there came out a
tale man with a speare in his hande yt trust him cleane
thorough, and afterwardes many that stoode by, drewe
out their swoordes & so they killed him. But verely our
good Capitaine Thrasileon, the honour of our cōforte
receaued his death so patiently, that he would not be∣wray
the league betwene vs, either by criynge, how∣linge
or any other meanes, but (being torne with
dogges, & wounded with weapons) did yelde foorth a
dolefull crie, more like vnto a beast then a mā. And ta∣kinge
his present fortune in good parte, with courage &
glory inough did finish his life, with such a terrour vn∣to
the assembly, that no person was so hardy (vntill it
was day) as to touch him, though he weare starke dead
Page 41

but at last there came a Butcher more valiant then the
rest, who (openinge the panche of the beast) slitte out a
hardy and venturous théefe. In this manner we loste
our Capitaine Thrasileon▪ but he lost not his fame and
honour: when this was done we packed vp our trea∣sure,
which we cōmitted to the Sepulchre to kéepe, and
gotte vs out of the boundes of Platea, thinkinge with
our selues that there was more fidelitie emongest the
dead, then emōgst the liuing, by reason that our praies
was so surely kept in the Sepulchre: So (being weried
with the weight of our burthens, & welnie tired with
long trauel, hauing lost thrée of our souldiours) we are
come home with these present cheates: Thus whē they
had spoken (in memory of their slaine cōpaignions) thei
tooke cuppes of Golde & songe Hympnes vnto the God
Mars, & layde them downe to sléepe. Then the old wo∣man
gaue vs fresh barley without measure, in so much
that my Horse sedde so abundantly that he might well
thinke he was at some bankette that day. But I (that
was accustomed to eate branne & flowre) thought that
but a sower kinde of meate, wherfore espiyng a corner
where lay loues of bread for all the house, I gotte me
thither, and filled my hungry guttes withall.

¶How the theeues stole away a Gentel woman, and brought
her to their denne.

Cap. 21.
WHen night was come, the Théeues awaked & rose
vp: and when thei had buckled on their weapōs,
& disguised their faces with visardes, they departed, &
yet for al the great sléepe y• came vpon me, I could in no
wise leaue eatinge, and wheras, when I was a man, I
could be cōtented wt one or twoo loues at the most, now


my guttes weare so gréedy that thrée pann•ers full
would scantly serue me, and while I cōsidered all these
thinges the morning came, and being ledde to a riuer,
(notwithstanding mine Assy shamefastnes) I quēched
my thirst. And sodēly after the théeues returned home
carefull and heauy, bringinge no burthens with them,
no not so muche as traffe or baggage, saue onely a
maiden that séemed by her habite to be some gētle wo∣man
borne, and the daughter of some woorthy Matron
of that countrey, who was so faire and beautifull, that
though I weare an Asse, yet had I a great affection to
her: The virgin lamented and tare her heare, & spoyled
her garmentes for the great sorrow she was in, but the
théeues brought her within the caue, and assaied to cō∣sorte
her in this sorte: Wéepe not fayre Gentle woman
we pray you, for be you assured that we wil doo no out∣rage
nor violence to your person, but take pacience a
while for our profit: For necessitie & poore estate hath
cōpelled vs to doo this enterprise, we warrant you that
your parentes (although they be couetous) wil be con∣tented
to giue vs a great quātitie of money to redéeme
and ransom you from our handes. With such and like
flattering woordes they endeuored to appease the gen∣tle
woman, how be it she would in no case be comforted
but put her head betwene her knées & cried piteously.
Then thei called the old woman and commaunded her
to sitte by the maiden, and pacifie her dolor as much as
she might. And they departed away to robbe, as they
accustomed to doo, but the virgin would not asswage
her griefes nor mitigate her sorrow by any entreatie
of the olde woman, but houled and sobbed in such sorte
that she made me (poore Asse) likewise to wéepe, & thus
she said: Alas can I poore wretche liue any longer, that
Page 42

am come of so good a house, forsaken of al my parentes,
fréendes, and familie, made a rapine and pray, closed
seruily in this stony prison, depriued of all pleasure
wherein I haue bene brought vp, throwen in daūger,
ready to be rente in péeces emongest so many sturdy
théeues, and dreadfull robbers, can I (I say) cease from
wepinge or liue any lenger? Thus she cried and lamē∣ted,
and after she had weried her selfe with sorrow, &
bloubered her face with teares, she closed y• windowes
of her hollow eies and laide her downe to sléepe: And
after taht she had slept, she rose againe, like a furious &
madde woman, and beate her breast and comely face
more than she did before: Then the old woman enqui∣red
the causes of her newe and sodaine lamentation,
to whom (sighing in pitifull sorte) she answeared: Alas
now I am vtterly vndone, now I am out of all hope,
O giue me a knife to kill me, or a halter to hange me,
whereat the olde woman was more angry, & seuerely
commaunded her to tel her the cause of her sorrow, and
why after her sléepe she should renew her dolor & mise∣rable
wepinge, what thinke you ({quod} she) to deceaue our
yonge men of the price of your ransom? no, no, therfore
cease your criyng, for the théeues doo litle estéeme your
houlinge, and if you will not, I will surely burne you
aliue: Hereat the mayden was greatly a•card and kis∣sed
her hande, and saide: O mother take pitie vpon me
and my wretched fortune, and giue me licence a while
to speake, for I thinke I shall not longe liue, let there
mercy be ripe and frāke in your venerable hoare head,
and here the some of my calamitie: There was a come∣ly
yonge man, who for his bountie and grace was be∣loued
entierly of all the towne, my coosin Germaine, &
but thrée yeres elder then I, we twoo were nourished


and brought vp in one house, and lay vnder one roofe
and in one chamber, and at lengthe by promise of Ma∣riage,
and by consent of our parentes we weare con∣tracted
together: the Mariage day was come, the house
was garnished with Lawrell, and torches were set in
euery place in the honour of Hymeneus, my espouse
was accompaigned with his parentes, kinsefolke and
fréendes, & made Sacrafice in the Temples & publique
places: And when my vnhappy mother pampred me in
her lappe, & decked me like a bryde kissing me swéetely,
& making me a parent for childrē, behold there came in
a great multitude of théeues, armed like men of warre,
with naked swoordes in their handes, who wente not
about to doo any harme, neither to take any thinge a∣way,
but brake into the chāber where I was, & violētly
toke me out of my mothers armes, when none of the
familie would resiste for feare. In this sorte was our
Marriage distourbed, like the Mariage of Hyppodame
& Perithous: but behold good Mother nowe my vnhap∣py
fortune is renewed & encreased: For I dreamed in
my sléepe that I was pulled out of our house, out of our
chambre, and out of my bedde, and that I romed about
in solitary and vnknowen places, callinge vpon the
name of my vnfortunate husbande, and how that he
(assone as he perceaued that I was taken away, euen
smelling with perfumes & crowned with garlādes) did
trace me by my steppes, desiringe the aide of the people
to assist him, in y• his wife was violently stolen away:
And as he wente criynge vp and downe, one of the
théeues moued by indignation by reason of his pur∣suite,
toke vp a stone that lay at his feete and threwe it
at my husband and killed him. By the terrour of which
sight, and the feare of so dreadfull a dreame I awaked.
Page 43

Then the old woman rendringe out like sighes, began
to speake in this sorte, my daughter take a good harte
vnto you, and be not afearde at feigned and straunge
visions or dreames, for as the visions of the day are ac∣compted
false and vntrewe, so the visions of the night
doo often chaunce contrary. And to dreame of wéeping,
beatinge and killing, is a token of good lucke and pro∣sperous
chaunge, whereas contrary, to dreame of
laughinge, carnall dalliance and good chéere, is signe of
sadnes, sicknes, losse of substaunce and displeasure.
But I will tell thée a pleasaunt tale to put away all
thy sorowe and to reuiue thy Spirites: And so she be∣ganne
in this manner.

¶ The most pleasaunt and delectable tale of the Marriage
of Cupide and Psyches.

Cap. 22.
THere was sometimes, a certaine Kinge, inhabi∣tyng
in the Weast partes, who had to wife a no∣ble
Dame, by whome he had thrée daughters ex∣céedinge
fayre: Of whome the twoo elder weare of such
comely shape & beautie, as they did excell and passe all
other womē liuing, wherby they weare thought, woor∣thely,
so deserue the praise and commendation of euery
person, and deseruedly to be preferred aboue the resi∣dew
of the common sorte: Yet the singuler passinge
beautie and maidenly Maiestie of the yongest daugh∣ter,
did so farre surmounte and excell them twoo, as no
earthly creature coulde by any meanes sufficiently ex∣presse
or set out the same, by reason whereof (after the
fame of this excellēt maiden was spred abrode in euery
part of y• Citie,) the Citizens & straūgers there, beinge
inwardly pricked by zelous affection to beholde her fa∣mous
person, came daily by thousandes, hundreds and


scores to her fathers Pallaice, who as astonied with
admiration of her incomperable beautie did no lesse
woorshippe and reuerence her, with crosses, signes and
tokens, and other diuine adorations, accordinge to the
custome of the olde vsed rites and ceremonies, then if
she weare Ladie Venus in déede: And shortly after the
fame was spredde into the next Cities and borderinge
Regions, that the Goddesse whome the déepe seas had
borne and brought foorth, & the frothe of the spurginge
waues had nourished, to the intent to showe her highe
magnificencie and diuine power in earth,* to suche as
earst did honour and woorshippe her: was now conuer∣sant
emongst mortall men, or els that the earth & not
the seas, by a newe concurse and influence of the cele∣stiall
Planetes, had budded and yelded foorth a newe
Venus, endewed with y• flower of virginitie: So day∣ly
more and more encreased this opinion, and now is
her fliyng fame dispersed into the next Yslelonde, and
welnie into euery parte and prouince of the whole
worlde. Whereupon innumerable straūgers, resorted
from farre countreis, aduenturinge them selues by
longe iourneis on lande, and by great perilles on wa∣ter
to beholde this glorious Virgin. By occasion wher∣of
suche a contempt grewe towardes the Goddesse Ve∣nus,
that no person trauelled vnto the towne Paphos,
nor to the ysle Gindos, no nor to Cithera to woorshippe
her. Her ornamentes weare throwen out, her Tēples
defaced, her pillowes and quishions torne, her ceremo∣nies
neglected, her Images and statues vncrowned, &
her bare aulters vnswept, and foule with the ashes of
old burned sacrafice. For why euery person honored &
worshipped this maiden in stéede of Venus. And in the
morninge at her first comminge abroade, offered vnto
Page 44

her oblations, prouided banquettes, called her by the
name of Venus whiche was not Venus in déede, and
in her honour presented flowers and garlādes in most
reuerent fashion.

This sodeine chaunge and alteration of celestiall
honour did greatly inflame & kindle the minde of very
Venus, who (vnable to temper her selfe from indigna∣tion,
shakinge her head in raginge sorte) reasoned with
her selfe in this manner: Beholde the originall parent
of all these elementes, beholde the lady Venus renou∣med
thoroughout all the worlde, with whome a mor∣tall
mayden is ioyned now partaker of honour, my
name registred in the Citie of heauen, is prophaned
and made vile by terrene absurdities, if I shal suffer a∣ny
mortall creature to present my Maiestie in earth,
or that any shall beare about a false surmised shape of
my person: then in vaine did Paris that sheaparde (in
whose iust iudgement and cōfidence the great Iupiter
had affiance) preferre me aboue the residew of the God∣desses
for the excellencie of my beautie: but she what
so euer she be that hath vsurped mine honour, shall
shortly repent her of her vnlawfull estate: And by and
by she called her winged sonne Cupide, rashe inough,
and hardie, who by his euil manners, contemninge all
publique iustice and lawe, armed with fire & arrowes,
runninge vp and downe in the nightes from house to
house, and corruptinge the lawfull marriages of euery
person, doth nothinge but that whiche is euill, who al∣though
that he weare of his owne proper nature suffi∣cient
prone to woorke mischiefe, yet she egged him
forwarde with woordes and brought him to the Citie,
and shewed him Psyches (for so the mayden was cal∣led)
and hauyng tolde the cause of her anger, not with∣out


great rage) I pray thée ({quod} she) my déere childe by
motherly bonde of loue, by the swéete woundes of thy
percinge dartes, by the pleasaunt heate of thy fire, re∣uenge
the iniurie which is done to thy mother, by the
false and disobedient beautie of a mortall mayden, and
I pray thée without delay, y• she may fall in loue with
the moste miserablest creature liuinge, the most poore,
the most crooked, and the most vile, that there may be
none founde in all the worlde of like wretchednes.
When she had spoken these woordes, she embrased and
kissed her sonne, & toke her voiage towardes the sea.

When she was come to the sea, she began to call the
Goddes & Goddesses, who were obedient at her voyce.
For incontinent came y• daughters of Nereus singing
with tunes melodiously: Portunus with his bristled &
rough bearde: Salatia, with her bosome ful of fish: Pa∣lemon,
the driuer of the Dolphin, the trumpetters of
Triton leapinge hither and thither, & blowinge with
heauenly noies: Such was the cōpany which followed
Venus marchinge towardes the Occean sea.

In the meane season Psyches with al her beautie re∣ceaued
no fruicte of her honour: She was wondred at
of al▪ she was praised of al, but she perceaued y• no King
nor Prince, nor any of the inferiour sorte did repayre
to woo her. Euery one merueled at her diuine beautie,
as it were at some Image well painted & sette out. Her
other twoo sisters, which were nothinge so greatly ex∣alted
by the people, were royally married to twoo
Kinges, but the virgin Psyches sittinge at home alone
lamented her solitary life, & beinge disquieted both in
minde and bodie (although she pleased al the world) yet
hated she in her selfe her owne beautie.

Wherupon the miserable father of this vnfortunate
Page 45

daughter suspectyng that the Goddes & powers of hea∣uen
did enuie her estate, wente vnto the towne called
Milet to receaue the oracle of Apollo, where he made
his prayers and offered sacrifice: and desired a husband
for his daughter, but Apollo though he were a Grecian
and of the countrie of Ionia, because of the foundation
of Milet yet he gaue answeare in Latine verse, the
sense whereof was this.

Let Psyches corps be cladd in mourninge weede
And sette on rocke of yonder hill aloft
Her husbande is no wight of humaine seede
But Serpent dyre and fierce as may be thought
Who flies with winges aboue in starry skies
And doth subdew eche thinge with firy flight
The Goddes them selues and powers that seeme so wise
With mighty Ioue be subiect to his might
The riuers blacke and deadly floodes of paine
And darkenes eke as thrall to him remaine.
The Kyng somtimes happy, when he harde the Pro∣phecie
of Apollo returned home sadde & sorowfull, and
declared to his wife the miserable and vnhappy fate of
his daughter, then they began to lament, and wéepe,
and passed ouer many daies in great sorrow, but now
the time approched of Psyches marriage, preparation
was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasaunt
songes were turned into pitifull cries, the melody of
Hymeneus was ended with deadly howlinge,* the mai∣den
that should be married did wipe her eies with her
veile: all the family, and people of the Citie, wéeped
likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a
remisse time for that day, but necessitie compelled that
Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, ac∣cordinge
to the diuine commaundement. And when


the solemnitie was ended, they went to bringe this so∣rowfull
spouse, not to her marriage, but to her finall
ende and buriall. And while the father and mother of
Psyches did goe forwarde, wepinge and criynge to doo
this enterprise, Psyches spake vnto them in this sorte:
why torment you your vnhappy age with continuall
dolor? why trouble you your spirites, which are more
rather mine then yours? why soyle ye your faces with
teares, whiche I ought to adoure and woorshippe? why
teare you my eies in yours? why pull you your hoare
heares? why knocke you your breastes for me? now you
sée the rewarde of my excellent beautie: now, now, you
perceaue (but too late) the plague of enuie. When the
people did honour me and call me new Venus, thē you
should haue wept, then you should haue sorrowed, as
though I had béene then dead: For nowe I sée, and
perceaue that I am come to this misery by the onely
name of Venus, bring me, and (as fortune hath apoin∣ted)
place me on the toppe of the rocke, I greatly desire
to ende my marriage, I greatly couette to sée my hus∣bande,
why doo I delay? why shoulde I refuse him that
is appointed to destroy all the worlde? Thus ended she
her woordes, & thrust her selfe emongst the people that
followed: Then thei brought her to the apointed rocke
of the highe hill, and set her thereon and so departed.
The torches and lightes were put out with the teares
of the people, and euery man gonne home: the misera∣ble
parentes welny consumed with sorrow, gaue them
selues to euerlastinge darkenes.

Thus poore Psyches being left alone wepyng and
tremblinge on the toppe of the rocke, was blowen by
the gentle ayre and of shrillinge Zephyrus and carried
from the hill, with a meke winde, whiche retained her
Page 46

garmentes vp, and by little & litle brought her downe
into a déepe valley, where she was laide in a bedde of
most sweete and fragrant flowres.

The fifth Booke of Lucius Apuleius
Thus fayre Psyches beinge swéetely couched e∣mongst
the softe and tender hearbes, as in a bedde of
soote and fragrant flowres, and hauinge quallified the
troubles and thoughtes of her restles minde, was now
well reposed: And when she had refreshed her selfe suf∣ficiently
with sléepe, she rose with a more quiet and pa∣cified
minde, and fortuned to espie a pleasaunt woodde
enuironned with great and mighty trées: she espied
likewise a runninge riuer as cléere as Cristall: In the
middest of the woodde, welnie at the fall of the riuer
was a Princely edifice, wrought & builded, not by the
arte or hande of mā, but by the mighty power of God:
and you would iudge at the first entrie therein, that it
weare some pleasaunt and woorthy mansion for the
powers of heauen. For the embowinges aboue weare
of Cytern, and Yuery, propped and vndermined with
pillors of Golde, the walles couered and séeled with
Siluer, diuers sortes of beastes weare grauē and car∣ued,
that séemed to encounter with such as entred in:
al thinges weare so curiously and finely wrought, that
it séemed either to be the worke of some demigod, or
God him selfe, the pauement was al of pretious stone,
deuided and cut one from an other, whereon was car∣ued
diuers kindes of pictures, in such sorte that blessed
and thrise blessed weare they whiche might goe vpon
such a pauement: Euery parte and angle of the house
was so well adorned, that by reason of the pretious
stones and inestimable treasure there, it glittered and
shone in such sorte that the chambers, porches, & dores
gaue light as it had bene the Sunne. Neyther other∣wise


did the other treasure of y• house disagrée vnto so
great a maiestie, that verely it séemed in euery point a
heauēly palaice fabricate & builded for Iupiter him self.

Then Psyches moued with delectation, approched
nighe, & takinge a bolde harte entred into the house, &
behelde euery thing there, with great affectiō, she sawe
storehouses wrought excéeding fine, & replenished with
abondance of richesse. Finally there could nothinge be
deuised which lacked there, but emōgst such great store
of treasure, this was more meruelous, y• there was no
closure, bolte, or locke to kéepe y• same. And when with
great pleasure she viewed al these thinges, she harde a
voice without any body, y• saide: Why doo you maruell
madame at so great richesse? behold al that you sée is at
your cōmandement: wherfore, goe you into the chāber
& repose your selfe vpon the bedde, & desire what bathe
you will haue, and we whose voices you here be your
seruauntes, and ready to minister vnto you accordinge
to your desire: in the meane season, royall meates and
deintie dishes shalbe prepared for you.

Then Psyches perceaued the felicitie of diuine pro∣uidence,
& according to the aduertisement of the incor∣porall
voices, she first reposed her selfe vpō the bedde, &
thē refreshed her bodie in ye baines. This done she saw
y• table garnished with meates, & a chaire to sit downe.

When Psyches was set downe, al sortes of diuine
meates and wines weare brought in, not by any body
but as it weare with a winde, for she coulde sée no per∣son
before her, but onely here voices on euery side. Af∣ter
that al the seruices weare brought to the table, one
came in and sange inuisibly, an other plaide on the
harpe, but she sawe no man: The harmony of the in∣strumentes
did so greatly shrill in her eares, y• (though
Page 47

there weare no manner of person) yet séemed she in the
middest of a multitude of people.

All these pleasures finished: when night approched
Psyches went to bedde: & when she was laide, that the
swéete sléepe came vpon her, she greatly feared her vir∣ginitie
because she was alone: Thē came her vnknowē
husbande and lay with her: and after y• he had made a
perfect consummation of the Mariage, he rose in the
morninge before day & departed. Sone after came
her inuisible seruantes, presenting to her such thinges
as were necessary for her defloration, and thus she pas∣sed
foorth a great while: and (as it happeneth) y• nouel∣tie
of the thinges by continuall custome did encrease
her pleasure, but specially the sounde of the instru∣mentes
was a comfort vnto her being alone.

Duringe this time that Psyches was in this place of
pleasures, her father & mother did nothinge but wéepe
and lament, and her twoo sisters hearinge of her moste
miserable fortune came with great dolor and sorrowe
to comforte and speake with their parentes.

The night followinge Psyches husbande spake vnto
her (for she might féele his eies, his handes & his eares)
and saide, O my swéete spouse and dere wife, fortune
doth menace vnto thée imminent perill and daunger,
whereof I wishe thée greatly to beware: For knowe
thou that thy sisters, thinkinge that thou arte dead, be
greatly troubled, and are come to the mountaine by
thy steppes, whose lamentations if thou fortune to
heare, beware that thou doo in no wise either make an∣sweare
or looke vp towardes them. For if thou doo thou
shalt purchase to me great sorrow, & to thy selfe vtter
destruction. Psyches (hearinge her husbande) was con∣tented
to doo all thinges as he commaunded.



After that he was departed, & the night passed away,
Psyches lamented & cried al ye day folowyng, thinkyng
that now she was past all hope of comfort in that she
was closed within the walles of a prison, depriued of
humaine conuersation, and commaunded not to ayde
or assist her sorowfull sisters, no nor once to sée them:
Thus she passed all the day in wepinge, and wente to
bedde at night without any refectiō of meate or baine.

Incontinently after, came her husbande, who (when
he had embrased her swéetely) gan say: Is it thus that
you performe your promise my swéete wife? what doo
I finde here? passe you all the day and the night in we∣pinge?
& will you not cease in your husbandes armes?
Goe too, doo what you wil, purchase your owne destru∣ction,
& when you finde it so, then remēber my woordes,
and repent, but too late: Then she desired her husbande
more and more, assuringe him that she should die, vn∣lesse
he woulde graunt that she might sée her sisters,
whereby she might speake with them & comfort them,
whereat at length he was contented, and moreouer he
willed that she should giue them as much Golde and
Iuelles as she would, but he gaue her a further charge,
saying: beware that ye couet not (beinge moued by the
pernicious counsel of your sisters) to sée the shape of my
person, least by your curiositie you be depriued of so
great and woorthy estate. Psyches beinge gladde here∣with
rendred vnto him most entier thankes, and said:
Swéete husbande I had rather die then to be seperate
from you: for whosoeuer you be, I loue and retaine
you within my harte, as if you weare mine owne spi∣rite
or Cupide him selfe: but I pray you graunt this
likewise, that you would commaunde your seruaunt
Zephyrus to bringe my sisters downe into the valley,
Page 48

as he brought me,* wherwithal she kissed him swéetely,
and desired him gently to graunt her request, callinge
him her spouse, her swéete harte, her ioye, & her solace,
whereby she enforced him to agrée to her minde, and
when morninge came he departed away.

After longe search made, the sisters of Psyches came
vnto the hill where she was set on the rocke, and cried
with a lowde voice, in suche sorte that the stones an∣sweared
againe: And when they called their sister by
her name, that their lamentable cries came vnto her
eares, she came foorth, and said: beholde, here is she for
whome you wéepe, I pray you torment your selues no
more, cease your wéeping: And by & by, she cōmaunded
Zephyrus by the appointment of her husband to bring
them downe: Neither did he delay, for with gentle
blastes he retained them vp, and laide them softely in
the valey: I am not able to expresse the often embra∣singe,
kissing, and gretyng, which was betwéene them
thrée, all sorowes and teares were then laide aparte:
Come in ({quod} Psyches) into our house & refresh your af∣flicted
mindes with your sister. After this, she showed
them the storehouses of treasure, she caused them to
heare the voices whiche serued her, the bayne was rea∣dy,
the meates were brought in, & when they had eaten
and filled them selues with diuine delicates, they con∣ceaued
great enuie within their hartes, and one of thē
beinge very curious, did demaunde what her husbande
was, of what state, & who was the Lorde of so pretious
a house, but Psyches, remembringe the promise which
she made to her husbande, feigned that he was a yonge
man, of comely stature, with a flexen bearde, and had
great delight in huntinge in the hilles and dales by:
And least by her longe talke she should be founde to


trippe or faile in her woordes, she filled their lappes
with Golde, Siluer and Iewels, and commaūded Z•∣phirus
to carry them away.

When they were brought vp to the mountaine, they
toke their waies: •omewarde to their owne houses, and
murmured with enuy that they bare against Psyches,
sayinge: beholde cruell & contrary fortune, behold how
we (borne all of one parent) haue diuers destinies, but
especially we, y• are ye elder twoo, be married to straūge
husbandes, made as handemaidons, and as it were ba∣nished
from our countrie & fréendes, wheras our yōger
sister hath so great abondaunce of treasure and gotten
a God to her husbande, who hath no skill how to vse so
great plenty of richesse: sawe you not sister what was
in the house? what great store of Iewelles, what glit∣teringe
robes, what gemmes, what golde we trode
on? That if she haue a husbande accordinge, as she af∣firmeth,
there is none that liueth this daye more hap∣pie
in all the worlde then she. And so it may come to
passe that at length for the great affection and loue
whiche he may beare vnto her, he may make her a
Goddesse, for (by Hercules) suche was her counte∣naunce,
so she behaued her selfe, that (as a Goddesse)
she had voyces to serue her, and the windes did obay
her.* But I poore wretche haue firste married a hus∣bande
elder then my Father, more balde then a coote,
more weake then a childe, and that locketh me vp all
day in the house. Then sayde the other sister, and in
faith I am married to a husbande that hath the gowte,
twyfolde, crooked, not couragious in payinge my debt,
I am sayne to rubbe, and mollifie his stonie fingers
with diuers sortes of oyles, & to wrappe them in play∣sters
and salues, so that I soyle my white and deintie
Page 49

handes, with the corruption of filthy cloutes, not vsing
my selfe like a wife, but more like a seruaunt: and you
my sister séeme likewise to be in bondage, and serui∣tude,
wherefore I cannot abide to sée our yonger sister
in suche great felicitie, sawe you not I pray, howe
proudely and arrogantly she handled vs euen now?
and how in vauntinge her selfe she vttered her pre∣sumptuous
minde, how she caste a litle Golde into our
lappes, and (beyng werie of our company) commaun∣ded
that we should be borne and blowen away? verely
I liue not nor am a woman, but I will depriue her of
all her blisse: And if you my sister be so farre bente as
I, lette vs consulte together, and not vtter our minde
to any person, no nor yet to our parentes, nor tell that
euer we sawe her. For it suffiseth that we haue séene
her, whome it repenteth to haue séene: neither lette vs
declare her good fortune to our Father, nor to any o∣ther,
since as they séeme not happy whose richesse are
vnknowen: So shall she knowe, that she hath sisters
(no abiectes) but more woorthier then she. But now
lette vs goe home to our husbandes and poore houses,
and when we are better instructed lette vs returne to
suppresse her pryde: so this euill counsell pleased these
twoo euill women, and they hidde the treasure whiche
Psyches gaue them, and fare their heare, renewynge
their false and forged teares. When their father and
mother behelde them wéepe and lament still, they
doubled their sorrowes, and griefes, but full of yre
and farced with enuie they toke their voyage home∣warde,
deuisinge the slaughter and destruction of their
sister.

In the meane season y• husband of Psiches did warne
her againe in the night with these woordes: Séest thou


not ({quod} he) what perill and daunger euill fortune doth
threaten vnto thée, whereof if thou take not good héede,
it will shortly come vpon thée: for the vnfaithfull har∣lottes
doo greatly endeuour to set their snares to catch
thée, and their purpose is to make and perswade thée to
beholde my face, which if thou once fortune to sée (as I
haue often tolde) thou shalt sée no more: wherefore if
these naughty hegges, armed with wicked mindes, doo
chaunce to come againe (as I thinke no otherwise but
that they will) take héede that thou talke not with
them, but simply suffer them to speake what they will,
howbeit if thou canst not restraine thy selfe, beware
that thou haue no communication of thy husbande, nor
answeare a woorde if they fortune to question of me, so
will we encrease our stocke, and this yonge and tender
childe, couched in this yonge and tender belly of thine,
(if thou conceale my secreates) shal be made an immor∣tall
God, otherwise a mortall creature. Then Psyches
was very gladde that she should bringe foorth a diuine
babe, and very ioyfull in that she should be honored as
a mother:* She reckened & nombred carefully the daies
and monethes that passed, and being neuer with childe
before, did maruell greatly that in so small a time her
belly should swell so bigge.

But those pestilent & wicked furies, breathinge out
their serpentine poyson, toke shippinge to bringe their
enterprise to passe. Then Psyches was warned againe
by her husbande in this sorte: beholde the last day, the
extreme case, and the enemies of thy bloud, hath armed
them selues against vs, pitched their campes, set their
hoste in a ray, & are marchinge towardes vs, for now
thy twoo sisters haue drawen their swoordes, and are
ready to flea thée: O with what force are we assayled
Page 50

this day, O swéete Psyches I pray thée to take pitie on
thy selfe, of me, and deliuer thy husbande, and this in∣sant
within thy belly from so great daunger: And sée
not, neither heare these cursed women, whiche are not
woorthy to be called thy sisters, for their great hatred,
and breache of sisterly amitie, for they will come (like
Sirens) to the mountaine, and yelde out their piteous
and lamentable cries: When Psyches had harde these
woordes, she sighed sorowfully, and saide: O déere hus∣bande,
this longe time you haue had experience & triall
of my faith, and boubt you not but that I will perseuer
in the same, wherfore commaunde your winde Zephi∣rus
that he may doo, as he hath donne before, to the in∣tent
that where you haue charged me, not to beholde
your venerable face, yet that I may comfort my selfe
with the sight of my sisters. I pray you by these beauti∣full
heares, by these rounde chéekes, delicate & tender,
by your pleasaunt whote brest,* whose shape and face I
shall learne at length by the childe in my belly, graunt
the fruicte of my desire, refreshe your déere spouse Psy∣ches
with ioye, who is bounde and linked vnto you for
euer, I litle estéeme to sée your visage and figure, litle
doo I regarde the night & darknes thereof, for you are
my onely light. Her husbande (beinge as it were en∣chaunted
with these woordes, and compelled by violēce
of her often embrasinge, wiping away her teares with
his heare) did yelde vnto his wife. And when morning
came departed as he accustomed to doo.

Now her sisters arriued on lande, and neuer rested
till they came to the rocke, without visitinge of their
Father and mother, and leaped downe rashly from the
hill them selues: Then Zephyrus accordinge to the di∣uine
commaundement brought them downe (though it


were against his will) & laide them in the valley with∣out
any harme. By and by they went into the pallaice
to their sister without leaue, & when they had eftsones
embrased their pray, and thanked her (with flatteringe
woordes) for the treasure whiche she gaue thē, thei said:
O déere sister Psyches, know you that you are now no
more a childe but a mother: O what great ioye beare
you vnto vs in your belly? what a cōfort wil it be vnto
all the house? how happy shall we be that shall sée this
infant nourished emongst so great plentie of treasure?
that if he be like his parentes, as it is necessarie he
shoulde, there is no doubte but a newe Cupide shalbe
borne: by this kinde of meanes they wente aboute to
winne Psyches by litle and litle, but because they
were weary with trauell, they satte them downe in
chayres, and after that they had washed their bodies in
baynes, they wente into a parler, where all kinde of
meates were ready prepared, Psyches commaunded
one to play with his Harpe, it was donne: Then, im∣mediatly
other sange, other tuned their instrumentes,
but no person was séene, by whose swéete harmonie
and modulation, the sisters of Psyches were greatly
delighted.

Howbeit the wickednes of these cursed wemen was
nothing suppressed by the swéete noyes of these instru∣mentes,
but they setled thē selues to woorke their trea∣son
against Psyches demaūding who was her husbād,
and of what parentage: Then she (hauinge forgotten,
by too much simplicitie, that, whiche she had spoken be∣fore
of her husband) inuented a new answeare, & saide
that her husband was of a great prouince, a marchant,
and a man of a midle age, hauing his bearde enterspar∣sed
with gray heares, which when she had said (because
Page 51

she would haue no further talke) she filled their lappes
full of Golde and Siluer, and bid Zephyrus to beare
them away.

In their retorne homeward thei murmured with thē
selues sayinge, how say you sister to so apparaunt a lie
of Psyches? For first she said that her husbande was a
yonge man of florishinge yeares & had a flexen beard,
and now she saith that it is halfe graye with age, what
is he that in so shorte space can become so olde? you
shall finde it no otherwise my sister, but that eyther
this cursed queane hath inuented a great lie▪ or els that
she neuer sawe the shape of her husbande: And if it be
so that she neuer sawe him, then verely she is married
to some God,* and hath a yonge god in her belly, but if
it be a deuine babe and fortune to come to the eares of
my mother (as God forbidde it should) then may I goe
& hange my selfe, wherefore let vs goe to our parents,
and with forged lies let vs colour the matter.

