the golden asse-第29章

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ame　towards　me；　and　thrusting　his　hand　into　the　bosome　of　the　goddesse　Siria；　brought　out　the　cup　which　they　had　stole。　Howbeit　for　all　they　appeared　evident　and　plaine　they　would　not　be　confounded　nor　abashed；　but　jesting　and　laughing　out　the　matter；　gan　say：　Is　it　reason　masters　that　you　should　thus　rigorously　intreat　us；　and　threaten　for　a　small　trifling　cup；　which　the　mother　of　the　Goddesse　determined　to　give　to　her　sister　for　a　present？　Howbeit　for　all　their　lyes　and　cavellations；　they　were　carryed　backe　unto　the　towne；　and　put　in　prison　by　the　Inhabitants；　who　taking　the　cup　of　gold；　and　the　goddesse　which　I　bare；　did　put　and　consecrate　them　amongst　the　treasure　of　the　temple。　The　next　day　I　was　carryed　to　the　market　to　be　sold；　and　my　price　was　set　at　seaven　pence　more　then　Philebus　gave　for　me。　　There　fortuned　to　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　therewith；　be　drave　me　through　a　thorny　and　dangerous　way　to　his　bake　house；　there　I　saw　a　great　company　of　horses　that　went　in　the　mill　day　and　night　grinding　of　corne；　but　lest　I　should　be　discouraged　at　the　first；　my　master　entertained　me　well；　for　the　first　day　I　did　nothing　but　fare　daintily；　howbeit　such　mine　ease　and　felicity　did　not　long　endure；　for　the　next　day　following　I　was　tyed　to　the　mill　betimes　in　the　morning　with　my　face　covered；　to　the　end　in　turning　amid　winding　so　often　one　way；　I　should　not　become　giddy；　but　keepe　a　certaine　course；　but　although　when　I　was　a　man　I　had　seen　many　such　horsemills　and　knew　well　enough　how　they　should　be　turned；　yet　feining　my　selfe　ignorant　of　such　kind　of　toile；　I　stood　still　and　would　not　goe；　whereby　I　thought　I　should　be　taken　from　the　mill　as　an　Asse　unapt；　and　put　to　some　other　light　thing；　or　else　to　he　driven　into　the　fields　to　pasture；　but　my　subtility　did　me　small　good；　for　by　and　by　when　the　mill　stood　still；　the　servants　came　about　me；　crying　and　beating　me　forward；　in　such　sort　that　I　could　not　stay　to　advise　my　selfe；　whereby　all　the　company　laughed　to　see　so　suddaine　a　change。　When　a　good　part　of　the　day　was　past；　that　I　was　not　able　to　endure　any　longer；　they　tooke　off　my　harnesse；　and　tied　me　to　the　manger；　but　although　my　bones　were　weary；　and　that　I　needed　to　refresh　my　selfe　with　rest　and　provender；　yet　I　was　so　curious　that　I　did　greatly　delight　to　behold　the　bakers　art；　insomuch　that　I　could　not　eate　nor　drinke　while　I　looked　on。

O　good　Lord　what　a　sort　of　poore　slaves　were　there；　some　had　their　skinne　blacke　and　blew；　some　had　their　backes　striped　with　lashes；　some　were　covered　with　rugged　sackes；　some　had　their　members　onely　hidden：　some　wore　such　ragged　clouts；　that　you　might　perceive　all　their　naked　bodies；　some　were　marked　and　burned　in　the　heads　with　hot　yrons；　some　had　their　haire　halfe　clipped；　some　had　lockes　of　their　legges；　some　very　ugly　and　evill　favoured；　that　they　could　scarce　see；　their　eyes　and　face　were　so　blacke　and　dimme　with　smoake；　like　those　that　fight　in　the　sands；　and　know　not　where　they　strike　by　reason　of　dust　：　And　some　had　their　faces　all　mealy。　　But　how　should　I　speake　of　the　horses　my　companions；　how　they　being　old　and　weake；　thrust　their　heads　into　the　manger　：　they　had　their　neckes　all　wounded　and　worne　away　：　they　rated　their　nosethrilles　with　a　continuall　cough；　their　sides　were　bare　with　their　harnesse　and　great　travell；　their　ribs　were　broken　with　beating；　their　hooves　were　battered　broad　with　incessant　labour；　and　their　skinne　rugged　by　reason　of　their　lancknesse。　When　I　saw　this　dreadfull　sight；　I　began　to　feare；　least　I　should　come　to　the　like　state　：　and　considering　with　my　selfe　the　good　fortune　which　I　was　sometime　in　when　I　was　a　man；　I　greatly　lamented；　holding　downe　my　head；　and　would　eate　no　meate；　but　I　saw　no　comfort　or　consolation　of　my　evill　fortune；　saving　that　my　mind　was　somewhat　recreated　to　heare　and　understand　what　every　man　said；　for　they　neither　feared　nor　doubted　my　presence。　　At　that　time　I　remembred　how　Homer　the　divine　author　of　ancient　Poetry；　described　him　to　be　a　wise　man；　which　had　travelled　divers　countries　and　nations；　wherefore　I　gave　great　thanks　to　my　Asse　for　me；　in　that　by　this　meanes　I　had　seene　the　experience　of　many　things；　and　was　become　more　wise　（notwithstanding　the　great　misery　and　labour　which　I　daily　sustained）　：　but　I　will　tell　you　a　pretty　jest；　which　commeth　now　to　my　remembrance；　to　the　intent　your　eares　may　be　delighted　in　hearing　the　same。



