the golden asse-第27章

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overnment　of　his　house；　and　was　Master　of　the　lodging　where　we　lay　：　this　servant　had　married　a　Maiden　of　the　same　house；　howbeit　he　was　greatly　in　love　with　a　harlot　of　the　towne；　and　accustomed　to　resort　unto　her；　wherewith　his　wife　was　so　highly　displeased　and　became　so　jealous；　that　she　gathered　together　all　her　husbands　substance；　with　his　tales　and　books　of　account；　and　threw　them　　into　a　light　fire　：　she　was　not　contented　with　this；　but　she　tooke　a　cord　and　bound　her　child　which　she　had　by　her　husband；　about　her　middle　and　cast　her　selfe　headlong　into　a　deepe　pit。　　The　Master　taking　in　evill　part　the　death　of　these　twaine；　tooke　his　servant　which　was　the　cause　of　this　murther　by　his　luxurie；　and　first　after　that　he　had　put　off　all　his　apparell；　he　annointed　his　body　with　honey；　and　then　bound　him　sure　to　a　fig…tree；　where　in　a　rotten　stocke　a　great　number　of　Pismares　had　builded　their　neasts；　the　Pismares　after　they　had　felt　the　sweetnesse　of　the　honey　came　upon　his　body；　and　by　little　and　little　（in　continuance　of　time）　devoured　all　his　flesh；　in　such　sort；　that　there　remained　on　the　tree　but　his　bare　bones　：　this　was　declared　unto　us　by　the　inhabitants　of　the　village　there；　who　greatly　sorrowed　for　the　death　of　this　servant　：　then　we　avoiding　likewise　from　this　dreadfull　lodging　incontinently　departed　away。



THE　THIRTY…SIXTH　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　was　cheapned　by　divers　persons；　and　how　they　looked　in　his　mouth　to　know　his　age。