After they were thus inflamed and had visited their
parentes, they returned againe to the mountayne,
and by the ayde of the winde Zephirus were carried
downe into the valey, and after thei had strained their
eye liddes to enforce them selues to wéepe, they called
vnto Psyches in this sorte: Thou (ignorant of so great
euill) thinkest thy selfe sure and happy, and sittest at
home nothinge regardinge thy perill, where as we
goe aboute thy affayres, and are carefull least any
harme should happen vnto thée, for we are credibly
informed, neither can we but vtter it vnto thée, that
there is a great Serpent full of deadly poyson, with
a rauenous and gapinge threate, that lieth with thée
euery night, remember the oracle of Apollo, who pro∣nounced
that thou shouldest be married to a dyre and

•erte Serpent, and many of the inhabitantes here by,
and such as hunte about in the countrey, affirme that
they sawe him yesternight returnynge from pasture
and swimminge ouer the riuer, whereby they doo vn∣doubtedly
say that he will not pamper thée longe with
delicate meates, but when the time of deliuerie shall
approche, he will deuoure both thée & thy childe, wher∣fore
aduise thy selfe, whether thou wilt agrée vnto vs
that are carefull for thy safetie, and so auoide the perill
of death, and be contented to liue with thy sisters, or
whether thou wilt remaine with the serpent, & in the
ende to be swallowed into the gowlfe of his bodie. And
if it be so, that thy solitary life, thy conuersation with
voyces, this seruile and daungerous pleasure, and the
loue of the Serpent doo more delight thée: say not but
that we haue playde the partes of naturall sisters in
warninge thée. Then the poore & simple miser Psyches
was moued with the feare of so dreadfull woordes, and
(being amased in her minde) did cleane forgette the ad∣monitions
of her husbande, & her owne promises made
vnto him. And (throwyng her selfe headlonge into ex∣treame
misery) with a wane and sallow countenance,
scantly vtteringe a thirde woorde, at length gan say in
this sorte: O my most déere sisters I hartely thāke you
for your great kindenes towardes me, and I am now
verely perswaded that they whiche haue enformed you
hereof, haue enformed you of nothinge but truth, for I
neuer sawe the shape of my husbande, neither know I
frō whence he came, onely I here his voyce in ye night,
in so much that I haue an vncertaine husbande, & one
that loueth not the light of the day, whiche causeth me
to suspect that he is a beast as you affirme, moreouer I
doo greatly feare to sée him, for he doth menace and
Page 52

threaten great euill vnto me, if I should goe about to
spie, and beholde his shape, wherfore my louing sisters
if you haue any holesome remedy for your sister in
daunger, giue it now presently: Then they openinge
the gates of their subtill mindes, did put away all pri∣uie
gile, & egged her forward in her feareful thoughts,
perswadinge her to doo as they would haue her, wher∣upon
one of them began and said, because that we litle
estéeme any perill or daunger to saue your life, we en∣tende
to show you the best way and meane as we may
possibly doo: Take a sharpe raser and put it vnder the
pillow of your bedde, and sée that you haue ready a pri∣uie
burninge lampe with oyle, hidde vnder some parte
of the hanginge of the chamber, and (finely dissimuling
the matter) when (accordinge to his custome) he cometh
to bedde and sléepeth soundly, arise you secreatly, and
with your bare féete goe and take your lampe, with the
raser in your right hande, and with valiant force cutte
of the head of the poysonous Serpent, wherin we will
ayde and assist you: and when by the death of him, you
shalbe made salue, we will marry you to some comely
man. After they had thus inflamed the harte of their
sister, (fearing least some daunger might happen vnto
them by reason of their euill counsell,) they were car∣ried
by the winde Zephyrus to the toppe of the moun∣taine,
and so they ranne away, and toke shippinge.

When Psyches was lefte alone (sauing that she sée∣med
not to be alone, beinge stirred by so many furies)
she was in a tossinge minde, like the waues of the sea,
and although her wil was obstinate and resisted to put
in execution the counsell of her sisters, yet she was in
doubtfull and diuers opinions touching her calamitie,
Sometime she would, sometime she would not, some∣time


she is bolde, sometime she feareth, sometime she
mistrusteth, sometime she is moued, sometime she ha∣teth
the beast, sometime she loueth her husbande, but
at length the night came, when as she made preparatiō
for her wicked intent.

Sone after, her husbande came, & when he had kissed
and embrased her, he fell a sléepe: Then Psyches (some∣what
féeble in body and minde, yet moued by crueltie
of fate) receaued boldenes & brought forth the lampe,
and toke the raser, so by her audacitie she chaunged her
kinde, but when she toke the lampe and came to the
bedde side, she sawe the most méeke, and swéetest beast
of all beastes, euen fayre Cupide couched fayrely, at
whose sighte the very lampe encreased his lighte for
ioye, and the raser turned his edge. But when Psy∣ches
sawe so glorious a bodie, she greatly feared, and
(amased in minde, with a pale countenaunce, all trem∣blinge)
fell on her knées, and thought to hide the raser,
yea verely in her owne harte, whiche she had vndoub∣tedly
donne, had it not (through feare of so great an
enterprise) fallen out of her hande. And when she
sawe and behelde the beautie of his deuine visage, she
was well recreated in her minde, she sawe his heares
of Golde, that yéelded out a swéete sauour: his necke
more white then milke, his purple chéekes, his heare
hangynge comely behinde and before, the brightnes
whereof did darken the light of the lampe, his tender
plume feathers dispersed vpon his shoulders like shi∣ninge
flowers, and tremblinge hither and thither, and
his other partes of his bodie so smothe and softe that it
did not repent Venus to beare suche a childe: at the
beddes féete lay his bowe, quiuer, and arrowes, that
•e the weapōs of so great a God, which, when Psyches
Page 53

did curiously behold, and merueling at the weapons of
her husband toke one of the arrowes out of the quiuer,
and pricked her selfe withall, wherewith she was so
grieuously wounded that the bloudde followed, and
thereby of her owne accorde she added loue vpon loue,
then more and more broylinge in the loue of Cupide,
she embrased him and kissed him a thousand times fea∣ringe
the measure of his sléepe: but alas, while she was
in this great ioye, whether it were for enuie, or for de∣sire
to touche this amiable bodie likewise, there fell out
a droppe of burning oyle from the lampe vpō the right
shoulder of the God. O rashe & bolde lampe the vile mi∣nistery
of loue, how darest thou be so bolde as to burne
the God of al fire? when as he inuēted thée, to the intēt
that al louers might with more ioye passe the nightes
in pleasure. The God being burned in this sorte, & per∣ceauinge
that promise and faith was broken he flied a∣way
without vtteraunce of any woorde from the eies &
hādes of his most vnhappy wife. But Psiches fortuned
to catch him (as he was rising) by the right thighe, and
helde him fast as he flewe aboue in the ayre, vntill such
time, that (constrayned by werines) she lette goe and
fell downe vpon the grounde: but Cupide followed her
downe, and lighted vpon the toppe of a Cypresse trée,
and angerly spake vnto her in this manner: O simple
Psiches consider with thy selfe, how I (little regarding
the cōmaundement of my mother, who willed me that
thou shouldest be married to a man of base & miserable
condition) did come my selfe from heauen to loue thée, &
wounded mine owne bodie with my proper weapōs to
haue thée to my spouse, and did I séeme a beast vnto
thée, y• thou shouldest goe about to cutte of my head wt a
raser, who loued thée so wel? did not I alwaies giue thée


in charge? did not I gentely will thée to beware? but
those cursed ayders and counselours of thine, shalbe
woorthely rewarded for their paines.* As for thée, thou
shalt be sufficiently punished by my absence: When he
had spoken these woordes, he toke his dight into y• ayre.

Then Psyches fell •atte on the grounde, & as longe
as she might see her husband, she cast her eies after him
into the ayre wepinge and lamentinge piteously, but
when he was gonne out of her sight, she threw her self
into the nerte running riuer, for the great anguish and
dolor that she was in, for the lacke of her husband, how
be it the water would not suffer her to be drowned, but
toke pitie vpon her, in the honour of Cupide which ac∣customed
to broyle and burne the riuer, and so threwe
her vpon the banke emongst the hearbes.

Then Pan the rustical God sitting on the riuer side,
embrasinge and teachyng the Goddesse Canna to tune
her songes and pipes, by whome were féedinge the
yonge and tender goates, after that he perceaued Psy∣ches
in so sorowfull case, not ignorant (I know not by
what meanes) of her miserable estate, endeuored to pa∣cifie
her in this sorte: Oh fayre mayde, I am a rustike &
rude herdesman, howbeit (by reason of my olde age) ex∣perte
in many thinges, for as farre as I can learne by
coniecture, whiche (according as wise men doo terme) is
called diuination, I perceaue by your vncertaine gate,
your pale hewe, your sobbinge sighes, and your watrie
eies, that you are greatly in loue. Wherfore harken to
me, and goe not about to slea your selfe, nor wéepe not
at all, but rather addore and woorshippe the great God
Cupide, and winne him vnto you by your gentle pro∣mise
of seruice. When the God of shepeherdes had spo∣ken
these woordes, she gaue no answeare but made re∣uerence
Page 54

vnto him as to a God, and so departed.

After that Psyches had gonne a litle way, she fortu∣ned
(vnwares) to come to a Citie where the husbande
of one of her sisters did dwel, which when Psyches did
vnderstande, she caused that her sister had knowledge
of her comming. And so they mette together, and after
great embrasinge and salutation, the sister of Psyches
demaunded the cause of her trauell thither: Marry ({quod}
she) doo not you remember the counsell that you gaue
me, whereby you would, that I should kill the beast,
who vnder colour of my husbande did lie with me eue∣ry
night? you shall vnderstande, y• assone as I brought
foorth the lampe to sée & beholde his shape, I perceaued
that he was the sonne of Venus, euen Cupide him selfe
that lay with me. Then I (beynge strōken with great
pleasure, and desirous to embrase him) coulde not tho∣roughly
asswage my delight, but alas (by euil channce)
the boylinge oyle of the lampe fortuned to fall on his
shoulder, whiche caused him to awake, who (seinge me
armed with fire and weapon) gan say. How darest thou
be so bolde to doo so great a mischiefe? departe frō me,
and take such thinges as thou diddest bringe: for I will
haue thy sister (and named you) to my wife, & she shalbe
placed in thy felicitie, and by and by he cōmaunded Ze∣phyrus
to carry me away frō the boundes of his house.

Psyches had scantly finished her tale, but her sister
(perced with y• pricke of carnall desire & wicked enuie)
ranne home, & (feigninge to her husbande that she had
harde woorde of the death of her parētes) toke shipping
and came to the mountaine. And although there blewe
a contrary winde, yet beinge brought in a vaine hope
she cried, O Cupide take me a more woorthy wife, and
thou Zephyrus beare downe thy mistris, & so she caste


her selfe downe hedlonge from the mountaine, but she
fell not into the valley neither aliue nor dead, for al the
members & partes of her bodie were torne emongst the
rockes, whereby she was made a pray vnto the birdes
and wilde beastes, as she woorthely deserued.

Neither was the vengeaunce of the other delaide,
for Psiches traueling in that coūtrey fortuned to come
to an other Citie, where her other sister did dwell, to
whome when she had declared all such thinges as she
tolde to her firste sister,* she ranne likewise vnto the
rocke and was slaine in like sorte. Then Psiches traue∣led
about in the countrey to séeke her husband Cupide,
but he was gotten into his mothers chāber, and there
bewayled the sorowfull wounde, whiche he caught by
the oyle of the burninge lampe.

Then the white birde the Gull whiche swimmeth
on the waues of the water, flewe towardes the Oc∣cean
sea, where she founde Venus washinge and ba∣thinge
her selfe: to whome she declared that her sonne
was burned and in daunger of death, and moreouer
that it was a cōmon bruite in y• mouth of euery person
(who spake euill of all the family of Venus) that her
sonne doth nothing but haunt harlots in y• mountaine,
and she her selfe, lasciuiously, vse to riotte on the sea,
whereby they say yt they are now become no more gra∣tious,
no more pleasaunt, no more gentle, but inciuill,
mōstruous & horrible: moreouer the marriages are not
for any amitie, or for loue of procreatiō, but ful of enuy,
discorde, & debate. This the curious Gull did clatter in
the eares of Venus reprehēding her sonne. But Venus
began to crie, and said: what hath my sonne gotten any
loue? I pray thée (gentle birde y• doest serue me so faith∣fully)
tel me what she is, & what is her name, that hath
Page 55

troubled my sonne in such sorte, whether she be any of
the Nymphes, of the nomber of the Goddesses, of the
cōpany of the Muses, or of the mistery of my Graces?
To whome the birde answeared. Madame I know not
what she is, but this I know, that she is called Psiches.
Then Venus with indignatiō cried out: what is it she?
the vsurper of my beautie, the viccar of my name? what
did he thinke that I was a baude, by whose showe he
fell acquainted with the mayde? And immediatly she
departed, and went to her chamber, where she founde
her sonne wounded as it was tolde vnto her, whome
when she behelde she cried out in this sorte.

Is this an honest thinge? is this honorable to thy
parentes? is this reason that thou hast violate and bro∣ken
the cōmaundement of thy mother and soueraigne
mistris? And whereas thou shouldest haue vexed my
enemie with lothsome loue, thou haste done contrary:
For (beinge but of tender and vnripe yéeres) thou hast
with too licentious appetite embrased my moste mor∣tall
foe, to whome I shalbe made a mother, and she a
daughter: Thou presumest and thinkest (thou triflinge
boye, thou verlette, and without all reuerence) that
thou arte moste woorthy and excellent, and that I am
not able by reason of mine age to haue an other sonne,
which if I might haue, thou shouldest well vnderstand
that I would beare a more woorthier then thou, but to
woorke thée a greater despite, I doo determine to ad∣opte
one of my seruantes, & to giue him these winges,
this fire, this bowe, and these arrowes, and all other
furniture whiche I gaue to thée, not for this purpose,
neyther is any thinge giuen thée of thy father for this
intent: but firste thou hast béene euill brought vp, and
instructed in thy youth: thou haste thy handes ready


and sharpe: Thou hast often offended thy auncientes
and especially me that am thy mother, thou hast perced
me with thy dartes, thou contemnest me as a widow,
neither doest thou regarde thy valiant and inuincible
Father, and to anger me more thou arte amorous of
wenches and harlottes, but I wil cause that thou shalt
shortly repent thée, & that this marriage shalbe déerely
bought. To what a pointe am I now driuē? what shall
I doo? whither shall I goe? howe shall I represse this
•easre? Shall I aske ayde of mine enemie Sobrietie,
whome I haue often offended to engender thée? or shall
I séeke for counsell of euery poore and rusticall womā?
No, no, yet had I rather die, howbeit I will not cease
my vengeance, to her must I haue recourse for helpe, &
to none other, (I meane to Sobrietie) who may correct
thée sharpely, take away thy quiuer, depriue thée of thy
arrowes, vnbende thy bowe, quenche thy fire, & (which
is more) subdew thy body with punishment, and when
that I haue rased & cut of this thy heare, whiche I haue
dressed with mine owne handes, and made to glitter
like golde, and when I haue clipped thy winges which
I my selfe haue caused to burgen, then shal I thinke to
haue sufficiently reuenged my selfe vpon thée, for the
iniurie which thou hast done: when she had spokē these
woordes she departed in a great rage out of her chāber.

* Immediatly, as she was goinge away, came Iuno &
Ceres demaūdinge the cause of her anger: then Venus
made answeare, verely you are come to comfort my so∣row,
but I pray you with all diligence to séeke out one
whose name is Psyches, who is a vagabonde, and run∣neth
aboute the countries, and as I thinke you are not
ignoraunt of the bruite of my sonne Cupide, and of his
demeanure, which I am ashamed to declare: Then thei
Page 56

standing and knowing the whole matter, endeuoured
to mitigate the ire of Venus in this sorte.

What is the cause madame, or how hath your sonne
so offended that you should so greatly accuse his loue, &
blame him by reason that he is amorous? And why
should you séeke the death of hir, whom he doth fancy?
We most humbly entreate you to pardon his faulte, if
he haue accorded to the mynde of any maiden, what doo
not you knowe that he is a yonge man? or haue you
forgotten of what yéeres he is? doth he séeme alwayes
vnto you to be a childe? you are his mother, and a kynd
woman, will you continually searche out his daliance?
will you blame his luxurie? will you bridle his loue?
And will you reprehende your own arte and delightes
in him? what God or man is he, that can endure that
you should sowe or disperse your séede of loue in euery
place, and to make a restraint therof within your own
doores, certes you wil be the cause of the suppression of
the publique places of yonge dames. In this sorte these
Goddesses endeuoured to pacifie hir minde, and tercuse
Cupide with all their power (although he weare ab∣sent)
for feare of his dartes and shaftes of loue. But
Venus would in no wyse asswage hir heate, but (thin∣king
that they did rather trifle and taunte at her iniu∣ries)
she departed from them, and tooke her viage to∣wardes
the sea in all hast.

The sixth Booke of Lucius Apuleius
In the meane season Psyches hurled hir self hither
and thither, to séeke for her husband, the rather because
she thought, that if he would not be appeased with the
swéete flatterie of his wyfe, yet he would take mercy
vpon her at her seruile and continuall praiers. And
(espiyng a Churche on the toppe of a high hill) she sayd,
what can I tell whether my husbande and maister bée


there or no? wherefore she went thither warde, & with
great paine & trauell, moued by hope, after y• she climed
to the toppe of the mountaine, she came to the Tēple &
went in, whereas, behold she espied shéefes of corne li∣yng
on a heape, blades writhed like garlādes, & réedes
of barley, moreouer she sawe hookes, sithes, sickels and
other instruments to reape, but euery thing lay out of
order, & as it were caste in by the handes of labourers,
which when Psiches sawe, she gathered vp & put euery
thing dewly in order, thinking that she would not de∣spise
or contemne the Temples of any of the Gods, but
rather get the fauour & beneuolence of them all, by & by
Ceres came in, & beholding her busie and curious in her
chappel, cried out a farre of, and said: O Psiches néede∣ful
of mercy, Venus searcheth for thée in euery place to
reuenge her selfe & to punish thée greuously, but y• haste
more minde to be here, and carest for nothyng lesse, thē
for thy safetie. Then Psiches fell on her knées before
her, wateringe her féete with her teares, wipinge the
ground with her heare, & with great wéeping & lamen∣tation
desired pardon, saiyng: O great & holy Goddesse
I pray thée by thy plentuous & liberal right hād, by thy
ioyfull ceremonies of haruest, by the secretes of thy sa∣crafice,
by the fliyng chariottes of thy Dragons, by the
tillage of the groūd of Sicile, which thou hast inuēted,
by the marriage of Proserpina, by y• diligent inquisitiō
of thy daughter, & by the other secretes which are with∣in
the tēple of Eleusis in the lande of Athēs, take pitie
on me thy seruaunt Psiches, and let me hide my selfe a
few dales emōgst these shéefes of corne vntill the yre of
so great a Goddesse be past, or vntill that I be refreshed
of my great labour & trauell. Then answeared Ceres:
Verely, Psiches I am greatly moued by thy prayers &
Page 57

teares, & desire with all my harte to ayde thée, but if I
should suffer thée to be hidden here, I should incurre
the displeasure of my Cosin, with whome I haue made
a treaty of peace, and an auncient promesse of amitie:
wherefore I aduise thée to departe hense, and take it
not in euell parte in that I will not suffer thée to abide
and remaine within my Temple.

Then Psiches driuen away cōtrary to her hope, was
double afflicted with sorrow, and so she returned backe
againe: and behold, she perceaued a farre of in a valley
a Temple standing within a forest, fayre and curiously
wrought, and mindinge to ouerpasse no place, whither
better hope did direct her, and to the intent she would
desire the pardon of euery God, she approched nighe to
the sacred doores, whereas she sawe pretious richesse &
vestmentes igrauen with letters of gold, hanging vpō
braunches of trées, and the postes of the Temple, testi∣fiynge
the name of the Goddesse Iuno, to whome they
were dedicate, then she knéeled downe vpon her knées,
and embrasinge the Aulter with her handes, and wi∣pinge
her teares gan pray in this sorte. O déere spouse
and sister of the great God Iupiter, which arte adored
among the great tēples of Samos, called vpō by wemē
with childe, worshipped at high Carthage, because thou
werest brought from heauen by the Lion, the riuers of
the floud Inachus doo celebrate thée, & know yt thou arte
the wife of the great God & the Goddesse of Goddesses:
All the East part of the world hath thée in veneration,
all the world calleth thée Lucina, I pray thée to be mine
aduocate in my tribulatiōs, deliuer me from the great
daunger which pursueth me, and saue me that am we•
ried with so longe labours and sorrowe, for I knowe
that it is thou that succourest and helpest suche w•men


as are with childe and in daūger. Then Iuno hearinge
the praiers of Psiches, appeared vnto her in al her roy∣altie:
saying: Certes Psiches I would gladly help thée,
but I am ashamed to doo any thing contrary to the wil
of my daughter in lawe Venus, whom alwaies I haue
loued as mine owne childe, moreouer I shall incurre
the daunger of the lawe intituled, De seruo corrupto,
Whereby I am forbidden to retaine any seruaunt fu∣gitiue
against the will of his maister.

Then Psiches cast of likewise by Iuno, as without
all hope of the recouery of her husbande, reasoned with
her selfe in this sorte, now what comfort or remedie is
lefte to my afflictions, when as my prayers will no∣thinge
auayle with the Goddesses? what shall I doo?
whither shall I goe? In what caue or darkenes shall I
hide my selfe to auoide the furor of Venus? why doo I
not take a good harte, and offer my selfe with humilitie
vnto her whose anger I haue wrought, what doo I
know whether he (whome I séeke for) be in the house of
his mother or no? Thus beyng in doubte, poore Psiches
prepared her selfe to her owne daunger, & deuised how
she might make her Orayson and prayer vnto Venus.

After that Venus was wery with searchinge by sea
and lande for Psiches, she returned towarde heauen, &
cōmaunded that one should prepare her chariot, which
her husbād Vulcanus gaue vnto her by reason of mar∣riage,
so finely wrought that neither Golde nor filuer
coulde be cōpared to the brightnes therof, fowre white
pidgeons guided the chariot with great dilig•nce, and
when Vlenus was entred in, a nomber of sparrowes
flewe chirpinge about, makinge signe of ioye, and all
other kinde of birdes sange swéetely foreshowynge the
cōminge of the great Goddesse: the cloudes gaue place,
Page 58

the heauens opened, & receaued her ioyfully, the birdes
that followed nothinge feared the Egles, Haukes, and
other rauenous fowle in the ayre. Incontinently she
went vnto the ryall Pallaice of the God Iupiter, and
with a proude & bolde petition demaūded the seruice of
Mercury in certaine of her affaires, wherunto Iupiter
consented, then with much ioy she descended frō heauē
with Mercurie, & gaue him an earnest charge to put in
execution hir woordes, saying: O my brother, borne in
Arcadia, thou knowest well that I (who am thy sister)
did neuer enterprise to doo any thinge without thy pre∣sence,
thou knowest also how longe I haue sought for a
girle and cannot finde her, wherefore there resteth no∣thinge
els saue that thou with thy trumpette doo pro∣noūce
the rewarde to suche as take hir, sée thou put in
execution my commanndement, and declare that what
so euer he be that retaineth her, wittingly, against my
will shall not defend him selfe by any meane or excusa∣tion:
whiche when she had spoken, she deliuered vnto
him a libell wherin was cōteined the name of Psiches
and the reside we of his publication, which done she de∣parted
away to hir lodginge. By and by, Mercurius
(not delaying y• matter) proclaimed through out all the
worlde, that what so euer he were that coulde tell any
tidinges of a Kinges fugitiue daughter, the seruaunt
of Venus, named Psiches, should bring woorde to Mer∣curie,
and for rewarde of his paynes he should receaue
seuen swéete cosses of Venus. After that Mercury had
pronounced these thinges, euery man was inflamed
with desire to searche out Psiches.

This proclamation was the cause that put away all
doubte from Psiches, who was scantly come in sight of
the house of Venus, but one of her seruauntes called


Custome came out, who espiyng Psiches, cried with a
loude voice, sayinge: O wicked harlotte as thou arte,
now at length thou shalt know that thou haste a mi∣stris
aboue thée, what doest thou make thy selfe igno∣rant
as though thou diddest not vnderstand what tra∣uell
we haue taken in searchinge for thée, I am gladde
that thou arte come into my handes, thou arte now in
the goulfe of Hell, & shalt abide the paine and punish∣ment
of thy great contumacie, and there withall she
toke her by the heare, & brought her in before the pre∣sence
of Venus.

When Venus espied her, she began to laugh, & as an∣gry
persons accustome to doo, she shaked her head and
scratched her right eare, saiyng: O goddesse, Goddesse,
you are now come at lēgth to visit your mother, or els
to sée your husband, that is in daunger of death by your
meanes, be you assured I will handle you like a daugh∣ter,
where be my maydens Sorrow, and Sadnes? To
whome (when they came) she deliuered Psiches to be
cruelly tormented, then they fulfilled the cōmandemēt
of their Misteris, and after they had piteoufly scourged
her with whippes & roddes, they presented her againe
before Venus. Thē she began to laugh againe, saiyng:
Behold she thinketh (that by reason of her great belly
which she hath gotten by playing the hoore) to moue me
to pitie, and to make me a grandmother to her childe:
Am not I happy, that in the flourishinge time of all
mine age shalbe called a grādmother, and the sonne of
a vile harlotte shalbe accōpted the Nephew of Venus?
How be it I am a foole to terme him by the name of a
sonne, since as the marriage was made betwéene vn∣equall
persons, in the fieldes, without witnesses, & not
by the cōsent of their parentes, wherfore the marriage
Page 59

is illegitimate, and the childe (that shalbe borne) a ba∣starde,
if we fortune to suffer thée to liue so longe till
thou be deliuered.

When Venus had spoken these woordes she leaped
vpō the face of poore Psiches, and (tearing her apparell)
toke her violently by the heare, & dashed her head vpon
the ground. Then she tooke a great quātitie of wheate,
barley, will, popy séede, peason, lintels, and beanes,
and mingled them al together on a heape, saying: thou
euill fauored girle, thou séemest vnable to gette the
grace of thy louer, by no other meanes, but only by di∣ligent
& painefull seruice, wherfore I will proue what
thou caust doo, sée that thou seperate all these graynes
one from an other, disposinge thē orderly in their qua∣litie,
and lette it be done before night. When she had
appointed this taske vnto Psiches, she departed to a
great banquette that was prepared that day.

But Psiches went not about to disseuer the graine
(as beinge a thinge impossible to be brought to passe by
reason it lay so confusely scattered) but beinge astonied
at the cruel cōmaundement of Venus, satte still & saide
nothing: Then the litle Pismere the Emote, takings
pitie of her great difficultie & labour, cursing the cruel∣nes
of the wyfe of Iupiter and of so euill a mother,
ranne aboute hither and thither, and called to her all
the Antes of the countrie, sayinge: I pray you my
fréendes, ye quicke sonnes of the grounde the mother
of al thinges, take mercie on this poore mayde espoused
to Cupide, who is in great daunger of her person, I
pray you helpe her withall diligence. Incōtinently one
came after an other disseueryng & deuiding the graine,
& after that they had put eche kinde of corne in order,
they ranne away againe in all haste.



When night came, Venus retourned home from
the banquet well tipled wt wyne, smelling of balme, &
crowned with garlādes of Roses, who when she espied
what Psyches had done, gan say, this is not the labour
of thy hādes, but rather of his that is amorous of thée,
then she gaue her a morsell of browne bread, and went
to sleape.

In the meane season Cupide was closed fast in the
moste surest chamber of the house, partly because he
should not hurte him selfe with wanton dalliance, and
partly because he should not speake with his loue, so
these twoo louers weare deuided one from an other.

When night was passed, Venus called Psyches &
sayde: séest thou yonder forest that extendeth out in
lengthe with the ryuer, there be great shéepe shininge
like golde, and kepte by no maner of persone, I com∣maunde
thée that thou go thither and bringe me home
some of the wool of their fléeces. Psyches arose willing∣ly,
not to doo her commaundement, but to throwe her
selfe hedlong into the water to ende her sorowe. Then
a gréene réede inspired by deuine inspiration with a
gracious tune and melodie gan say. O Psyches, I pray
thée not to trouble or pollute my water by the death of
thée, and yet beware that thou goe not towardes the
terrible shéepe of this coast, vntill suche tyme as the
heate of the Sunne be past, for when the Sunne is in
his force, then séeme they most dreadfull, and furious,
with their sharpe hornes, their stony forheads, & their
gaping throtes wherwith thei arme them selues to the
destruction of mankinde: but vntill the midday is past
and the heate asswaged, and vntill they haue refreshed
them selues in the ryuer, thou maist hyde thy selfe here
by me vnder this great plane trée: and as sone as their
Page 60

great fury is past, thou maist go among the thickettes
and bushes vnder the wood syde and gather the lockes
of their golden fléeces, which thou shalt finde hāginge
vpon the briers. Thus spake the gentle and beninge
Réede, showinge a meane to Psyches to saue her life,
whiche she bare well in memory, and with all diligēce
went and gathered vp suche lockes as she founde & put
them in her apron, and carried them home to Venus:
how be it the daunger of this seconde labour did not
please her, nor giue her sufficient witnesse of the good
seruice of Psyches, but with a sower resemblaunce of
laughter, she said: Of certaintie I knowe y• this is not
thy facte, but I will proue if thou be of so stoute a cou∣rage,
and singuler prudencie as thou séemest.

Then Venus spake vnto Psyches againe: saying,
Séest thou the toppe of yonder great hill, from whense
there ronneth downe water of blacke & deadly colour,
whiche nourisheth the floodes of Stix and Cocitus, I
charge thée to goe thither and bring me a vessell of that
water: wherewithall she gaue her a bottell of Cristall,
menacinge and threatening her rigorously.

Then poore Psyches went in all hast to the toppe of
the mountaine, rather to ende hir life then to fetche a∣ny
water, and whē she was come vp to the ridge of the
hill, she perceaued that it was impossible to bringe it to
passe: For she sawe a great rocke gusshinge out moste
horrible fountaines of waters, whiche ranne downe &
fell by many stoppes and passages into the valley be∣neath,
on eche side she sawe great Dragons, stretching
out their longe and blouddy neckes, that neuer slept,
but apointed to kéepe the riuer there: the waters sée∣med
to thē selues likewise: saying, Away, away, what
wilt thou doo? Fly, fly, or els thou wilt be slaine: then


Psiches (séeing y• impossibilitie of this affaire) stoode still
as though she were trāsformed into a stone, & although
she was present in body, yet was she absent in spirite
and sense, by reason of the great perill which she sawe,
in so much that she could not cōfort her selfe with we∣ping,
such was the present daunger that she was in.

But the royall bird of great Iupiter, the Egle, remē∣bring
his old seruice, which he had done, whē as by the
pricke of Cupide he brought vp the boy Ganimides to ye
heauens, to be made the buttler of Iupiter, & mindinge
to show the like seruice in the person of the wife of Cu∣pide,
came from the high house of the skies, & said vnto
Psiches: O simple woman, without all experiēce, doest
thou thinke to get or dippe vp any droppe of this dred∣ful
water? No, no, assure thy selfe thou arte neuer able
to come nigh it, for the Goddes them selues doo greatly
feare at the sight therof: what haue you not harde that
it is a custome emonge men to sweare by the puissance
of the Goddes: And the Goddes doo sweare by the Ma∣iestie
of the riuer Stix? but giue me thy bottle, and so∣denly
he toke it, and filled it with the water of the ri∣uer,
and takinge his flight thorough those cruell and
horrible Dragons brought it vnto Psyches: who being
very ioyfull thereof presented it to Venus, who would
not yet be appeased, but menacinge more & more, said:
what thou séemest vnto me a very Witche & Enchaun∣teresse,
that bringest these thinges to passe, how be it
thou shalt doo one thinge more.

Take this bore & goe to hell to Proserpina, and desire
her to sende me a litle of her beautie, as muche as will
serue me the space of one day, and say that suche as I
had is consumed away since my sonne fell sicke, but re∣turne
againe quickely, for I must dresse my self there∣withal,
Page 61

withal, & goe to the threatre of the Gods, thē poore Psi∣ches
perceaued the ende of al her fortune, thinking ve∣rely
y• she shoulde neuer returne, & not without cause,
when as she was cōpelled to goe to the goulfe & furies
of Hell. Wherfore without any further delay, she wēt
vp to a high tower to throwe her selfe downe headlong
(thinkinge that it was the nexte and rediest waye to
Hell) but the towre (as inspired) spake vnto her, sai∣ynge:
O poore miser why goest thou about to slea thy
selfe? why doest thou rashly yéelde vnto thy laste pe∣rill
and daunger? know thou that if thy spirite be once
seperate from thy bodie, thou shalt surely goe to Hell,
but neuer to returne againe, wherefore herken to me:
Lacedemon a Citie of Grece is not farre hense: Goe
thou thither and enquire for the hill Tenarus, where∣as
thou shalte finde a hole leadinge to Hell, euen to
the pallaice of Pluto, but take héede that thou goe
not with emptie handes to that place of darkenesse:
but carry twoo soppes sodden in the flower of barley
and hony in thy handes, & twoo halfpens in thy mouth,
and when thou haste passed a good parte of that way,
thou shalt sée a lame Asse carriyng of woodde, & a lame
fellowe driuinge him, who will desire thée to giue him
vp the stickes that fall downe, but passe thou on and
doo nothinge, by and by thou shalt come vnto the riuer
of Hell, whereas Charon is Ferriman, who will first
haue his fare paide him, before he will carry the soules
ouer the riuer in his boate, whereby you may sée that
auarice raigneth emongst the dead, neyther Charon
nor Pluto will doo any thinge for nought: For if it
be a poore man that woulde passe ouer, and lacketh
money he shalbe compelled to die in his iourney before
they will showe him any reliefe, wherefore deliuer


to carraine Charon one of the halfepens (whiche thou
bearest) for thy passage, & lette him receaue it out of thy
mouth. And it shall come to passe as thou sittest in the
boate, thou shalte sée an olde man swimminge on the
toppe of the riuer holdinge vp his deadly handes, and
desiringe thée to receaue him into the barke, but haue
no regarde to his piteous crie: when thou arte passed
ouer the floudde thou shalt espie old women spinninge
who will desire thée to helpe them, but beware thou doo
not consent vnto them in any case, for these and like
baites and trappes wil Venus sette, to make thée lette
fall one of thy soppes: and thinke not that the kéepinge
of thy soppes is a light matter, for if thou lese one of
them thou shalt be assured neuer to retorne againe to
this world. Then thou shalt sée a great and meruelous
dogge with thrée heades barkinge continually at the
soules of such as enter in, by reason he can doo them no
other harme, he lieth day and night before the gate of
Proserpina, and kéepeth the house of Pluto with great
diligence, to whome if thou cast one of thy soppes, thou
maist haue accesse to Proserpina without all daunger:
she will make thée good chéere, and entertaine thée with
delicate meate & drinke, but sitte thou vpon the ground
and desire browne bread, and then declare thy message
vnto her, and when thou hast receaued such beautie as
she giueth, in thy retorne appease the rage of the dogge
with thy other soppe, & giue thy other halfepeny to co∣uetous
Charon, and come the same way againe into
the world as thou wentest: but aboue all thinges haue
a regarde that thou looke not in the boxe, neither be not
to curious about the treasure of the diuine beautie.

In this manner the towre spake vnto Psyches, and
aduertised her what she should doo: and immediatly she
Page 62

tooke twoo halfpence, twoo soppes, and all thinges ne∣cessary
and went to the moūtaine Tenarus to goe to∣wardes
Hell.

After that Psiches had passed by the lam• Asse, paide
her halfpenny for passage, neglected the old man in the
riuer, denied to helpe the wemen spinninge, and filled
the rauenous mouth of y• dogge with a soppe, she came
to the chamber of Proserpina. There Psyches would
not sitte in any royall seate, nor eate any delicate
meates, but kneelinge at the féete of Proserpina, onely
contented with course bread, declared her message, and
after she had receaued a misticall secrete in the boxe she
departed, and stopped the mouth of the dogge with the
other soppe, and paied the boteman the other halfpēny.

