the golden asse-第38章

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　great　affection：　And　as　soone　as　I　had　eaten　them；　I　was　not　deceived　of　the　promise　made　unto　me。　For　my　deforme　and　Assie　face　abated；　and　first　the　rugged　haire　of　my　body　fell　off；　my　thick　skin　waxed　soft　and　tender；　the　hooves　of　my　feet　changed　into　toes；　my　hands　returned　againe；　my　neck　grew　short；　my　head　and　mouth　began　round；　my　long　eares　were　made　little；　my　great　and　stonie　teeth　waxed　lesse　like　the　teeth　of　men；　and　my　tayle　which　combred　me　most；　appeared　no　where：　then　the　people　began　to　marvaile；　and　the　religious　honoured　the　goddesse；　for　so　evident　a　miracle；　they　wondered　at　the　visions　which　they　saw　in　the　night；　and　the　facilitie　of　my　reformation；　whereby　they　rendered　testimonie　of　so　great　a　benefit　which　I　received　of　the　goddesse。　When　I　saw　my　selfe　in　such　estate；　I　stood　still　a　good　space　and　said　nothing；　for　I　could　not　tell　what　to　say；　nor　what　word　I　shoulde　first　speake；　nor　what　thanks　I　should　render　to　the　goddesse；　but　the　great　Priest　understanding　all　my　fortune　and　miserie；　by　divine　advertisement；　commanded　that　one　should　give　me　garments　to　cover　me：　Howbeit　as　soone　as　I　was　transformed　from　an　asse　to　my　humane　shape；　I　hid　the　privitie　of　my　body　with　my　hands　as　shame　and　necessity　compelled　mee。　　Then　one　of　the　company　put　off　his　upper　robe　and　put　it　on　my　backe：　which　done；　the　Priest　looked　upon　me；　with　a　sweete　and　benigne　voice；　gan　say　in　this　sort：　O　my　friend　Lucius；　after　the　endurance　of　so　many　labours；　and　the　escape　of　so　many　tempests　of　fortune；　thou　art　at　length　come　to　the　port　and　haven　of　rest　and　mercy：　neither　did　thy　noble　linage；　thy　dignity；　thy　doctrine；　or　any　thing　prevaile；　but　that　thou　hast　endured　so　many　servil　pleasures；　by　a　little　folly　of　thy　youthfullnes；　whereby　thou　hast　had　a　sinister　reward　for　thy　unprosperous　curiositie；　but　howsoever　the　blindnes　of　fortune　tormented　thee　in　divers　dangers　：　so　it　is；　that　now　unwares　to　her；　thou　art　come　to　this　present　felicitie　：　let　fortune　go；　and　fume　with　fury　in　another　place；　let　her　finde　some　other　matter　to　execute　her　cruelty；　for　fortune　hath　no　puissance　against　them　which　serve　and　honour　our　goddesse。　　For　what　availed　the　theeves　：　the　beasts　savage　：　thy　great　servitude　：　the　ill　and　dangerous　waits　：　the　long　passages　：　the　feare　of　death　every　day？　Know　thou；　that　now　thou　art　safe；　and　under　the　protection　of　her；　who　by　her　cleare　light　doth　lighten　the　other　gods　：　wherefore　rejoyce　and　take　a　convenable　countenance　to　thy　white　habit；　follow　the　pomp　of　this　devout　and　honorable　procession；　to　the　end　that　such　which　be　not　devout　to　the　Goddes；　may　see　and　acknowledge　their　errour。　　Behold　Lucius；　thou　art　delivered　from　so　great　miseries；　by　the　providence　of　the　goddesse　Isis；　rejoyce　therefore　and　triumph　of　the　victory　of　fortune；　to　the　end　thou　maist　live　more　safe　and　sure；　make　thy　selfe　one　of　this　holy　order；　dedicate　thy　minde　to　the　Obsequy　of　our　Religion；　and　take　upon　thee　a　a　voluntary　yoake　of　ministrie　：　And　when　thou　beginnest　to　serve　and　honour　the　goddes；　then　thou　shalt　feele　the　fruit　of　thy　liberty　：　After　that　the　great　Priest　had　prophesied　in　this　manner；　with　often　breathings；　he　made　a　conclusion　of　his　words　：　Then　I　went　amongst　the　company　of　die　rest　and　followed　the　procession　：　everie　one　of　the　people　knew　me；　and　pointing　at　me　with　their　fingers；　said　in　this　sort　：　Behold　him　who　is　this　day　transformed　into　a　man　by　the　puissance　of　the　soveraigne　goddesse；　verily　he　is　blessed　and　most　blessed　that　hath　merited　so　great　grace　from　heaven；　as　by　the　innocencie　of　his　former　life；　and　as　it　were　by　a　new　regeneration　is　reserved　to　the　obsequie　of　the　goddesse。　　In　the　meane　season　by　little　and　little　we　approached　nigh　unto　the　sea　cost；　even　to　that　place　where　I　lay　the　night　before　being　an　Asse。　　There　after　the　images　and　reliques　were　orderly　disposed；　the　great　Priest　compassed　about　with　divers　pictures　according　to　the　fashion　of　the　Aegyptians；　did　dedicate　and　consecrate　with　certaine　prayers　a　fair　ship　made　very　cunningly；　and　purified　the　same　with　a　torch；　an　egge；　and　sulphur；　the　saile　was　of　white　linnen　cloath；　whereon　was　written　certaine　letters；　which　testified　the　navigation　to　be　prosperous；　the　mast　was　of　a　great　length；　made　of　a　Pine　tree；　round　and　very　excellent　with　a　shining　top；　the　cabin　was　covered　over　with　coverings　of　gold；　and　all　the　shippe　was　made　of　Citron　tree　very　faire；　then　all　the　people　as　well　religious　as　prophane　tooke　a　great　number　of　Vannes；　replenished　with　odours　and　pleasant　smells　and　threw　them　into　the　sea　mingled　with　milke；　untill　the　ship　was　filled　up　with　large　gifts　and　prosperous　devotions；　when　as　with　a　pleasant　wind　it　launched　out　into　the　deep。　　But　when　they　had　lost　the　sight　of　the　ship；　every　man　caried　againe　that　he　brought；　and　went　toward　the　temple　in　like　pompe　and　order　as　they　came　to　the　sea　side。　When　we　were　come　to　the　temple；　the　great　priest　and　those　which　were　deputed　to　carrie　the　divine　figures；　but　especially　those　which　had　long　time　bin　worshippers　of　the　religion；　went　into　the　secret　chamber　of　the　goddesse；　where　they　put　and　placed　the　images　according　to　their　ordor。　　This　done；　one　of　the　company　which　was　a　scribe　or　interpreter　of　letters；　who　in　forme　of　a　preacher　stood　up　in　a　chaire　before　the　place　of　the　holy　college；　and　began　to　reade　out　of　a　booke；　and　to　interpret　to　the　great　prince；　the　senate；　and　to　all　the　noble　order　of　chivalry；　and　generally　to　all　the　Romane　people；　and　to　all　such　as　be　under　the　jurisdiction　of　Rome；　these　words　following　（Laois　Aphesus）　which　signified　the　end　of　their　divin　service　and　that　it　was　lawfull　for　every　man　to　depart；　whereat　all　the　people　gave　a　great　showt；　and　replenished　with　much　joy；　bare　all　kind　of　hearbs　and　garlands　of　flowers　home　to　their　houses；　kissing　and　imbracing　the　steps　where　the　goddesse　passed　：　howbeit　I　could　not　doe　as　the　rest；　for　my　mind　would　not　suffer　me　to　depart　one　foot　away；　so　attentiv　was　I　to　behold　the　beauty　of　the　goddesse；　with　remembrance　of　the　great　miserie　I　had　endured。