　After　this　we　came　to　a　faire　Citie　very　populous；　where　our　shepheards　determined　to　continue；　by　reason　that　it　seemed　a　place　where　they　might　live　unknowne；　far　from　such　as　should　pursue　them；　and　because　it　was　a　countrey　very　plentifull　of　corne　and　other　victuals；　where　when　we　had　remained　the　space　of　three　dayes；　and　that　I　poore　Asse　and　the　other　horses　were　fed　and　kept　in　the　stable　to　the　intent　we　might　seeme　more　saleable；　we　were　brought　out　at　length　to　the　market；　and　by　and　by　a　crier　sounded　with　his　horne　to　notifie　that　we　were　to　be　sold　：　all　my　companion　horses　were　bought　up　by　Gentlemen；　but　as　for　me　I　stood　still　forsaken　of　all　men。　　And　when　many　buiers　came　by　and　looked　in　my　mouth　to　know　mine　age；　I　was　so　weary　with　opening　my　jawes　that　at　length　（unable　to　endure　any　longer）　when　one　came　with　a　stinking　paire　of　hands　and　grated　my　gummes　with　his　filthy　fingers；　I　bit　them　cleane　off；　which　thing　caused　the　standers　by　to　forsake　me　as　being　a　fierce　and　cruell　beast：　the　crier　when　he　had　gotten　a　hoarse　voice　with　crying；　and　saw　that　no　man　would　buy　me；　began　to　mocke　me　saying；　To　what　end　stand　we　here　with　this　wilde　Asse；　this　feeble　beast；　this　slow　jade　with　worne　hooves；　good　for　nothing　but　to　make　sives　of　his　skin？　　Why　do　we　not　give　him　to　some　body　for　he　earneth　not　his　hay？　　In　this　manner　he　made　all　the　standers　by　to　laugh　exceedingly；　but　my　evill　fortune　which　was　ever　so　cruell　against　me；　whom　I　by　travell　of　so　many　countreys　could　in　no　wise　escape；　did　more　and　more　envie　me；　with　invention　of　new　meanes　to　afflict　my　poore　body　in　giving　me　a　new　Master　as　spitefull　as　the　rest。　　There　was　an　old　man　somewhat　bald；　with　long　and　gray　haire；　one　of　the　number　of　those　that　go　from　door　to　door；　throughout　all　the　villages；　bearing　the　Image　of　the　goddesse　Syria；　and　playing　with　Cimbals　to　get　the　almes　of　good　and　charitable　folks；　this　old　man　came　hastely　towards　the　cryer；　and　demanded　where　I　was　bred　：　Marry　（quoth　he）　in　Cappadocia　：　Then　he　enquired　what　age　I　was　of；　the　cryer　answered　as　a　Mathematician；　which　disposed　to　me　my　Planets；　that　I　was　five　yeares　old；　and　willed　the　old　man　to　looke　in　my　mouth　：　For　I　would　not　willingly　（quoth　he）　incur　the　penalty　of　the　law　Cornelia；　in　selling　a　free　Citizen　for　a　servile　slave；　buy　a　Gods　name　this　faire　beast　to　ride　home　on；　and　about　in　the　countrey　：　But　this　curious　buier　did　never　stint　to　question　of　my　qualities；　and　at　length　he　demanded　whether　I　were　gentle　or　no　：　Gentle　（quoth　the　crier）　as　gentle　as　a　Lambe；　tractable　to　all　use；　he　will　never　bite；　he　will　never　kicke；　hut　you　would　rather　thinke　that　under　the　shape　of　an　Asse　there　were　some　well　advised　man；　which　verely　you　may　easily　conject；　for　if　you　would　thrust　your　nose　in　his　taile　you　shall　perceive　how　patient　he　is　：　Thus　the　cryer　mocked　the　old　man；　but　he　perceiving　his　taunts　and　jests；　waxed　very　angry　saying；　Away　doting　cryer；　I　pray　the　omnipotent　and　omniparent　goddesse　Syria；　Saint　Sabod；　Bellona；　with　her　mother　Idea；　and　Venus；　with　Adonis；　to　strike　out　both　thine　eies；　that　with　taunting　mocks　hast　scoffed　me　in　this　sort　：　Dost　thou　thinke　that　I　will　put　a　goddesse　upon　the　backe　of　any　fierce　beast；　whereby　her　divine　Image　should　be　throwne　downe　on　the　ground；　and　so　I　poore　miser　should　be　compelled　（tearing　my　haire）　to　looke　for　some　Physition　to　helpe　her？　　When　I　heard　him　speake　thus；　I　thought　with　my　selfe　sodainly　to　leap　upon　him　like　a　mad　Asse；　to　the　intent　he　should　not　buy　me；　but　incontinently　there　came　another　Marchant　that　prevented　my　thought；　and　offered　17　Pence　for　me；　then　my　Master　was　glad　and　received　the　money；　and　delivered　me　to　my　new　Master　who　was　called　Phelibus；　and　he　caried　his　new　servant　home；　and　before　he　came　to　his　house；　he　called　out　his　daughters　saying；　Behold　my　daughters；　what　a　gentle　servant　I　have　bought　for　you　：　then　they　were　marvailous　glad；　and　comming　out　pratling　and　shouting　for　joy；　thought　verely　that　he　had　brought　home　a　fit　and　conveniable　servant　for　their　purpose；　but　when　they　perceived　that　it　was　an　Asse；　they　began　to　provoke　him；　saying　that　he　had　not　bought　a　servant　for　his　Maidens；　but　rather　an　Asse　for　himselfe。　　Howbeit　（quoth　they）　keepe　him　not　wholly　for　your　owne　riding；　but　let　us　likewise　have　him　at　commandement。　Therewithall　they　led　me　into　the　stable；　and　tied　me　to　the　manger　：　there　was　a　certaine　yong　man　with　a　mighty　body；　wel　skilled　in　playing　on　instruments　before　the　gods　to　get　money；　who　（as　soone　as　he　had　espied　me）　entertained　me　verie　well；　for　he　filled　my　racke　and　maunger　full　of　meat；　and　spake　merrily　saying；　O　master　Asse；　you　are　very　welcome；　now　you　shall　take　my　office　in　hand；　you　are　come　to　supply　my　roome；　and　to　ease　me　of　my　miserable　labour　：　but　I　pray　God　thou　rnaist　long　live　and　please　my　Master　well；　to　the　end　thou　maist　continually　deliver　me　from　so　great　paine。　　When　I　heard　these　words　I　did　prognosticate　my　miserie　to　come。

　The　day　following　I　saw　there　a　great　number　of　persons　apparelled　in　divers　colours；　having　painted　faces；　mitres　on　their　heads；　vestiments　coloured　like　saffron；　Surplesses　of　silke；　and　on　their　feet　yellow　shooes；　who　attired　the　goddesse　in　a　robe　of　Purple；　and　put　her　upon　my　backe。　Then　they　went　forth　with　their　armes　naked　to　their　shoulders；　bearing　with　them　great　swords　and　mightie　axes；　and　dancing　like　mad　persons。　　After　that　we　had　passed　many　small　villages；　we　fortuned　to　come　to　one　Britunis　house；　where　at　our　first　entrie　they　began　to　hurle　themselves　hither　and　thither；　as　though　they　were　mad。　　They　made　a　thousand　gestures　with　their　feete　and　their　hands；　they　would　bite　themselves；　finally；　every　one　tooke　his　weapon　and　wounded　his　armes　in　divers　places。