　THE　FORTIETH　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　was　handled　by　the　Bakers　wife；　which　was　a　harlot。

　The　Baker　which　bought　me　was　an　honest　and　sober　man；　but　his　wife　was　the　most　pestilent　woman　in　all　the　world；　insomuch　that　he　endured　many　miseries　and　afflictions　with　her；　so　that　I　my　selfe　did　secretly　pitty　his　estate；　and　bewaile　his　evill　fortune　：　for　she　had　not　one　fault　alone；　but　all　the　mischiefes　that　could　be　devised　：　shee　was　crabbed；　cruell；　lascivious；　drunken；　obstinate；　niggish；　covetous；　riotous　in　filthy　expenses；　and　an　enemy　to　faith　and　chastity；　a　despise　of　all　the　Gods；　whom　other　did　honour；　one　that　affirmed　that　she　had　a　God　by　her　selfe；　wherby　she　deceived　all　men；　but　especially　her　poore　husband；　one　that　abandoned　her　body　with　continuall　whoredome。　　This　mischievous　queane　hated　me　in　such　sort；　that　shee　commanded　every　day　before　she　was　up；　that　I　should　he　put　into　the　mill　to　grind　：　and　the　first　thing　which　she　would　doe　in　the　morning；　was　to　see　me　cruelly　beaten；　and　that　I　should　grind　when　the　other　beasts　did　feed　and　take　rest。　　When　I　saw　that　I　was　so　cruelly　handled；　she　gave　me　occasion　to　learne　her　conversation　and　life；　for　I　saw　oftentimes　a　yong　man　which　would　privily　goe　into　her　chamber　whose　face　I　did　greatly　desire　to　see；　but　I　could　not　by　reason　mine　eyes　were　covered　every　day。　　And　verily　if　I　had　beene　free　and　at　liberty；　I　would　have　discovered　all　her　abhomination。　　She　had　an　old　woman；　a　bawd；　a　messenger　of　mischiefe　that　daily　haunted　to　her　house；　and　made　good　cheere　with　her　to　the　utter　undoing　and　impoverishment　of　her　husband；　but　I　that　was　greatly　offended　with　the　negligence　of　Fotis；　who　made　me　an　Asse；　in　stead　of　a　Bird；　did　yet　comfort　my　selfe　by　this　onely　meane；　in　that　to　the　miserable　deformity　of　my　shape；　I　had　long　eares；　whereby　I　might　heare　all　things　that　was　done　：　On　a　day　I　heard　the　old　bawd　say　to　the　Bakers　wife　：

Dame　you　have　chosen　（without　my　counsell）　a　young　man　to　your　lover；　who　as　me　seemeth；　is　dull；　fearefull；　without　any　grace；　and　dastardlike　coucheth　at　the　frowning　looke　of　your　odious　husband；　whereby　you　have　no　delight　nor　pleasure　with　him　：　how　farre　better　is　the　young　man　Philesiterus　who　is　comely；　beautifull；　in　the　flower　of　his　youth；　liberall；　courteous；　valiant　and　stout　against　the　diligent　pries　and　watches　of　your　husband；　whereby　to　embrace　the　worthiest　dames　of　this　country；　and　worthy　to　weare　a　crowne　of　gold；　for　one　part　that　he　played　to　one　that　was　jealous　over　his　wife。　　Hearken　how　it　was　and　then　judge　the　diversity　of　these　two　Lovers　：　Know　you　not　one　Barbarus　a　Senator　of　our　towne；　whom　the　vulgar　people　call　likewise　Scorpion　for　his　severity　of　manners？　This　Barbarus　had　a　gentlewoman　to　his　wife；　whom　he　caused　daily　to　be　enclosed　within　his　house；　with　diligent　custody。　Then　the　Bakers　wife　said；　I　know　her　very　well；　for　we　two　dwelleth　together　in　one　house：　　Then　you　know　（quoth　the　old　woman）　the　whole　tale　of　Philesiterus？　No　verily　（said　she）　but　I　greatly　desire　to　know　it　：　therefore　I　pray　you　mother　tell　me　the　whole　story。　　By　and　by　the　old　woman　which　knew　well　to　babble；　began　to　tell　as　followeth。



