the golden asse-第1章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





The　Golden　Asse

by　Lucius　Apuleius

Translated　by　William　Adlington




Dedication


To　the　Right　Honourable　and　Mighty　Lord；　THOMAS　EARLE　OF　SUSSEX；　Viscount　Fitzwalter；　Lord　of　Egremont　and　of　Burnell；　Knight　of　the　most　noble　Order　of　the　Garter；　　Iustice　of　the　forrests　and　Chases　from　Trent　Southward；　Captain　of　the　Gentleman　Pensioners　of　　the　House　of　the　QUEENE　our　Soveraigne　Lady。

After　that　I　had　taken　upon　me　（right　Honourable）　in　manner　of　that　unlearned　and　foolish　Poet；　Cherillus；　who　rashly　and　unadvisedly　wrought　a　big　volume　in　verses；　of　the　valiant　prowesse　of　Alexander　the　Great；　to　translate　this　present　booke；　contayning　the　Metamorphosis　of　Lucius　Apuleius；　being　mooved　thereunto　by　the　right　pleasant　pastime　and　delectable　matter　therein；　I　eftsoones　consulted　with　myself；　to　whom　I　might　best　offer　so　pleasant　and　worthy　a　work；　devised　by　the　author；　it　being　now　barbarously　and　simply　framed　in　our　English　tongue。　　And　after　long　deliberation　had；　your　honourable　lordship　came　to　my　remembrance；　a　man　much　more　worthy；　than　to　whom　so　homely　and　rude　a　translation　should　be　presented。　　But　when　I　again　remembred　the　jesting　and　sportfull　matter　of　the　booke；　unfit　to　be　offered　to　any　man　of　gravity　and　wisdome；　I　was　wholly　determined　to　make　no　Epistle　Dedicatory　at　all；　till　as　now　of　late　perswaded　thereunto　by　my　friends；　I　have　boldly　enterprised　to　offer　the　same　to　your　Lordship；　who　as　I　trust　wil　accept　the　same；　than　if　it　did　entreat　of　some　serious　and　lofty　matter；　light　and　merry；　yet　the　effect　thereof　tendeth　to　a　good　and　vertuous　moral；　as　in　the　following　Epistle　to　the　reader　may　be　declared。　For　so　have　all　writers　in　times　past　employed　their　travell　and　labours；　that　their　posterity　might　receive　some　fruitfull　profit　by　the　same。　　And　therfore　the　poets　feined　not　their　fables　in　vain；　considering　that　children　in　time　of　their　first　studies；　　are　very　much　allured　thereby　to　proceed　to　more　grave　and　deepe　studies　and　disciplines；　whereas　their　mindes　would　quickly　loath　the　wise　and　prudent　workes　of　　learned　men；　wherein　in　such　unripe　years　they　take　no　spark　of　delectation　at　all。　　And　not　only　that　profit　ariseth　to　children　by　such　feined　fables；　but　also　the　vertues　of　men　are　covertly　thereby　commended；　and　their　vices　discommended　and　abhorred。　　For　by　the　fable　of　Actaeon；　where　it　is　feigned　that　he　saw　Diana　washing　her　selfe　in　a　well；　　hee　was　immediately　turned　into　an　Hart；　and　so　was　slain　of　his　own　Dogs；　may　bee　meant；　That　when　a　man　casteth　his　eyes　on　the　vain　and　soone　fading　beauty　of　the　world；　consenting　thereto　in　his　minde；　hee　seemeth　to　bee　turned　into　a　brute　beast；　and　so　to　be　slain　by　the　inordinate　desire　of　his　owne　affects。　　By　Tantalus　that　stands　in　the　midst　of　the　floud　Eridan；　having　before　him　a　tree　laden　with　pleasant　apples；　he　being　neverthelesse　always　thirsty　and　hungry；　betokeneth　the　insatiable　desires　of　covetous　persons。　The　fables　of　Atreus；　Thiestes；　Tereus　and　Progne　signifieth　the　wicked　and　abhominable　facts　wrought　and　attempted　by　mortall　men。　The　fall　of　Icarus　is　an　example　to　proud　and　arrogant　persons；　that　weeneth　to　climb　up　to　the　heavens。　　By　Mydas；　who　obtained　of　Bacchus；　that　all　things　which　he　touched　might　be　gold；　is　carped　the　foul　sin　of　avarice。　　By　Phaeton；　that　unskilfully　took　in　hand　to　rule　the　chariot　of　the　Sunne；　are　represented　those　persons　which　attempt　things　passing　their　power　and　capacity。　　By　Castor　and　Pollux；　turned　into　a　signe　in　heaven　called　Gemini；　is　signified；　that　vertuous　and　godly　persons　shall　be　rewarded　after　life　with　perpetuall　blisse。　　And　in　this　feined　jest　of　Lucius　Apuleius　is　comprehended　a　figure　of　mans　life；　ministring　most　sweet　and　delectable　matter；　to　such　as　shall　be　desirous　to　reade　the　same。　　The　which　if　your　honourable　lordship　shall　accept　ant　take　in　good　part；　I　shall　not　onely　thinke　my　small　travell　and　labour　well　employed；　but　also　receive　a　further　comfort　to　attempt　some　more　serious　matter；　which　may　be　more　acceptable　to　your　Lordship　：　desiring　the　same　to　excuse　my　rash　and　bold　enterprise　at　this　time；　as　I　nothing　doubt　of　your　Lordships　goodnesse。　To　whome　I　beseech　Almighty　God　to　impart　long　life；　with　encrease　of　much　honour。