When Psyches was returned from hell, to the light
of y• worlde she was rauished with great desire, saying:
Am not I a foole that knowinge that I carry here the
diuine beautie, will not take a little thereof to garnish
my face, to please my louer withall? and by and by she
opened the boxe, where she coulde perceaue no beautie
nor any thinge els, saue onely an infernall and deadly
sléepe, whiche immediatly inuaded all her members as∣sone
as the boxe was vncouered, in such sort that she fel
downe on the gronnde, & lay there as a sléepinge corps.

But Cupide beinge now healed of his wounde and
maladie, not able to endure the absence of Psyches,
gotte him secretely out at a windowe of the chamber
where he was enclosed, and (receauinge his winges)
toke his flight towardes his louinge wife, whome whē
he had founde he wiped away the sléepe from her face,
and put it againe into the boxe, and awaked her with
the tippe of one of his arrowes, sayinge: O wretched
•aytife, beholde thou wearest welny perished againe,


with thy ouermuch curiositie, well, goe thou, & doo thy
message to my mother, and in the meane season I will
prouide for all thinges accordingly: wherewithall he
toke his flight into the ayre, and Psiches brought her
present to Venus.

Cupide being more and more in loue with Psiches, &
fearing the displeasure of his mother, did perce into the
heauens, & arriued before Iupiter to declare his cause:
then Iupiter after that he had eftsones embrased him,
gan say in this manner: O my welbeloued sonne, al∣though
thou hast not giuen due reuerēce & honour vn∣to
me as thou oughtest to doo, but hast rather soyled, &
wounded this my brest (wherby the lawes and order of
the elementes & planetes be disposed) with continuall
assaultes of terren luxury & against al lawes, & the dis∣cipline
Iulia, & the vtilitie of y• publique weale in trās∣forming
my diuine beautie into serpentes, fire, sauage
beastes, birdes▪ & into bulles. Howbeit remēbringe my
modestie, & that I haue nourished thee with mine owne
proper handes. I wil doo & accōplish al thy desire, so that
thou canst beware of spiteful & enuious persons. And if
there be any excellent mayden of comely beautie in the
world, remēber yet y• benefite which I shall show vnto
thée, by recompence of her loue towardes me againe.
When he had spokē these woordes, he cōmaunded Mer∣curie
to call al the Goddes to counsell, and if any of the
celestiall powers did fayle of appearance, he should be
condemned in ten thousande poundes: which sentence
was such a terrour vnto all the Goddes, that the high
Theatre was replenished, & Iupiter began to speake in
this sorte. O ye Goddes, registred in the bookes of the
Muses, you all know this yonge man Cupide, whome
I haue nourished with mine owne handes, whose ra∣ginge
Page 63

flames of his first youth I thought best to bridle
and restraine. It suffiseth in that he is diffamed in eue∣ry
place for his adulterous liuinge, wherefore all occa∣sion
ought to be taken away by meane of marriage: he
hath chosen a mayden that fancieth him well, and hath
beriued her of her virginitie, lette him haue her still
and possesse her according to his owne pleasure: then
he returned to Venus, and said: And you my daughter,
take you no care, neither feare the dishonour of your
progenie and estate, neither haue regarde in that it is
a mortall marriage, for it séemeth vnto me, iuste, law∣full
and legitimate by the lawe Ciuill.

Incontinently after, Iupiter commaūded Mercurie
to bring up Psiches the spouse of Cupide, into the pal∣layce
of heauen. And then he toke a potte of immorta∣litie,
and said: Holde Psyches and drinke to the ende
thou maist be immortall, and that Cupide may be thine
euerlastinge husbande.

By and by the great bankette and marriage feast
was sumptuously prepared, Cupide satte downe with
his déere spouse betwéene his armes: Iuno likewise wt
Iupiter, and all the other Goddes in order, Ganimides
filled the potte of Iupiter, and Bacchus serued the rest.
Their drinke was Nectar the wine of the goddes, Vul∣canus
prepared supper, the howers decked vp the house
with Roses & other swéete smelles, the Graces threwe
about baulme, the Muses sange with swéete harmony,
Apollo tuned pleasauntly to the Harpe, Venus daun∣sed
finely: Satirus and Paniscus plaide on their pipes:
and thus Psiches was married to Cupide, and after
she was deliuered of a childe, whom we call Pleasure.

This the trifling old woman declared vnto y• captiue
mayden, but I poore Asse, not stāding farre of was not


a litle sory in that I lacked penne and Inke to write so
woorthy a tale.

¶How Apuleius carried away the Gentlewoman, and how
they were taken againe by the theeues, and what a kinde
of death was inuented for them.

Cap. 23.
BY & by the Théeues came home laden with trea∣sure,
and many of them whiche were of strongest
courage (leauinge behinde such as were lame and
wounded, to heale & ayre them selues) saide they would
returne backe againe to fetche the rest of their pillage,
whiche they had hidden in a certaine caue, and so they
snatched vp their dinner gréedely, & brought vs foorth
into the way and beate vs before them with staues,
about night (after that we had passed ouer many hilles
and dales) we came to a great caue, where they laded
vs with mighty burthens, and would not suffer vs to
refreshe our selues any season, but brought vs againe
in our way, and hied so fast homeward, that what with
their haste and their cruel stripes, I fell downe vpon a
stone by the high way side, then they beate me pitifully
in lifting me vp, and hurt my right thighe and my left
hoofe, and one of them said, what shall we doo with this
lame euill fauoured Asse that is not woorth the meate y•
he eates? An other said: since the time that we had him
first, he neuer did any good, & I thinke he came vnto our
house with euill lucke, for we haue had great woundes
since, & losse of our valiaunt Capitaines, an other saide
assone as he hath brought home his burthē, I will sure∣ly
throwe him out vpon the mountaine to be a pray for
wilde beastes: While these gentlemen reasoned toge∣ther
of my death, we fortuned to come home, for y• feare
Page 64

that I was in, caused my féete to turne into winges:
after that we weare discharged of our burthens, they
went to their fellowes that lay wounded, & tolde them
our great tarditie & slownes by the way, neither was I
brought into small anguishe when as I perceaued my
death prepared before my face, sayinge: Why standest
thou still Lucius? why doest thou looke for thy death?
knowst thou not that the théeues haue ordeined to slea
thée? Séest thou not these sharpe and pointed flintes
which shal bruise and teare thée in péeces if by aduēture
thou happen vpon them, thy gentle Magicien hath not
onely giuen thée the shape and trauell of an Asse, but
also a skinne so softe and tender as it were a swallow,
why doest thou not take courage & runne away to saue
thy life? Arte thou affeard of the old woman, whiche is
more then halfe dead, whome with a stripe of thy héele
thou mayst easely dispatche? but whither shall I flie?
what lodging shal I séeke? beholde my assy cogitation?
who is he that passeth by the way and will not take me
vp: while I deuised these thinges I brake the halter
wherewith I was tied, and ranne away with all my
force, he ••beit I could not escape the kitishe eyes of the
old woman, for she ranne after me, and with more au∣dacitie
then becometh her kinde and age, caught me by
the halter and thought to pull me home: but I not for∣gettinge
the cruell purpose of the théeues, was moued
with smal pitie, for I kicked her with my hinder héeles
to the groūde and had welnie slaine her, who (although
she was throwen & hurled downe) yet she helde still the
halter and would not lette me goe, then she cried with
a loude voice & called for succour, but she litle preuailed
because there was no person that harde her, saue onely
the captiue gentlewoman, who hearinge the voice of


the old woman, came out to sée what the matter was, &
(perceiuing hir hanging at the halter) tooke a good cou∣rage
and wrested it out of hir handes, and (entreatinge
me with gentle woordes) gotte vpon my backe. Then
I began to ronne, and she gently kicked me forwarde,
whereof I was nothinge displeased, for I had as great
a desier to escape as shée: In so muche that I séemed to
scowre away like a horse. And when the gentlewoman
did speake, I would answere hir with my neyinge, and
oftentimes (vnder colour to rubbe my backe) I woulde
swéetely kisse her tender féete. Then she, f•tchinge a
sighe from the bottom of hir harte, lifted vp hir eies in∣to
the heauens, saiyng: O soueraigne Goddes deliuer
me if it be your pleasure, from these present daungers:
And thou cruell fortune cease thy wrath, let the sorow
suffise thée whiche I haue already susteined. And thou
litle Asse that art the occasion of my sauetie and liber∣tée,
if thou canst once rendre me salue and sounde to my
parentes, and to him that so greatly desireth to haue
me to his wyfe, thou shalt sée what thankes I wil geue
thée, with what honour I will rewarde thée, and how
I wil vse thée. First, I will brauely dresse the heares
of thy sorehead, and then I wil finely kembe thy mane,
I wyll tie vp thy rugged tayle trymly, I will decke
thée rounde about with golden trappes, in suche sorte,
that thou shalt glitter like the Starres of the skie, I
will bringe thée dayly in my apron the kyrnelles of
nuttes, and will pamper the vp with deintie delicates,
I will sette stoore by thée, as by one that is the preser∣uer
of my lyfe: Finaly, thou shalt lacke no maner of
thinge. Moreouer, amongest thy glorious fare, thy
great ease, and the blisse of thy life thou shalt not bée
destitute of dignitée, for thou shalt be Chronicled per∣petually
Page 65

in memorie of my present fortune, and the
prouidence diuine. All the whole historie shall be pain∣ted
vpon the wall of our house: Thou shalt be renow∣••ed
throughout all the worlde: And it shalbe regi∣stred
in the bookes of Doctours, that an Asse saued the
life of a yonge mayden that was captiue amongest
Théeues: Thou shalt be nōbred amongest the auncient
myracles: we beleue that by like example of truthe,
Phryxus saued him selfe from drowning vpon a Ram,
Arion escaped vpon a Dolphin: And that Europa was
deliuered by a Bull. If Iupiter transformed him selfe
into a Bull, why may it not be that vnder shape of this
Asse, is hiddē y• figure of a mā, or some power Deuine?
Whyle that the Virgin did thus sorowfully vnfold hir
desires, we fortuned to come to a place wheare thrée
wayes did méete, and she tooke me by the halter and
would haue me turne on the right hand to her fathers
house, but I (knowing that the theues weare gone that
waye to fetche the residue of their pillage) resisted with
my head as much as I might, saiynge within my selfe,
what wilt thou doo vnhappy maidē? why woldest thou
go so willingly to hel? why wilt yu rūne into destructiō
by meane of my féete? why doest thou séeke thine owne
harme & mind likewise? And whyle we twoo striued to∣gether
whether way we might take, y• theues returned
loden with their praie, & perceiued vs a farre of by the
light of y• Moone: And after they had knowē vs, one of
them gan say, whither go you so hastely? be you not a∣ferde
of spirites? And you (you harlot) doo you goe to sée
your parentes? Come on, we will beare you company?
And therwithall they tooke me by the halter and draue
me back againe, beating me cruelly with a great staffe
(that they had) full of knobbes: thē I (returning againe

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Page 65
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to my ready destruction, and remembring the griefe of
my h••fe) be ganne to shake my head and to waxe lame,
but he that ledde me by the halter said: what doest thou
stomble? canst thou not goe? these rotten féete of thine
can runne well mough, but they cannot walke, thou
couldest minse it finely euen now with the gentlewo∣man,
that thou diddest séeme to passe the horse Pega∣sus
in swiftnes. In sayinge these woordes, they beate
me againe that they brake a great staffe vpon me, and
when we were come almost home, we saw the old wo∣man
hanginge vpon a bow of a Cypresse trée: then one
of them cutte downe the bowe whereon she hanged, &
cast her into the bottome of a great ditche: after this
they boūd the maiden & fell greedely to their victuales,
which the miserable old womā had prouided for them.
At whiche time thei began to deuise with thē selues of
our death, & how they might be reuenged, diuers was
the opinions of this diuers nomber: the first saide that
he thought best the mayde should be burned aliue: the
secōde saide she should be throwen out to wilde beasts:
the thirde said she should be hanged vpon a gibbot: the
fourth saide she should be flead aliue: thus was y• death
of the poore mayden scāned betwéene them fower. But
one of the Théeues after euery man had declared his
iudgement did speake in this manner. It is not conue∣niēt
vnto the othe of our cōpany, to suffer you to waxe
more cruell, thē the qualitie of the offence doth merite,
for I would that she should not be hanged, nor burned,
nor throwen to beastes, nor die any sodaine death, but
by my counsell I would haue her punished accordinge
to her deserte. You know wel what you haue determi∣ned
already of this dull Asse, that eateth more then he
is woorth, that feigneth lamenesse, & that was the cause
Page 66

of the fliynge away of the mayde, my minde is that he
shalbe slaine to morrow, and when all the guttes and
entrailes of his body is takē out, let the maide be sowē
into his belly, then let vs lay them vpon a great stone
againste the broylinge heate of the sonne, so they shall
both sustaine all the punishmentes which you haue or∣deined:
for first the Asse shalbe slaine as you haue deter∣mined,
and she, shall haue her membres torne & gnawē
with wilde beastes, when as she is bitten & rente with
wormes, she shal endure the paine of the fire, when as
the broilyng heate of the sonne shall skorche and parche
the belly of the Asse, she shall abide the gallowes when
the Dogges and vultures shall haue the guttes of her
body hanginge in their rauenous mouthes. I pray you
nomber all the tormentes whiche she shall suffer: First
she shall dwell within the paunch of the Asse: secondly
her nosethrilles shall receaue the carraine stinke of the
beaste: thirdly she shall die for hunger, laste of all she
shall ••nde no meane to ridde her selfe from her paines
for her handes shalbe sowed vp within the skinne of
the Asse: This beyng saide all the Théeues consented
to the sentence, and when I (poore Asse) harde, & vnder∣stoode
all their deuise, I did nothinge els saue bewayle
and lament my dead carkas, whiche should be handled
in such sorte on the nexte morrow.


The seuenth Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse.
¶How he that was left behinde at Hippata to bring newes
concerninge the robbery of Milos house, came home and de∣clared
to his compaignions that all the faulte was layde
to one Apuleius charge.

Cap. 24.
ASsone as night was paste, and the
cléere charriot of the sunne had spred
his bright beames on euery coaste,
came one of the companie of the
Théeues (for so his & their greatinge
together did declare) who at his first
entrie into the caue (after he had
breathed him selfe, & was able to speake) tolde these ti∣dinges
vnto his compaignions in this sorte. Sirs, as
touching the house of Milo of Hippata, which we forci∣bly
entred & ransakt the last day, we may put away all
feare, & doubte nothinge at all, for after y• ye by force &
armes had spoiled & taken away al things in the house,
and so returned hither vnto our caue,* I (thrustinge in
emongst the prease of the people & showing my selfe as
though I were sadde & forowful for the mischaunce) cō∣sulted
with them for the boultinge out of the matter, &
deuised what meanes might be wrought for the appre∣hensiō
of the théeues, to the intent I might learne & sée
all that was done to make relation therof vnto you as
you willed me, in so much that the whole fact at length
by manifest & euident proofes as also by the cōmon opi∣nion
& iudgemēt of al the people, was layde to one Lu∣cius
Apuleius charge,* as manifest author of this cōmit∣ted
robbery, who a few daies before by false and forged
Page 67

letters & coloured honestie,* fell so farre in fauour with
this Milo that he entertained him into his house, & re∣ceyued
him as chiefe of his familiar friēdes, which Lu∣cius,
after that he had soiourned there a good space, and
wonne the hart of Miloes maide by feigned loue, did
thoroughly learne y• waies and doores of all the house, &
curiously viewed the cofers & chestes▪ wherin was laide
the whole substance of Milo, neither was there small
cause giuē to iudge him culpable, since as the very same
night that this robbery was done he fledde away, and
could be found in no place, & to thintēt he might cleane
escape, and better preuent such as made hewe and crie
after him,* he toke his white horse & gallopped away, &
after this his seruaūt was found in the house, who (ac∣cused
as accessary to the felony & escape of his maister)
was cōmitted to the cōmon gaole, & the next day folow∣yng
was cruelly scourged & tormented til he was wel∣nie
dead to the intent he should cōfesse the matter, but
when they could wrest or learne no such thinge of him,
yet sente they many persons after towardes Lucius
countrey to enquire him out, & so to take him prisoner.

As he declared these thinges,* I did greatly lament
with my selfe to thinke of mine old and pristine estate,
and what felicitie I was sometimes in, in cōparison to
the misery that I presently sustained, beyng chaunged
into a miserable Asse, then had I no small occasiō to re∣member,
how the olde & auncient writers did seigne &
affirme, that fortune was starke blinde & without eies,
because she alwaies bestoweth her richesse vpon rus••
persons and fooles,* and chooseth or fauoreth no mortall
person by iudgement but is alwaies conuersant espe∣cially
with suche as if she coulde sée, she shoulde moste
shunne & forsake, yea and that which is more worse she


soweth suche euill or rather contrary opinions in men,
that the wicked doo glory with the name of good, and
contrary the good and innocent be detracted and sclaū∣dered
as euill. Furthermore I, who by hir great cru∣eltie
was turned into a fower footed Asse, is most vile
and abiect manner, yea and whose estate séemed woor∣thely
to be lamented and pitied of the most harde & sto∣nie
hartes, was accused of theft & robbinge of my déere
Oste Milo, which villanie might rather be called pari∣cide
then thefte, yet might not I defende mine owne
cause, or denie the facte any waie, by reason I coulde
not speake howbeit least my conscience should séeme to
accuse me by reason of silence, and againe being enfor∣ced
by impacience I endeuered to speake, & faine would
haue said: Neuer did I that facte. And verely the firste
woorde, Neuer▪ I cried out once or twise somwhat hād∣somely,
but the residew I could in no wise pronounce,
but still remayning in one voice cried Neuer, Neuer,
Neuer: Howbeit I setled my hangyng lippes as roūde
as I could to speake the residew: but why should I fur∣ther
complaine of the crueltie of my fortune, since as I
was not muche ashamed, by reason that my seruaunt &
my horse was likewise accused with me of the robbery.
While I pondred with my selfe all these thinges, a
greater care came to my remembraunce, touchinge the
death which the Théeues deuised for me & the mayden,
and stil as I looked downe to my belly, I thought of the
poore Gentlewoman that shoulde be closed within me:
and the théefe which a litle before had brought the false
newes against me, drewe out of the skirte of his coate
a thousande crownes, whiche he had rifled away from
such as he mette, and cast it into the common treasory.
Then he carefully enquired how the residew of his cō∣paignions
Page 68

did.* To whom it was declared that the most
valiant was murdred and slaine in diuers manners,
whereupon he perswaded them to remitte all their af∣fayres
a certaine season, and to seke for other fellowes
to bée in their places, that by the exercise of newe
laddes the terror of their martiall bande might be re∣duced
to the olde number, assuringe them that suche as
were vnwillinge might be compelled by menaces and
threatninges, and such as weare willing might be en∣couraged
forward with rewarde, further he saide, that
there were some, whiche (seinge the profite which they
had) would forsake their base and seruill estate, and ra∣ther
be contented to liue like tirantes emongst them:
moreouer he declared, that for his parte he had spoken
with a certaine tale man, a valiant cōpaignion, but of
yōge age, stoute in bodie, & couragious in fight, whom
he had fully perswaded to exercise his idle handes, dull
with slouthfulnes, to his greater profite, and (while he
might) to receaue the blisse of better fortune, and not to
holde out his sturdy arme to begge for a penny, but ra∣ther
to take as muche golde & siluer as he would. Then
euery one consented, that he that séemed so woorthy to
be their compaigniō, should be one of their cōpany and
that they would search for others to make vp the resi∣dew
of the nomber, wherupon he went out, and by and
by (returninge againe) brought in a tale yonge man (as*
he promised) to whom none of the residew might be cō∣pared,
for he was higher then they by the head, and of
more bignes in bodie, his bearde began to burgen, but
he was poorely appareled, in so much that you might sée
all his belly naked: As sone as he was entred in, he
sayd, God spéede ye souldiars of Mars, and my faith∣full
compaignions, I pray you make me one of your


bande,* and I will ensure you that you shall haue a man
of singular courage and liuely audacitie, for I had ra∣ther
receaue strypes vppon my backe, then money or
golde in my handes: and as for death (whiche euery
man doo feare) I passe nothyng at all, yet thinke you
not that I am an abiect or a begger, neyther iudge you
my vertue and prowesse by my ragged clothes, for I
haue béene a Capitaine of a great company, and sub∣dued
all the countrey of Macedonie: I am the renou∣med
théefe Hemus the Thracien, whose name all coun∣tries
and nations doo so greatly feare: I am the soone
of Theron the notable théefe, nourished with humaine
bloudde, entertained emongst the stoutest: finally I
am inheritour and follower of my Fathers, vertues,
yet I lost in a shorte time all my company, and all my
richesse by one assault, whiche I made vpon a factor of
the Prince, whiche sometime had bene Capitayne of
twoo hundred men, for fortune was cleane against me:
herken and I will tell you the whole matter.* There
was a certayne manne in the courte of the Emperour
whiche had many offices, and in great fauour, who at
last by the enuie of diuers persons was banished away
and compelled to forsake the courte: his wife Platina,
a woman of rare faithe and singuler shamefastnes, ha∣uinge
borne tenne children to her husbande, despised al
worldly pompe and delicacie, & determined to follow
her husbande, and to be a partaker of all his perils and
daunger, wherefore the cut of her heare, disguised her
selfe like a man, & toke with her al her treasure, passing
thorough the handes of the souldiours and the naked
swordes without any feare, wherby she endured many
miseries, and was partaker of muche affliction to saue
the life of her husbande, such was her loue whiche she
Page 69

bare vnto him. And when they had escaped many peri∣lous
daungers aswell by lande as by sea they went to
wardes Zacynthe to continue there accordinge as for∣tune
had appointed: But when they arriued on the sea
coste of Actiū (where we in our returne frō Macedonie
were rouinge about) when night came they turned in∣to
a house, not farre distant from their shippe where
they lay all night. Then we entred in & toke away all
their substance, but verely we were in great daunger,
for the good Matron perceyuinge vs incontinently by
the notes of the gate, went into the chamber, and cal∣led
vp euery man by his name, and likewise the neigh∣bours
that dwelled rounde about, in so much y• by rea∣son
of the feare thar euery one was in, we hardly esca∣ped
away, but this most holy womā, faithfull and true
to her husband (as the truth must be declared) returned
to Caesar desiringe his ayde and puisance, and demaun∣dinge
vengeaunce of the iniurie done to her husbande,
who graunted all her desire: then wente my company
to wracke in so muche that euery man was slayne, so
great was the authoritie and woorde of the Prince.
How be it when all my bande was loste and taken by
searche of the Emperours armie, I onely stole away
and deliuered my selfe from the violence of the soul∣diars,
for I clothed my selfe in a womans attyre, and
mounted vpon an Asse that carried barley shéefes, and
(passinge thorough the middle of them all) I escaped
away, because euery one déemed that I was a woman,
by reason I lacked a bearde. How be it I lefte not of
for all this, nor did degenerate from the glory of my
father, or mine owne vertue, but freshly cōming from
the blouddy skirmish, and disguised like a woman I in∣uaded
Townes and Castels alone to gette some pray.


And therwithall he pulled out twoo thousand crownes
whiche he had vnder his coate, sayinge: Holde here the
dowrie whiche I present vnto you, holde eke my per∣son
whiche you shall alwaies finde trusty and faithfull
if you will willingly receaue me: And I will ensure
you that in so doinge, within shorte space I will make
and turne this stony house of yours into Golde: then
by and by euery one consented to make him their Ca∣pitaine,
and so they gaue him better garmentes and
threwe away his olde. When he had chaunged his at∣tyre
he embraced them one after an other, then placed
they him in the highest rome of the table, and dranke
vnto him in token of good lucke.

¶How the death of the Asse, and the Gentel woman was
staide,

Cap. 25.
AFter supper they beganne to talke,* and declared
vnto him the goinge away of the gentlewoman,
and how I bare her vpō my backe, & what death
was ordeyned for vs twoo. Then he desired to sée her▪
whereupon the Gentlewoman was brought foorth fast
bounde, whom assone as he beheld, he turned him selfe
wringinge his nose & blamed them, saying: I am not so
much a beast or so rashe a fellow,* y• I would driue you
quight from your purpose, but my conscience will not
suffer me to conceale any thinge that toucheth your
profite, since as I am carefull for you, how be it if my
counsell doo displease you, you may at your owne li∣bertie
procéede in your enterprise. I doubte not but
all Théeues, and suche as haue a good iudgement, will
preferre their owne lucre & gaine aboue all thinges in
the worlde, & aboue their vengeance, which purchaseth
Page 70

damage to diuers persons. Therefore if you put this
Virgin in the Asses belly, you shal but execute your in∣dignation
against hir without all maner of profite:
but I woulde aduise you to carie the Virgin to some
towne & to sel her. And such a braue girle as she is, may
be solde for a great quantitie of money: And I my selfe
know certaine bawde Marchaūtes, amongest whome,
peraduenture some one will giue-vs great summes
of golde for her. This is my opinion touchinge this af∣faire:
But aduise you what you intende to doo, for you
may rule me in this case. In this maner the good thefe
pleaded and defended our cause, being a good patron to
the séely Virgin, and to me poore Asse. But they staide
hereupon a good space with longe deliberation, whiche
made my harte (God wote) and spirit greatly to quale.
Howebeit, in the ende they consented to his opinion,
and by and by, the mayden was vnlosed of hir bondes,
who seinge the yonge man, and hearinge the name of
brothels and bawde Marchauntes, began to waxe ioy∣full,
and smiled with her selfe. Then began I to déeme
euill of the generation of women, when as I sawe the
maiden (who was appointed to be maried to a yonge
gentleman, and who so greatly desired the same) was
nowe delighted with the talke of a wicked and filthy
brothel house, and other thinges dishonest. In this sort
the consent and maners of wemen depēded in the iud∣gement
of an Asse.

¶Howe all the Theues weare brought in a sleape by their
newe companion.

Cap. 26.
THen the yonge man spake againe, saiynge: Mai∣sters,
why go we not about to make our praiers


to Mars touching this sellinge of the maiden,* and to
sake for other compaigniōs. But as farre as I sée here
is no maner of beaste to make sacrifice withall, nor
wyne sufficient for vs to drinke. Let me haue ({quod} he)
tenne more with me, and we wil goe to the next castel,
to prouide for meate and other thinges necessarie. So
he and tenne more with him, went their waie: In the
meane season the residue made a great fire, and an al∣tar
with grene tirfes, in the honour of Mars. By and
by after they came againe, bringing with them bottels
of wyne, and a great nomber of beastes, amongest
whiche there was a bigge Ram goate, fatte, olde, and
hearie, whiche they killed and offered vnto Mars. Thē
supper was prepared sumptuouslie: And the new com∣paignion
saide vnto the other. You ought to accompte
me not onelie your Captaine in robberie and fight, but
also in your pleasures and iolitie, wherupon by and by
with pleasaūt there he prepared meate, & trimming vp
the house, he set all thinges in order, & brought the po∣tage
& dentie dishes to the table: But aboue all he plied
them well with great pottes, & iugges of wine. Some∣times
(séeming to fetche somwhat) he would goe to the
maiden and giue her pieces of meate, whiche he priuely
tooke awaie, and would drinke vnto hir, whiche she wil∣lingly
tooke in good parte. Moreouer he kissed her twise
or thrise, wherof she was well pleased, but I (not well
contented thereat) thought in my selfe: O wretched
maide,* thou hast forgotten thy mariage, & doest esteme
this straunger and bloudy théefe aboue thy husbande,
which thy parentes ordeined for thée, nowe perceiue I
wel thou hast no remorse of cōscience, but more delight
to tarie & plaie the harlot here amongst so manie wea∣pons
and swoordes, what knowest thou not howe the
Page 71

other Theeues if they knew thy demeanure would put
thée to death as they had once apointed, & so worke my
destruction likewise? well now I perceaue thou haste a
pleasure in the damage and hurt of other. While I did
angerly deuise with my selfe all these thinges, I per∣ceaued
by certaine signes and tokens (not ignorant to
so wise an Asse) that he was not the notable théefe He∣mus,
but rather Lepolemus her husbād,* for after much
communication he began to speake more frankely, not
fearinge at all my presence, and saide: be of good chéere
my swéete fréende Charites, for thou shalt haue by and
by all these thy enemies captiue vnto thée. Then he fil∣led
wine to the théeues more, and more, and neuer cea∣sed
till as they weare all ouercome with aboundance
of meate and drinke, when as he him selfe absteyned
and bridled his owne appetite: and truely, I did great∣ly
suspect, least he had mingled in their cuppes some
deadly poyson, for incontinently they all fell downe a
sléepe on the grounde one after an other, and laye as
though they had bene dead.

¶How the Gentlewoman was carried home by her husband
while the Theeues were asleepe, and howe muche Apu∣leius
was made of.

Cap. 27.
WHen the Théeues were all a sléepe by their
great and immoderate drinkynge, the yonge
man Lepolemus toke the maiden & set hir vpō
my backe and wente homeward, when we were come
home, all the people of the Citie (especially her parētes,
fréendes & familie) came rūning foorth ioyfully, & al the
children & maidens of y• towne, gathered together to sée
this virgin in great triūph sittyng vpō an Asse. Thē I


(willinge to show as much ioye as I might as present*
occasion serued) I set and pricked vp my longe eares, I
ratled my nosethrilles, and cried stoutly, nay rather I
made the towne to ringe againe wt my shrilling sound▪
when we were come to her fathers house, she was re∣ceaued
into a chamber honorably: as for me, Lepole∣mus
(accompaigned with a great nomber of Citizins)
did driue me backe againe with other horses to y• caue
of the Théeues, where we found them all a sléepe liyng
on the ground as we left them, then they first brought
out al the golde, siluer, and other treasure of the house,
and laded vs withall, whiche when they had done, they
threwe many of the théeues downe into the bottome of
déepe ditches, and the residew they slewe with their
swoordes: after this we returned home gladde & merry
of so great vengeance vpō them, and the richesse which
we carried was committed to the publique Treasory:
This done, the maide was married to Lepolemus, ac∣cordyng
to the lawe, whome by so much trauell he had
valiātly recouered: Then my good mistris looked about
for me, & askinge for me cōmaunded the very same day
of her marriage, that my maūger should be filled with
barley, and that I should haue hay & Otes abundantly,
& she would call me her litle Camell. But how greatly
did I curse Fotis in that she transformed me into an
Asse, and not into a Dogge, because I sawe the dogges
had filled their paunches with the relickes and bones
of so woorthy a supper, the nexte day this newe wedded
woman (my mistris) did greatly commende me before
her parentes and husbande, for the kindenes whiche I
had showed vnto her, and neuer leued of vntill suche
time as they promised to rewarde me with great ho∣nors,
then they called together al their fréendes, & thus
Page 72

it was so concluded, one said that I should be closed in
a stable and neuer woorke but continually to be fedde
and fatted with fine and chosen barley and beanes, &
good littor, how be it an other preuayled, who wishing
my libertie perswaded them that it was better for me
to runne in the fieldes emongst the lasciuious horses
and mares, whereby I might engender some mules for
my mistris,* then he that kept the horse was called for,
and I was deliuered vnto him with great care, in so
muche that I was right pleasaunt and ioyous, because
I hoped that I shoulde carry no more fardels or bur∣thens,
moreouer I thought that when I should thus be
at libertie, in the springe time of the yeare when the
medowes and fieldes were gréene, I should finde some
Roses in some place, whereby I was fully perswaded
that if my maister and mistris did render to me so ma∣ny
thankes and honours beynge an Asse, they would
much more rewarde me beynge turned into a man: but
when he (to whome the charge of me was so straightly
cōmitted) had brought me a good way distant from the
Citie, I perceaued no delicate meates nor no libertie
which I should haue,* but by and by his couetous wife
and most cursed queane made me a mill Asse, and (bea∣tinge
me with a kidgell full of knottes) would wringe
bredde for her self and her household out of my skinne,
yet was she not contented to wery me and make me a
drudge with carriage and grinding of her owne corne,
but I was hired of her neyghbours to beare their
sackes likewise, how be if she would not giue me suche
meate as I shoulde haue, nor sufficient to sustaine my
life withall, for the barley whiche I grounde for mine
owne dinner she would fell to the inhabitātes by. And
after that I had laboured all day, she would set before


me at night a litle filthy branne,* nothinge cleane but
full of stones. Beynge in this calamitie yet fortune
worked me other tormentes, for on a day I was lette
loose into the f••ldes to pasture by the commaūdement
of my maister, O how I leaped for ioye, how I neyed
to see my selfe in such libertie, b•t especially since I be∣helde
so many mares, whiche I thought should be my
wiues and concubines, and I espied out and choose the
fayrest before I came nighe them, but this my ioyfull
hope turned into vtter destruction,* for incontinently
all the stone Horses whiche were well fedde and made
stronge by ease of pasture, and thereby muche more
puissant then a poore Asse, were Ielous ouer me, and
(hauinge no regarde to the lawe and order of the God
Iupiter) ranne fiersely and terribly againste me, one
lifted vp his fore féete and kicked me spitefully, an o∣ther
turned him selfe and with his hinder héeles spur∣ned
me cruelly, the thirde threatninge with a maliti∣ous
neyinge dressed his eares and shewyng his sharpe
and white téeth bitte me on euery side. In like sorte
haue I redde in Histories howe the Kinge of Thrace,*
would throwe his miserable geste to be torne in péeces
and deuoured of his wilde horses, so niggishe was that
Tyraūt of his prouender that he nourished them with
the bodies of men.

¶How Apuleius was made a common Asse to fetche home
woodde, and how he was handled by a boye.

Cap. 28.
AFter that I was thus handled by the Horses, I
was brought home againe to the mille, but be∣holde,
fortune (insatiable of my tormentes) had
deuised a new paine for me, I was appointed to bringe
Page 73

home woodde euery day frō a high hill, and who should
driue me thither and home againe, but a boy that was
the veriest hangeman in all the worlde, who was not
contēted with the great trauell that I toke in climinge
vp the hill, neither pleased when he sawe my hoofes
torne and worne away by sharpe flintes, but he beate
me cruelly with a great staffe,* in so much that the mary
of my boanes did ake for woo, for he woulde strike me
continually on my right hippe and still in one place,
whereby he tare my skinne and made of my wide sore
a great hole or trench, or rather a windowe to looke out
at, and although it ranne downe of bloud, yet would
he not cease beatinge me in that place, moreouer he la∣ded
me with such great trusses and burthens of woodde
that you would thinke they had bene rather prepared
for Olyphantes then for me, and when he perceaued
that my woodde hanged more of one side then an other
(when he shoulde rather take away the heauy shides,
and so ease me or els lifte them vp to make them equall
with the other) he layde great stones vpon the weaker
side to remedie the matter, yet coulde he not be con∣tented
with this my greate miserie and immoderate
burthens of woodde, but when we came to any riuer
(as their weare many by the way) he to saue his féete
from water woulde leape vpon my loynes likewise,
whiche was no small lode vpon lode. And if by ad∣uenture
I had fell downe in any dirtie or myry place,
when he should haue pulled me out, either with ropes,
or lifted me vp by the tayle, he woulde neuer healpe
me, but layde me on from toppe to toe with a mighty
staffe, till he had lefte no heare on all my bodie, no
not so muche as on mine eares, whereby I was com∣pelled
by force of the blowes to stande vp.



