the golden asse-第37章

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r　forehead　was　a　compasse　in　fashion　of　a　glasse；　or　resembling　the　light　of　the　Moone；　in　one　of　her　hands　she　bare　serpents；　in　the　other；　blades　of　corne；　her　vestiment　was　of　fine　silke　yeelding　divers　colours；　sometime　yellow；　sometime　rosie；　sometime　flamy；　and　sometime　（which　troubled　my　spirit　sore）　darke　and　obscure；　covered　with　a　blacke　robe　in　manner　of　a　shield；　and　pleated　in　most　subtill　fashion　at　the　skirts　of　her　garments；　the　welts　appeared　comely；　whereas　here　and　there　the　starres　glimpsed；　and　in　the　middle　of　them　was　placed　the　Moone；　which　shone　like　a　flame　of　fire；　round　about　the　robe　was　a　coronet　or　garland　made　with　flowers　and　fruits。　In　her　right　hand　shee　had　a　timbrell　of　brasse；　which　gave　a　pleasant　sound；　in　her　left　hand　shee　bare　a　cup　of　gold；　out　of　the　mouth　whereof　the　serpent　Aspis　lifted　up　his　head；　with　a　swelling　throat；　her　odoriferous　feete　were　covered　with　shoes　interlaced　and　wrought　with　victorious　palme。　　Thus　the　divine　shape　breathing　out　the　pleasant　spice　of　fertill　Arabia；　disdained　not　with　her　divine　voyce　to　utter　these　words　unto　me：　Behold　Lucius　I　am　come；　thy　weeping　and　prayers　hath　mooved　mee　to　succour　thee。　I　am　she　that　is　the　naturall　mother　of　all　things；　mistresse　and　governesse　of　all　the　Elements；　the　initiall　progeny　of　worlds；　chiefe　of　powers　divine；　Queene　of　heaven！　the　principall　of　the　Gods　celestiall；　the　light　of　the　goddesses：　at　my　will　the　planets　of　the　ayre；　the　wholesome　winds　of　the　Seas；　and　the　silences　of　hell　be　diposed；　my　name；　my　divinity　is　adored　throughout　all　the　world　in　divers　manners；　in　variable　customes　and　in　many　names；　for　the　Phrygians　call　me　the　mother　of　the　Gods：　the　Athenians；　Minerva：　the　Cyprians；　Venus：　the　Candians；　Diana：　the　Sicilians　Proserpina：　the　Eleusians；　Ceres：　some　Juno；　other　Bellona；　other　Hecate：　and　principally　the　Aethiopians　which　dwell　in　the　Orient；　and　the　Aegyptians　which　are　excellent　in　all　kind　of　ancient　doctrine；　and　by　their　proper　ceremonies　accustome　to　worship　mee；　doe　call　mee　Queene　Isis。　　Behold　I　am　come　to　take　pitty　of　thy　fortune　and　tribulation；　behold　I　am　present　to　favour　and　ayd　thee；　leave　off　thy　weeping　and　lamentation；　put　away　all　thy　sorrow；　for　behold　the　healthfull　day　which　is　ordained　by　my　providence；　therefore　be　ready　to　attend　to　my　commandement。　　This　day　which　shall　come　after　this　night；　is　dedicated　to　my　service；　by　an　eternall　religion；　my　Priests　and　Ministers　doe　accustome　after　the　tempests　of　the　Sea；　be　ceased；　to　offer　in　my　name　a　new　ship　as　a　first　fruit　of　my　Navigation。　　I　command　thee　not　to　prophane　or　despise　the　sacrifice　in　any　wise；　for　the　great　Priest　shall　carry　this　day　following　in　procession　by　my　exhortation；　a　Garland　of　Roses；　next　the　timbrell　of　his　right　hand　：　follow　thou　my　procession　amongst　the　people；　and　when　thou　commest　to　the　Priest　make　as　though　thou　wouldest　kisse　his　hand；　but　snatch　at　the　Roses；　whereby　I　will　put　away　the　skin　and　shape　of　an　Asse；　which　kind　of　beast　I　have　long　time　abhorred　and　despised；　but　above　all　things　beware　thou　doubt　not　nor　feare　any　of　those　things；　as　hard　and　difficill　to　bee　brought　to　passe；　for　in　the　same　houre　that　I　am　come　to　thee；　I　have　commanded　the　Priest　by　a　vision　what　he　shall　doe；　and　all　the　people　by　my　commandement　shall　be　compelled　to　give　thee　place　and　say　nothing　！　　Moreover；　thinke　not　that　amongst　so　faire　and　joyfull　Ceremonies；　and　in　so　good　a　company　that　any　person　shall　abhorre　thy　ill…favoured　and　deformed　figure；　or　that　any　man　shall　be　so　hardy；　as　to　blame　and　reprove　thy　suddaine　restoration　to　humane　shape；　wherby　they　should　gather　or　conceive　any　sinister　opinion　：　and　know　thou　this　of　certaine；　that　the　residue　of　thy　life　untill　the　houre　of　death　shall　be　bound　and　subject　to　me　！　　