　THE　FORTY…EIGHTH　CHAPTER


How　the　parents　and　friends　of　Apuleius　heard　news　that　he　was　alive　and　in　health。


In　the　mean　season　newes　was　carried　into　my　countrey　（as　swift　as　the　flight　of　birds；　or　as　the　blast　of　windes）　of　the　grace　and　benefit　which　I　received　of　the　goddesse；　and　of　my　fortune　worthy　to　be　had　in　memory。　Then　my　parents　friends　and　servants　of　our　house　understanding　that　I　was　not　dead；　as　they　were　falsely　informed；　came　towards　me　with　great　diligence　to　see　me；　as　a　man　raised　from　death　to　life　：　and　I　which　never　thought　to　see　them　againe；　was　as　joyfull　as　they；　accepting　and　taking　in　good　part　their　honest　gifts　and　oblations　that　they　gave；　to　the　intent　I　might　buy　such　things　as　was　necessarie　for　my　body　：　for　after　I　had　made　relation　unto　them　of　all　my　pristine　miserie；　and　present　joyes；　I　went　before　the　face　of　the　goddesse　and　hired　me　a　house　within　the　cloister　of　the　temple　to　the　end　I　might　continually　be　ready　to　the　service　of　the　goddesse；　and　ordinarily　frequent　the　company　of　the　priests；　whereby　I　would　wholy　become　devout　to　the　goddesse；　and　an　inseparable　worshipper　of　her　divine　name　：　It　fortuned　that　the　goddesse　appeared　to　me　oftetimes　in　the　night　perswading　and　commanding　me　to　take　the　order　of　her　religion；　but　I；　though　I　was　indued　with　a　desirous　good　will；　yet　the　feare　of　the　same　withheld　me　considering　her　obeysance　was　hard　and　difficile；　the　chastitie　of　the　Priests　intolerable；　and　the　life　fraile　and　subject　to　manie　inconveniences。　Being　thus　in　doubt；　I　refrained　my　selfe　from　all　those　things　as　seemed　impossible。