The same hangeman boye did inuent an other tor∣ment
for me, he gathered a great many sharpe thornes
as sharpe as néedels, and bounde them together like
a faggot and tied them at my taile to pricke me, then
was I afflicted on euery side, for if I had endeuored to
runne away the thornes would haue pricked me, if I
had stoode still the boye would haue beaten me, and yet
the boye beate me to make me runne, whereby I per∣ceaued
that the hangeman did deuise nothinge els saue
to kill me by some manner of meanes, and he woulde
sweare and threaten to doo me worse harme, and be∣cause
he might haue some occasion to execute his ma∣licious
minde, vpon a day (after that I had endeuored
to much by my pacience) I lifte vp my héeles and spur∣ned
him welfauoredly. Then he inuented this ven∣geance
against me, after that he had well laded me
with shrubbes and rubbell and trussed it rounde vpon
my backe, he brought me out into the way: then he
stale a burninge coale out of a mans house of the nexte
village and put it into the middle of the rubbell, the
rubbell and shrubbes beinge very drie, did fall on a
light fire and burned me on euery side. I coulde sée no
remedie how I might saue my selfe, and in suche a case
it was not beste for me to stande still: but fortune was
fauorable towardes me, perhaps to reserue me for
more daungers, for I espied a great hole full of rayne
water that fell the day before, thither I ranne haste∣ly
and plunged my selfe therein, in suche sorte that I
quenched the fire and was deliuered from that present
perill, but the vile boye to excuse him selfe declared to
all the neyghbours and sheapeherdes aboute that I
willingly tombled in the flere as I passed through the
villages. Then he laughed vpon me saiynge: Howe
Page 74

longe shall we nourishe and keepe this fyry Asse in
vaine.

¶Howe Apuleius was accused of lecherie by
the Boie.

Cap. 29.
A Fewe daies after, this Boie inuented an other
mischiefe: For whē he had solde al y• wood, which
I bare, to certain men dwelling in a village by,
he led me homeward vnladen: And then he cried that
he was not able to rule me, & that he woulde not driue
me any lenger to the hill for woodde, saiyng: doo you sée
this slowe and dull Asse, who besides all the mischiefes
that he hath wrought alreadie, inuenteth dailie more &
more. For when he espieth any woman passing by the
waie, whether she be olde or maried, or if it be a yonge
childe, he will throwe his burthen from his backe and
ronneth fiersly vpon thē. And after yt he hath throwen
them downe, he will stride ouer them to committe his
buggery and beastlie pleasure, moreouer he will faine
as though he would kisse them, but he will byte their
faces cruellie, whiche thinge may woorke vs great dis∣pleasure,
or rather be imputed vnto vs as a crime: and
euen now when he espied an honest maiden passing by
the highe waie, he by and by threwe downe his woodde
& ranne after her: And when he had throwen her vpon
the ground, he would haue rauished her before the face
of all the worlde, had it not bene that by reason of her
criyng out, she was succoured and pulled frō his héeles
and so deliuered. And if it had so come to passe that this
fearfull maiden had bene slaine by him, what daun∣ger
had we bene in? By these and like lies, he prouoked
the shéepeherdes earnestlie against me, whiche greued


me (God wote) full sore that saide nothing. Then one
of the shepeherdes said: Why doo we not make sacrifice
of this common adulterouse Asse. My sonne ({quod} he)
let vs kill him and throwe his guttes to the dogges,* &
reserue his fleshe for the labourers supper. Then let vs
cast dust vpō his skinne, & carie it home to our maister,
and say that the Wolues hath deuoured him. The boie
that was my euill accuser, made no delaie but prepared
him selfe to execute the sentence of the shepeherde, re∣ioysing
at my present daūger, but O how greatly did I
then repent that the stripe which I gaue him with my
héele had not killed him. Then he drewe out his swoord
and made it sharpe vpon a whetstone to slea me, but an
other of the shepeherdes gan saie, verely it is a great
offence to kill so faire an Asse.* And so (by accusation of
luxurie and lasciuious wantonnes) to lacke so necessary
his labour and seruice, where otherwyse if you would
cut of his stones, he might not onely be depriued of his
courage, but also become gentle, that we should be de∣liuered
from all feare of daunger. Moreouer, he would
be thereby more fat and better in fleshe. For I knowe
my selfe as well many Asses, as also moste fierce hor∣ses,
that by reason of their wantonnes, haue bene most
madde and terrible, but (when they weare gelded and
cut) they haue become very gentle and tame, and trac∣table
to all vse. Wherfore I would counsell you to geld
him. And if you consent therto, I will by and by, when
I goe to the next market fetche mine yrons and tooles
for the purpose: And I ensure you after y• I haue gel∣ded
and cut of his stones, I will deliuer him vnto you
as tame as a lambe. When I did perceiue that I was
deliuered from death,* and reserued to be gelded, I was
greatly sorie, in so muche that I thought all the hinder
Page 75

part of my bodie and my stones did ake for woo, but I
sought about to kil my selfe by some maner of meanes,
to thende if I should die, I would die with vnperished
members.

¶Howe the boye that ledde Apuleius to the fieldes, was
slaine in the woodde.

Cap. 30.
WHile I deuised with my selfe in what maner
I might ende my life, the roperipe boie on the
next morrow led me to the hill againe, & tied
me to a boowe of a great Oke, and in the meane season
he tooke his hatchet and cut woodde to lode me withall,
but beholde there crept out of a caue by, a meruailous
great Beare, holdinge out his mighty head, whome
when I sawe, I was sodēly strokē in feare & (throwing
all the strēgth of my bodie into my hinder héeles) lifted
vp my streined head and brake the halter, wherwith I
was tied. Then there was no néede to bidde me runne
awaie, for I scoured not onely on foote, but tumbled o∣uer
the stones and rockes with my bodie, til I came in∣to
the open fieldes, to the intent I would escape away
from the terrible Beare, but especially from the boie y•
was worse then the Beare. Then a certaine straunger
that passed by y• waie (espiyng me alone as a straie Asse)
tooke me vp & rode vpon my back, beating me wt a staffe
(which he bare in h• hād) through a blind & an vnknowē
lane, wherat I was nothing displeased, but willingly
wēt forward to auoide y• cruel paine of gelding, which
y• shepardes had ordeined for me, but as for y• stripes I
was nothing moued, since I was acustomed to be beatē
so euery day: But euell fortune would not suffer me to
continue in suche estate longe: For the Shepeherdes


(looking about for a cowe that they had lost,* after they
had sought in diuers places) fortuned to come vpon vs
vnwares, who when they espied and knewe me, they
woulde haue taken me by the halter, but he that rode
vpon my backe resisted thē saiyng. Good lord maisters,
what intende you to doo? will you robbe me? Then said
the shéepeherdes, what thinkest thou that we handle
thée otherwise then thou deseruest, which hast stolen a∣waie
our Asse, why doest thou not rather tel vs where
thou hast hidden the boie whom thou hast slaine? And
therewithall they pulled him downe to the grounde,
beatinge him with their fistes, and spurning him with
their féere. Then he sware vnto thē saiyng: that he saw
no maner of boie, but onely founde the Asse loose and
straiynge abroade, whiche he tooke vp to thintent he
might haue some rewarde for the finding of him, and to
restore him againe to his maister. And I would to god
({quod} he) y• this Asse (which verely was neuer séene) could
speake as a man, to geue witnesse of mine innocencie:
Then would you be ashamed of the iniurie whiche you
haue done to me. Thus (reasoning for him selfe) he no∣thing
preuailed, for thei tied the halter about my neck,
and (maugre his face) pulled me quite awaie, & led me
backe againe through the wooddes of the hill to y• place
where the boie accustomed to resorte. And after that
they could finde him in no place, at length they founde
his bodie rent and torne in pieces, and his members
dispersed in sondrie places, which I well knewe was
done by the cruel Beare, and verely I would haue told
it if I might haue spoken, but (whiche I could onely do)
I greatly reioysed at his death, although it came to
late. Then they gathered together the pieces of his bo∣die
and buried them. By and by they laide all the fault
Page 76

to him that was my newe maister, that tooke me vp by
the way, and (bringing him home faste bounde to their
houses) purposed on the nexte morrow to accuse him of
murder, and to lead him before the Iustices to haue
iudgement of death.

¶How Apuleius was cruelly beaten by the mother of the
boye that was slaine.

Cap 31.
IN the meane season while the parentes of the boye
did lament and wéepe, for the death of their sonne.
The shéepeherd (according to his promise) came with
his instrumentes and tooles to gelde me, then one of
them said: Tushe we litle estéeme the mischief which he
did yesterday, but now we are contēted that to morow
his stones shal not onely be cut of,* but also his head. So
was it brought to passe that my death was delaide till
the next morowe: but what thankes did I giue to that
good boie, who (being so slaine) was the cause of my par∣don
for one shorte day: Howbeit I had no time then to
rest my self, for the mother of the boye wéeping and la∣menting
for his death, attyred in mourninge vesture,
tare her heare, and beate her brest, and came presently
into the stable, sayinge: Is it reason that this carelesse
beast should doo nothinge all day but holde his head in
the manger, filling and bolling his guttes with meate
without cōpassion of my great miserie, or remēbraunce
of the pitifull death of his slayne maister: and contem∣ninge
my age and infirmitie, thinketh that I am vna∣ble
to reuenge his mischiefes: moreouer he would per∣swade
me that he were not culpable, in déede it is a cō∣uenient
thinge to looke and pleade for safetie, when as
the conscience doth confesse the offence, as théeues and
malefactors accustome to doo: but O good Lord y• cursed


beast if thou couldest vtter the cōtentes of thine owne
minde whome* (though he were the veriest foole in all
the worlde) mightest thou perswade that this murder
was voide or without thy faulte, when as it lay in thy
power either to kéepe of the théeues with thy héeles or
else to bite and teare them with thy téeth. Couldest not
thou (that so oftē in his life time diddest spurne & kicke
him) defende him nowe at the pointe of death by like
meane? yet at least thou shouldest haue taken him vpō
thy backe, and so brought him from the cruel handes of
théeues, where contrary thou rannest away alone for∣sakinge
thy good maister, thy pastor, and conductor.
Knowest y• not that such as denie their holesome helpe
and ayde to them which lie in daunger of death, ought
to be punished because they haue offended against good
manners and the law naturall, but I promise thée thou
shalt not longe reioyse at my harmes: thou shalt féele y•
smart of thy homicide and offence, I wil sée what I can
doo, and there withall she vnlosed her apron, and boūde
all my féete together, to the ende I might not helpe my
selfe, then she toke a great barre whiche accustomed to
barre the stable doore, and neuer ceased beatinge of me
till she was so weary y• the barre fell out of her hādes,
whereupon she (complayninge of the soone faintnes of
her armes) ranne to her fire and brought a fier brande
and thrust it vnder my taile, burninge me continually
till such time as (hauing but one remedie) I all arrayed
her face and eies with my dirtie donge, whereby (what
with the stinke therof, and what with the filthines that
fell in her eyes) she was welnie blinde, so I enforced
the queane to leaue of, otherwise I had died as Melea∣ger
did by the sticke, whiche his madde mother Althea
cast into the fire.

Page 77
The eight Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse.
¶Howe a yonge man came and declared the mi∣serable
death of Lepolemus, and his wife Cha∣rites.

Cap. 32.
ABoute midnight came a yonge man
whiche séemed to be one of the fami∣ly*
of the good woman Charites, who
sometimes endured so muche misery
and calamitie with me emongst the
théeues, who after that he had taken
a stoole and satte downe by the fire
side in the company of the seruauntes, beganne to de∣clare
many terrible thinges that had happened vnto
the house of Charites, saying: O ye horsekepers, shepe∣herdes,
and cowheardes, you shall vnderstand that we
haue loste our good mistris Charites, miserably and by
euill aduenture, and to the ende you may learne and
know all the whole matter, I purpose to tell you the
circumstance of euery pointe, wherby such as are more
learned then I (to whome fortune hath ministred more
copious stile) may painte it out in paper in forme of an
Historie: there was a yonge gentleman dwellinge in
the nexte Citie, borne of good parentage, valiant in
prowesse, and riche in substance, but very much geuen
and addict to whore huntyng and continuall reueling.
Whereby he fell in company with théeues,* and had his
hande ready to the effusion of humaine bloudde, his
name was Thrasillus.



The matter was this according to the report of eue∣ry
man: He demaunded Charites in marriage, who
although he were a man more comely then the residue
that wooed her,* and also had richesse abundantly, yet
because he was of euill fame, and a man of wicked ma∣ners
and conuersation, he had the repulse and was put
of by Charites, and so she married with Lepolemus:
howbeit this yonge man secretly loued her, yet moued
somwhat at her refusal, he busily serched some meanes
to woorke his damnable intent: And (hauinge found oc∣casion
and opportunitie to accōplish his purpose, which
he had longe time concealed) brought to passe, that the
same daye that Charites was deliuered by the subtile
meane and valiant audacitie of her husbande, from the
puissance of the Théeues, he mingled him self emongst
the assembly, feigninge that he was gladde of the new
marriage and comminge home againe of the mayden,
whereby (by reason that he came of so noble parentes)
he was receaued & entertained into the house, as one
of their chiefe and principall fréendes:* Howbeit vnder
cloke of a faithful welwiller, he dissimuled his mischie∣uous
minde and intent, in continuāce of time, by much
familiaritie, and often conuersation and banketinge
together, he fell more and more in fauour, like as we
sée it fortuneth to louers, who first doo litle delight thē
selues in loue, till as by continuall acquaintaunce they
kisse and embrase eche other. Thrasillus perceauinge
that it was a harde matter to breake his minde secret∣ly
to Charites, whereby he was wholy barred from the
accomplishmēt of his luxurious appetite, & on the other
side perceauinge that the loue of her and her husbande
was so strongly linked together, ye the bonde betwéene
them might in no wise be disseuered, moreouer it was
Page 78

a thinge impossible to rauishe her, although he had con∣sented
therto, yet was he still prouoked forward by ve∣hement
lust when as he sawe him selfe vnable to bring
his purpose to passe. Howbeit at lēgth the thinge which
séemed so hard and difficil, through hope of his fortified
loue, did now appeare easie & facill: but marke I pray
you diligently to what ende the furious force of his in∣ordinate
desire came. On a day Lepolemus went to
the chase with Thrasillus to hunte for Goates, for his
wife Charites desired him earnestly to medle with no
other beastes, which were of more fierce and wilde na∣ture,
when they were come within the chase to a great
thicket fortressed about with bryers and thornes, they
compassed rounde with their dogges, and besette euery
place with nettes, by and by warninge was giuen to
lette loose: The dogges rushed in with suche a crie
that all the forest range againe with the noyes, but be∣holde
there leaped out no Goate, nor déere, nor gentle
Hinde, but an horrible and daungerous wilde Boare,
harde & thicke skinned, bristeled terribly like thornes,
fominge at the mouth, grindinge his téeth and lokinge
dyrefully with fitie eyes. The dogges that first set vpō
him he tare and rent with his tuskes, and thē he ranne
quight thorough the nettes and escaped away: when
we sawe the furie of this beast, we were greatly strikē
with feare, and because we neuer accustomed to chase
suche dreadfull Boares, and further because we were
vnarmed and without weapons, we gotte and hidde
our selues vnder bushes and trées: then Thrasillus ha∣uinge
founde oportunitie to woorke his treason, saide
to Lepolemus, what stande we here amased? why show
we our selues like dastardes? why léese we so woorthy
a pray with our feminiue hartes? let vs mounte vpon


our horses and pursue him incontinentlie: Take you a
hunting staffe, & I will take a chasing speare, by and by
they leaped vpon their horses and folowed the beaste.
But he returning against thē with furious force, pried
with his eies, on whome he might first assaile with his
tuskes: Lepolemus stroke the beast first on the back wt
his hunting staffe.* Thrasillus faininge to aide and as∣siste
him, came behind, and cut of the hinder legges of
Lepulemus horse, in such sorte that he fel downe to the
ground with his maister: And sodenly the Boare came
vpon Lepolemus, and furiously tare and rēt him with
his téeth. Howbeit, Thrasillus was not suffised to sée
him thus wounded,* but when he desired his friendlie
helpe, he thrust Lepolemus through the right thighe
with his speare, the more because he thought the woūd
of the speare would be takē for a wound of the Boares
téeth: Then he killed the beast likewise. And when he
was thus miserably slaine, euery one of vs came out of
our holes, and went towardes our slaine master. But
although that Thrasillus was ioyfull of the death of
Lepolemus,* whome he did greatly hate, yet he cloked
the matter with a sorowfull countenaunce, he feigned
a dolorous face, he often embrased the body whiche he
him selfe slewe, he plaied all the partes of a mourninge
person, sauing there fell no teares from his eies. Thus
he resembled vs in eche point, who verely, and not
without occasion, had cause to lament for our maister,
laiyng all the blame of this homicide vnto the Boare.
Incontinently after, the soroweful newes of the death
of Lepolemus, came to the eares of all the family, but
especially to Charites, who after she had hard suche pi∣tifull
tidinges, as a madde and raginge woman, ranne
vp and downe the streates, criyng and howling lamē∣tably.
Page 79

All the citezins gathered together, and suche as
they met, bare them companie runninge towardes the
chase. When they came to the slaine bodie of Lepole∣mus,
Charites threwe her selfe vpon him, weping and
lamenting greuouslie for his death, in suche sorte, that
she would haue presentlie ended her life, vpon y• corpse
of her slaine husbande, whome she so entierly loued,
had it not bene that her parentes and friendes did com∣fort
her, and pulled her away. The body was takē vp,
and in funerall pompe brought to the citie, and buried.
In the meane season, Thrasillus feigned much sorowe
for the death of Lepolemus, but in his hart he was well
pleased & ioyful. And to coūterfect the matter, he would
come to Charites & saie: O what a losse haue I had by y•
death of my friende, my fellowe, my compaignion Le∣polemus:
O Charites, cōfort your selfe, pacifie your do∣lor,
refraine your wéeping, beat not your brestes: And
with such other & like woordes, & diuers exāples he en∣deuored
to suppresse her great sorowe, but he spake not
this for any other intēt but to win the hart of y• womā,
and to norish his odious loue with filthy delight.* How¦beit,
Charites after the buriall of her husbāde, sought y•
meanes to folowe him, and (not susteining the sorowes
wherin she was wrapped) gotte her secretly into a chā∣ber
& purposed to finish her life there with dolour & tri∣bulation:
But Thrasillus was very importunate, & at
lēgth brought to passe that at the intercessiō of the pa∣rentes
& friendes of Charites, she somewhat refreshed
her fallen membres with refectiō of meate and bayne.
Howbeit, she did it more at y• cōmaundement of her pa∣rents,
then for any thing els: For she could in no wise
be mery, nor receiue any comforte, but tormented her
selfe daye and night before the image of her husbande,


which she had made like vnto Bacchus, & rendred vnto
him diuine honours and seruices. In the meane season
Thrasillus not able to refraine any lēger, before Cha∣rites
had asswaged her dolours, before her troubled
minde had pacified her fury, euē in the middle of all her
griefes, while she wéeped for her husbande, while she
tare her garments and rent her heare, demaunded her
in marriage, and so without shame he detected the se∣cretes
& vnspeakeable deceites of his harte. But Cha∣rites
detested and abhorred his demaunde & as she had
bene stroken with some clappe of thunder, with some
storme, or with the lightning of Iupiter, she presently
fell downe to the grounde all amased. Howbeit in the
ende when her spirites were reuiued & that she retur∣ned
to her selfe, perceauing that Thrasillus was so im∣portunate,
she demaunded respite to deliberate and to
take aduise on the matter, in the meane season y• shape
of Lepolemus that was slaine so miserably appeared to
Charites with a pale and blouddy face, sayinge: O my
swéete wife (which no other person cā say but I) I pray
thée for the loue which is betwéene vs twoo,* if there be
any memory of me in thy hart, or remembraunce of my
pitifull death, marry with any other person, so that y•
marry not with the traytour Thrasillus, haue no con∣ference
with him, eate not with him, lie not with him,
auoide the blouddy hande of mine enemie, couple not
thy selfe with a parricide, for those woundes (the bloud
wherof thy teares did wash away) were not y• woūdes
of the téeth of the Boare, but the speare of Thrasillus
depriued me from thée. Thus spake Lepolemus vnto
his louinge wife, and declared the residew of the dam∣nable
fact: then Charites awaking from sléepe beganne
to renew her dolor, to teare her garments, and to beate
Page 80

her armes with her comely hādes, howbeit she reueled
the vision whiche she sawe to no manner of person, but
dissimulinge that she knew no parte of the mischiefe,
deuised with her selfe howe she might be reuenged on
the traytor, and finish her owne life to ende and knitte
vp all sorrow: Incontinently came Thrasillus the de∣testable
demaunder of sodein pleasure, and weried the
closed eares of Charites with talke of mariage, but she
gentely refusinge his cōmunication, and colouring the
matter, with a passing crafte in the middest of his ear∣nest
desiers, gan say: Thrasillus, you shall vnderstand
that yet the face of your brother and my husband, is al∣waies
before mine eies, I smel yet the Cinamome sent
of his pretious body, I yet feele Lepolemus aliue in my
hart, wherfore you shall doo wel if you graūt to me, mi∣serable
woman, necessarie time to bewayle his death,
that after the residue of a few moneths, the whole yere
may be expired, which thing toucheth aswell my shame
as your holsome profite, least peraduēture by our spée∣die
and quicke marriage we should iustely raise & pro∣uoke
the spirit of my husband to woorke our destructiō.
Howbeit Thrasillus was not contented with this pro∣mise,*
but more and more was earnest vpon her: In so
much y• she was enforced to speake to him in this man∣ner:
My fréende Thrasillus, if thou be so contented vn∣till
the whole yéere be complete and finished, beholde
here is my body, take thy pleasure, but in such sort and
so secrete, that no seruaūt of the house may perceaue it.
Then Thrasillus trustinge the false promisses of the
woman, & preferring his inordinate pleasure aboue all
thinges in the worlde, was ioyfull in his harte & looked
for night, when as he might haue his purpose. But
come y• about midnight ({quod} Charites) desguised without


company. And doo but hisse at my chamber doore, & my
noucce shall attende and let thée in: this counsell plea∣sed
Thrasillus meruelously, who (suspecting no harme)
did alwaies looke for night, and the houre assigned by
Charites: the time was skarse come, whē as (according
to her commaundement) he desguised him selfe, & went
streight to the chamber, where he foūde the nource at∣tendinge
for him, who (by the apointment of her mi∣stris)
fedde him with slatteringe talke, and gaue him
mingled & doled drinke in a cuppe, excusing the absence
of her mistris Charites by reason that she attended on
her father being sicke, vntil such time, that with swéete
talke and operation of the wine, he fell in a sounde
sléepe: now when he lay prostrate on the grounde rea∣die
to all aduenture, Charites (beinge called for) came
in, and with manly courage and bolde force, stoode ouer
this sleepinge murderer, saying: Beholde the faithfull
compaignion of my husbande, beholde this valiaunt
hunter:* behold my déere spouse, this is the hande which
shedde my bloudde, this is the harte whiche hath de∣uised
so many subtill meanes to worke my destruction,
these be the eyes whome I haue ill pleased, behold now
they forshowe their owne destinie, sléepe carelesse,
dreame that thou arte in the handes of the mercifull,
for I will not hurte thée with thy swoorde or with any
other weapon, God forbidde that I shoulde slea thée as
thou slewest my husband, but thy eies shall fayle thée,
and thou shalte sée no more, then that whereof thou
dreamest: thou shalte thinke the death of thine enemie
more swéete then thy life: thou shalte sée no light, thou
shalte lacke the ayde of a leader, thou shalte not haue
me as thou hopest, thou shalte haue no delight of my
marriage, thou shalte not die, and yet liuinge thou
Page 81

shalte haue no ioye, but wander betwéene light and
darkenesse as an vnsure image: thou shalte séeke for
the hande that pricked out thy eies, yet shalte thou
not knowe of whome thou shouldest complaine: I will
make sacrafice with the bloudde of thine eyes vpon the
graue of my husband, but what gainest thou thorough
my delay? Perhaps thou dreamest that thou embra∣cest
me in thine armes, leaue of the darkenes of sléepe,
and awake thou to receaue a penall depriuation of thy
sight, lifte vp thy face, regarde thy vengeance and e∣uill
fortune, recken thy miserie so pleaseth thine eies
to a chaste woman, that thou shalte haue blindnesse
to thy compaignion, and an euerlastinge remorse of
thy miserable conscience. When she had spoken these
woordes, she toke a great nedle from her head and pric∣ked
out both his eies: which done, she by and by caught
the naked swoorde whiche her husbande Lepolemus
accustomed to were, and ranne thorough out all the
Citie like a madde woman, towarde the Sepulchre of
her husbande: Then all we of the house withall the Ci∣tizins,
rāne incontinently after her, to take the swoord
out of her handes, but she claspinge aboute the tombe
of Lepolemus, kept vs of with her naked weapon, and
when she perceaued that euery one of vs wepte and la∣mented,
she spake in this sorte: I pray you my fréendes
wéepe not, nor lament for me, for I haue reuenged
the death of my husbande, I haue punished deseruedly
the wicked breaker of our marriage, nowe is it time
to séeke out my swéete Lepolemus, and presently with
this swoorde to finishe my lyfe. And therewithall after
she had made relation of the whole matter, declared
the vision which she sawe, and tolde by what meane she
deceaued Thrasillus, thrustinge the swoorde vnder her


right brest & wallowinge in her owne bloudde, at lēgth
with manly courage yéelded vp the ghost.* Then imme∣diatly
the fréendes of miserable Charites, did burie her
body within the same sepulchre. Thrasillus hearyng al
the matter, & knowinge not by what meanes he might
ende his life, for he thought his swoorde was not suffi∣cient
to reuēge so great a crime, at length went to the
same sepulchre and cried with a loude voice, sayinge:
O ye dead spirites whom I haue so highly offended re∣ceaue
me, beholde I make sacrifice vnto you with my
bodie: whiche saide, he closed y• sepulchre, purposing to
famish him selfe, and to finishe his life there in sorrow.
These thinges the yonge man with pitifull sighes and
teares declared vnto the cowheardes & shéepeherdes,
whiche caused them all to wéepe: but they fearinge to
become subiect vnto new maisters, prepared thē selues
to departe away.

¶How Apuleius was ledde away by the horsekeper, and
what daungers he was in.

Cap. 33.
BY and by the Horsekeper,* to whome the charge of
me was cōmitted, brought foorth all his substance
and laded me and other horses withal, & so depar∣ted
thense: we bare wemen, children, pullettes, spar∣rowes,
kiddes, whelpes, & other thinges whiche were
not able to kéepe pace with vs, and that whiche I bare
vpon my backe, although it was a mighty burthen, yet
séemed it very light, because I was driuen away from
him that most terribly had appointed to kill me, when
we hed passed ouer a great mountayne full of trées,
and were come againe into the open fieldes, beholde
we approched nighe to a fayre and riche Castell, where
Page 82

it was tolde vnto vs that we weare not able to passe in
our iourney that night, by reason of the great number
of terrible Woolues, whiche weare in the countrey a∣bout,
so fierce and cruell, that they put euerie man in
feare, in such sort that they would inuade and set vpon
such which passed by like theues, and deuoure bothe thē
and their beastes.

Moreouer, we weare aduertised that there laie in
the waie wheare we should passe, manie dead bodies,
eaten and torne with Wolues. Wherefore we weare
willed to state theare all night, & on the next morning,
to goe close and rounde together, whereby we might
passe and escape all perilles and daungers. But (not∣withstandinge
this good counsell) our cait••e driuers
weare so couetous to goe forwarde, and so fearfull of
pursuit, that they neuer staied till the morninge: But
being well nie midnight, they made vs trudge in our
waie a pace: Then I fearing the great daunger whiche
might happen, ranne amongest the middle of the other
horses, to thend I might defend and saue my poore but∣tockes
from the Wolues, whereat euery man muche
meruailed to sée, that I scoured away swifter then the
other horses: But suche was my agilitée not to get me
any praise, but rather for feare. At that time I remem∣bred
with my selfe, that the valiant horse Pegasus, did
•ie in the aire more to auoide the daunder of dreadfull
Chimera, then for any thing els. The shepardes which
draue vs before thē, weare well armed like warriours:
One had a speare, an other had a shepehooke, some had
dartes, some clubbes, some gathered vp great stones,
some helde vp their sharpe iauelins, and some feared
awaie the Wolues with light firebrandes. Finally we
lacked nothing to make vp an armie, but onely drums


and trumpettes, but when we had passed these dau••∣gers
not without small feare, we fortuned to fall into
worse, for the Wolues came not vpon vs, eyther be∣cause
of the greate multitude of our company, or els
because of our firebrandes, or peraduenture they were
gone to some other place, for we could sée none, but the
inhabitantes of the nexte villages (supposinge that we
were Théeues by reason of our great multitude,) for
the defence of their owne substance, and for the feare
they were in, sette great and mighty masties vpon vs,
which they had kept & nourished for the safetie of their
houses, who compassing vs rounde about, leaped on e∣uery
side, tearing vs with their téeth, in such sorte that
they pulled many of vs to the grounde, verely it was
a pitifull sight to sée so many dogges, some followinge
suche as flied, some inuadinge such as stoode still, some
tearinge those which lay prostrate, but generally there
were none which escaped cléere: Behol•e vpon this an
other daunger ensewed, the inhabitantes of the towne
stoode in their garrettes & windowes, throwinge great
stones vpon our heades, that we coulde not tell whe∣ther
it were best for vs to auoide the gapinge mouthes
of the dogges at hād, or the perill of the stones a farre,
emongst whome there was one that hurled a greate
•inte vpon a woman, which satte vpon my backe, who
cried out piteously, desiringe her husband to helpe her.
Then he (cominge to succour and ayde his wife) began
to speake in this sorte: Alas maisters what meane you
to trouble vs poore laboring mē so cruelly? what meane
you to reuenge your selues vppon vs, that doo you no
harme? what thinke you to gaine by vs? you dwell not
in caues or dennes: you are no people barborous that
you should delight in effusion of humaine bloudde.
Page 83

At these woordes the tempest of stones did cease, & the
storme of the dogges vanished away. Then one (stan∣dinge
on the toppe of a great Cipresse trée) spake vnto
vs, saying: Thinke you not maisters that we doo this,
to the intent to rifle or take away any of your goodes,
but for the saluegarde of our selues and family, now a
Goddes name you may departe away. So we wēt for∣warde
some wounded with stones, some bitten with
dogges, but generally there was none whiche escaped
frée.

¶How the Shepeherdes determined to abide in a certaine
woodde to cure their woundes.

Cap. 34.
WHen we had gonne a good part of our way we
came to a certayne woodde enuironed with
great trées, & compassed about with pleasaunt
medowes, wheras the shéepeherdes apointed to conti∣new
a certaine space to cure their woundes, and sores,
then they satte downe on the grounde to refresh their
werie mindes, and afterwardes they sought for medi∣cines
to heale their bodies, some washed away their
bloud with the water of the runninge riuer: some stop∣ped
their woundes with sponges and cloutes, in this
māner euery one prouided for his owne safety. In the
meane season we perceaued an old man, who séemed to
be a shéepeherde by reason of the goates and shéepe that
fedde roūd about him:* Then one of our cōpany demaū∣ded
whether he had any milke, butter, or chéese to sell.
To whom he made answeare shaking his head, saying:
Doo you looke for any meat or drinke, or any other refe∣ction
here? know you not in what place you be? & ther∣withal
he toke his shéepe & draue thē away as fast as he
might possible. This answere made our shéepeherdes


greatly to feare that they thought of nothinge els butto
enquire what countrey they weare in: Howbeit, they
sawe no maner of persone of whome they might de∣maunde.
At length as they weare thus in doubte, they
•erceiued an other olde man with a staffe in his hand,
very werie with trauell, who approching nighe to our
companie, began to wéepe and complaine, saiyng: Alas
maisters, I praie you succour me miserable caitife, and
restore my neiphewe to me againe, that by following a
sparrowe that flewe before him, is fallen into a ditche
hereby, and verely I thinke he is in daunger of death.
As for me, I am not able to helpe him out by reason of
my olde age, but you that are so valiāt and lustie, may
easelie helpe me herein, and deliuer me my boye, my
heire and guide of my life. These woordes made vs all
to pitie him: And then the yongest and stoutest of our
companie, who alone escaped best the late skyrmishe of
dogges and stones, rose vp, demaūding in what ditche
the boie was fallen: Mary ({quod} he) yonder, and pointinge
with his finger, brought him to a great thicket of bus∣shes
and thorne, where they both entred in. In the
meane season, after y• we had well refreshed our selues
and cured our woundes, we tooke vp our packes, pur∣posing
to depart awaie. And because we would not goe
awaie without the yonge man our felowe: The she∣pehardes
whistled and called for him, but whē he gaue
no answere, they sent one of their companie to séeke
him out, who after a while returned againe with a pale
face and sorowfull newes, saiyng: that he sawe a terri∣ble
Draggon eating and deuouring their compaigniō:
and as for the olde man, he coulde sée him in no place.
When they hard this (remēbring likewise the woordes
of the first olde man that shaketh his head and draue
Page 84

away his sheepe) they ranne away beatinge vs before
them, to flie from this desert and pestilent countrie.

¶How a woman killed her selfe, and her childe, because her
husbande haunted harlottes.

Cap. 35.
AFter that we had passed a great part of our iour∣ney
we came to a certaine village, where we lay
all night, but herken and I will tell you a great
mischiefe that happened there. You shal vnderstande y•
there was a seruaunt to whome his maister had com∣mitted
the whole gouermēt of his house, and was mai∣ster
of the lodginge where we lay: this seruaunt had
married a mayden of the same house, how be it he was
greatly in loue with a harlotte of the towne, and accu∣stomed
to resorte vnto her, wherewith his wife was so
highly displeased and became so ielous, that she gathe∣red
together all her husbandes substāce, with his tailes
and bookes of accompte, & threwe them into a light fire,
she was not contented with this, but she toke a corde
& bounde her childe which she had by her husband about
her middle, & caste her selfe hedlonge into a déepe pitte:
The maister takinge in euill parte the death of these
twaine, toke his seruaunt whiche was the cause of this
murder by his luxury, and first after that he had put of
all his apparell, he annointed his body with hony, and
then bounde him sure to a figge trée, where, in a rotten
stocke a great number of Pismares had builded their
nestes, the Pismares after they had felte the swéetnes
of the hony came vpon his bodie, and by litle and litle
(in continuance of time) deuoured all his fleshe, in such
sorte that there remained on the trée nothinge els saue
his bace bones: this was declared vnto vs by the inha∣bitantes


of the village there who greatly sorrowed for
the death of this seruant: then we auoidinge likewise
from this dreadfull lodginge, incontinently departed
away.