And　think　it　not　an　injury　to　be　alwayes　serviceable　towards　me；　since　as　by　my　meane　and　benefit　thou　shalt　become　a　man　：　thou　shalt　live　blessed　in　this　world；　thou　shalt　live　glorious　by　my　guide　and　protection；　and　when　thou　descendest　to　Hell；　where　thou　shalt　see　me　shine　in　that　subterene　place；　shining　（as　thou　seest　me　now）　in　the　darkness　of　Acheron；　and　raigning　in　the　deepe　profundity　of　Stix；　thou　shalt　worship　me；　as　one　that　hath　bin　favourable　to　thee；　and　if　I　perceive　that　thou　art　obedient　to　my　commandement；　addict　to　my　religion；　and　merite　my　divine　grace；　know　thou；　that　I　will　prolong　thy　dales　above　the　time　that　the　fates　have　appointed；　and　the　celestial　Planets　ordeined。

When　the　divine　Image　had　spoken　these　words；　she　vanished　away　！　　By　and　by　when　I　awaked；　I　arose；　haveing　the　members　of　my　bodie　mixed　with　feare；　joy　and　sweate；　and　marvailed　at　the　cleare　presence　of　the　puissant　goddesse；　and　being　sprinkled　with　the　water　of　the　sea；　I　recounted　orderly　her　admonitions　and　divine　commandements。　　Soone　after；　the　darknes　chased　away；　and　the　cleare　and　golden　sunne　arose；　when　as　behold　I　saw　the　streets　replenished　with　people　going　in　a　religious　sort　and　in　great　triumph。　　All　things　seemed　that　day　to　be　joyfull；　as　well　all　manner　of　beasts　and　houses；　as　also　the　very　day　it　selfe　seemed　to　rejoyce。　　For　after　the　hore…frost；　ensued　the　hot　and　temperat　sun；　whereby　the　little　birds　weening　that　the　spring　time　had　bin　come；　did　chirp　and　sing　in　their　steven　melodiously　：　the　mother　of　stars；　the　parent　of　times；　and　mistres　of　all　the　world　：　The　fruitfull　trees　rejoyced　at　their　fertility　：　The　barren　and　sterill　were　contented　at　their　shadow；　rendering　sweete　and　pleasant　shrills　！　　The　seas　were　quiet　from　winds　and　tempests　：　the　heaven　had　chaced　away　the　clouds；　and　appeared　faire　and　cleare　with　his　proper　light。　Behold　then　more　and　more　appeared　the　pomps　and　processions；　attired　in　regall　manner　and　singing　joyfully　：　One　was　girded　about　the　middle　like　a　man　of　armes　：　Another　bare　and　spare；　and　had　a　cloake　and　high…shooes　like　a　hunter　！　another　was　attired　in　a　robe　of　silke；　and　socks　of　gold；　having　his　haire　laid　out；　and　dressed　in　forme　of　a　woman　！　　There　was　another　ware　legge…harnesse；　and　bare　a　target；　a　sallet；　and　a　speare　like　a　martial　souldier　：　after　him　marched　one　attired　in　purple　with　vergers　before　him　like　a　magistrate　！　after　him　followed　one　with　a　maurell；　a　staffe；　a　paire　of　pantofles；　and　with　a　gray　beard；　signifying　a　philosopher　：　after　him　went　one　with　lime；　betokening　a　fowler；　another　with　hookes　declaring　a　fisher：　I　saw　there　a　meeke　and　tame　beare；　which　in　matron　habite　was　carried　on　a　stoole　：　An　Ape　with　a　bonet　on　his　head；　and　covered　with　lawne；　resemling　a　shepheard；　and　bearing　a　cup　of　gold　in　his　hand：　an　Asse　which　had　wings　glewed　to　his　backe；　and　went　after　an　old　man；　whereby　you　would　judge　the　one　to　be　Pegasus；　and　the　other　Bellephoron。　　Amongst　the　pleasures　and　popular　delectations；　which　wandered　hither　and　thither；　you　might　see　the　pompe　of　the　goddesse　triumphantly　march　forward　：　The　woman　attired　in　white　vestiments；　and　rejoicing；　in　that　they　bare　garlands　and　flowers　upon　their　heads；　bedspread　the　waies　with　hearbes；　which　they　bare　in　their　aprons；　where　this　regall　and　devout　procession　should　passe　：　Other　caried　glasses　on　their　backes；　to　testifie　obeisance　to　the　goddess　which　came　after。　　