THE　FORTY…FIRST　CHAPTER


How　Barbarus　being　jealous　over　his　wife；　commanded　that　shee　should　be　kept　close　in　his　house；　and　what　happened。

You　shall　understand　that　on　a　day　this　Barbarus　preparing　himselfe　to　ride　abroad；　and　willing　to　keepe　the　chastity　of　his　wife　（whom　he　so　well　loved）　alone　to　himselfe；　called　his　man　Myrmex　（whose　faith　he　had　tryed　and　proved　in　many　things）　and　secretly　committed　to　him　the　custody　of　his　wife；　willing　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　prison；　and　bind　him　hand　and　foote；　but　also　cause　him　to　be　put　to　death；　or　else　to　be　famished　for　lacke　of　sustenance；　which　words　he　confirmed　by　an　oath　of　all　the　Gods　in　heaven；　and　so　departed　away　：　When　Barbarus　was　gone；　Myrmex　being　greatly　astonied　of　his　masters　threatnings；　would　not　suffer　his　mistresse　to　goe　abroad；　but　as　she　sate　all　day　a　Spinning；　he　was　so　carefull　that　he　sate　by　her；　when　night　came　he　went　with　her　to　the　baines；　holding　her　by　the　garment；　so　faithfull　he　was　to　fulfill　the　commandement　of　his　master　：　Howbeit　the　beauty　of　this　matron　could　not　be　hidden　from　the　burning　eyes　of　Philesiterus；　who　considering　her　great　chastity　and　how　she　was　diligently　kept　by　Myrmex；　thought　it　impossible　to　have　his　purpose；　yet　（indeavouring　by　all　kind　of　meanes　to　enterprise　the　matter；　and　remembring　the　fragility　of　man；　that　might　be　intised　and　corrupted　with　money；　since　as　by　gold　the　adamant　gates　may　be　opened）　on　a　day；　when　he　found　Myrmex　alone；　he　discovered　his　love；　desiring　him　to　shew　his　favour；　（otherwise　he　should　certainly　dye）　with　assurance　that　he　need　not　to　feare　when　as　he　might　privily　be　let　in　and　out　in　the　night；　without　knowledge　of　any　person。　　When　he　thought；　with　these　and　other　gentle　words　to　allure　and　prick　forward　the　obstinate　mind　of　Myrmex　he　shewed　him　glittering　gold　in　his　hand；　saying　that　he　would　give　his　mistresse　twenty　crowns　and　him　ten；　but　Myrmex　hearing　these　words；　was　greatly　troubled；　abhorring　in　his　mind　to　commit　such　a　mischiefe：　　wherfore　he　stopped　his　eares；　and　turning　his　head　departed　away：　　howbeit　the　glittering　view　of　these　crownes　could　never　be　out　of　his　mind；　but　being　at　home　he　seemed　to　see　the　money　before　his　eyes；　which　was　so　worthy　a　prey；　wherefore　poore　Myrmex　being　in　divers　opinions　could　not　tell　what　to　doe；　for　on　the　one　side　lie　considered　the　promise　which　he　made　to　his　master；　and　the　punishment　that　should　ensue　if　he　did　contrary。　　On　the　other　side　he　thought　of　the　gaine；　and　the　passing　pleasure　of　the　crownes　of　gold；　in　the　end　the　desire　of　the　money　did　more　prevaile　then　the　feare　of　death；　for　the　beauty　of　the　flowrishing　crownes　did　so　sticke　in　his　mind；　that　where　the　menaces　of　his　master　compelled　him　to　tarry　at　home；　the　pestilent　avarice　of　gold　egged　him　out　a　doores；　wherefore　putting　all　shame　aside；　without　further　delay；　he　declared　all　the　whole　matter　to　his　Mistresse；　who　according　to　the　nature　of　a　woman；　when　she　heard　him　speake　of　so　great　a　summe　she　bound　chastity　in　a　string；　and　gave　authority　to　Myrmex　to　rule　her　in　that　case。　Myrmex　seeing　the　intent　of　his　Mistresse；　was　very　glad；　and　for　great　desire　of　the　gold；　he　ran　hastily　to　Philesiterus；　declaring　that　his　Mistresse　was　consented　to　his　mind；　wherefore　he　demanded　the　gold　which　he　promised。　Then　incontinently　Philesiterus　delivered　him　tenne　Crownes；　and　when　night　came；　Myrmex　brough