¶Howe Apuleius was cheapened by diuers persons, and how
they loked in his mouth to know his age.

Cap. 36.
AFter this we came to a fayre Citie very popu∣lous,
where our shéepeherdes determined to cō∣tinew,
by reason y• it séemed a place where they
might liue vnknowē, farre from such as should pursue
them, and because it was a countrie very plentifull of
corne and other victualles, where when we had remai∣ned
the space of thrée daies, & that I poore Asse, and the
other horses were fedde & kept in the Stable to the in∣tent
we might séeme more saleable, we were brought
out at length to the market, and by & by a crier sounded
with his horne to notifie y• we were to be solde, all my
compaigniō horses were bought vp by gentlemen, but∣as
for me I stoode still forsaken of all men. And when
many biers came by and looked in my mouth to knowe
mine age, I was so werie with opening my iawes that
at length (vnable to endure any lenger) whē one came
with a stinking payre of handes, & grated my gommes
with his filthy fingers I bitte them cleane of, whiche
thing caused the standers by to forsake me, as beinge a
fierce and cruell beast: the crier when he had gotten a
hoarse voice with crying, and sawe that no man would
bie me, began to mocke me, saiyng: To what end stāde
we here with this vile Asse, this feble beast, this slowe
iade with woorne hoofes, good for nothinge, but to make
slues of his skinne, why doo we not giue him to some
Page 85

body, for he earneth not his hey, in this manner he
made all the standers by to laugh excéedingly, but my
euill fortune whiche was euer so cruell againste me,
whome I by trauell of so many countreis coulde in no
wise escape, did more and more enuie me, with inuen∣tion
of new meanes to afflict my poore bodie, in geuing
me an other maister as spitefull as the rest. There was
an olde man, somewhat balde, with longe and grey
heare, one of the nomber of those which goe from doore
to doore through out al the villages, bearing the image
of the Goddesse Siria, and plaiyng with cymballes to
gette the almes of good and charitable folkes, this olde
man came hastely towardes the crier, and demaunded
where I was bredde, marry ({quod} he) in Cappadocia: then
he enquired what age I was of, the crier aunsweared
as a mathematricien, whiche desposed to me my pla∣netes,
that I was fiue yeeres olde, and willed the olde
man to looke in my mouth, for I would not willingly
({quod} he) incurre the penaltie of the lawe Cornelia in sel∣ling
a frée Citizin for a seruill slaue, by a Goddes name
this faire beast to ride home on, and about in the coun∣trie:
but this curious bier did neuer stinte to question
of my qualities, and at length he demaunded whether
I were gentle or no: gentle ({quod} the crier) as gentle as a
Lambe, tractable to al vse, he wil neuer bite, he wil ne∣uer
kicke, but you would rather thinke y• vnder y• shape
of the Asse, there were some well aduised man, whiche
verely you may easely coniect, for if you would thrust
your nose in his tayle you shall perceaue how pacient
he is: Thus the crier mocked the olde man, but he per∣ceauing
his tauntes and iestes, wared very angry, sai∣yng:
Away dotinge crier, I pray the omnipotent and
omniparent goddesse Siria, sainct Sabod, Bellona


with her mother Idea, & Venus with Adonis to strike
out both thine eies that with tauntinge mockes haste
scoffed me in this sorte, doest thou thinke that I will
put a Goddesse vppon the backe of any fierce beaste,
whereby her diuine image should be throwen downe
on the grounde, and so I poore miser should be compel∣led
(tearinge my heare) to looke for some Phisicien to
helpe her? when I harde him speake this, I thought wt
my selfe sodeinly to leape vpon him like a madde Asse,
to the intent he shoulde not bie me, but incontinently
there came an other Marchaunt that preuented my
thought, and offered seuentene pence for me: then my
mayster was gladde and receauing the money, deliue∣red
me to my newe maister, who was called Philebus:
and he carried his newe seruaunt home, and before
he came to his house, he called out his daughters, say∣inge:
beholde my daughters what a gentle seruant I
haue bought for you, then they weare meruelous glad,
and comminge out pratlinge and shoutinge for ioye,
thought verely that he had brought home a fitte & con∣uenable
seruant for their purpose, but when they per∣ceaued
that it was an Asse, they began to reproue him,
sayinge: that he had not bought a seruant for his may∣dēs,
but rather an Asse for him selfe. Howbeit ({quod} they)
kéepe him not wholy for your owne ridinge, but let vs
likewise haue him at commaundement, therewithall
they ledde me into the stable, & tied me to the maūger,
there was a certaine yonge man with a mighty bodie
well skilled in playing on instrumētes before the God∣desse
to get money, who (assone as he espied me) enter∣tained
me very well, for he filled my racke & maunger
with meat, & spake merely, saying: O maister Asse you
are welcome, now you shall take my office in hande,
Page 86

you are come to supplie my rowme, and to ease me of
my miserable laboure: But I praie God thou maist lōg
liue and please my maister well, to thende thou maiest
continually deliuer me from so great paine. When I
harde his woordes, I did prognosticate my miserie to
come. The daie following, I sawe there a great nom∣ber
of persons apparelled in diuers colours, hauinge
painted faces, mytres on their heades, vestimentes co∣loured
like saffron, surplesses of silke, and on their féete
yellowe shoes, who attired the Goddesse in a roabe of
purple, and put her vpon my backe. Then they went
foorth with their armes naked to their shoulders, bea∣ring
with them great swoordes and mightie axes, and
daunsing like madde persons. After that we had pas∣sed
many small villages, we fortuned to come to one
Britunis house, where at our first entrie, they began
to hurle them selues hither and thither, as though they
weare madde. They made a thousand iestes with their
féete and their heades: They would bite them selues:
Finally, euery one tooke his weapon and wounded his
armes in diuers places. Emongest whome there was
one more madde then the reste, that fette many déepe
sighes from the bottome of his harte, as though he had
bene rauished in spirit, or replenished with deuine po∣wer.
And after that, he somwhat returning to him self
inuented and forged a great lie, saiyng: that he had di∣spleased
the deuine maiestie of the Goddesse, by doinge
of something whiche was not conuenable to the order
of their holie Religion, wherefore he would doo venge∣ance
of him selfe: And therewithall he tooke a whippe
and scourged his owne body, that the bloud issued out
abundantly, which thinge caused me greatly to feare
to sée such woūdes and effusion of bloud, least the same


Goddesse desiring so much the bloud of mē should like∣wise
delire y• bloud of an Asse.* After they were wery wt
hurling and beating them selues, they sat downe. And
beholde, the inhabitantes came in & offred gold, siluer,
vessels of wyne, milke, chéese, flower, wheat, and other
thinges: Amongst whome there was one that brought
barley to the Asse that caried the Goddesse, but the gre∣dy
horsons thrust al into their sacke which thei brought
for the purpose, and put it vpon my back, to thende I
might serue for twoo purposes, y• is to say: for the barne
by reason of my corne, and for the temple, by reason of
the goddesse. In this sorte they wet from place to place
robbing all the countrey ouer: At length they came to
a certaine castell, purposing to make good chere there,
where vnder coloure of diuinatiō, thei brought to passe
that they obteined a fatte shéepe of a poore husbandman
for the Goddesse supper, & to make sacrifice withal. Af∣ter
that y• banket was prepared, they washed their bo∣dies
& brought in a tale yong mā of the village to suppe
with them, who skaree tasted a fewe potage when
they began to discouer their beastly customes & inordi∣nate
desier of vnnaturall luxurie. For they compassed
him round about sitting at the table, & abused the yong
man contrarie to all nature & reason: When I behelde
this horrible fact, I could not but attempte to vtter my
minde and saie, O maisters, but I could pronounce no
more but the first letter O, which I roared out so vali∣antly,
that the yong mē of the town, séeking for a stray
Asse that they had lost the same night, and hearing my
voice, wherby they iudged y• I had bene theirs, entred
into the house vnwares, and founde these persons cō∣mitting
their vile abhomination, which whē they saw,
they declared to all the inhabitātes by their vnnatural
Page 87

vilanie mocking and laughing at this the pure & cleane
chastitie of their Religion. In the meane season, Phe∣bus
& his companie, (by reason of the bruite which was
dispersed throughout all ye Region there of their beast∣ly
wickednes) put all their tromperie vpon my backe &
departed away about midnight. When we had passed
a good part of our iourney before the rising of the Sun,
we came into a wide desert, where they cōspired toge∣ther
to slea me. For after they had taken the Goddesse
from my back and set her gingerly vpon the grounde,
they likewise tooke of my harnesse, and boūd me surely
to an oke, beating me with their whippe, in suche sorte
that all my bodie was mortified. Amōgst whome there
was one that threatned to cut of my legges with his
hatchet, because by my noyse I diffamed his chastitée,
but the other regarding more their own profit then my
vtilitie, thought best to spare my life, because I might
carie home the Goddesse: So they laded me againe, dri∣uing
me before them with their naked swoordes til thei
came to a noble citie: where the principal patrō bearing
high reuerence vnto the Goddesse, came in great deuo∣tion
before vs wt Tympanie, cimballes, & other instru∣mentes,
& receiued her & al our companie with much sa∣crifice
& veneration: But there I remember, I thought
my selfe in moste daūger, for there was one yt brought
to the maister of the house, a fide of a fat buck for a pre∣sent,
whiche being hanged behinde the kytchin doore,
not farre from the grounde, was cleane eaten vp by a
greyhounde that came in: The Cooke when he sawe
ye venison denoured, lamēted & wept pitifully. And be∣cause
supper time approched nigh, whē as he should be
reproued of to much negligēce, he tooke a halter to hāge
him self, but his wife perceiuing wherabout he went,


canne incontinently to him, and taking the halter in
both her handes stopped him of his purpose, saiynge: O
husband, are you out of your wittes? what intende you
to doo? Sée you not a present remedy before your eyes
ministred vnto you by deuine prouidence? I pray you
husband follow my coūsell, carrie this straūge Asse out
into some secret place and kill him, whiche done cut of
one of his sides, and sauce it well like the side of the
buck, and sette it before your maister. Then the Cooke
hearing the counsell of his wife, was well pleased to
slea me, to saue him selfe: And to bringe his purpose to
passe, he went to the whetstone to sharpe his tooles ac∣cordingly.

The ninth Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse.
¶Howe Apuleius saued him selfe from the Cooke by breaking
his halter and of other thinges that happened.

Cap. 37.
IN this maner the traiterous Cooke,
prepared him selfe to slea me: And
when he was ready with his kniues
to doo his feate, I deuised with my
selfe how I might escape the present
perill, and I did not long delaie: for
incontinentlye I brake the halter
wherewith I was tied, and flinging my héeles hither &
thither to saue my selfe, at length I ran hastely into a
parlour wheare the maister of the house was feastinge
with the priestes of the Goddesse Siria, and disquieted
all the companie, throwinge downe their meates and
drinkes from the table. The maister of the house dis∣maide
Page 88

at my great disorder, cōmaunded one of his ser∣uauntes
to take me vp, and locke me in some stronge
place to the ende I might disturbe them no more. But
I litle regarded my imprisonment, consideringe that I
was happely deliuered frō the handes of the traiterous
Cooke: Howbeit fortune, or the fatall disposition of the
diuine prouidence, whiche neither can be auoyded by
wise counsell, neither yet by any holesome remedy in∣uented
a new torment, for by & by a yonge ladde came
running into the parlor, all trembling and declared to
the maister of the house, that there was a madde dogge
running about in the stréetes, whiche had done muche
harme, for he had bitten many greyhoūdes and horses
in the Inne by: and he spared neither man nor beast,
for there was one Mytilius a mulettour, Ephestio a
cooke, Hyppatauius a chamberlaine, and Appolonius a
Phisicien, who (thinking to chase away yc madde dogge)
were cruelly wounded by him, in so muche that many
horses and other beastes infected with the venim of his
poisonous téeth became madde likewise, whiche thinge
caused them all at the table greatly to feare, and thin∣king
that I had bene bitten in like sorte, came out with
speares, clubbes, and pitchforkes purposing to slea me,
and I had vndoubtedly bene slaine had I not by and by
crepte into a chamber, where my maister intended to
lodge that night. Then they closed and locked fast the
doores about me, and kept the chamber rounde, til such
time as they thought that the pestilent rage of madnes
had killed me, when I was thus shutte in the chamber
alone, I laide me downe vpon the bedde to sléepe, con∣sidering
it was long time past, since I lay and toke my
reste as a man doth, when morninge was come, & that
I was well reposed, I rose vp lustely. In y• meane sea∣son


they which watched about the chāber all night rea∣soned
with them selues in this sorte, verely ({quod} one) I
thinke the Asse be dead, so thinke I ({quod} an other) for the
outragious poisō of madnes hath killed him, but being
thus in diuers opinions of a poore Asse, they looked tho∣rough
a creuis, & espied me standinge still, sober & quiet
in the middle of the chāber, then thei opened the dores,
and came towardes me to proue whether I were gētle
or no. Emongst whome there was one, which in my o∣pinion
was sent from heauen to saue my life, that wil∣led
the other to set a basen of fayre water before me, &
therby thei should know whether I were madde or no,
for if I did drinke without feare as I accustomed to doo
it was a signe that I was whole & in mine Assy wittes,
where contrary if I did fly & abhorre the tast of the wa∣ter,
it was an euident proufe of my madnes, whiche
thing he said y• he had red in auncient & credible bookes,
wherupon they toke a basin of cléere water & presented
it before me, but I, as sone as I perceaued the holsome
water of my life, ranne incontinently & thrustinge my
head into the basin, drāke as though I had bene greatly
a thirst, then they stroked me with their handes, and
bowed mine eares, & toke me by the halter to proue my
paciēce, but I taking eche thing in good part, disproued
their madde presumption by my méekenes & gentle be∣hauiour:
when I was thus deliuered from this double
daūger, the next day I was laded againe with the god∣desse
Siria, & other trumpery, and was brought out in∣to
the way with trumpets & cymballes, to begge in the
villages, which we passed by according to our custome.
And after that we had gonne thorough a fewe townes
and castels, we fortuned to come to a certaine village,
which was builded (as the inhabitātes there affirmed)
Page 89

vpon the foundation of a famous & auncient Citie. And
after that we had turned into the next Inne, we harde
of a pretie iest committed in the towne there, whiche I
would that you should know likewise.

¶Of the deceipte of a woman, which made her husband
Coocko•le.

Cap. 38.
THere was a man dwelling in y• towne very poore
that had nought but that whiche he gotte by the
labor & trauell of his handes: his wife was a faire
yonge woman, but very lasciuious & giuen to the appe∣tite
& desire of the flesh: it fortuned on a day that while
this poore man was gonne betimes in the morninge to
the fielde about his busines, according as he accustomed
to doo, his wiues louer secretely came into his house to
haue his pleasure with her. And so it chaunced that du∣ring
the time that he & she were busking together, her
husbande suspectinge no suche matter, returned home
praising the chast continencie of his wife, in y• he found
his doores faste closed, wherfore as his custome was, he
wistled to declare his cōming home: thē his crafty wife
reddy wt present shiftes caught her louer & couered him
vnder a great tubbe stāding in a corner: and therwith∣al
she opened the doore, blaming her husbād in this sort.
Cōmest y• home so euery day with empty handes? and
bringest nothing to maintaine our house? thou hast no
regard for our profite, neither prouidest for any meate
or drinke, where as I poore wretch doo nothing day and
night but occupie my selfe with spinning, & yet my tra∣uell
will skarse finde the candels whiche we spende. O
how much more happy is my neighbour Daphue, y• ea∣teth
and drinketh at her pleasure, and passeth the time
with her amorous louers accordinge to her desire.



What is the matter ({quod} her husbād) though our maister
hath made holyday at the fieldes, yet thinke not but y•
I haue made prouision for our supper, doest thou not
sée this tubbe that kéepeth a place here in our house in
vaine, and doth vs no seruice? beholde I haue solde it to
a good fellow (that is here present) for fiue pence, wher∣fore
I pray thée lende me thy hande that I may deliuer
him y• tubbe: His wife (hauing inuented a present shift)
laughed on her husband, saying: what marchāt I pray
you haue you brought home hither, to fetch away my
tubbe for fiue pence, for which I poore woman y• sitte al
day alone in my house haue bene proffred so often seuē:
Her husband being well apaide at her woordes, demaū∣ded
what he was that had bought the tubbe: looke ({quod}
she) he is gone vnder to sée where it be sound or no, thē
her louer which was vnder the tubbe, began to stirre &
rustle him selfe, and because his woordes might agrée to
the woordes of the woman, he saide: Dame will you
haue me tell the truth: this tubbe is rottē and krakt as
me séemeth on euery side. And then he turned him selfe
to her husband, saying: I pray you honest man light a
candell, y• I may make the tubbe cleane within, to sée if
it be for my purpose or no, for I doo not minde to caste
away my money wilfully: He, by & by (being made a ve∣ry
Oxe) lighted a cādle, saying: I pray you good brother
put not your selfe to so much paine, lette me make the
tubbe cleane and ready for you, wherupon he put of his
coate and crept vnder the tubbe to rubbe away the filth
from the sides. In the meane season this minion louer
cast his wife on the bottome of the tubbe, and had his
pleasure with her ouer his head, and as he was in the
middest of his pastime, he turned his head on this side,
and that side, finding fault with this and with that, til
Page 90

as they had both ended their busines, when as he deli∣uered
seuen pence for the tubbe: and caused the good mā
him selfe to carry it on his backe to his Inne.

¶Howe the Preestes of the goddesse Syria, were taken and
putte in pryson, and howe Apuleius was solde to a
Baker.

Cap. 39.
AFter that we had tarried there a fewe daies at
the coste and charges of the whole village, and
had gotten muche money by our diuination,
and pronostication of thinges to come: The Préestes
of the Goddesse Siria inuented a newe meane to picke
mens purses, for they had certayne lottes, whereon
writen:*Coniuncti terram proscindunt boues vt in futu∣rum
laeta germinent sara: that is to say: The oxen tied and
yoked together: doo plowe the grounde to the intent it may bringe
foorth his encrease: And by these kinde of lottes thei de∣ceaued
many of the simple sorte: for if one had demaū∣ded
whether he shoulde haue a good wife or no, they
woulde say that his lotte did testifie the same, that he
should be tied and yoked to a good womā, and haue in∣crease
of children: If one demaūded whether he should
by landes and possession, they said that he shoulde haue
much ground that should yéelde his increase: If one de∣maunded
whether he shoulde haue a good & prosperous
voyage, thei said he should haue good successe, & it should
be for the encrease of his profite: If one demaūded whe∣ther
he should vanquish his enemies, & preuaile in pur∣suite
of théeues, they saide that his enemies should be
tied and yoked to him: and his pursuite after théeues
should be prosperous. Thus by the tellinge of fortunes
they gathered a great quantitie of money, but when


thei were weary with geuing of answeares, thei draue
me away before them the nexte night, thorough a lane
whiche was more daungerous and stony then the way
which we went the night before: for on ye one side were
Quagmyres & foggy marshes, on the other side were
falling trenches and ditches, wherby my legges failed
me, in such sorte that I coulde scarse come to the plaine
fielde pathes. And behold by and by a great company of
the inhabitantes of the towne, armed with weapons,
and on horsebacke ouertoke vs, and incontinently ar∣restinge
Philebus and his Préestes, tied them by the
neckes and beate them cruelly, callinge them Théeues
and robbers, and after that they had manakled their
handes: Showe vs ({quod} they) the cuppe of Golde, which
(vnder the colour of your solempne Religion) ye haue
taken away, and nowe ye thinke to escape in the night
without punishment for your fact, by and by one came
towardes me, and thrusting his hande into the bosome
of the Goddesse Siria, brought out the cuppe whiche
they had stole: How be it for all their robbery whiche
appeared euident and plaine, they woulde not be con∣founded
nor abashed, but iestyng & laughinge out the
matter, gan say: Is it reason maisters that you should
thus rigorously intreate vs, and threaten for a small
trifling cuppe, which the mother of the Goddesse deter∣mined
to giue to her sister for a present, howbeit for all
their lies and cauillations, they were carried backe to
the towne and put in prison by the inhabitantes, who
takinge the cuppe of golde, and the Goddesse whiche I
bare, did put and consecrate them emongst the treasure
of the Temple: the next day I was carried to the mar∣kette
to be solde, and my price was set at seuen pence,
more then Philebus gaue for me. There fortuned to
Page 91

passe by a Baker of the next village, who after that he
had bought a great deale of corne, bought me likewise
to carry it home, and when he had well laded me ther∣with,
he draue me thorough a thorny and daungerous
way to his bakehouse, there I sawe a great companie
of horses that went in the mill day and night grinding
of corne, but least I shoulde be discouraged at the first,
my mayster entertayned me well, for the firste day I
did nothinge but fare deintely, how be it suche mine
ease and felicitie did not longe endure: for the next day
followynge I was tied to the mill betimes in the mor∣ninge
with my face couered, to the ende in turninge
and windinge so often one waie, I shoulde not become
giddy but kéepe a certayne course, but although when
I was a man I had séene many suche horsemilles, and
knewe well inough how they shoulde be turned, yet
feigninge my selfe ignorant of suche kinde of toyle,
I stoode still and would not goe, whereby I thought I
shoulde be taken from the mill as an Asse vnapt, and
put to some other light labour, or else to be dryuen in∣to
the fieldes to pasture: but my subtiltie did me small
good, for by and by when the mill stoode still, the ser∣uauntes
came about me, cryinge and beatinge me for∣warde,
in such sorte that I could not staye to aduise my
selfe, wherby all the cōpany laughed to sée so sodaine a
chaunge, when a good parte of the day was past, that I
was not able to endure any lenger, they tooke of my
harnesse, and tied me to the maunger, but although my
bones were wery, and that I néeded to refresh my selfe
with reste and prouender, yet I was so curious that I
did greatly delight to behold the bakers art, in so much
that I coulde not eate nor drinke while I looked on.
O good Lorde what a sorte of poore slaues were there,


some had their skinne blacke and blew: some had their
backes striped with lashes, some were couered with
rugged sackes, some had their members onely hidden:
some ware suche ragged cloutes y• you might perceaue
all their naked bodies, some were marked and burned
in the forehedes with hote yrons, some had their heare
halfe clipped, some had lockes on their legges, some
were vgly and euill fauored, that thei coulde skarse sée,
their eies & faces were so blacke & dimme with smoke,
like those which fight together in the sandes, & knowe
not where they strike by reason of duste: And some had
their faces all mealy, but howe shoulde I speake of the
horses my compaignions, how they being old & weake,
thrust their heades into the maunger: they had their
neckes all wounded and worne away: thei ratled their
nosethrilles with a continuall cough, their sides were
bare with their harnesse and great trauell, their ribbes
were broken with beatinge, their hoofes were battred
broade with incessant labour, and their skinne rugged
by reason of their lanknes: When I saw this dreadfull
sight, I greatly begāne to feare, least I should come to
the like state: And consideringe with my selfe the good
fortune which I was sometime in when I was a man,
I greatly lamēted holding downe my head, and would
eate no meate, but I sawe no comfort or consolation of
my euill fortune, sauinge that my minde was some∣what
recreated to heare and vnderstande what euery
man said, for they neyther feared nor doubted my pre∣sence:
At that time I remēbred how Homer the diuine
authour of auncient Poetry, described him to be a wise
man, which had traueled diuers countreis and na•iōs,
wherfore I gaue great thakes to my Assy fourme, in y•
by y• meane I had séene the experiēce of many thinges,
Page 92

and was become more wise (not withstāding the great
misery and labour which I dayly susteined) but I will
tell you a pretie iest, which cometh now to my remem∣braunce,
to the intent your eares may be delighted in
bearinge the same.

¶How Apuleius was handled by the Bakers wife, which
was a harlotte.

Cap. 40.
THe Baker whiche bought me was an honest and
sober man, but his wife was the moste pestilent
woman in all the worlde, in so much that he en∣dured
many miseries and afflictions with her, so that
• my selfe did secretely pitie his estate, and bewaile his
euill fortune: for she had not one faulte alone, but all
the mischiefes that could be deuised, she was crabbed,
cruell, lasciuious, dronken, obstinate, niggishe, coue∣tous,
riotous in filthy expenses, an ennemie to faithe
and chastitie, a despiser of all the Goddes whome other
did honour, one that affirmed that she had a God by
her selfe, whereby she deceaued all men, but especially
her poore husbande, one that abandoned her body with
continuall whoredome: This mischeuous queane ha∣ted
me in suche sorte,* that she commaunded euery day
before she was vp, that I should be put in the mill to
grinde: and the firste thinge whiche she woulde doo in
the morninge was to sée me cruelly beaten, and that I
shoulde grinde when the other beastes did féede and
take reste: when I sawe that I was so cruelly handled,
she gaue me occasion to learne her conuersation and
life, for I sawe oftentime a yonge man, whiche would
priuilyg•e into her chamber, whose face I did greatly
desire to sée, but I coulde not by reason mine eies were


couered euery day. And verely if I had bene frée and
at libertie I woulde haue discouered all her abhomina∣tion:
she had an olde woman, a bawde, a messenger of
mischiefe that dayly haunted to her house, and made
good chéere with her, to the vtter vndoinge and impo∣uerishment
of her husband, but I that was greatly of∣fended
with the negligence of Fotis, who made me an
Asse, in stéede of a birde, did yet comfort my self by this
onely meane, in that to the miserable deformitie of my
shape, I had longe eares, whereby I mighte here all
things that was done: On a day I harde the old baude
say to the Bakers wife: Dame you haue chosen (with∣out
my counsell) a yonge man to your louer, who as me
séemeth is dull, fearfull, without any grace, & dasterd∣ly
coucheth at the frowning lookes of your odious hus∣bande,
whereby you haue no delight nor pleasure with
him:* how farre better is the yonge man Philesiterus,
who is comely, beautiful, in the flowre of his youth, li∣berall,
courteous, valiant, and stoute against the dili∣gent
pries and watches of your husbande, woorthy to
embrase the woorthiest dames of this countrie, and
woorthy to were a crowne of golde, for one parte that
he plaide to one that was ielous ouer his wife: Herken
how it was, and then iudge the diuersitie of these twoo
louers, knowe you one Barbarus a Senator of our
towne, whome the vulgar people call likewise Scor∣pion
for his seueritie of manners. This Barbarus had
a gentle woman to his wife, whome he caused dayly to
be enclosed within his house with diligent custody, thē
the Bakers wife said I know her very wel, for we two
dwelled together in one house: Then you know ({quod} the
old woman) the whole tale of Philesiterus. No verely
(saide she) but I greatly desire to know it: therefore I
Page 93

pray you mother tell me the whole story. By and by
the olde woman whiche knew well to babble, beganne
to tell as followeth.

¶How Barbarus beyng ielous ouer his wife, commaun∣ded
that she shoulde be kepte close in his howse, and
what happened.

Cap. 41.
YOu shall vnderstād that on a day this Barbarus
preparing him selfe to ride abroade, and willing
to kéepe the chastitie of his wife (whom he so wel
loued) alone to him selfe called his man Myrmex (whose
faith he had tried and proued in many thinges) and se∣cretely
committed to him the custody of his wife, wil∣linge
him that he should threaten, that if any man did
but touch her with his finger as he passed by, he would
not onely put him in pryson,* and binde him hande and
foote, but also cause him to be put to death, or els to be
famished for lacke of sustenaunce, whiche woordes he
confirmed by Othe of all the Goddes in heauen, and
so he departed away: When Barbarus was gone, Myr∣mex
beinge greatly astonied at his maisters threat∣ninges,
woulde not suffer his mistris to goe abroade,
but as she satte all day a spinninge, he was so carefull
that he satte by her, when nighte came he wente with
her to the baynes, holdinge her by the garment, so
faithfull he was to fulfill the commaundement of his
maister: How be it the beautie of this noble Ma∣tron
coulde not be hidden from the burninge eyes of
Philesiterus, who considering her great chastitie, and
howe she was diligently kepte by Myrmex, thought it
impossible to haue his purpose, yet (endeuoringe by all
kinde of meanes to enterprise the matter, and remem∣bringe


the fragilitie of man,* that might be entised and
corrupted with money, since as by Golde the adamant
gates may be opened) on a day when he founde Myr∣mex
alone he discouered his loue, desiring him to show
his fauour (otherwise he should certainly die) with as∣surance
that he néede not to feare when as he might
priuily be lette in and out in the night, without know∣ledge
of any person. When he thought, with these, and
other gentle woordes, to allure and pricke forward the
obstinate minde of Myrmex, he showed him glittering
golde in his hande, saying: that he would giue his mi∣stris
twēty crounes, and him tenne, but Myrmex hea∣ringe
these woordes was greatly troubled, abhorringe
in his minde to cōmitte so wicked a mischiefe: wherfore
he stopped his eares, & turning his head departed away:
howbeit the glistering h•w of these crownes could ne∣uer
out of his minde, but being at home he séemed to sée
the money before his eies, which was so woorthy a pray
wherfore poore Myrmex being in diuers opinions could
not tell what to doo, for on the one side he cōsidered the
promisse which he made to his maister, and the punish∣ment
whiche should ensue if he did contrary. On the
other side he thought of the gayne, & the passinge plea∣sure
of the crownes of Golde, in the ende the desire of
the money did more preuaile then the feare of death,
for the beautie of the slourishinge crownes did so sticke
in his minde, that where the menaces of his maister
compelled him to tarry at home, the pestilent auarice
of the Golde egged him out a doores, wherfore putting
all shame aside without further delay, he declared the
whole matter to his mistris,* who according to the na∣ture
of women, when she harde him speake of so great
a summe, she bounde Chastitie in a stringe, and gauè
Page 94

authorite to Myrmex to rule her in that case. Myrmex
seing the intent of his mistresse, was very glad, and for
great desier of the golde,* he ran hastely to Philesiterus
declaring that his mistresse was cōsented to his mind,
wherefore he demaunded the gold which he promised:
Then incōtinentlie Philesiterus deliuered him tenne
crownes: and when night came, Myrmex brought him
disguised into his mistris chamber. About midnight
when he and she weare naked together, making sacri∣fice
vnto the Goddesse Venus, beholde, her husbande
(contrary to their expectation) came and knocked at
the doore, callinge with a loude voice his seruaunt
Myrmex: Whose longe tariyng, encreased the suspitiō
of his maister, in such sorte, that he threatned to beate
Myrmex cruelly: but he being troubled with feare, and
driuen to his latter shiftes, excused the matter, saiynge
that he could not finde y• kaie: by reason it was so dark.
In the meane season Philesiterus heatinge the noyse
at the doore, slipt on his coate, and priuily ranne out of
the chamber. When Myrmex had opened the doore to
his maister that threatned terribly, and had let him in,
he went into the chamber to his wife: In the meane
while Myrmex let out Philesiterus, & barred the doores
fast, and went again to bedde. The next morning,* whē
Barbarus awaked, he perceiued twoo vnknowen slip∣pers
liynge vnder his bedde, whiche Philesiterus had
forgotten when he went away. Then he conceaued a
great suspition and ielousie in his minde, howbeit, he
would not discouer it to his wife neither to any other
persone, but putting secretly the slippers in his bosom,
commaunded his other seruauntes to binde Myrmex
incontinently, and to bring him bounde to the Iustice
after him, thinking verely that by y• meane of the slip∣pers


he might boult out the matter. It fortuned that
while Barbarus went toward the Iustice in a furie &
rage, and Myrmex fast bounde, followed him wéeping,
not because he was accused before his maister, but by
reason he knewe his owne conscience gilty. Behold, by
aduenture Philesiterus (goinge about earnest busines)
fortuned to méete with them by the waie, who fearing
the matter which he cōmitted the night before, & doub∣ting
least it should be knowen, did sodenly inuente a
meane texcuse Myrmex, for he ran vpō him & beate him
about the head with his fistes cruelly, saiynge: Ah mis∣chieuous
verlet that thou art, and periured knaue. It
were a good déede if the Goddesse and thy maister here,
would put the to death, for thou art woorthie to be im∣prisoned,
and to weare out these irons, that stalest my
slippers awaie when thou warest at the baynes yester
night. Barbarus hearing these woordes, returned incō∣tinently
home, & called his seruaunt Myrmex, cōmaū∣ding
him to deliuer y• slippers againe to y• right owner.