Other　bare　combs　of　Ivory；　and　declared　by　their　gesture　and　motions　of　their　armes；　that　they　were　ordained　and　readie　to　dresse　the　goddesse　：　Others　dropped　in　the　wayes　as　they　went　Balme　and　other　pretious　ointments　：　Then　came　a　great　number；　as　well　of　men　as　women；　with　Candels；　torches；　and　other　lights；　doing　honour　to　the　celestiall　goddesse　：　　After　that　sounded　the　musical　harmony　of　instruments　：　then　came　a　faire　companie　of　youth；　apparelled　in　white　vestiments；　singing　both　meter　and　verse；　with　a　comely　grade　which　some　studious　Poet　had　made　in　honour　of　the　Muses　：　In　the　meane　season；　arrived　the　blowers　of　trumpets；　which　were　dedicated　unto　Serapes；　and　to　the　temple　before　them　were　officers　and　beadles；　preparing　roome　for　the　goddess　to　passe。　　Then　came　the　great　company　of　men　and　women；　which　had　taken　divine　orders；　whose　garments　glistered　all　the　streets　over。　　The　women　had　their　haire　annointed　and　their　heads　covered　with　linnen　：　but　the　men　had　their　crownes　shaven；　which　were　the　terrene　stars　of　the　goddesse；　holding　in　their　hand　instruments　of　brasse；　silver　and　gold；　which　rendered　a　pleasant　sound。

The　principall　Priests　which　were　apparelled　with　white　surplesses　hanging　downe　to　the　ground；　bare　the　relikes　of　the　puissant　goddesse。　　One　carried　in　his　hand　a　light；　not　unlike　to　those　which　we　used　in　our　houses；　saving　that　in　the　middle　thereof　appeared　a　bole　which　rendred　a　more　bright　flame。　　The　second　attired　hike　the　other　bare　in　his　hand　an　Altar；　which　the　goddesse　her　selfe　named　the　succor　of　nations。　　The　third　held　a　tree　of　palme　with　leaves　of　gold；　and　the　verge　of　Mercurie。　The　fourth　shewed　out　a　token　of　equitie　by　his　left　hand；　which　was　deformed　in　every　place；　signifiing　thereby　more　equitie　then　by　the　right　hand。　　The　same　Priest　carried　a　round　vessell　of　gold；　in　forme　of　a　cap。　　The　fifth　bare　a　van；　wrought　with　springs　of　gold；　and　another　carried　a　vessell　for　wine　：　By　and　by　after　the　goddesse　followed　a　foot　as　men　do；　and　specially　Mercurie；　the　messenger　of　the　goddesse　infernall　and　supernall；　with　his　face　sometime　blacke；　sometime　faire；　lifting　up　the　head　of　the　dogges　Annubis；　and　bearing　in　his　left　hand；　his　verge；　and　in　his　right　hand；　the　branches　of　a　palme　tree；　after　whom　followed　a　cow　with　an　upright　gate；　representing　the　figure　of　the　great　goddesse；　and　he　that　guided　her；　marched　on　with　much　gravity。　　Another　carried　after　the　secrets　of　their　religion；　closed　in　a　coffer。　　There　was　one　that　bare　on　his　stomacke　a　figure　of　his　god；　not　formed　like　any　beast；　bird；　savage　thing　or　humane　shape；　but　made　by　a　new　invention；　whereby　was　signified　that　such　a　religion　should　not　be　discovered　or　revealed　to　any　person。　　There　was　a　vessel　wrought　with　a　round　bottome；　haveing　on　the　one　side；　pictures　figured　like　unto　the　manner　of　the　Egyptians；　and　on　the　other　side　was　an　eare；　whereupon　stood　the　Serpent　Aspis；　holding　out　his　scaly　necke。　Finally；　came　he　which　was　appointed　to　my　good　fortun　according　to　the　promise　of　the　goddesse。　For　the　great　Priest　which　bare　the　restoration　of　my　human　shape；　by　the　commandement　of　the　goddes；　Approached　more　and　more；　bearing　in　his　left　hand　the　timbrill；　and　in　the　other　a　garland　of　Roses　to　give　me；　to　the　end　I　might　be　delivered　from　cruel　fortune；　which　was　alwaies　mine　enemie；　after　the　sufferance　of　so　much　calamitie　and　paine；　and　after　the　endurance　of　so　manie　perilles：　Then　I　not　returning　hastilie；　by　reason　of　sodaine　joye；　lest　I　should　disturbe　the　quiet　procession　with　mine　importunitie；　but　going　softly　through　the　prease　of　the　people；　which　gave　me　place　on　every　side；　went　after　the　Priest。　　The　priest　being　admonished　the　night　before；　as　I　might　well　perceive　stood　still　and　holding　out　his　hand；　thrust　out　the　garland　of　roses　into　my　mouth；　I　（trembling）　devoured　with　a　great　affection：　And　as　soone　as　I　had　eaten　them；　I　was　not　deceived　of　the　promise　made　unto　me。