》From　Vniversity　Colledge　in　Oxenforde；　the　xviij。　of　September；　1566。

Your　Honours　most　bounden；

WIL。　ADLINGTON。




The　Life　of　Lucius　Apuleius　Briefly　Described


LUCIUS　APULEIUS　African；　an　excellent　follower　of　Plato　his　sect；　born　in　Madaura；　a　Countrey　sometime　inhabited　by　the　Romans；　　and　under　the　jurisdiction　of　Syphax；　scituate　and　lying　on　the　borders　of　Numidia　and　Getulia；　whereby　he　calleth　himself　half　a　Numidian　and　half　a　Getulian　：　and　Sidonius　named　him　the　Platonian　Madaurence　：　his　father　called　Theseus　had　passed　all　offices　of　dignity　in　his　countrey　with　much　honour。　　His　mother　named　Salvia　was　of　such　excellent　vertue；　that　she　passed　all　the　Dames　of　her　time；　borne　of　an　ancient　house；　and　descended　from　the　philosopher　Plutarch；　and　Sextus　his　nephew。　　His　wife　called　Prudentila　was　endowed　with　as　much　vertue　and　riches　as　any　woman　might　be。　　Hee　himselfe　was　of　an　high　and　comely　stature；　gray　eyed；　his　haire　yellow；　and　a　beautiful　personage。　　He　flourished　in　Carthage　in　the　time　of　Iolianus　Avitus　and　Cl。　Maximus　Proconsuls；　where　he　spent　his　youth　in　learning　the　liberall　sciences；　and　much　profited　under　his　masters　there；　whereby　not　without　cause　hee　calleth　himself　the　Nource　of　Carthage；　and　the　celestial　Muse　and　venerable　mistresse　of　Africke。　　Soone　after；　at　Athens　（where　in　times　past　the　well　of　all　doctrine　flourished）　he　tasted　many　of　the　cups　of　the　muses；　he　learned　the　Poetry；　Geometry；　Musicke；　Logicke；　and　the　universall　knowledge　of　Philosophy；　and　studied　not　in　vaine　the　nine　Muses；　that　is　to　say；　the　nine　noble　and　royal　disciplines。

Immediately　after　he　went　to　Rome；　and　studied　there　the　Latine　tongue；　with　such　labour　and　continuall　study；　that　he　achieved　to　great　eloquence；　and　was　known　and　approved　to　be　excellently　learned；　whereby　he　might　worthily　be　called　Polyhistor；　that　is　to　say；　one　that　knoweth　much　or　many　things。