The old woman had scars finished her tale, whē the
Bakers wife gan saie: Verely she is blessed & most bles∣sed,
that hath the fruition of so worthie a louer, but as
for me poore miser, I am fallen into y• handes of a cow∣ard,
who is not onlie aferde of my husbande, but also of
euery clap of the mill, and dares doo nothing before the
blinde face of yonder scabbed Asse. Then the old womā
answered, I promise you certeinly, if you will, you shal
haue this yong man at your pleasure, and therewithall
when night came,* she departed out of her chamber. In
the meane season, the Bakers wife made ready a sup∣per
with abundance of wyne, & exquisite fare: So that
there lacked nothing but the cōming of the yong man:
For her husbād supped at one of her neighbours house.
Page 95

When time came that my harnesse should be taken of &
that I should rest my self, I was not so ioyful of my li∣bertie,
as whē y• vaile was takē frō mine eies, I should
sée all y• abhominatiō of this mischieuous queane. Whē
night was come & the Sunne gone downe, behold y• old
Baude & the yong mā, who séemed to me but a child, by
reason he had no bearde, came to y• doore: Thē y• Bakers
wife kissed him a thousand times, & receiuing him cur∣teously,
placed him down at the table: but he had scarce
eaten the first morsell, when y• good man (cōtrary to his
wifes expectation) returned home, for she thought he
would not haue come so sone: But lorde how she cursed
him, praiyng God y• he might breake his neck at y• first
entry in. In the meane season, she caught her louer and
thrust him into y• bynne where she boulted her flowre,
and dissimuling the matter, finely came to her husbād,
demaunding why he came home so soone. I could not a∣bide
({quod} he) to sée so great a mischiefe & wicked fact which
my neighbours wife committed, but I must runne a∣way:
Oh harlot as she is, how she hath dishonoured her
husbande. I sweare by this Goddesse Ceres, that if I
had not séene it with mine eies, I woulde neuer haue
beleued it. His wife desirous to knowe the matter, de∣sired
him to tell what she had doone: Then he accorded
to the request of his wife,* and ignoraunt of the state of
his owne house, declared the mischaunce of an other.
You shall vnderstande ({quod} he) that the wyfe of the Ful∣ler
my compaignion, who séemed to be a wyse and chast
woman, regardinge her owne honestie, and the pro∣fite
of her house, was sound this night with her knaue.
For whyle we wente to washe our handes, he and
shee weare togeather: Who beynge troubled by our
presence ranne into a corner, where she thrust him into


a mew made with twigges, apointed to laie on clothes
to make them white with the smooke and fume of brim∣stone.
Then she sat downe with vs at the table to co∣lour
the matter: In the meane season the yong man co∣uered
in the mewe, could not forbeare snysing, by rea∣son
of the smooke of the brymstone. The good man thin∣king
it had bene his wife that snysed, cried Christ help:
But when he snysed more and more, he suspected the
matter, and willinge to knowe who it was, rose from
the table, and went to the mewe where he founde the
yong man well nte dead with smooke. When he vnder∣stoode
the whole matter, he was so inflamed with an∣ger,
that he called for a swoorde to kil him: and vndoub∣tedly
he had killed him, had not I restrained his violēt
handes from his purpose, assuring him that his enemy
would die with the force of the brymstone without the
harme which he should doo: Howbeit, my woords would
not appease his furie, but as necessitée required, we
tooke the yonge man well nie chooked, & carried him out
at the doores. In the meane season, I coūseled his wife
to absent her selfe at her neighbours houses, til the co∣ler
of her husbande was pacified, least he should be mo∣ued
against her, as he was against the yong man. And
so being wery of their supper, I foorthwith returned
home.* When the Baker had tolde this tale, his impu∣dent
wyfe began to curse and abhorre the wife of the
Fuller, and generally all other wiues which habandō
their bodies with any other then with their owne hus∣bandes,
breaking the faith & bonde of mariage, wherby
she saide they were woorthy to be burned aliue: But
knowing her owne gilty conscience and proper whor∣dom,
least her louer should be hurt, liyng in the bynne,
she willed her husbande to goe to bedde, but he hauing
Page 96

eatē nothing, said that he would suppe before he went
to rest: wherfore she was compelled maugre her eyen,
to sette suche thinges on the table as she had prepared
for her louer. But I, considering the great mischiefe of
this wicked queane, deuised with my self how I might
reueale the matter to my maister, and by kicking away
the couer of the binne (where like a snaile the yonge mā
was couched) to make her whoredome apparant and
knowē, at length I was aided by y• prouidence of God,
for there was an olde man to whome the custodie of vs
was committed, that draue me poore Asse, and the other
horses the same time to the water to drinke, then had I
good occasion ministred to reuenge the iniurie of my
master, for as I passed by I perceaued the fingers of the
yonge man vpon the side of the binne, and liftinge vp
my héeles I spurned of the fleshe with the force of my
hoofes, whereby he was compelled to crie out, and to
throwe downe the binne on the groūd,* & so the whore∣dome
of the Bakers wife was knowen and reuealed.
The Baker seing this, was litle moued at the dishone∣stie
of his wife, but he toke the yonge man tremblinge
for feare by the hande, & with cold and curteise woordes
spake in this sorte: Feare not my sonne nor thinke that
I am so barbarous or cruell person, that I would sti••e
thée vp with the smoke of Sulphur, as our neighbour
accustometh, nor I wil not punish thée according to the
rigor of the lawe Iulia, whiche cōmaundeth that adul∣terers
should be put to death: No no, I wil not execute
my crueltie against so fayre and comely a yonge mā as
you be, but we wil deuide our pleasure betwéene vs, by
liynge all thrée in one bedde, to the ende there may be
no debate nor dissentiō betwéene vs, but that either of
vs may be cōtented, for I haue alwaies liued with my


his necke appeared to her in the night, declaringe the
whole circumstance of his death, and how by inchaunt∣ment
he was descended to hell, whiche caused her to
thinke that her father was dead. After that she had la∣mented
a good space, & was somewhat comforted by the
seruauntes of the house, and when nine daies were ex∣pired,
as inheritrix to her father, she solde away all the
substance of the house, whereby the goodes chaunsed in∣to
diuers mens handes.

¶How Apuleius after the Baker was hanged, was solde to a
Gardiner, and what dreadfull thinges happened.

Cap. 42.
THere was a poore gardiner emongst ye rest, which
bought me for the summe of fiftie pence, whiche
séemed to him a great price, but he thought to
gaine it againe by the continuall trauell of my bodie:
The matter requireth to tell likewise, how I was hād∣led
in his seruice. This gardiner accustomed to driue
me euery morning laded wt herbes to the next village,
& when he had solde his herbes, he would mount vpon
my backe and returne to the gardein, & while he dig∣ged
the grounde, and watred the herbes, and wente
about other busines, I did nothing but repose my selfe
with great ease, but when winter approched, with
sharpe haile, raine, and frostes, and I standing alwaies
vnder a hedge side, was welnie killed vp with colde,
and my maister was so poore that he had no lodginge
for him selfe, much lesse he had any litter or place to co∣uer
me withal, for he him self alwaies lay vnder a litle
roofe, shadowed and couered with bowes. In the mor∣ninge
when I rose, I founde my hoofes shriueled toge∣ther
with colde, & vnable to passe vpon the sharpe yse, &
Page 98

frostie myre, neither could I fill my belly with meate
as I accustomed to doo, for my maister & I supped toge∣ther
and had both one fare: Howbeit it was very slēder
since as we had nothing els sauinge old and vnsauory
sallets, which were suffred to grow for séede, like long
broomes, and that had loste all their swéete sape & iuice.*
It fortuned on a day that an honest mā of the next vil∣lage
was benighted, and constrained by reason of the
raine to lodge (very lagged and wery) in our garden,
where although he was but meanly receaued, yet it ser∣ued
wel inough considering time & necessitie. This ho∣nest
man to recōpense our entertainment, promised to
giue my master some corne, oile, & two bottels of wine:
wherefore my maister not delaiyng the matter, laded
me with sackes & bottels, and rode to the towne which
was seuen miles of, when we came to the honest mans
house, he entertained & feasted my maister excéeding∣ly,
and it fortuned while they eate and dranke toge∣ther,
as signe of great amitie there chaunsed a straūge
and dreadfull case:* for there was a henne which ranne
kacklinge about the yarde, as though she woulde haue
laide an egge: The goodman of the house perceauinge
her, saide: O good and profitable pullet that féedest vs
euery day with thy fruicte, thou séemest as though thou
wouldest giue vs some pittance for our dinner; Ho boy
put the pannier in the corner that the henne may lay.
Then the boye did as his maister commaunded, but
the henne forsakinge the pannier came towardes her
maister, and laid at his féete not an egge whiche euery
man knoweth, but a chickin with feathers, clawes
and eyes, whiche incontinently ranne péepinge after
his dame.* By and by, happened a more straunge
thinge whiche would cause any man to abhorre, vnder


the table where they satte the grounde opened, & there
appeared a great well and fountaine of bloudde, in so
much that the droppes thereof sprinkled about the ta∣ble:
At the same time while they wōdred at this dread∣full
sight, one of the seruauntes came runninge out of
the seller, and tolde that all the wine was boiled out of
the vesselles, as though there had bene some great fire
vnder: By and by a Wesell was séene that drewe in∣to
the house a dead Serpent, and out of the mouth of
a shéepeherdes dogge leaped a liue frogge, and imme∣diatly
after one brought woorde that a Ramme had
strangled the same dogge with one bitte: All these
thinges that happened astonied the good man of the
house, and the residewe that were present, in so muche
they could not tell what to doo, or with what sacrafice
to appease the anger of the Goddes. While euery man
was thus striken in feare: beholde one brought woorde
to the goodman of the house,* that his thrée sonnes who
had bene brought vp in good litrature, and endewed
with good manners were dead, for they thrée had great
acquaintance and auncient amitie with a poore man,
which was their neighbour and dwelled harde by thē.
And nexte vnto him dwelled an other yonge man ve∣rie
riche bothe in landes and goodes, but bendyng from
the race of his progenies dissentions, and rulinge him
selfe in the towne accordinge to his owne will. This
yonge royster did mortally hate this poore man, in so
muche that he woulde kill his shéepe, steale his Oxen,*
and spoyle his corne and other fruictes, before the time
of ripenes, yet was he not contented with this, but he
woulde encroche vppon the poore mans grounde and
clayme all his heritage as his owne: The poore man
whiche was very simple and fearfull, séeinge all his
Page 99

goodes taken awaye by the auarice of the riche, called
together and assembled many of his fréendes to showe
them the metes and boundes of his lande, to the ende
he might haue but so muche grounde of his fathers he∣ritage
as mighte burie him. Emongest whome he
founde these thrée bretherne as fréendes to helpe and
ayde him in his aduersitie and tribulation: How be
it the presence of these honest Citizins, coulde in no
wise perswade him to leaue his extorte power, no nor
yet to cause any temperaunce of his tongue, but the
more they wente aboute with gentle woordes to tell
him his faultes, the more woulde he frette and fume,
swearinge all the Othes vnder God, that he litle re∣garded
the presence of the whole Citie, whereupon in∣continently
he commaunded his seruantes to take the
poore manne by the eares, and carrie him out of his
grounde, whiche greatly offended all the standers by:
Then one of the brethern spake vnto him somewhat
boldely, sayinge: It is but a foly to haue suche affiance
in your richesse, whereby you should vse your tirannie
againste the poore,* when as the lawe is common for
all men, and a redresse may be had to suppresse your in∣solence.

These woordes chased him more then the burninge
oyle, or flaming brimstone, or scourge of whippes, sai∣yng:
y• they should be al hanged & their lawes too, before
he would be subiect to any person: and therewithall he
called out his bandogges, & great mastiffes, whiche ac∣customed
to eate the karrein & karkeis of dead beastes
in the fieldes, and to sette vpon suche as pāssed by the
way, then he cōmaunded they should be put vpō all the
assistaunce to teare them in pieces, who assone as they


harde the hisse of their maisters, ranne fiercely vppon
them, inuading them on euery side, in so much that the
more they flied to escape away, the more cruell and ter∣rible
were the dogges. It fortuned emongest all this
fearfull companie, that in running, the yongest of the
thrée brethren, stumbled at a stone, and fell downe to
the grounde: Then the dogges came vpon him and tare
him in pieces with their teethe, whereby he was com∣pelled
to crie out for succour: His other twoo brethren
hearing his lamentable voice, ranne towardes him to
helpe him, casting their clokes about their left armes,
tooke vp stones to chase away the dogges, but all was
in vaine, for they might sée their brother dismembred
in euerie part of his body: Who liyng at the very point
of death, desired his brethren to reuenge his death a∣gainst
the cruell tyrant: And therewithall he gaue vp
the ghost. The other twoo brethern perceiuing so great
a murder, and neglecting their owne liues, like despe∣rat
persons dressed them selues against the tyrant, and
threw a great nomber of stones at him, but the bloudy
thiefe exercised to such & like mischiefes, tooke a speare &
thrust him cleane thorough the bodie: Howbeit he fell
not downe to the grounde. For the speare that came
out at his backe ranne into the yearth and sustained
him vp, by and by came one of this Tirantes seruaūts
the most sturdiest of the rest to helpe his maister, who
at his first coming, toke vp a stone, & threw at the third
brother, but by reason the stone ranne alonge his arme
it did not hurt him, whiche chaunsed otherwise then all
mens expectation was, by and by the yonge man feig∣ning
that his arme was greatly wounded, spake these
woordes vnto the cruel bloudsucker: Now maist thou,
•hou wretche triumphe vpon the destruction of all our
Page 100

family, nowe haste thou fedde thy insatiable crueltie
with the bloud of thrée brethern, nowe maiste thou re∣ioyse
at the fall of vs Citizins, yet thinke not but that
howe farre so euer thou doest remoue and extende the
boundes of thy lande, thou shalt haue some neighbour,
but howe greatly am I sory in that I haue loste mine
arme wher withall I minded to cut of thy head, when
he had spoken these woordes: The furious thiefe drewe
out his dagger, & running vpon the yong man thought
verely to haue slaine him, but it chaunsed otherwise:
For the yonge man resisted him stoutly, & in bucklinge
together by violēce wrested the dagger out of his hād:
whiche done, he killed the riche thiefe with his owne
weapon,* and to the intent the yonge man would escape
the handes of the seruauntes, whiche came runninge
to assiste their maister, with the same dagger he cutte
his owne throate. These thinges were signified by the
straunge and dreadful wonders which fortuned in the
house of the good man, who after he had harde these so∣rowfull
tidinges coulde in no wise wéepe, so farre was
he stroken with dolor, but presently takinge his knife
wherewith he cutte his cheése and other meate before,
he cutte his owne throate like wise, in suche sorte that
he fell vpon the borde and embrued the table with the
streames of his bloud in most miserable manner: Here∣by
was my maister the gardiner depriued of his hope,
and paying for his dinner the watry teares of his eies,
mounted vpon my backe, and so we wente homewarde
the same way as we came.

¶How Apueeius was founde by his shadow.

Cap. 43.
AS we passed by the way we mette with a tale soul∣diour
(for so his habite and countenaunce declared)


who with proude and arrogant woordes, spake to my
maister in this sorte: Quorium vacuum ducis à suum?
My maister somwhat astonied at the straunge sightes
which he saw before, and ignorant of the latine tongue
rode on & spake neuer a woorde: The souldiour vnable
to refraine his insolence & offended at his silence, strake
him on the shoulders as he satte vpon my backe, then
my maister gently made answeare that he vnderstoode
not what he saide, whereat the Souldiour angerly de∣maunded
againe whither he rode with his Asse: Mary
({quod} he) to the nexte Citie: but I ({quod} the Souldiour) haue
néede of his helpe, to carry the trusses of our Capi∣tayne
from yender Castell, and therewithall he toke
me by the halter, and woulde violently haue taken me
away: but my maister wipinge away the bloudde of
the blowe which he receaued of the Souldiour, desired
him gentely and cinily to take some pitie vppon him,
and to lette him departe with his owne, swearyng and
affirminge that his slowe. Asse, we•nie dead with sick∣nes,
coulde skarse carry a fewe handfulles of herbes to
the nexte towne, much lesse he was able to beare any
greater trusses: but when he saw the Souldiour would
in no wise be entreated, but ready with his staffe to
cleaue my maisters head, my maister fell downe at his
•éete, vnder colour to moue him to some pitie, but
when he sawe his time, he tooke the Souldiour by the
legges and caste him vppon the grounde: Then he buf∣feted
him, thumped him, bitte him, and toke a stone
and beate his face and his sides, that he could not turn•
or defende him selfe, but onely threaten that if euer he
rose he woulde choppe him in pieces. The Gardener
when he harde him say so, drewe out his iauelin which
he had by his side, and when he had throwen it away,
Page 101

he knockt and beatte him more cruelly then he did be∣fore,
in so muche that the Souldiour coulde not tell by
what meanes to saue him selfe, but by feigninge that
he was dead. Then my maister toke the iauelin and
mounted vppon my backe, ridinge in all haste to the
nexte village, hauinge no regarde to goe to his gar∣den,
and when he came thither, he turned into one of
his fréendes house and declared all the whole matter,
desiringe him to saue his life, and to hide him selfe and
his Asse in some secrete place,* vntill suche time as all
daunger were paste. Then his fréende not forgettinge
the auncient amitie betwéene them, entertained him
willingly, and drewe me vp a payre of steares into a
chāber, my maister crept into a chest & lay hidden there
with the couer closed faste: The Souldiour (as I after∣wardes
learned) rose vp as one awaked from a dron∣ken
sléepe, but he coulde skarse goe by reason of his
woūdes: how be it at length by litle and litle thorough
ayde of his staffe he came to the towne, but he woulde
not declare the matter to any person, nor complaine to
any iustice, least he should be accused of cowardise or
dasterdnes, yet in the ende he tolde some of his cōpaig∣nions
of all the matter that happened, then they toke
him, & caused him to be closed in some secret place, thin∣kinge
that beside the iniury whiche he had receaued, he
should be accused of y• breche of his faith, by reason of y•
losse of his speare, & when they had learned y• signes of
my master, thei wēt to search him out: at last ther was
an vnfaithful neighbour y• tolde them where we were,
then incōtinently the Souldiours went to the Iustice,
declaringe that they had lost by the way a siluer goblet
of their Capitaines, and that a gardener had found it,
who refusing to redeleuer y• goblet, was hiddē in one of


his fréendes house: by and by the Magistrates vnder∣standinge
the losse of the Capitaine, came to the doores
where we were, and commaunded our Oste to deliuer
my maister vpon paine of death: Howbeit these threat∣ninges
coulde not enforce him to confesse that he was
within his doores, but by reason of his faithfull pro∣mise,
and for the saluegarde of his friende: he said, that
he sawe not the gardener a great while, neither knew
where he was: the souldiours saide contrary, whereby
to know the verity of the mater, the Magistrates com∣maunded
their Sergeantes and ministers to searche
euery corner of the house, but when they coulde finde
neither gardi•er nor Asse: There was a great conten∣tion
betwéene the Souldiours and our Oste, for they
saide we weare within the house: and he saide no, but
I that was very curious to know the matter, when I
harde so great a noyes, put my head out of the window
to learne what the stirre and tumulte did signifie. It
fortuned that one of the souldiours perceaued my sha∣dowe,
whereupon he beganne to crie, saying: that he
had certainly séene me, then they were all gladde and
came vp into the chamber and pulled me downe like a
prisoner, when they had founde me they doubted no∣thinge
of the Gardiner, but séekinge about more nar∣rowly,
at length they founde him couched in a cheste.
And so they brought out the poore Gardiner to the Iu∣stices,
who was committed immediatly to pryson, but
they could neuer forbeare laughing from the time they
founde me by my shadow, whereof is risen a common
prouerbe: The shadowe of the Asse.

Page 102
The tenth Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse.
¶Howe the Souldiour draue Apuleius away, and how he came
to a Capitaines house: And what happened there.

Cap. 44.
THe nexte daie howe my maister the
Gardiner spedde. I knewe not, but
the gentle Souldiour, who was well
beaten for his cowardise, ledde me to
his lodging without the contradictiō
of any man: Where he laded me wel,
and garnished my bodie (as séemed to
me) like an Asse of armes. For on the one side I bare a
helmet that shined excedingly: On the other side a ter∣gat
that glistered more a thousand folde. And on the
toppe of my burthen, he had put a longe speare, whiche
thinges he placed thus gallantlie, not because he was
so expert in warre, (for the Gardiner proued contrary)
but to thende he might feare those whiche passed by,
when they sawe such a similitude of warre. When we
had gone a good part of our iourney, ouer the plain and
easie fieldes, we fortuned to come to a little towne,
where we lodged at a certaine Capitaines house. And
there the Souldiour tooke me to one of the seruauntes,
while he him selfe went towarde his Capitaine: Who
had the charge of a thousand men. And when we had
remained there a fewe daies, I vnderstode of a wicked
and mischeuous facte committed there,* whiche I haue
put in wrytinge, to the•de you may knowe the same.

The maister of the house had a sonne instructed in
good litrature, and ende••ed with vertuous manners,


such a one as you would desire to haue the like, longe
time before his mother died. And thē his father maried
a newe wife, and had an other childe of the age of .xij.
yéeres. This stepdame was more excellent in beantie
then honestie: For she loued this yonge man her sonne
in lawe, either because she was vnchast by nature, or
because she was enforced by fate of stepmother, to cō∣mit
so great a mischiefe. Gentle Reader, thou shalt not
reade of a fable, but rather a tragedy: This womā whē
her loue began first to kindle in her hart, coulde easely
resist her desire and inordinate appetite, by reason of
shame and feare, lest her intent should be knowē: But,
after that it compassed and burned euerie parte of her
brest,* she was cōpelled to yelde vnto the raginge flame
of Cupid, and vnder colour of the disease and infirmiti•
of her body, to conceale the wound of her restles mind.
Euery man knoweth well the signes & tokens of loue,
& the maladie conuenient to the same: Her countenance
was pale, her eies sorrowfull, her knées weake, & there
was no comfort in her, but continuall wéepinge & sob∣bing,
in so much you would haue thought that she had
some spice of an ague, sauing that she wepte vnmeasu∣rably.
The Phisitions knewe not her disease, whē they
felt the beating of her vaines, the intemperance of her
beat, the sobbing sighes, and her often tossing on euery
side: No, no, the conning Phisitions knewe it not, but
a scholler of Venus court might easely cōiect the whole.
After that she had bene long time tormented in her af∣fection,
and was no more able to conceale her ardent
de••er, she caused her sonne to be called for (which woord
Sonne, she would faine put awaye, if it weare not for
shame): Then he nothing disobedient to the commaun∣dement
of his mother, with a sadde and modest coun∣tenance,
Page 103

came into the chamber of his Stepdame, the
mother of his brother: but she speaking neuer a woord,
was in great doubt what she might doo, and coulde not
tell what to saie first, by reason of shame. This yonge
man suspectinge no ill, with humble curtesie demaun∣ded
the cause of her present disease. Then she hauinge
founde an occasion to vtter her wicked intente, with
wéepinge eyes and couered face, beganne bouldly to
speake vnto him in this manner. Thou, thou, art the
original cause of my present dolour: Thou art my com∣fort
and onely health, for those thy comly eyes, are so
fastened within my breste, that vnlesse thou succour•
me, I shall certainly die: Haue pitie therfore vpon me,
be not the occasion of my destruction, neither lette thy
conscience reclaime to offend thy father, when as thou
shalt saue the life of thy mother. Moreouer, since as
thou doest resemble thy fathers shape in euerie point,
it geueth me cause the more to fancie thée: Nowe is mi∣nistred
vnto thée tyme and place: Nowe haste thou oc∣casion
to woorke thy will, séeing that we are alone. And
it is a common saiyng:

Neuer knowen, neuer done.
This yong man troubled in his mynde, at so sodein
an ill, although he abhorred to cōmit so great a crime,
yet he would not cast her of with a present deniall, but
warely pacified her mynde with delaie of promisse.
Wherfore he promised her to doo all accordinge to her
defier: And in the meane season, he willed his mother
to be of good chere, and comforte her selfe, till as he
might finde some conuenient tyme to come vnto her,
when his father was ridden foorth: Wherwithal he got
him away, frō the pestilent sight of his Stepdame. And
knowing that this matter touching the ru•ue of all the

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Page 103
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whole house, néeded the counsell of wyse and graue
persones, he went incontinently to a sage old man, and
declared the whole circumstāce of the matter.* The old
man after long deliberatiō, thought there was no bet∣ter
meane to auoide y• storme of cruell fortune to come,
then to runne awaye. In the meane season this wicked
woman impacient of her loue, and the lōg delaie of her
sonne, egged her husbande to ride abroade into farre
countries. And then she asked the yong man the accom∣plishment
of his promisse, but he to deliuer him selfe,
entierly from her hādes, would finde alwaies excuses,
till in the ende, she vnderstode by the messengers that
came in and out, that he nothing regarded her. Then
the, by howe muche she loued him before, by so much &
more she hated him nowe. And by and by, she called one
of her seruauntes, ready to all mischiefes: To whome
she declared all her secretes. And there it was conclu∣ded
betwenè them twoo, that the surest waye was to
kill the yong man: Whereupon this Verlet went incō∣tinentlie
to buie poison, which he mingled with wine,
to the intent he would giue it the yong man to drinke,
and thereby presently to kill him. But while they were
in deliberation howe they might offer it vnto him. Be∣holde,
here happened a straunge aduenture. For the
yonge sonne of the woman that came from schole at
noone (being very thirsty) tooke the potte wherein the
poyson was mingled, and ignorāt of the hidden venym
dranke a good draught thereof, whiche was prepared to
kill his brother:* Whereby he presently fell downe to y•
groūd dead. His scholemaister seing this sodain chaūce
called his mother, and all the seruauntes of the house
with a loude voyce. Incontinently euerie man decla∣red
his opinion, touching the death of the childe: But
Page 104

the cruell woman, the onely example of stepmothers
malice was nothinge moued by the bitter death of her
sonne, or by her owne conscience of parracide, or by the
misfortune of her house, or by the dolor of her husbande
but rather deuised the destruction of all her family. For
by and by she sent a messanger after her husband to tell
him the great misfortune which happened after his de∣parture.
And when he came home the wicked woman
declared that his sonne had empoisened his brother,
because he would not consent to his will, and tolde him
diuers other lesinges, adding in y• ende that he threat∣ned
to kill her likewise, because she discouered the fact:
Then the vnhappy father was stroken with double do∣lor
of the death of his twoo children, for on the one side
he sawe his yonger sonne slaine before his eyes, on the
other side he séemed to sée y• elder condēned to die for his
offence: Againe where he behelde his wife lamente in
such sorte, it gaue him farther occasiō to hate his sonne
more deadly, but the funeralles of his yonger sonne
were skarse finished, when the olde mā the father with
wéeping eyes euen at the returne from the graue, wēt
to the Iustice and accused his sonne of the slaughter of
his brother, & how he threatned to slea his wife, wher∣by
the rather at his weping and great lamentation, he
moued all the Magistrates & people to pitie, in so much
that without any delay, or further inquisitiō they cried
all that he should be stonied to death, but the Iustices
fearinge a farther inconuenience: to arise by a particu∣lar
vengeance,* and to the ende there might fortune no
sedition emongst the people, praied the Decurious and
other officers of the Citie, that they might procéede by
examination of witnesses, and with order of Iustice ac∣cordinge
to the auncient custome, before the giuing of


any hastie sentence, or iudgement without hearinge of
the cōtrary part, like as the barbarous & cruell Tirāts
accustome to vse. Otherwise they should giue an ill ex∣ample
to their successors, this opiniō pleased euery mā,
wherfore the Senators & counselours were called, who
being placed in order accordinge to their dignitie, cau∣sed
the accuser & defender to be brought foorth, & by the
example of the Atheman law, and iudgement martial,
their aduocates were commauned to plead their causes
briefly, without preambles or motions of the people to
pitie,* whiche were to longe a processe: And if you de∣maunde
how I vnderstoode al this matter, you shal vn∣derstand
y• I hard many declare the same, but to recite
what woordes y• accuser vsed in his inuectiue, what an∣sweare
the defendour made, the orations & pleadinges
of ech partie: verely I am not able to doo, for I was fast
bounde at the maunger, but as I learned & knew by o∣thers,
I will God willing declare vnto you: So it was
ordred y• after the pleadinges of both sides was ended,
thei thought best to trie & boulte out the veritie by wit∣nesses,
all presumptions & likelyhoodes set a parte, & to
cal in the seruant, who onely was reported to know al
the matter, by & by the seruaunt came in, who nothing
abashed at y• feare of so great a iudgemēt, or at the pre∣sence
of y• Iudges, or at his own giltie cōscience, which
he, so finely feigned but with a bold coūtenance presen∣ted
him self before the Iustices, & confirmed the accusa∣tion
against the yonge man, saying: O ye Iudges, on a
day whē this yonge mā lothed & hated his Stepmother
he called me, desiring me to poison his brother, wherby
he might reuenge him selfe, & If I would doo it, & kéepe
y• matter secrete, he promised to giue me a good reward
for my paines, but when the yonge man perceaued y• I
would not accorde to his will, he threatned to slea me:
Page 105

wherupō he went him selfe & bought poison, & after tē∣pred
it with wine, & then gaue it me to giue to y• childe,
which when I refused, he offred it to his brother wt his
owne hādes. When the verlet with a trēbling counte∣naunce
had ended these woordes, which seemed a likely∣hoode
of truth, the iudgement was ended: neither was
there foūd any Iudge or Counselour so mercyful to the
yong mā accused as would not iudge him culpable, but
y• he should be put & sowen in a skinne, with a dogge, a
cocke, a snake, & an Ape, accordinge to the lawe against
parracides:* wherfore there wanted nothing, but (as the
aūcient custome was) to put white stones & blacke, into
a potte, and to take them out againe, to sée whether the
yonge man accused should be acquited by iudgement or
condēned, whiche was a thing irreuocable. In y• meane
season he was deliuered to y• handes of the executioner.
But there arose a sage & ancient Phisitian, a mā of good
consciēce & credite thorough out all the Citie, y• stopped
the mouth of y• potte wherin y• stones were cast, saiyng:
I am right gladde ye reuerende Iudges, y• I am a mā of
name & estimation emongst you, wherby I am accomp∣ted
such a one as will not suffer any person to be put to
death by false & vntrue accusations, consideringe there
hath bene no homicide or murder committed by this
yonge man in this case,* neither you (beinge sworne to
iudge vprightly) to be misinformed & abused by inuen∣ted
lies & tales: For I cānot but declare & open my con∣science,
least I should be founde to beare small honour
& faith to the Goddes: wherefore I pray you giue eare,
and I will showe you the whole truth of the matter:
you shal vnderstand y• this seruant which hath merited
to be hāged, came one of these daies to speake with me,
promising to giue me a hūdred crounes, if I would giue


him a present poyson, whiche would cause a man to die
sodenly, saying: that he would haue it for one that was
sicke of an incurable disease, to the ende he might be de∣liuered
from all his torment, but I smelling his crafty
and subtill fetche, and fearinge least he would worke
some mischiefe withall, gaue him a drinke: but to the
intent I might cléere my selfe from al daunger y• might
happen, I would not presently take the money, which
he offred: but least any one of the crownes should lacke
weight or be foūd coūtrefaite, I willed him to seale the
purse wherein they were put with his manuell signe,
wherby the next day we might goe together to y• gold∣smithe
to trie them, which he did, wherfore vnderstan∣ding
that he was brought present before you this day,
I hastely cōmaunded one of my seruantes to fetche the
purse which he had sealed, & here I bring it vnto you to
sée whether he will denie his owne signe or no:and you
may easely coniect that his woordes are vntrue, whiche
he alleaged against the yong man touching the biynge
of the poyson, consideringe he bought the poyson him
selfe. Whē the Phisitian had spoken these woordes you
might perceaue how the trayterous knaue chaunged
his colour, how he swette for feare, how he trembled in
euery part of his bodie:* And how he set one legge vpon
an other, scratchyng his head, and grindinge his téeth,
wherby there was no person but would iudge him cul∣pable.
In the ende when he was somewhat returned to
his former subtiltie, he beganne to denie all that was
saide, and stoutely affirmed that the Phisitian did lie.
But the Phisitian perceauinge that he was rayled at
and his woordes denied, did neuer cease to confirme his
saiynges and to disproue the verlet, til such time as the
officers by the commaundement of the Iudges, bound
Page 106

his handes and brought out the seale, wherwith he had
sealed the purse, which augmented the suspition which
was conceaued of him first. Howbeit neither the feare
of the whele or any other torment (according to the vse
of the Grecians) whiche weare ready prepared, no nor
yet the fire coulde enforce him to confesse the matter,
so obstinate and grounded was he in his mischieuous
minde, but the Phisitian perceauing that the menaces
of those tormentes did nothing preuaile, gan say: I cā∣not
suffer or abide that this yong man who is innocēt,
should against all lawe and conscience be punished and
condemned to die, & the other whiche is culpable should
escape so easely, and after mocke & floute at your iudge∣ment:
For I will giue you an euident proufe and ar∣gument
of this present crime, you shall vnderstande
that when this caytife demaunded of me a present and
stronge poyson, consideringe that it was not my parte
to giue occasion of any others death,* but rather to cure
& saue sicke persons by meane of medicines: And on the
other side, fearinge least if I should denie his request I
might minister a further cause of his mischiefe, eyther
that he would bie poyson of some other, or els returne
and woorke his wicked intent with a swoorde or some
daungerous weapō, I gaue him no poison but a doling
drinke of Mandragora, which is of such force that it wil
cause any man to sléepe as though he weare dead: Nei∣ther
is it any meruell if this moste desperate man, who
is certainely assured to be put to death, ordained by an
auncient custome, can suffer or abide these facill & easie
tormentes: but if it be so that the childe hath receaued
the drinke as I tempred it with mine owne handes, he
is yet aliue and doth but sléepe, and after his sléepe he
shall returne to life againe: but if he be dead in déede,


then may you further enquire of y• causes of his death:
The opinion of this aūcient Phisitian was found good,
& euery man had a desire to goe to the sepulchre where
y• childe was laide, there was none of y• Iustices, none
of any reputatiō of the towne, nor any of the common
people, but went to see this strange sight: Emongst thē
al, the father of the childe remoued with his owne hāds
the stone of the sepulchre, & founde his sonne rising vp
after his dead & Soporiferous sléepe, whom whē he be∣held
he embrased him in his armes, & presented him be∣fore
y• people with great ioye & consolation, & as he was
wrapped & bound in his graue, so he brought him before
the iudges, wherupon the wickednes of the seruaunt, &
the treason of the stepdame was plainly discouered, &
the veritie of the matter reueled, whereby the woman
was perpetually exiled,* the seruaunt hanged on a gal∣lowes,
& the Phisitian had the crounes which was pre∣pared
to bie the poyson: behold how the fortune of y• old
man was chaunged, who thinking to be depriued of all
his race & posteritie, was in one moment made the fa∣ther
of twoo children. But as for me I was ruled and
handled by fortune, according to her pleasure.

¶How Apuleius was solde to twoo brethern, whereof
one was a Baker, and the other a Cooke, and how finely
and deintily he fared.