　Amongst　whom　there　was　one　more　mad　then　the　rest；　that　let　many　deepe　sighes　from　the　bottome　of　his　heart；　as　though　he　had　beene　ravished　in　spirite；　or　replenished　with　divine　power。　　And　after　that；　he　somewhat　returning　to　himselfe；　invented　and　forged　a　great　lye；　saying；　that　he　had　displeased　the　divine　majesty　of　the　goddesse；　by　doing　of　some　thing　which　was　not　convenable　to　the　order　of　their　holy　religion；　wherefore　he　would　doe　vengeance　of　himselfe　：　and　therewithall　he　tooke　a　whip；　and　scourged　his　owne　body；　that　the　bloud　issued　out　aboundantly；　which　thing　caused　me　greatly　to　feare；　to　see　such　wounds　and　effusion　of　bloud；　least　the　same　goddesse　desiring　so　much　the　bloud　of　men；　should　likewise　desire　the　bloud　of　an　Asse。　　After　they　were　wearie　with　hurling　and　beating　themselves；　they　sate　downe；　and　behold；　the　inhabitants　came　in；　and　offered　gold；　silver；　vessels　of　wine；　milke；　cheese；　flower；　wheate　and　other　things　：　amongst　whom　there　was　one；　that　brought　barly　to　the　Asse　that　carried　the　goddesse；　but　the　greedie　whoresons　thrust　all　into　their　sacke；　which　they　brought　for　the　purpose　and　put　it　upon　my　backe；　to　the　end　I　might　serve　for　two　purposes；　that　is　to　say；　for　the　barne　by　reason　of　my　corne；　and　for　the　Temple　by　reason　of　the　goddesse。　　In　this　sort；　they　went　from　place　to　place；　robbing　all　the　Countrey　over。　At　length　they　came　to　a　certaine　Castle　where　under　colour　of　divination；　they　brought　to　passe　that　they　obtained　a　fat　sheepe　of　a　poore　husbandman　for　the　goddesse　supper　and　to　make　sacrifice　withall。　　After　that　the　banket　was　prepared；　they　washed　their　bodies；　and　brought　in　a　tall　young　man　of　the　village；　to　sup　with　them；　who　had　scarce　tasted　a　few　pottage；　when　hee　began　to　discover　their　beastly　customes　and　inordinate　desire　of　luxury。　　For　they　compassed　him　round　about；　sitting　at　the　table；　and　abused　the　young　man；　contrary　to　all　nature　and　reason。　　When　I　beheld　this　horrible　fact；　I　could　not　but　attempt　to　utter　my　mind　and　say；　O　masters；　but　I　could　pronounce　no　more　but　the　first　letter　O；　which　I　roared　out　so　valiantly；　that　the　young　men　of　the　towne　seeking　for　a　straie　Asse；　that　they　had　lost　the　same　night；　and　hearing　my　voice；　whereby　they　judged　that　I　had　beene　theirs；　entred　into　the　house　unwares；　and　found　these　persons　committing　their　vile　abhomination；　which　when　they　saw；　they　declared　to　all　the　inhabitants　by；　their　unnatural　villany；　mocking　and　laughing　at　this　the　pure　and　cleane　chastity　of　their　religion。　In　the　meane　season；　Phelibus　and　his　company；　（by　reason　of　the　bruit　which　was　dispersed　throughout　all　the　region　there　of　their　beastly　wickednesse）　put　all　their　trumpery　upon　my　backe；　and　departed　away　about　midnight。　When　we　had　passed　a　great　part　of　our　journey；　before　the　rising　of　the　Sun；　we　came　into　a　wild　desart；　where　they　conspired　together　to　slay　me。　For　after　they　had　taken　the　goddesse　from　my　backe　and　set　her　gingerly　upon　the　ground；　they　likewise　tooke　off　my　harnesse；　and　bound　me　surely　to　an　Oake；　beating　me　with　their　whip；　in　such　sort　that　all　my　body　was　mortified。　Amongst　whom　there　was　one　that　threatened　to　cut　off　my　legs　with　his　hatchet；　because　by　my　noyse　I　diffamed　his　chastity；　but　the　other　regarding　more　their　owne　profit　than　my　utility；　thought　best　to　spare　my　life；　because　I　might　carry　home　the　goddesse。　So　they　laded　me　againe；　driving　me　before　them　with　their　naked　swords；　till　they　came　to　a　noble　City：　where　the　principall　Patrone　bearing　high　reverence　unto　the　goddesse；　Came　in　great　devotion　before　us　with　Tympany；　Cymbals；　and　other　instruments；　and　received　her；　and　all　our　company　with　much　sacrifice　and　veneration。　　But　there　I　remember；　I　thought　my　selfe　in　most　danger；　for　there　was　one　that　brought　to　the　Master　of　the　house；　a　side　of　a　fat　Bucke　for　a　present；　which　being　hanged　behind　the　kitchin　doore；　not　far　from　the　ground；　was　cleane　eaten　up　by