On　a　night　the　great　priest　appeared　unto　me；　presenting　his　lap　full　of　treasure；　and　when　I　demanded　what　it　signified；　he　answered；　that　it　was　sent　me　from　the　countrey　of　Thessaly；　and　that　a　servant　of　mine　named　Candidus　was　arived　likewise　：　when　I　was　awake；　I　mused　in　my　selfe　what　this　vision　should　pretend；　considering　I　had　never　any　servant　called　by　that　name　：　but　what　soever　it　did　signifie；　this　I　verely　thought；　that　it　was　a　foreshew　of　gaine　and　prosperous　chance　：　while　I　was　thus　astonied　I　went　to　the　temple；　and　taried　there　till　the　opening　of　the　gates；　then　I　went　in　and　began　to　pray　before　the　face　of　the　goddesse；　the　Priest　prepared　and　set　the　divine　things　of　every　Altar；　and　pulled　out　the　fountaine　and　holy　vessell　with　solempne　supplication。　　Then　they　began　to　sing　the　mattens　of　the　morning；　testifying　thereby　the　houre　of　the　prime。　　By　and　by　behold　arived　my　servant　which　I　had　left　in　the　country；　when　Fotis　by　errour　made　me　an　Asse；　bringing　with　him　my　horse；　recovered　by　her　through　certaine　signes　and　tokens　which　I　had　upon　my　backe。　Then　I　perceived　the　interpretation　of　my　dreame；　by　reason　that　beside　the　promise　of　gaine；　my　white　horse　was　restored　to　me；　which　was　signified　by　the　argument　of　my　servant　Candidus。

This　done　I　retired　to　the　service　of　the　goddesse　in　hope　of　greater　benefits；　considering　I　had　received　a　signe　and　token；　whereby　my　courage　increased　every　day　more　and　more　to　take　upon　me　the　orders　and　sacraments　of　the　temple：　insomuch　that　I　oftentimes　communed　with　the　Priest；　desiring　him　greatly　to　give　me　the　degree　of　the　religion；　but　he　which　was　a　man　of　gravitie；　and　well　renowned　in　the　order　of　priesthood；　deferred　my　affection　from　day　to　day；　with　comfort　and　better　hope；　as　parents　commonly　bridle　the　desires　of　their　children；　when　they　attempt　or　indeavour　any　unprofitable　thing；　saying；　that　the　day　when　any　one　should　be　admitted　into　their　order　is　appointed　by　the　goddesse；　the　Priest　which　should　minister　the　sacrifice　is　chosen　by　her　providence；　and　the　necessary　charges　of　the　ceremonies　is　alotted　by　her　commandement；　all　which　things　he　willed　me　to　attend　with　marvailous　patience；　and　that　I　should　beware　either　of　too　much　hastinesse；　or　too　great　slacknesse；　considering　that　there　was　like　danger；　if　being　called　I　should　delay：　or　not　called　I　should　be　hasty　：　moreover　he　said　that　there　was　none　of　his　company　either　of　so　desperate　a　mind；　or　so　rash　and　hardy；　as　to　enterprise　any　thing　without　the　commandernent　of　the　goddesse；　whereby　he　should　commit　a　deadly　offence；　considering　that　it　was　in　her　power　to　damne　and　save　all　persons；　and　if　any　were　at　the　point　of　death；　and　in　the　way　to　damnation；　so　that　he　were　capable　to　receive　the　secrets　of　the　goddesse；　it　was　in　her　power　by　divine　providence　to　reduce　him　to　the　path　of　health；　as　by　a　certaine　kind　of　regeneration　：　Finally　he　said　that　I　must　attend　the　celestiall　precept；　although　it　was　evident　and　plaine；　that　the　goddesse　had　already　vouchsafed　to　call　and　appoint　me　to　her　ministery；　and　to　will　me　refraine　from　prophane　and　unlawfull　meates；　as　those　Priests　which　were　already　received；　to　the　end　I　might　come　more　apt　and　cleane　to　the　knowledge　of　the　secrets　of　religion。　　Then　was　I　obedient　unto　these　words；　and　attentive　with　meek　quietnesse；　and　probable　taciturnity；　I　daily　served　at　the　temple　：　in　the　end　the　wholesome　gentlenesse　of　the　goddesse　did　nothing　deceive　me；