Cap 45.
THe Souldiour which paid neuer a penny for me,
by the cōmaundement of his Capitaine, was sent
vnto Rome to carry letters to the great Prince, &
generall of the Campe, & before he went he sold me for
eleuen pence, to twoo of his cōpaignions, being seruāts
to a man of woorship, wherof one was a Baker y• baked
Page 107

swéete bread & delicates: the other a Cooke, whiche dres∣sed
fine and excellent meates for his maister, these two
liued in common, & would driue me from place to place
to carry suche thinges as was necessarie, in so muche
that I was receaued by these twoo, as a thirde brother
and compaignion, and I thought I was neuer better
placed then with them: For when night came y• supper
was done & their busines ended, they would bring ma∣ny
good morsels into their chamber for thē selues: One
wold bring pigges, chickins, fish, & other good meates,
the other fine bread, pasties, tartes, custardes, & other
delicate ionckettes dipped in honie. And when thei had
shutte their chamber doore and went to the baynes: (O
Lorde) how I woulde fill my guttes with those goodly
dishes: Neither was I so muche a foole, or so very an
Asse, to leaue the deintie meates & grinde my téeth vpō
harde hey. In this sort I continued a great space, for I
plaied the honest Asse, takinge but a litle of one dishe,
and a litle of an other, whereby no man mistrusted me.
In the ende I was more hardier & beganne to deuoure
the whole messes, of the swéetest delicates, which cau∣sed
the Baker & the Cooke to suspect, how be it they ne∣uer
mistrusted me, but searched about to apprehēde the
théefe: At length they began to accuse one an other of
thefte, & to sette the dishes & morsels of meate in order,
one by an other, because they would learne what was
takē away, wherby one of thē was cōpelled to say thus
to his fellow: is it reason to breake promise and faith in
this sorte, by stealinge away the beste meate, and to
sell it to augment thy good, and yet neuerthelesse to
haue thy parte of the residew that is lefte, if our part∣nershippe
doo mislike thée, we wilbe parteners and bro∣thers
in other thinges, but in this we will breake of:


for I perceaue that the great losse which I sustaine wil
at length be a cause of great discorde betwéene vs: Thē
answeared the other, verely I prayse thy great constā∣cie
and subtilnes, in that (when thou hast secretely takē
away the meate) doest beginne to cōplayne first, wher∣as
I by longe space of time haue suffred thée, because I
woulde not séeme to accuse my brother of thefte, but I
am right gladde in that we are fallen into commnnica∣tion
of this matter, least by our silence like contention
might arise betwéene vs, as fortuned betwéene Ethe∣••les
and his brother, when thei had reasoned together
in this sort: they swoore both earnestly that neyther of
them stale or toke away any iote of the meate, where∣fore
they concluded to searche out the théefe by al kinde
of meanes. For they coulde not imagine or thinke that
the Asse, who stoode alone there woulde eate any suche
meates, neither coulde they thinke that myce or slies,
were so rauenous as to deuoure whole dishes of meate,
like the byrdes Harpies which carried away y• meates
of Phineus kinge of Archadia. In the meane season
while I was fedde with deintie morselles I gathered
together my flesh, my skinne waxed softe, my heare be∣ganne
to shine, and I was gallant on euery parte, but
suche fayre and comely shape of my bodie was cause of
my dishonour, for the Baker and the Cooke merueled
to sée me so slike and fine, considering I did eate no hay
at all: Wherefore on a time at their accustomed houre
they wente to the baynes & locked their chamber doore.
It fortuned that eare they departed away, they espied
me thorough a hole how I fel roundly to my victuales:
Then they merueled greatly, and litle estéeminge the
losse of their meate laughed excéedingly, callinge y• ser∣uauntes
of the house, to showe them the gréedy gorge
Page 108

and appetite of the Asse. Their laughinge was so im∣moderate,
that the maister of the house harde them, &
demaūded the cause of their laughter, and when he vn∣derstoode
all the matter, he looked thorough y• hole like∣wise,
wherwith he toke such a delectation that he com∣maūded
the doore to be opened, that he might sée him at
his pleasure. Then I beholding euery man laugh, was
nothing abashed, but rather more bold, whereby I ne∣uer
rested eating, til such time as the master of y• house
commaunded me to be brought into his parler as a no∣ueltie,
& theere caused al kindes of meates, which were
neuer touched to be set on the table, which (although I
had eaten sufficiently before, yet to winne the further
fauour of the maister of the house) I did gréedely de∣uoure,
& made a cleane riddance of the delicate meates.
And to proue my nature wholy, they gaue me suche
meate as euery Asse doth greatly abhorre: for they put
before me biefe and vinegre, bi•des and pepper, fishe &
vergisse, in the meane season, thei that beheld me at the
table did nothing but laugh: Then one of the seruaūts
of the house said to his maister, I pray you sir giue him
some drinke to his supper: Mary ({quod} he) I thinke thou
sayest true: For so it may be that to his meate, he wold
drinke likewise a cuppe of wine. No boy, washe yon∣der
potte, and fill it with wine, whiche done carrie it to
the Asse, and say that I haue dronke to him. Then all
the standers by looked on, to sée what woulde come to
passe, but I (assone as I behelde the cuppe) stayed not
long, but gathering my lippes together, supped vp all
the wine at one draught: The maister being right ioy∣full
hereat, caused the Baker and the Cooke, which had
bought me to come before him, to whome he deliuered
fower times as much for me as they paide, which done


he committed me to one of his riche libertines, and
charged him to looke wel to me, and that I should lacke
nothinge, who obayed his maisters commaūdement in
euery pointe: And to the ende he would crepe further
into his fauour, he taught me a thousande qualities.
First he instructed me to sitte at y• table vpon my taile,
and how I should leape & daunce holding vp my former
féete, moreouer he taught me how I should answeare
whē any body spake vnto me, with nodding my head,
which was a straūge & meruelous thing, & if I did lacke
drinke, I should looke still vpon the potte. All whiche
thinges I did willingly bring to passe, & obeyed his do∣ctrine:
howbeit I could haue done al these things with∣out
his teaching, but I feared greatly least in showing
my selfe conning without a master, I shoulde portende
some great and straunge wonder, & therby be throwen
out to wilde beastes. But my fame was spredde about
in euery place, and the qualities which I could doo, in so
much y• my master was renoumed thorough out all the
countrie by reason of me. For euery man woulde say:
Beholde the gentleman that hath an Asse, that will
eate and drinke with him, that will daunce, and vn∣derstādinge
what is said to him, will show his fantasie
by signes. But first I will tel you (which I should haue
done before) who my maister was, and of what coūtry,
his name was Thiasus, he was borne at Corinth,
which is the principal towne of al Achaia, he had passed
many offices of honour, till he had taken vppon him
the degrée Quinquenuall, accordinge as his birth and
dignitie required, who to showe his woorthines, and
to purchase the beneuolence of euery person, apoynted
publique ioyes and triumphes, to endure the space of
thrée dayes, and to bringe his endeuor to passe, he came
Page 109

into Thessalie to bie excellēt beastes, & valiant fighters
for the purpose.

¶How a certaine Matron fell in loue with Apuleius, and
howe he had his pleasure with her, and what other
thinges happened.

Cap. 46.
WHen he had bought such thinges ss was ne∣cessary,
he woulde not returne home into his
country in chariottes, or waggons, neither
would he ride vpon Thessalian horses, or gennettes of
fraunce, or spanishe mules, which be most excellēt that
can be founde, but caused me to be garnished and trim∣med
with trappers & bardes of golde, with braue har∣nesse,
with purple coueringes, with a bridle of siluer,
with pictured clothes, & with shrillinge belles, & in this
manner he code vpon me louingly, speaking & entrea∣ting
me with gentle woordes, but aboue all thinges he
did greatly reioyse, in that I was his seruant to beare
him vpon my backe, and his compaignion to féede with
him at the table: After long time whē we had traueled
aswel by sea as lande, & fortuned to arriue at Corinth,
the people of the towne came about vs on euery side,
not so muche to doo honour vnto Thiasus as to sée me:
For my fame was so greatly spredde there, y• I gained
my maister muche money, and when the people was
desirous to sée me play qualities, they caused the gates
te be shutte, and suche as ent•ed in should pay money,
by meanes wherof, I was a profitable compaignion to
them euery day: There fortuned to be emongst the as∣sembly
a noble and riche Matron, that conceaued much
delight to behold me, in so much that she was amorous
of me, and coulde finde no remedie to her passions
and disordinate appetite, but cōtinually desired to haue


her pleasure with me, as Pasiphae had with a Bull.
In the ende she promised a great rewarde to my kéeper
for the custodie of me one night, who for gayne of a li∣tle
money acccorded to her desire, and when I had sup∣ped
in a parler with my maister, we departed away
and went into our chamber, where we found the fayre
matron, who had tarried a great space for our com∣minge:
I am not able to recite vnto you how al thinges
there were prepared, there weare fower Eunuques
that laide a bedde of downe on the grounde with bol∣sters
accordingly for vs to lie on, the couerlette was
of clothe of Golde, and the pillowes softe and tender,
wheron the delicate Matron had accustomed to lay her
head, then the Eunuques not mindinge to delay any
lenger the pleasure of their Mistris, closed the doores
of the chamber and departed away, within the cham∣ber
weare lampes that gaue a cléere light all the place
ouer: Then she put of all her garmentes to her naked
skinne, and takinge the lampe that stoode nexte to her,
beganne to annointe all her body with baulme, and
mine likewise, but especially my nose, whiche done
she kissed me, not as thei accustome to doo at the stewes,
or in brothell houses, or in the courtisant schooles for
gayne of money, but purely, sincerly, and with great
affection, castinge out these and like louinge woordes:
Thou arte he whome I loue, thou arte he whome I
onely desire, without thée I cannot liue, and other like
preamble of talke, as women can vse well inoughe,
when they minde to showe or declare their burninge
passions and great affection of loue: Then she toke me
by the halter and caste me vpon the bedde, whiche was
nothinge straunge vnto me, consideringe that she was
so beautifull a Matron, and I so well bolen out with
Page 110

wyne, and perfumed with balme, whereby I was rea∣dely
prepared for the purpose: But nothing greued me
so much, as to thinke how I should with my huge and
great legges embrase so faire a matrō, or how I should
touche her fine, deintie, and silkē skinne, with my hard
hoofes, or howe it was possible to kisse her soft, her pre∣tie
and ruddie lippes, with my monstrous mouthe and
stony téeth, or how she, who was so yonge and tender,
could be able to receiue me. And I (verely thought) if I
should hurte the womā by any kind of meane, I should
be throwen out to the wilde beastes: But in the meane
season she kissed me, and looked on me with burninge
eies, saiyng: I holde thée my cony, I hold thée my nops,
my sparowe, and therewithall she eftsones embrased
my bodie round about, and had her pleasure with me,
whereby I thought the mother of Minotaurus, did not
causelesse quenche her inordinat de•ier with a Bull.
When night was passed,* with muche ioye and small
sleape: The matron went before daie to my kéeper, to
bargaine with him for an other night, whiche he wil∣lingly
graunted, partly for gaine of money, and partly
to finde newe pastime for my maister. Who after he
was enformed of all y• historie of my luxurie, was right
glad, and rewarded my kéeper wel for his peines, min∣ding
to showe before the face of all the people what I
could doo: but because they would not suffre the matron
to abide suche shame, by reason of her dignitie, and be∣cause
they could finde no other that would endeuour so
great a reproche. At length they obteined for money, a
poore woman, which was condemned to be eatē of wild
beastes, with whome I should openly haue to doo. But
first I will tell you what a tale I hard, concerning this
woman. This woman had a husbande, whose father


minding to ride foorth, commaunded his wife which he
left at home great with childe, that if she weare deliue∣red
of a doughter, it should incontinently be killed.

Whē the time of her deliuery came, it fortuned that
she had a daughter, whome she would not suffer to be
slaine, by reason of the natural affection which she bare
vnto her childe, but secretly cōmitted her to one of her
neighbours to nource. And when her husbande retur∣ned
home, she declared vnto him, that she was deliue∣red
of a daughter, whome as he commaunded, she had
caused to be put to death. But when this childe came to
age, and readie to be maried: The mother knew not by
what meanes she should endow her daughter, but that
her husband should vnderstand and perceiue it. Wher∣fore
she discouered the matter to her sonne, who was
the husband of this woman, condemned to be eaten of
wilde beastes: For she greatly feared, lest he shold vn∣wares,
fancie or fall in loue with his owne sister. The
yong man vnderstanding the whole matter (to please &
gratifie his mother) wēt immediatly to the yōg maidē,
keping the matter secret in his hart, for feare of incon∣uenience
& (lamenting to sée his sister forsaken, both of
mother and father) incontinently after, endowed her wt
part of his owne goodes, and would haue maried her to
one of his especiall & trusty frendes: But although he
brought this to passe very secretly & sagely, yet in the
ende cruell and enuious fortune, sowed great sedition
in his house. For his wife, who was now cōdemned to
beastes, waxed ielous of her husband, and began to su∣spect
the yong woman as a harlot and commō queane,
in so much that she inuented all manner of meanes to
dispatche her out of the way. And in the end, she inuen∣ted
this kinde of mischiefe: She priuely stale away her
Page 111

husbandes ringe, & went into the coūtrey, where as she
cōmaunded one of her trustie seruaūtes, to take y• ringe
& to carie it to the maiden. To whom he should declare
y• her brother did pray her to come into y• coūtrie to him,
& that she should come alone without any other person.
And to thēd she shold not delay but come with al spede,
he should deliuer her the ringe, which should be a suffi∣ciēt
testimony of his message. The maidē, assone as she
had receiued y• ring of her brother, being very willing &
desirous to obey his cōmaundement: (For she knew no
otherwise but that he had sent for her) went in al haste
as y• messenger willed her to do. But whē she was come
to the snare & engin whiche was prepared for her: The
mischeuous womā, like one that were mad, & possessed
with some il spirit, scourged her first with roddes from
top to too, & when y• poore maidē called for help wt a loud
voice to her brother, y• wicked harlot (wéening y• she had
inuented & feigned y• matter) tooke a burning fireband &
thrust it into her secret place, whereby she died misera∣bly.
The husband of this maiden, but especialy her bro∣ther,
aduertised of her death, came to y• place where she
was slain, & after great lamētation & weping, thei cau∣sed
her to be buried honorably. The yongman her bro∣ther,
taking in ill part y• miserable deeth of his sister, as
it was conuenient he should, cōceiued so great dolour
within his mind, & was stroken wt so pestilent furie of
bitter anguishe, that he fell into the burning passions,
of a daūgerous ague, wherby he séemed in such necessi∣tie,
y• he néeded to haue some spéedy remedy to saue his
life. The woman y• slew the maidē, hauing lost y• name
of wife together wt her faith, wēt to a traiterous Phisi∣tiō,
who had killed a great many persons in his daies, &
promised him fifty pieces of gold if he would giue her a
presēt poisō to kil her husbād out of hād, but in presēce of


her husband, she feigned that it was necessarie for him,
to receiue a certaine kinde of drinke, whiche y• maisters
and doctours of phisick, doo call a sacred potion, to thin∣tent
he might purge choller, and skowre the interior
partes of his bodie. But the Phisition, in stéede of that
drinke, prepared a mortall and deadly poyson, and whē
he had tempred it accordingly, he tooke the potte in pre∣sence
of all the familie, and other neighbours & frendes
of the sicke yonge man, and offred it vnto the patient.
But the bolde and hardie woman, to thende she might
accomplish her wicked intent, and also gaine the mony
whiche she had promised the Phisition, staide the potte
wt her hand, saying: I praie you maister Phisition, mi∣nister
not this drinke vnto my déere husbande, vntill
suche time as you haue dronke some part thereof your
selfe: For what knowe I, whether you haue mingled
any poyson in the drinke or no, wherein I pray you not
to be offended: For I know that you are a man of wis∣dome
and learning, but this I doo to thintent the con∣science
and loue that I beare to the health & saluegarde
of my husband, may be apparant. The Phisition being
greatly troubled at the wickednes of this mischieuous
woman, as voide of all councell and leisure to consider
on the matter, and least he might geue any cause of su∣spition
to the standers by, or showe any scruple of his
gilty conscience, by reason of long delaie, tooke the pott
in his hande, & presently dronke a good draught therof,
which done, the yonge man hauing no mistrust, dronke
vp the residue. The Phisition would haue gone imme∣diatly
home to receiue a contrepoison, to expell & driue
out the first poyson: But the wicked woman perseue∣ring
in her mischiefe, would not suffer him to departe
one foote, vntill such time as y• poyson began to woorke
Page 112

in him, and then by much prayer and intercessiō, she li∣censed
him to goe home: By the way the poyson inua∣ded
the intrailes and bowels of the whole bodie of the
Phisitian, in such sort that with great paine he came to
his owne house, where he had skarse time to speake to
his wife, and to will her to receaue the promised salary
of the death of twoo persones, but he yéelded vp y• ghost:
And the other yong man liued not long after, but like∣wise
died, emongst the feigned and deceitfull teares of
his cursed wife. A few daies after, when the yong man
was buried, and the funeralles ended, the Phisicians
wife demaūded of her the fiftie pieces of golde, whiche
she promised her husband for the drinke, whereat the ill
disposed womā, with resemblance of honestie, answea∣red
her with gentle woordes, and promised to giue her
the fistie pieces of golde, if she woulde fetche her a litle
of that same drinke, to proceede and make an end of all
her enterprise. The Phisitians wife, partely to winne
the further fauour of this riche woman, and partely to
gayne the money, ranne incōtinently home, & brought
her the whole potte of poison, which when she saw, ha∣uing
now occasion to execute her further malice, began
to stretche out her bloudy handes to murder, she had a
da•ghter by her husbande (that was poisoned) who ac∣cordinge
to order of law, was appointed heyre of al the
lādes & goodes of her father, but this woman knowyng
that the mothers, succede their children and receaue all
their goodes after their death, purposed to show her self
a like parent to her childe, as she was a wife to her hus∣bande,
wherupon she prepared a dinner with her owne
handes, and empoisoned both the wife of the Phisitian
and her owne daughter: The childe beynge yong and
tender died incontinently, by force of the drinke, but


the Phisitians wife beinge stoute and of stronge com∣plexion,
féelinge the poison t•ill downe into her bodie
doubted the matter, & therupon knowyng of certaintie
that she had receaued her baine, ranne foorthwith to
the Iudges house, that what with her cries and excla∣matiōs,
she raised vp the people of the towne, and pro∣misinge
them to reueale and showe diuers wicked and
mischeuous actes, caused that the doores and gates of
the Iudge were opened, whē she came in, she declared
from the beginninge to the ende, the abhomination of
this woman, but she had skarse ended her tale, when o∣peninge
her falinge lippes, and grindinge her téeth to∣gether,
she fel downe dead before the face of the iudge,
who incontinently to trie the truth of the matter, cau∣sed
the cursed woman and her seruauntes to be pulled
out of the house, and enforced by paine of torment to
confesse the veritie, whiche beynge knowen, this mis∣chieuous
woman, farre lesse then she deserued, but be∣cause
there coulde be no more cruell a death inuented
for the qualitie of her offence, was condemned to be ca∣ten
of wilde beastes: beholde with this woman was I
appointed to haue to doo before the face of al the people,
but I beyng wrapped in great anguishe, and enuiynge
the day of the triūphe, whē we twoo should so abandon
our selues together, deuised rather to 〈◊〉 my self, then
to pollute my body wt this mischeuous harlot, and so for
euer to remaine deffamed, but it was impossible for me
to doo, considering that I lacked handes, & was not able
to hold a knife in my hoofes: howbeit stāding in a pretie
cabyn, I reioysed in my self to sée that spring time was
come, & that all thinges florished, & that I was in good
hope to finde some roses, to render me to my humaine
shape. When the day of the triumph came, I was ledde
Page 113

with great pompe and magnificence to the appointed
place, whither when I was brought, I firste sawe the
preamble of the triumphe, dedicated with daūsers and
mery tauntyng iestes,* and I in the meane season, was
placed before the gate of the Theatre, whereas on the
one side, I sawe the gréene and freshe grasse growinge
before the entrie thereof, whereon I greatly desired to
féede: On the other side I conceaued a great delecta∣tion
to sée when the Theatre gates were opened, how
al thinges was finely prepared & sette foorth: For there
I might see yonge children and maydens in the flowre
of their youth, of excellent beautie, and attyred gorge∣ously,
daunsing & mouing in comely order, according to
the order of Grecia, for sometime they would daunce in
length, somtime rounde together, sometime deuide thē
selues in fower partes, & somtime lose handes on euery
side, but when the trumpet gaue warnyng y• euery mā
should retire to his place: Then began the triumphe to
appeare. First there was a hil of woodde, not much vn∣like
that whiche the Poet Homer called Idea, for it
was garnished about with all sorte of gréene verdu•es
and liuely trées, from the toppe whereof rāne downe a
cléere & fresh foūtaine, nourishinge the waters below,
about which woodde were many yōg & tender Goates,
pluckyng & féeding deintily on the budding trées, then
came a yonge man a shéepeherde representinge Paris,
richly arraied with vestmentes of Barbarie, hauinge a
mitre of gold vpō his head, & séeming as though he kept
y• goates. After him ensewed an other yong mā all na∣ked,
sauing y• his left shoulder was couered with a rich
cloke, and his head shininge with glisteringe heares, &
hangyng downe, through whiche you might perceaue
twoo litle winges, wherby you might cōiecture that he


was Mercury with his rodde called Caduceus, he bare
in his right hand an apple of golde, and with a séemely
gate went towardes him that represented Paris, and
after that he had deliuered him the apple, he made a
signe signifiyng that Iupiter had commaunded him so
to doo, whē he had done his message, he departed away:
And by and by, behold there approched a fayre & come∣ly
maiden, not much vnlike to Iuno, for she had a Dia∣deme
of golde vpon her head, and in her hande she bare
a regall Sceptre: then followed an other resemblinge
Pallas, for she had on her head a shining sallett, wher∣on
was bounde a garlande made of Oliue braunches,
hauinge in one hande a targette or shilde, and in the o∣ther
a speare as though she would fight: then came an
other, which passed the other in beautie, & represented
the goddesse Venus, with the colour of Ambrosia, whē
she was a mayden, and to the ende she would show her
perfect beautie, she appeared all naked, sauing that her
fine and deintie skinne was couered with a thinne
smocke, whiche the winde blewe hither and thither, to
testifie the youth and flowre of the age of the Dame,
her colour was of twoo sortes, for her bodie was white,
as descended from heauen, & her smocke was blewishe
as arriued from the sea: After euery one of the virgins
whiche séemed Goddesses, followed certaine waytinge
seruauntes, Castor and Pollux went behind Iuno, ha∣uinge
on their heades helmettes couered with starres.
This virgin Iuno sowned a feewte, whiche she bare in
her hand, and moued her selfe towardes the shéepeherd
Paris, showyng by honest signes and tokens, and pro∣misinge
that he should be Lord of all Asia, if he would
iudge her the fairest of the thrée, & to giue her the apple
of golde: The other mayden whiche séemed by her ar∣mour
Page 114

to be Pallas, was accompaigned with two yong
men, armed and brandishinge their naked swoordes in
their handes, wherof one was named Terror, and the
other Feare, behinde them approched one soundinge
his trumpet to prouoke and stirre men to battaile, this
maiden began to daunce and shake her head, throwyng
her fierce and terrible eyes vpon Paris, and promising
that if it pleased him, to giue her the victory of beawtie,
she would make him the most stronge & victorious man
aliue. Then came Venus and presented her selfe in the
middle of the Theatre, with much fauour of al the peo∣ple,
for she was accompaigned with a great number of
youth, whereby you would haue iudged them to be all
Cupidoes, eyther to haue flowen from heauen, or els
frō the riuer of the sea, for they had winges, arrowes,
and the residew of their habite according in eche point,
& they bare in their handes, torches lighted, as though
it had bene a day of mariage, then came in a great mul∣titude
of fayre maidens: On the one side were the most
comely Graces: on the other side the moste beautifull
Howres, carriyng garlandes and loose flowres, & ma∣kinge
great honour to the Goddesse of pleasure, the
flewtes, and pypes yéelded out the swéete sounde of Li∣dians,
whereby they pleased the mindes of the stāders
by excéedingly, but the more pleasinge Venus moued
forwarde more and more, & shakinge her head, answea∣red
by her motion and gesture, to the sounde of the in∣strumentes:
For sometimes she woulde winke gen∣tely,
sometimes threaten and looke asperly, and some∣time
daunce onely with her eies: Assone as she was
come before the Iudge, she made a signe and token to
giue him the moste fayrest spouse of all the worlde, if
he woulde preferre her aboue the residew of the God∣desses,


then the yonge Phrigian shéepeherde Paris,*
with a willinge minde deliuered the Golden apple to
Venus, whiche was the Victorie of beawtie. Why
doo ye meruell ye Orators, ye Lawiers, & Aduocates,
if many of our Iudges nowe a dayes sell their iudge∣mentes
for money, when as in the beginninge of the
world, one onely Grace corrupted the sentēce betwéene
God and men, and that one rusticall iudge and shéepe∣herde,
appointed by the counsell of the great Iupiter,
solde his iudgement for a litle pleasure, which was the
cause afterwarde of the ruine of all his progeny: by
like māner of meane was sentence giuen betwéene the
noble Gréekes: For the noble and valiaunt personage
Palamades was conuicted and atteinted of treason, by
false perswasion and accusation, and Vlisses being but
of base condition, was preferred in Martiall prowesse
aboue great Aiax, what iudgement was there likewise
emongst the Atheman lawyers, sage and expert in all
sciences, was not Socrates who was preferred by the
God Apollo aboue all the wisemen of the worlde, by
enuie and malice of wicked persons, empoysoned with
the hearbe Cicuta, as one that corrupted the youth of
the countrie, whome alwaies he kepte vnder by corre∣ction:
For we sée now a daies many excellent Philoso∣phers
greatly desire to follow his secte, and by perpe∣tuall
studie to volue and reuolue his woorkes, but t•
the ende I may not be reproued of indignation, by any
one that might say, what shal we suffer an Asse to play
the Philosopher? I will returne to my former purpose.
After the iudgement of Paris was ended, Iuno & Pal∣las
departed away angerly, showynge by their gesture
that they would reuēge them selues on Paris, but Ve∣nus
that was right pleased and gladde in her harte,
Page 115

daunsed about the Theatre with much ioye. This done
from the toppe of the hill through a priuie spoute, rāne
a floudde of the colour of Saffran, whiche fell vpon the
Goates, & chaūged their white heare into yellow, with
a soote odour to all thē of the Theatre. By & by after, by
certaine engins, the ground opened & swalowed vp the
hill of woodde: and then beholde there came a man of
armes thorow the middle of y• multitude, demaunding
by the consent of the people, the woman who was con∣dēned
to the beastes, & appointed for me to haue to doo
withall: our bedde was finely & brauely prepared, & co∣uered
with silke & other thinges necessary, but I beside
the shame to cōmitte this horrible facte, & to pollute my
body wt this wicked harlot, did greatly feare the daūger
of death: For I thought in my selfe, that when she & I
were together, the fauage beast appointed to deuoure
the womā, was not so instructed & taught, or would so
temper his gréedines, as y• he would teare her in pieces
liyng vnder me, and spare me with a regarde of mine
innocēcie. Wherfore I was more carefull for the salue∣garde
of my life, thē for the shame that I should abide,
but in the meane season while my maister made reddy
the bedde, and all the residew did greatly delight to sée
the hunting and pleasantnes of the triumphe, I began
to thinke and deuise for my selfe, and when I percea∣ued
that no man had regarde to me, that was so tame
and gentle an Asse, I stole out of the gate that was
next me, and then I ranne away with all my force, and
came to Cenchris, whiche is the moste famous towne
of all the Carthaginiens, borderinge vpon the seas cal∣led
Ageum and Saronicum, where is a great & mighty
hauen frequented with many a sondry nation. There
because I would auoide the multitude of people, I wēt


to a secrete place of the sea coste, where I lay me down
vpon the sande to ease and refreshe my selfe, for the
day was paste and the Sunne gone downe, and I li∣yng
in this sorte on the grounde did fall in a sounde
sléepe.

The eleuenth Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse.
¶How Apuleius by Roses and praier, returned to his
humaine shape.

Cap. 47.
WHen midnight came, that I had slept
my first sléepe, I awaked with sodein
feare, and sawe the Moone shininge
bright, as when she is at the full, and
séeming as though she leaped out of
the Sea. Then I thought with my
selfe that, that was the moste secret
time, when the Goddesse Ceres had most puisance and
force, considering that all humaine thinges be gouer∣ned
by her prouidence: And not onely all beastes pri∣uate
and tame, but also all wilde aud sauage beastes be
vnder her protection: And consideringe that all bodies
in the heauens, the earth, and the seas be by her encre∣singe
motions encreased, and by her diminishinge mo∣tions
diminished: as wery of all my cruell fortune and
calamitie, I founde good hope and soueraigne remedie,
though it were very late, to be deliuered from all my
misery, by inuocation & prayer to the excellent beautie
of the Goddesse: whome I sawe shininge before mine
eyes, wherfore shaking of mine Assy and drowsie sléepe
Page 116

I arose with a ioyfull face, and moued by a great affe∣ction
to purifie my selfe, I plonged my head seuē times
into the water of the sea, which nomber of senen is cō∣uenable
and agréeable to holy and diuine thinges, as
the woorthy and sage philosopher Pythagoras hath de∣clared.
Then with a wéeping contenaūce, I made this
orayson to the puissant Goddesse, saiynge: O blessed
quéene of heauen,* whether thou be the Dame Ceres
which art the original & motherly nource of al fruictful
thinges in the yearth, who after the findinge of thy
daughter Proserpina, through the great ioye whiche
thou diddest presently conceaue, madest the barrein &
vnfruictful grounde to be plowed and sowen, and now
thou inhabitest in the land of Eleusie, or whether thou
be the celestiall Venus, who in the beginninge of the
world diddest cople together all kinde of thinges wt an
engendred loue, and by an eternall propagation of hu∣maine
kinde, art now woorshipped within the Tēples
of the ysle Paphos, thou whiche art the sister of the god
Phebus, who nourishest so many people by the gene∣ration
of beastes, & art now adored at the sacred places
of Ephesis, thou which art called horrible Proserpina,
by reason of the deadly houlinges which y• yeldest, that
hast power to stoppe & put away the inuasiō of hegges
and ghostes whiche appeare vnto men, & to kéepe them
downe in y• closures of the earth: thou which arte woor∣shipped
in diuers manners, & doest luminate al the bor∣ders
of the yearth by thy feminine shape, thou whiche
nourishest all the fruictes of the worlde by thy vigor &
force, with what so euer name or fashion it is lawful to
call vpon thée, I pray thée to ende my great trauell and
miserie, and deliuer me from the wretched fortune
whiche hath so longe time pursued me. Graunt peace


and rest if it please thée to my aduersities, for I haue
endured to to much labour and perill. Remoue frō me
the shape of mine Asse, & rēder me to my pristine estate:
and if I haue offended in any point thy diuine Maiestie
let me rather die then liue, for I am full wery of my
life. When I had ended this orayson, & discouered my
plaintes to the Goddesse, I fortuned to fall sléepe and
by and by appeared to me a diuine and venerable face,
woorshipped euen of the Goddes them selues: Then by
litle and litle I séemed to sée the whole figure of her bo∣die,
mountinge out of the sea and standinge before me:
wherfore I purpose to describe her diuine semblaūce, if
y• pouertie of my humaine speach will suffer me, or her
diuine power giue me eloquence therto. First she had a
great abondance of heare, disparsed & scattred about her
necke, on y• crowne of her head she bare many garlādes
enterlaced with flowres, in the middle of her forehead,
was a cōpasse in fashiō of a glasse, or resembling y• light
of the moone, in one of her handes she bare serpentes, in
the other blades of corne, her vestmēt was of fine silke
yelding diuers colours, sometime white, sometime ye∣low,
sometime rosie, sometime flamy, & somtime (which
troubled my spirit sore) darke & obscure couered with a
blacke robe in māner of a shield, & pleatted in most sub∣till
fashion, at the skirtes of her garment, y• weltes ap∣peared
comely, where as here & there y• starres glimp∣sed,
& in the middle of them was placed y• Moone, which
shone like a flame of fire, roūd about y• robe was a coron
or garlande made with flowers & fruictes: In her right
hande she had a timbrel of brasse which gaue a pleasaūt
founde, in her left hande she bare a cuppe of golde, out
of the mouth whereof the serpent Aspis lifted vp his
head, with a swellinge throate, her odoriferous féete
Page 117

were couered with shoes enterlaced & wrought with
victorious palme. Thus the diuine shape breathing out
the pleasant spice of fertil Arabia, dayned not with her
diuine voice to vtter these woordes vnto me: Beholde
Lucius I am come,* thy weeping & prayers hath moued
me to succour thée, I am she that is the natural mother
of all thinges, mistris and gouernesse of all the Ele∣mentes,
the initiall progeny of worldes, chiefe of the
powers diuine, Quéene of heauen, the principall of the
Goddes celestiall, the light of the Goddesses, at my wil
the Planettes of the ayre, the holsome windes of the
Seas, and the silences of Hell be disposed, my name,
my diuinitie, is adored thoroughout all the worlde,
in diuers manners, in variable customes, and in ma∣ny
names, for the Phrigiens call me the mother of the
Goddes: The Atheniens, Minerue: the Cipriens, Ve∣nus:
the Candians, Diana: the Sicilians, Proserpi∣na:
the Eleusians, Ceres: some Iuno, other Bellona,
other Hecate: and principally the Ethiopians whiche
dwell in the Orient, and the Egiptians whiche are ex∣cellent
in all kinde of auncient doctrine, & by their pro∣pre
ceremonies accustome to woorshippe me, doo call me
Quéene Isis: Behold I am come to take pitie of thy for∣tune
and tribulation, beholde I am present to fauour &
ayde thée, leaue of thy wepinge and lamentation, put
away al thy sorrow, for behold the healthful day which
is ordeined by my prouidence, therefore be ready & at∣tentife
to my cōmaundement, the day which shall come
after this night, is dedicate to my seruice by an eternal
Religion, my priestes & ministers, doo accustome after
the tempestes of the Sea be ceased, to offer in my name
a newe shippe, as a firste fruicte of their nauigation, I
commaunde thée, not to prophane or despise the sacri∣fice


in any wise, for the great Priest shal carry this day
following in procession by my exhortatiō a garlande of
Roses next to the timbrell of his right hand: Follow y•
my procession emongst the people, and when thou co∣mest
to the priest, make as though thou wouldest kisse
his hande, but snatch at the roses, wherby I wil put a∣way
the skinne & shape of an Asse,* which kinde of beast
I haue longe time abhorred and despised, but aboue all
things beware thou doubt not nor feare of auy of those
thinges as harde & difficill to be brought to passe, for in
this same houre y• I am come to thée, I haue commaun∣ded
the Priest by a vision what he shal doo, & all the peo∣ple
by my cōmaundement shalbe compelled to giue thée
place & say nothing, moreouer thinke not y• emongst so
faire & ioyful ceremonies. & in so good a cōpany, that any
person shall abhorre thy ilfauored and deforme figure,
or that any man shalbe so hardy, as to blame & reproue
thy sodaine restoration to humaine shape, whereby
they should gather or conceaue any sinister opiniō, and
know thou this of certainty that the residew of thy life
vntil the howre of death shalbe bounde & subiect to me:
And thinke it not an iniurie to be alwaies seruiseable
towardes me, since as by my meane and benefite thou
shalt become a mā: thou shalt liue blessed in this world,
thou shalte liue glorious by my guide and protection,
and when thou descendest to hell, where thou shalt sée
me in that subterre• place, shininge (as thou seest me
now) in the darknes of Acheron, and reigninge in the
déepe profūditte of Stix, thou shalt woorship me as one
that hath bene fauorable to thée, and if I perceaue that
thou art obedient to my commaūdement, addict to my
religion, and merite my diuine grace, know thou that
I will prolonge thy daies aboue the time that the fates
Page 118

haue appointed, and the celestiall planetes ordeined.
When the deuine image had spoken these woordes, she
vanished awaie: By and by, when I awaked I arose,
hauing the members of my body mixt with feare, ioye,
and sweate, and merueiled at the cleare presence of the
puissaunt goddesse, and being sprincled with the water
of the Sea, I recounted orderly her admonitions and
deuine commaundementes. Sone after, the darkenes
chased away, and the cleare and golden Sunne arose,
when as behold, I sawe the streates replenished with
people, going in a religious sorte, & in great triumphe.
All thinges séemed that daie to be ioyfull, as well all
maner of beastes, and the verie houses, as also the very
daie it selfe séemed to reioyce. For after the horefrost,
ensued the whote and temperat Sunne, whereby the
litle birdes wening that the spring time had ben come,
did chirp and sing in their steuen melodiously: The mo∣ther
of starres, the parent of times and mistres of all ye
worlde: The fruitfull trées reioysed at their fertilitie:
The barrein and sterrill were contented at their sha∣dowe,
rendring swete and pleasant shrilles: The seas
were quiet from wyndes and tempestes: The heauen
had chased away the cloudes, and appeared faire and
cleare with his propre light. Beholde, then more and
more appeared the pompes and processions, attired in
regall manner, and singing ioyfully: One was girded
about the middle like a man of armes: An other bare a
speare, and had a cloke and highe shooes as a hunter: an
other was attired in a roobe of silke, and sockes of gold,
hauing his heare layde out, and dressed in fourme of a
woman: There was an other which ware legharnes, &
bare a target, a salette, & a speare, like a martiall soul∣diour:
After him marched one attired in purple, with


vergers before him like a Magistrate: After him folo∣weth
one with a mantell, a staffe, a paire of pautofles,
and with a graie bearde, signifiyng a Philosopher: Af∣ter
him went one with lyme, betokening a fowler, An
other with hookes, declaringe a fisher. I sawe there a
méeke and tame beare, whiche in matron habit was ca∣ried
on a stole: An Ape with a bonnet on his head, and
couered with lawne resemblinge a shéepeherde, and
bearing a cuppe of golde in his hande: An Asse whiche
had winges glewed to his back, and went after an olde
man, wherby you would iudge, the one to be Pegasus,
and the other Bellephoron. Amongest these pleasures
and populer delectations, whiche wandred hither and
thither. You might sée the pampe of the Goddesse triū∣phantlie
marche forwarde: The women attired in
whyte vestmentes, and reioysinge in that they bare
garlandes and flowers vpon their heades, bespred the
wayes with herbes, whiche they bare in their aprons,
where this regall and deuout procession shoulde passe.
Other caried glasses on their backes, to testifie obei∣saunce
and honour to the Goddesse whiche came after.
Other bare combes of Iuorie, and declared by their
gesture & motions of their armes, that they were or∣deined
and reddy to dresse the Goddesse. Other drop∣ped
in the waies as they went, baulme and other preti∣ous
oyntmentes: Then came a great number, as well
of men as of women, with candles, torches, and other
lightes, doing honour to y• celestial goddesse: After tht
sounded the musicall armonie of instrumentes: Then
came a faire company of youth, apareled in white vesti∣mentes,
singinge both metre & verse, with a cōly grace
which some studious Poete had made in honour of the
Muses. In the meane season, arriued ye blowers of trū∣pettes,
Page 119

which were dedicate vnto Serapis, & to the tē∣ple
before them, were officers & bedles, preparing rome
for the goddesse to passe. Then came the great company
of men & women, which had takē deuine orders, whose
garmentes glistned al the stretes ouer. The wemē had
their heare anointed, & their heads couered with linnē:
but the men had their crownes shauen, which were the
terren starres of the goddesse, holdinge in their handes
instrumentes of brasse, siluer, & gold, which rendred a
pleasant sound. The principal priestes, which were ap∣pareled
wt white surplesses hanging down to yt groūd,
bare yt relickes of yt puisant goddesse. One caried in his
hand a light, not vnlike to those whiche we vsed in our
houses, sauing yt in the middle thereof appeared a bole
which rendred a more bright flame. The second attired
like the other, bare in his handes an aultar, whiche the
goddesse her selfe named the succour of nations. The
third held vp a trée of palme, with leaues of golde, & the
verge of Mercurie. The fourth showed out a token of
equitie by his left hande, which was deformed in euery
place, signifiyng thereby more equitie then by the right
hande. The same priest caried a round vessell of golde,
in forme of a cap. The fifte bare a Van, wroughte with
springes of gold, and an other caried a vessel for wyne:
By and by after, the goddesse followed a foote as men
doo, and specially Mercurie, the messenger of the God∣desse
infernall and supernall, with his face sometyme
blacke, sometyme fayre, liftinge vp the head of the
dogge Ambis, and bearing in his lefte hand his verge,
and in his right hande, the braunche of a palme trée,
after whome folowed a cowe with an vpright gate,
representinge the figure of the great Goddesse, and he
that guyded her, marched on with muche grauitie.