And　being　thus　no　lesse　endued　with　eloquence；　than　with　singular　learning；　he　wrote　many　books　for　them　that　should　come　after　：　whereof　part　by　negligence　of　times　be　now　intercepted　and　part　now　extant；　doe　sufficiently　declare；　with　how　much　wisdome　and　doctrine　hee　flourished；　and　with　how　much　vertue　hee　excelled　amongst　the　rude　and　barbarous　people。　The　like　was　Anacharsis　amongst　the　most　luskish　Scythes。　　But　amongst　the　Bookes　of　Lucius　Apuleius；　which　are　perished　and　prevented；　howbeit　greatly　desired　as　now　adayes；　one　was　intituled　Banquetting　questions；　another　entreating　of　the　nature　of　fish；　another　of　the　generation　of　beasts；　another　containing　his　Epigrams；　another　called　'Hermagoras'　：　but　such　as　are　now　extant　are　the　foure　books　named　'Floridorum'；　　wherein　is　contained　a　flourishing　stile；　and　a　savory　kind　of　learning；　which　delighteth；　holdeth；　and　rejoiceth　the　reader　marvellously；　wherein　you　shall　find　a　great　variety　of　things；　as　leaping　one　from　another　：　One　excellent　and　copious　Oration；　containing　all　the　grace　and　vertue　of　the　art　Oratory；　where　he　cleareth　himself　of　the　crime　of　art　Magick；　which　was　slanderously　objected　against　him　by　his　Adversaries；　wherein　is　contained　such　force　of　eloquence　and　doctrine；　as　he　seemeth　to　passe　and　excell　himselfe。　There　is　another　booke　of　the　god　of　the　spirit　of　Socrates；　whereof　St。　Augustine　maketh　mention　in　his　booke　of　the　definition　of　spirits；　and　description　of　men。　　Two　other　books　of　the　opinion　of　Plato；　wherein　is　briefly　contained　that　which　before　was　largely　expressed。　　One　booke　of　Cosmography；　comprising　many　things　of　Aristotles　Meteors。　　The　Dialogue　of　Trismegistus；　translated　by　him　out　of　Greeke　into　Latine；　so　fine；　that　it　rather　seemeth　with　more　eloquence　turned　into　Latine；　than　it　was　before　written　in　Greeke。　　But　principally　these　eleven　Bookes　of　the　'Golden　Asse'；　are　enriched　with　such　pleasant　matter；　with　such　excellency　and　variety　of　flourishing　tales；　that　nothing　may　be　more　sweet　and　delectable；　whereby　worthily　they　may　be　intituled　The　Bookes　of　the　'Golden　Asse'；　　for　the　passing　stile　and　matter　therein。　For　what　can　be　more　acceptable　than　this　Asse　of　Gold　indeed。　Howbeit　there　be　many　who　would　rather　intitule　it　'Metamorphosis'；　that　is　to　say；　a　transfiguration　or　transformation；　by　reason　of　the　argument　and　matter　within。



The　Preface　of　the　Author　To　His　Sonne；　Faustinus　And　unto　the　Readers　of　this　Book


　　　　　　　　　　THAT　I　to　thee　some　joyous　jests　　　　　　　　　　　　　may　show　in　gentle　gloze；　　　　　　　　　　　And　frankly　feed　thy　bended　eares　　　　　　　　　　　　　with　passing　pleasant　prose　：　　　　　　　　　　　So　that　thou　daine　in　seemly　sort　　　　　　　　　　　　　this　wanton　booke　to　view；　　　　　　　　　　　That　is　set　out　and　garnisht　fine；　　　　　　　　　　　　　with　written　phrases　new。　　　　　　　　　　　I　will　declare　how　one　by　hap　　　　　　　　　　　　　his　humane　figure　lost；　　　　　　　　　　　And　how　in　brutish　formed　shape；　　　　　　　　　　　　　his　loathed　life　he　tost。　　　　　　　　　　　And　how　he　was　in　course　of　time　　　　　　　　　　　　　from　such　a　state　unfold；　　　　　　　　　　　Who　eftsoone　turn'd　to　pristine　shape　　　　　　　　　　　　　his　lot　unlucky　told。

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




THE　FIRST　BOOKE





THE　FIRST　CHAPTER


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

As　I　fortuned　to　take　my　voyage　into　Thessaly；　about　certaine　affaires　which　I　had　to　doe　（　for　there　myne　auncestry　by　my　mothers　side　inhabiteth；　descended　of　the　line　of　that　most　excellent　person　Plutarch；　and　of　Sextus　the　Philosopher　his　Nephew；　which　is　to　us　a　great　honour）　and　after　that　by　much　travell　and　great　paine　I　had　passed　over　the　high　mountaines　and　slipperie　vallies；　and　had　ridden　through　the　cloggy　fallowed　fields；　perceiving　that　my　horse　did　wax　somewhat　slow；　and　to　the　intent　likewise　that　I　might　repose　and　strengthen　my　self　（being　weary　with　riding）　I　lighted　off　my　horse；　and　wiping　the　sweat　from　ev