And other caried after the secretes of their religiō, clo∣sed
in a coffer. There was one that bare on his stomack
the figure of his God, not formed like any beast, birde,
sauage thinge, or humaine shape, but made by a newe
inuention, whereby was signified that such a religion
should not be discouered, or reueled to any person.
There was a vessell wrought with a rounde bottome,
hauing on the one side pictures figured like vnto the
manner of the Egiptians, and on the other side was an
eare, wherevpon stoode the serpent Aspis, holdinge out
his skaly neck. Finally, came he which was appointed
to my good fortune, according to the promisse of ye god∣desse.
For the great prieste whiche bare the restoration
of my humaine shape, by the commaundement of the
goddesse, approched more and more, bearing in his left
hande the timbrell, and in the other a garland of roses
to giue me, to thende I might be deliuered from cruell
fortune, which was alwaies mine enemy, after the suf∣ferance
of so muche calamitie and poine, and after the
endurance of so many perilles: Then I, not runninge
hastely, by reason of sodaine ioye, lest I should disturbe
the quiet procession with mine importunitie: But go∣ing
softly through the presse of people, whiche gaue me
place on euery side, went after the priest. The priest
being admonished the night before, as I might well
perceiue, stoode still, and holding out his hande, thrust
out the garlande of roses into my mouth, whiche I (trē∣bling)
deuoured with a great affection: And assone as I
had eaten thē, I was not deceiued of the promise made
vnto me. For my deforme and Assy face abated, and
first the rugged heare of my body fell of, my thick skyn
waxed soft and tender, the hoofes of my féete chaunged
into toes, my handes returned againe, my neck grewe
Page 120

short, my head & mouth became rounde, my long eares
were made litle, my great and stony téeth waxed lesse
like the téeth of men, and my taile whiche combred me
most, appeared no where, thē the people began to mer∣uell,
and the religious honored the Goddesse for so eui∣dent
a miracle, they wondred at the visions which they
sawe in the night, and the facilitie of my reformation,
whereby they rendred testimony of so great a benefite
which I receaued of the Goddesse, when I saw my self
in such estate, I stode stil a good space and said nothing,
for I coulde not tell what to say, nor what woorde I
should first speake, nor what thankes I should render
to the Goddesse, but the great priest vnderstanding all
my fortune and misery by diuine aduertisement, com∣maunded
that one should giue me garmentes to couer
me: Howbeit assone as I was transformed frō an Asse
to my humaine shape, I hidde the priuities of my body
with my handes as shame and necessitie compelled me:
Then one of the companie put of his vpper robe, and
put it on my backe, which done: the Priest loking vpon
me with a swéete and benigne voyce, ganne say in this
sorte: O my fréende Lucius, after the endurance of so
many labors, & the escape of so many tempestes of for∣tune,
thou arte now at length come to the porte & hauē
of rest and mercie: Neither did thy noble lignage, thy
dignitie, neither thy doctrine any thing preuaile, but
that thou hast endured so many seruill pleasures, by a
litle folly of thy youthfulnesse, wherby thou hast had a
sinister rewarde of thy vnprosperous curiositie, but
howsoeuer the blindenes of fortune tormented thée in
diuers daungers: So it is that nowe vnwares to her,
thou art come to this present felicitie, let fortune goe,
& fume with furie in an other place, let her finde some


other matter to execute her cruelty, for fortune hath
no puisance against them which serue and honour our
Goddesse, for what auailed the theeues? the beastes sa∣uage?
thy great seruitude? the ill & daungerous waies?
the longe passages? the feare of death euery day? know
thou that now thou art salue, and vnder the protection
of her, who by her cléere light doth lighten the other
Goddes: wherefore reioyse, and take a conuenable coū∣tenance
to thy white habite, followe the pompe of this
deuout & honorable procession, to the ende ye such which
be not deuout to the Goddesse, may sée & acknowledge
their errour. Beholde Lucius thou art deliuered frō so
great miseries, by the prouidence of the Goddesse Isis,
reioyse therfore and triumphe of the victory of fortune,
to the ende thou maist liue more salue and sure, make
thy selfe one of this holy order, dedicate thy minde to
the obsequie of our religion, & take vpon thée a volun∣tary
yoke of ministerie: And when thou beginnest to
serue and honor the Goddesse, then shalt thou féele the
fruicte of thy libertie: After that the great Priest had
prophecied in this manner, with often brethinges, he
made a conclusion of his woordes: Then I went emōgst
the company of the reste and followed the procession:
Euery one of the people knewe me, & pointinge at me
with their fingers, saide in this sorte: beholde him who
is this day transformed into a man by the puissance of
the soueraigne Goddesse, verely he is blessed and most
blessed that hath merited so great grace from heauen,
as by the innocēcy of his former life, and as it were by
a newe regeneration is reserued to the obsequie of the
Goddesse. In the meane season by litle and litle we ap∣proched
nighe vnto the sea coaste, euen to that place
where I lay the night before beinge an Asse. There,
Page 121

after the images & reliques were orderly disposed, the
great Priest compassed about with diuers pictures ac∣cording
to the fashion of the Egiptians, did dedicate &
consecrate with certaine prayers a fayre shippe made
very cunningly, & purified the same wt a torch, an egge,
& sulphur, the sayle was of white linnen cloth, wheron
was writē certaine letters, which testified the nauiga∣tion
to be prosperous, the maste was of a great length
made of a pine trée, rounde, & very excellent with a shi∣ning
toppe, ye cabbin was couered ouer with couerings
of golde, & all the shippe was made of Citron trée very
fayre, then al the people aswell religious as prophane
toke a great nūber of Vannes replenished with odors &
pleasaūt smelles, and threw them into the sea mingled
with milke, vntill the shippe was filled vp with large
giftes and prosperous deuotions, when as with a plea∣sant
winde it launched out into the déepe: but whē thei
had lost the sight of the shippe, euery mā carried again
that which he brought, and went towarde the Temple
in like pompe and ordre as they came to the sea side.
When we were come to the Temple, the great Priest
and those whiche were deputed to carry the diuine fi∣gures,
but specially those whiche had longe time bene
worshippers of the Religiō, went into the secrete chā∣ber
of the Goddesse, where they put & placed the Ima∣ges
according to their order. This done one of the com∣pany
whiche was a Scribe or interpretour of letters,
who in forme of a preacher, stoode vp in a chayre before
the place of the holy colledge, & began to read out of a
booke, & to enterpret to the great Prince, the Senate,
and to all the noble order of Cheualry, and generally
to all the Romaine people, and to all suche as be vnder
the puissance and iurisdiction of Rome, these woordes


following,*〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signified y• ende of their
diuine seruice, and that it was lawfull for euery man
to depart, whereat all the people gaue a great shoute,
& replenished with much ioye, bare all kinde of herbes
and garlandes of flowres home to their houses, kissing
and embrasing the steppes where the Goddesse passed:
howbeit I could not doo as the rest, for my minde wold
not suffer me to departe one foote away, so earnest and
attentife was I to beholde the beautie of the Goddesse,
with remembraunce likewise of my great trauell and
miserie, which I had endured.

¶How the Parentes and freendes of Apuleius, harde newes
that he was aliue and in health.

Cap. 48.
IN the meane season newes was carried into my
countrie (as swifte as the flight of birdes, or as the
blaste of windes) of the grace and benefite whiche I
receaued of the goddesse, and of my fortune woorthy to
be had in memory. Then my parentes, fréendes, & ser∣uauntes
of our house, vnderstandinge that I was not
dead as thei were falsely enformed, came towardes me
with great diligence to sée me, as a man raysed from
death to life: And I likewise which did neuer thinke to
sée them againe, was as ioyfull as they, acceptinge and
takinge in good part, their honest giftes and oblations
which they gaue, to the intent I might bie such things
as was necessary for my body: After that I had made
relation vnto them of all my pristine misery, & present
ioyes, I wente againe before the face of the Goddesse,
and hired me a house within the cloisture of the tēple,
to the ende I might continually be ready to the seruice
of the Goddesse, and ordinarily frequent the company
Page 122

of the priestes, wherby I would wholy become deuout
to the Goddesse, and an inseparable woorshipper of her
diuine name: It fortuned that the Goddesse appeared
to me oftentimes in the night, perswadinge and com∣maundinge
me to take the order of her religion, but I
although I was endewed with a desirous good wil, yet
the reuerende feare of the same withhelde me, conside∣ringe
that her obeysaunce was harde and difficill, the
chastetie of the Priestes intollerable, and the life fraile
& subiect to many incōueniences, beinge thus in doubte
I refrained my selfe from all those thinges, as séeming
impossible: On a night the great Priest appeared vnto
me presenting his lappe full of treasure, and whē I de∣maunded
what it signified, he answeared that it was
sent me from the countrie of Thessaly, and that a ser∣uaūt
of mine named Candidus was arriued like wise:
whē I was awaked, I mused in my self what this vi∣stō
should portēde, cōsidering I neuer had any seruaūt
called by that name: but whatsoeuer it did signifie, this
I verely thought that it was a fore show of gaine & pro∣sperous
chaunce: while I was thus astonied I went to
the Temple, and tarried there till the openinge of the
gates, then I wente in, & began to pray before the face
of the Goddesse, the Priest prepared and set the diuine
thinges on euery Aultour, & pulled out of the foūtaine
the holy vessell with solempne supplication. Then they
began to singe the mattens of the mornyng, testifiyng
thereby the howre of the pryme. By and by beholde ar∣riued
my seruauntes whiche I had left in the countrie,
whē Fotis by errour made me an Asse, bringyng with
thē my horse, recouered by her through certaine signes
and tokens which he had vpon his backe. Then I per∣ceaued
the enterpretatiō of my dreame, by reason that


beside the promisse of gaine, my white horse was resto∣red
to me, which was signified by the argument of my
seruaunt Candidus. This done I retired to the seruice
of the Goddesse in hope of greater benefites, conside∣ring
I had receaued a signe and token, wherby my cou∣rage
encreased euery day more & more to take vpon me
the orders and Sacramētes of the Temple: In so much
that I oftentimes cōmuned with the Priest, desiringe
him greatly to giue me the first degree of the Religion,
but he which was a mā of grauitie, & well renoumed in
y• order of priesthood, differd my affection frō day to day
with comfort of better hope, as parentes cōmonly bri∣dle
the desires of their children, when they attempt or
endeuor any vnprofitable thing, saying: yt the day, whē
any one should be admitted into their order, is appoin∣ted
by the Goddesse, the Priest which shoulde minister
the sacrifice, is chosen by her prouidence, and the neces∣sarie
charges of the ceremouies, is allotted by her com∣maundement,
all which thinges he willed me to attēde
with meruelous patience, and that I should beware ei∣ther
of to much hastines or to great slacknes, conside∣ringe
that there was like daunger, if beynge called I
should delay, or not called I should be hastie: moreouer
he saide, that there was none of his company eyther of
so desperate a minde, or so rashe and hardie as to en∣terprise
any thinge without the commaūdement of the
Goddesse, wherby he should committe a deadly offēce,
considering that it was in her power to dampne & saue
all persons, and if any were at the point of death and
in the way to damnation, so that he were capable to
receaue the secretes of the Goddesse, it was in her
power by diuine prouidence to reduce him to the pathe
of health, as by a certaine kinde of regeneratiō: Finaly
Page 123

he saide that I muste attende the celestiall precept, al∣though
it was euident and playne that the Goddesse
had already vouchsaued to call and appointe me to her
ministery, and to will me to refraine from prophane &
vnlawful meates, as those priests which were already
receaued, to ye ende I might come more apte & cleane to
the knowledge of ye secretes of the religiō. Then I was
obedient vnto these woordes, and attentife with méeke
quietnes, & probable taciturnitie, I dayly serued at the
temple: in the ende the holesom gentlenes of y• goddesse
did nothinge deceaue me, for in a night she appeared to
me in a vision, declaryng y• the day was come whiche I
had wished for so longe, she told me what prouisiō and
charges I should be at, and how that she had appointed
her principal priest Mithra to be a minister with me in
my sacrifices. When I had harde these diuine cōmaun∣dementes
I greatly reioysed, and arose before day to
speake with the great priest, whom I fortuned to espie
cominge out of his chamber: Then I saluted him, and
thought with my self to aske and demaunde his coūsell
with a bolde courage, but assone as he perceaued me, he
began first to say: O Lucius now knowe I well yt thou
are moste happy and blessed, whom the diuine goddesse
doth so greatly accept with mercy, why doest y• delay:
Behold the day which thou diddest desire, whē as thou
shalt receaue at my handes y• order of religiō, & know y•
most pure secretes of the goddesse, wherupō the old mā
toke me by the hand, & ledde me to the gate of the great
temple, where at his first entrie he made a solēpne cele∣bratiō,
and after yt the morning sacrifice was ended, he
brought out of the secrete place of the temple certaine
bookes, partly writen with vnknowen charecters, and
partely peincted with figures of beastes, declarings


briefly euery sentence, with toppes and tayles turned
roūde in fashiō of a whéele, which were wholy straūge
& impossible to be reade of the prophane people: There
he enterpreted to me suche thinges as were necessary
to the vse and preparation of mine order. This done, I
gaue in charge to certaine of my compaignions to bie
liberaly what so euer was néedefull and conuenient,
then he brought me to the next baynes, accōpaned with
all the religious sorte, and demaundinge perdon of the
Goddes, washed me and purified my body according to
ye custome: After this when noone approched he brought
me backe againe to the Temple, and presented me be∣fore
the face of the Goddesse, giuinge a charge of cer∣taine
secrete thinges vnlawfull to be vttered, and cō∣maunding
me, and generally all the rest, to fast by the
space of tenne continuall dayes, without eating of any
beast, or drinking of any wine, which thinges I obser∣ued
with a meruelous continencie. Then beholde the
day approched, when as the sacrifice should be done, &
when night came there arriued on euery coast a great
multitude of Priestes, who accordinge to their order
offered me many presentes and giftes, then was all the
Laitie & prophane people cōmaunded to depart, & when
they had putte on my backe a linnē robe, they brought
me to the most secrete and sacred place of the Temple.
You would perauēture demaūde, you studious reader,
what was saide and done there, verely I would tel you
if it were lawfull for me to tell, you should know if it
were conuenient for you to here, but both thy eares
and my tongue shall incurre the like paine of rashe cu∣riositie:
Howbeit I wil content thy minde for this pre∣sent
time, which peraduenture is somewhat religious
and giuen to some deuotion, listen therefore & beleue
Page 124

it to be true: thou shalt vnderstande that I approched
nere vnto Hell, euē to the gates of Proserpina, & after
that I was rauished throughout all the Elementes, I
returned to my proper place: About midnight I sawe
the sonne shine, I saw likewise the Goddes celestiall,
and Goddes infernall, before whome I presented my
selfe and woorshipped them: beholde now haue I tolde
thée, which although thou hast harde, yet it is necessary
that you conceale it, for this haue I declared without
offence, for the vnderstanding of the prophane. When
morninge came and that the solempnities were fini∣shed,
I came foorth sanctified with twelue •toles & in
a religious habite, wherof I am not forbiddē to speake,
consideringe that many persons sawe me at that time:
there I was commaunded to stande vppon a seate of
woodde which stoode in the middle of the temple, before
the figure and remembraūce of the Goddesse, my vest∣ment
was of fine linnen, couered & embrodered with
flowres, I had a pretious cope vpon my shoulders han∣ginge
downe to the grounde, whereon were beastes
wrought of diuers colours, as Indian Dragons, & Hy∣perborian
Gryphones, whome in forme of brides the
other world doth engender, the Priestes cōmonly call
such a habit, a celestiall Stole: in my right hande I car∣ried
a light torche, and a garlande of flowres vpon my
head, with Palme leaues stroutinge out on euery side:
I was adorned like vnto the Sunne, and made in fa∣shion
of an Image, in suche sorte that all the people
compassed about to beholde me: Then they beganne to
solemnise the feast of my natiuitie, and the newe pro∣cession
with sumptuous bankets and delicate meates:
the thirde day was likewise celebrate with like cere∣monies,
with a religious dinner, and with all the con∣summation
of the order, when I had continued there


a good space I conceaued a meruelous pleasure and cō∣solation
in beholding ordinarily the Image of the god∣desse,
who at length admonished me to departe home∣warde,
not without rendringe of thankes, whiche al∣though
were not sufficient, yet they were according to
my power: How be it I could vnneth be perswaded to
depart, before I had fallen prostrate before the face of y•
Goddesse, and wiped her steppes with my face, where∣by
I beganne so greatly to wéepe and sighe, that my
woordes were interrupted, and as deuouring my pray∣er
I began to say in this sorte: O holy & blessed Dame,
the perpetuall comfort of humaine kinde, who by thy
bountie and grace nourishest all the world, and bearest
a great affection to the aduersities of the miserable as
a louing mother, thou takest no rest, neyther arte thou
idle at any time in giuinge thy benefites, and succo∣ringe
all men aswell on lande as sea, thou arte she that
puttest away all stormes and daungers from mans
life by thy right hande, whereby likewise thou restray∣nest
the fatall dispositions, appeasest the great tem∣pestes
of fortunes, and kéepest backe the course of the
starres, the Gods supernall doth honour thée: the Gods
infernall hath thée in reuerence: thou enuironest al the
worlde, thou giuest light to the Sunne, thou gouer∣nest
the world, thou treadest downe the power of Hell:
By thy meane the times returne, the Planets reioyse,
the Elementes serue: at thy cōmaūdement the windes
doo blowe, the cloudes encrease, the séedes prosper, and
the fruictes preuayle, the birdes of the ayre, the beastes
of the hill, the Serpentes of the denne, and the fishes
of the sea, doo tremble at thy maiestie, but my spirite is
not able to giue thée sufficient prayse, my patrimonie
is vnable to satisfie thy sacrifice, my voyce hath no
power to vtter that which I thinke, no if I had a thou∣sande
Page 125

mouthes and so many tongues: How be it as a
good religious personne, and according to my estate, I
wil alwaies kéepe thée in remembraunce, and close thee
within my brest. When I had ended mine orayson, I
wente to embrase the great Prieste Mithra my spiri∣tuall
Father and to demaunde his pardon, considering
I was vnable to recompence the good whiche he had
done me: After great gréetinges & thankes I departed
from him to visitte my parents & fréendes. And within
a while after by the exhortatiō of the Goddesse, I made
vp my packquette and toke shippyng towardes ye Citie
of Rome, where, with a prosperous winde I arriued a∣bout
the twelfe day of December. And the greatest de∣sire
which I had there was daily to make my praiers to
y• soueraigne Goddesse Isis, who by reason of the place
where her temple was builded, was called Cāpensis, &
cōtinually adored of the people of Rome: Her minister
& woorshipper was I howbeit I was a straunger to her
Church, & vnknowen to her religion there: When the
yeare was ended, & that the Goddesse warned me again
to receaue this newe order & consecration, I merueled
greatly what it should signifie, & what should happen,
considering that I was a sacred person already. But it
fortuned yt while I partly reasoned with my selfe, and
partely examined ye thing with the Priestes & Bishops,
there came a newe & meruelous thought to my minde,
that is to say: I was onely religious to ye goddesse Isis,
but not sacred to the religion of great Osiris the soue∣raigne
Father of all the Goddes, betwéene whome,
although there was a religious vnitie and concorde,
yet there was a great difference of order and ceremo∣nie.
And because it was necessary that I shoulde like∣wise
be a minister vnto Osiris, there was no longe de∣lay:
For in the night after appered vnto me one of that


order, couered with linnen robes, holding in his hādes
speares wrapped in yu•e, and other thinges not conue∣nient
to declare, which he lefte in my chamber, and sit∣tinge
in my seate, 〈◊〉 to me suche thinges as were
necessary for the sumptuons bankette of mine entry.
And to the ende I might knowe him againe, he showed
me how the ankle of his left foote was somewhat may∣med,
whiche caused him a litle to halte. After that I did
manifestly knowe the will of the God Osiris, when
Mattins was ended, I wente from one to an other to
finde him out whiche had the haltinge marke of his
foote, accordinge as I learned by my vision, at length
I founde it true: for I perceaued one of the company of
the Priestes who had not onely the token of his foote,
but the stature and habite of his body, resemblyng in
euery point as he appeared in the night, he was called
Asinius Marcellus,* a name not muche disagreynge from
my transformation, by and by I wēnte to him, whiche
knew well inough all the matter, as beynge monished
by like precept in the nighte: for the night before as he
dressed the flowres and garlandes about the head of yt
God Osiris, he vnderstoode by the mouth of his Image,
which tolde the predestinations of all men, how he had
sent a poore man of Madaura, to whom he should mini∣ster
his sacramentes, to the ende y• he should receaue a
rewarde by diuine prouidence, and the other glory, for
his vertuous studies, when I sawe my selfe thus de∣puted
vnto religion, my desire was stopped by reason
of pouertie, for I had spente a great parte of my goodes
in trauell and peregrination, but most of all in the citie
of Rome, whereby my lowe estate withdrewe me a
great while: In the ende, being oftentimes stirred for∣warde,
not without great trouble of minde, I was cō∣streined
to sel my roabe for a litle money: howbeit, suf∣ficient
Page 126

for all my affaires. Then the Prieste spake vnto
me, saiyng: How is it that for a little pleasure thou art
not aferde to sell thy vestimentes, and entring into so
great ceremonies, dost feare to fall into pouertie▪ pre∣pare
thy selfe, and abstaine from all animall meates, as
beastes and fishe. In the meane season I did frequent
the sacrifices of Serapis, whiche were done in y• night,
which thing gaue me great comfort to my peregrina∣tion,
and ministred vnto me more plentifull liuing, cō∣sidering
I gained some money in haūting to the court,
by reason of my lattin tongue. Immediatly after, I
was eftsones called and admonished by the god Osiris,
to receiue a thirde order of Religiō. Then I was great∣ly
astonied, because I coulde not tell what this newe
vision signified, or what the intent of the Celestiall
Goddes was, doubting least the former Priestes had
giuen me ill councell, and fearinge that they had not
faithfully enstructed me, beinge in this maner as it
were incensed. The God Osiris, appeared to me the
night! folowing, and geuing me admonition, saiynge:
There is no occasion why thou shouldest be aferd with
so often order of Religion, as though there were som∣what
omitted, but that thou shouldest rather reioyse,
since as it hath pleased ye Goddes to cal thée thrée times,
when as there was neuer yet any persone that atchie∣ued
to the order but once: Wherfore thou maist thinke
thy selfe most happy for so great benefites. And knowe
thou that the Religion which thou must nowe receiue,
is right necessary, if thou meane to perseuer in the
woorshipping of the Goddesse and to make solempnitie
on the festiual day with thy blessed habite, which thing
shalbe a glory and renoume to thée. After this sorte
the diuine maiestie perswaded me in my sléepe, where∣upō
by and by I went towardes the Priest, and decla∣red


all that which I had séene, then I fasted the space of
tenne daies according to the custome, and of mine own
proper wil I abstained lenger then I was cōmaunded:
And verely I did nothing repent of the paine whiche I
had taken, & of the charges which I was at, considering
that the diuine prouidence had giuen me such an order
that I gayned much money in pleadinge of causes: Fi∣nally
after a few dayes the great God Osiris appeared
to me in the night, not desguised in any other forme
but in his owne essence, cōmaundinge me that I should
be an Aduocate in the court, & not feare the sclaunder &
enuie of ill persons, whiche bare me stomacke & grudge
by reason of my doctrine, whiche I had gotten by much
labour: moreouer he woulde not that I shoulde be any
lenger of the nomber of his Priestes, but he allotted
me to be one of the Decurious & Senatours: and after
he appointed me a place within the auncient Pallaice,
which was erected in the time of Silla, whereas I exe∣cuted
mine office in great ioy with a shauen crowne.

FINIS.

❧The Table of the first Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse.
HOvve Apuleius ridinge into Thessalie, fortuned to fall into cōpanie vvith tvvo straū∣gers, that reasoned together of the mightye povver of VVitches. Cap. 1. fol. 1.
Hovv Apulcius told to the tvvoo straūgers, what he savv a Iug∣lar doo in Athēs. Cap. 2. fol. 1.
Hovv Socrates in his returne frō Macedonie to Larissa, vvas spoiled and robbed, and hovv he fell acquainted vvith one Meroe, a VVitch. Cap. 3. fol. 3.

Hovve Meroe the VVitche turned di∣uers persons into miserable Beastes. Cap. 4.
Hovv Socrates and Aristomenus slept to∣gether in one chāber, and hovve they vvere hādled by VVitches. Cap. 5. fol. 5.
Hovv Apuleius came to a Citie called Hi∣pate, and vvas lodged in one Malos house, and brought him letters from Demea of Corinth. Cap. 6. fol. 9.
Hovve Apuleius goeinge to bie Fishe mette vvith his compaignion Pithias. Cap. 7. fol. 10.
¶The seconde Booke.
¶Hovv Apuleius fortuned to meete vvith his cofin Byrrhena. Cap. 8. fol. 12.
Hovve Apuleius fell into loue vvith Fo∣tis. Cap. 9. fol. 14.
Hovv Birrhena sent victualles vnto Apu∣leius, and hovv he talked vvith Milo of Diophanes, and hovv he laye vvith Fotis. Cap. 10. fol. 16.
Hovv Apuleius supped vvith Birrhena, and vvhat a straūge tale Bellephoron tolde at the table. Cap. 11. fol. 18.
¶The thirde Booke.
¶Hovv Apuleius vvas taken and putte in prison for Murder. Cap. 12. fol. 24.
Hovve Apuleius vvas accused by an olde man, and hovv he ansvveared for him selfe. Cap. 13. fol. 24.
Hovv Apuleius vvas accused by tvvo vvo∣men, and hovv the slaine bodies vvere foūde blovven bladders. Cap. 14. fol. 26.
Hovve Fotis tolde to Apuleius, vvhat VVitchecrafte her Mistris did vse. Cap. 15. fol. 28.
Hovv Fotis brought Apuleius to see her Mistris Enchaunt. Cap. 16. fol. 31.
Hovve Apuleius thinkinge to be turned into a Birde, vvas turned in to an Asse, and hovve he vvas ledde avvaye by Theeues. Cap. 17. fol. 32.
¶The fourth Booke.
¶Hovv Apuleius thinking to goe to eate Roses, vvas cruelly beaten by a Garde∣ner and chased by Dogges. ca. 18. fol. 34.
Hovv Apuleius vvas preuēted of his pur∣pose, and hovve the Theeues came to their denne. Cap. 19. fol. 35.
Hovve Thrasileon vvas disguised in a Beares skinne, and hovv he vvas hand∣led. Cap. 20. fol. 39.
Hovve the Theeues stole avvay a Gentel∣vvoman, and brought her to their denne. Cap. 21. fol. 41.
The moste pleasaunt and delectable tale of the Marriage of Cupide and Psy∣ches. Cap. 22. fol. 45.
Hovv Apuleius carried avvay the Gentle∣vvoman, and hovv they vvere taken a∣gaine by the Theeues, and vvhat a kinde of death vvas inuented for thē. Cap. 23. fol. 63.
¶The seuenth Booke.
¶Hovv he that vvas lefte behinde at Hip∣pata to bringe nevves concerning the robbery of Milos house, came home and declared to his compaigniōs that all the faulte was layde to one Apu∣leius charge. Cap. 24. fol. 66.
How the death of the Asse, and the Gen∣telvvoman vvas staide. Cap. 25. fol. 69.
Hovv all the Theeues vveare brought in a sleape by their nevve companion. Cap. 26. fol. 70.

Hovv the Gētlevvomā vvas carried home by her husbande vvhile the Theeues vvere a sleape, and hovve muche Apu∣leius vvas made of. Cap. 27. fol. 71.
Hovve Apuleius vvas made a cōmon Asse to fetche home vvoodde, and hovv he vvas handled by a boye. Cap. 28. fol. 72.
Hovv Apuleius vvas accused of lecherie by the Boye. Cap. 29. fol. 74.
Hovve the Boye that ledde Apuleius to the fieldes, vvas slaine in the vvoodde. Cap. 30. fol. 75.
Hovv Apuleius vvas cruelly beaten by the mother of the boye that vvas slaine. Cap. 31. fol. 76.
¶The eight Booke.
¶Hovv a yonge man came and declared the miserable death of Lepolemus, and his vvife Charites. Cap. 32. fol. 77.
Hovve Apuleius vvas ledde avvay by the horsekeper, and vvhat daungers he vvas in. Cap. 33. fol. 81.
Hovv the Shepeherdes determined to a∣bide in a certayne vvoodde to cure their vvoundes. Cap. 34. fol. 83.
Hovv a vvoman killed her selfe, and her childe, because her husbande haunted harlottes. Cap. 35. fol. 84.
Hovv Apuleius vvas cheapened by diuers persons, and hovve they loked in his mouth to knovv his age. Cap. 36. fol. 84.
¶The ninth Booke.
¶Hovve Apuleius saued him selfe from the Cooke by breakinge his halter, and of other thinges that happened. Cap. 37. fol. 87.
Of the deceipte of a vvoman, vvhich made her husbād Coockolde. Cap. 38. fol. 89.
Hovv the Priestes of the goddesse Syria, vvere taken and put in pryson, and hovve Apuleius was solde to a Baker. Cap. 39. fol. 90.
Hovve Apuleius vvas handled by the Ba∣kers vvife, whiche vvas a harlotte. Cap. 40. fol. 92.
Hovv Barbasus being ielous ouer his vvife, cōmaunded that she should be kepte close in his house, and vvhat happe∣ned. Cap. 41. fol. 93.
Hovv Apuleius after the Baker vvas han∣ged, vvas solde to a Gardiner, and vvhat dreadful things happened. Ca. 42. fol. 97.
Hovve Apuleius vvas founde dy his sha∣dovv. Cap. 43. fol. 100.
¶The tenth Booke.
¶Hovve the Souldiour draue Apuleius awaye, and hovve he came to a Capi∣tains house: and vvhat happened there. Cap. 44. fol. 102.
Hovv Apuleius vvas solde to two brethern, vvhereof one vvas a Baker, and the o∣ther a Cooke, and hovve finely and deintily he fared. Cap. 45. fol. 106.
Hovv a certaine Matron fell in loue vvith Apuleius, and hovve he had his plea∣sure vvith her, and what other things happened. Cap. 46. fol. 109.
¶The eleuenth Booke.
¶Hovve Apuleius by Roses and pray∣er, returned to his humaine shape. Cap. 47. fol. 115.
Hovv the Parentes and freendes of Apu∣leius, harde nevves that he vvas aliue and in health. Cap. 48. fol. 121.

FINIS.