the golden asse-第28节

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！


　by　and　by　all　these　thy　enemies　captive　unto　thee。　　Then　hee　filled　wine　to　the　theeves　more　and　more；　and　never　ceased；　till　as　they　were　all　overcome　with　abundance　of　meat　and　drinke；　when　as　hee　himselfe　abstained　and　bridled　his　owne　appetite。　　And　truely　I　did　greatly　suspect；　least　hee　had　mingled　in　their　cups　some　deadly　poyson；　for　incontinently　they　all　fell　downe　asleepe　on　the　ground　one　after　an　other；　and　lay　as　though　they　had　beene　dead。



　THE　TWENTY…SEVENTH　CHAPTER

How　the　Gentlewoman　was　carried　home　by　her　husband　while　the　theeves　were　asleepe；　and　how　much　Apuleius　was　made　of。

　When　the　theeves　were　all　asleepe　by　their　great　and　immoderate　drinking；　the　young　man　Lepolemus　took　the　Maiden　and　set　her　upon　　my　backe；　and　went　homeward。　　When　we　were　come　home；　all　the　people　of　the　Citie；　especially　her　Parents；　friends；　and　family；　came　running　forth　joyfully；　and　the　children　and　Maidens　of　the　towne　gathered　together　to　see　this　virgin　in　great　triumph　sitting　upon　an　Asse。　Then　I　（willing　to　shew　as　much　joy　as　I　might；　as　present　occasion　served）　I　set　and　pricked　up　my　long　eares；　ratled　my　nosethrils；　and　cryed　stoutly；　nay　rather　I　made　the　towne　to　ring　againe　with　my　shrilling　sound　：　when　wee　were　come　to　her　fathers　house；　shee　was　received　in　a　chamber　honourably　：　as　for　me；　Lepolemus　（accompanied　with　a　great　number　of　Citizens）　did　presently　after　drive　me　backe　againe　with　other　horses　to　the　cave　of　the　theeves；　where　wee　found　them　all　asleepe　lying　on　the　ground　as　wee　left　them；　then　they　first　brought　out　all　the　gold；　and　silver；　and　other　treasure　of　the　house；　and　laded　us　withall；　which　when　they　had　done；　they　threw　many　of　the　theeves　downe　into　the　bottome　of　deepe　ditches；　and　the　residue　they　slew　with　their　swords　：　after　this　wee　returned　home　glad　and　merry　of　so　great　vengeance　upon　them；　and　the　riches　which　wee　carried　was　commited　to　the　publike　treasurie。　　This　done；　the　Maid　was　married　to　Lepolemus；　according　to　the　law；　whom　by　so　much　travell　he　had　valiantly　recovered　：　then　my　good　Mistresse　looked　about　for　me；　and　asking　for　me　commanded　the　very　same　day　of　her　marriage；　that　my　manger　should　be　filled　with　barly；　and　that　I　should　have　hay　and　oats　aboundantly；　and　she　would　call　me　her　little　Camell。　　But　how　greatly　did　I　curse　Fotis；　in　that　shee　transformed　me　into　an　Asse；　and　not　into　a　dogge；　because　I　saw　the　dogges　had　filled　their　paunches　with　the　reliks　and　bones　of　so　worthy　a　supper。　　The　next　day　this　new　wedded　woman　（my　Mistresse）　did　greatly　commend　me　before　her　Parents　and　husband；　for　the　kindnesse　which　I　had　shewed　unto　her；　and　never　leaved　off　untill　such　time　as　they　promised　to　reward　me　with　great　honours。　Then　they　called　together　all　their　friends；　and　thus　it　was　concluded　：　one　said；　that　I　should　be　closed　in　a　stable　and　never　worke；　but　continually　to　be　fedde　and　fatted　with　fine　and　chosen　barly　and　beanes　and　good　littour；　howbeit　another　prevailed；　who　wishing　my　liberty；　perswaded　them　that　it　was　better　for　me　to　runne　in　the　fields　amongst　the　lascivious　horses　and　mares；　whereby　I　might　engender　some　mules　for　my　Mistresse　：　then　he　that　had　in　charge　to　keepe　the　horse；　was　called　for；　and　I　was　delivered　unto　him　with　great　care；　insomuch　that　I　was　right　pleasant　and　joyous；　because　I　hoped　that　I　should　carry　no　more　fardels　nor　burthens；　moreover　I　thought　that　when　I　should　thus　be　at　liberty；　in　the　spring　time　of　the　yeere　when　the　meddows　and　fields　were　greene；　I　should　find　some　roses　in　some　place；　whereby　I　was　fully　perswaded　that　if　my　Master　and　Mistresse　did　render　to　me　so　many　thanks　and　honours　being　an　Asse；　they　would　much　more　reward　me　being　turned　into　a　man　：　but　when　he　（to　whom　the　charge　of　me　was　so　straightly　committed）　had　brought　me　a　good　way　distant　from　the　City；　I　perceived　no　delicate　meates　nor　no　liberty　which　I　should　have；　but　by　and　by　his　covetous　wife　and　most　cursed　queane　made　me　a　mill　Asse；　and　（beating　me　with　a　cudgill　full　of　knots）　would　wring　bread　for　her　selfe　and　her　husband　out　of　my　skinne。　Yet　was　she　not　contented　to　weary　me　and　make　me　a　drudge　with　carriage　and　grinding　of　her　owne　corne；　but　I　was　hired　of　her　neighbours　to　beare　their　sackes　likewise；　howbeit　shee　would　not　give　me　such　meate　as　I　should　have；　nor　sufficient　to　sustaine　my　life　withall；　for　the　barly　which　I　ground　for　mine　owne　dinner　she　would　sell　to　the　Inhabitants　by。　　And　after　that　I　had　laboured　all　day；　she　would　set　before　me　at　night　a　little　filthy　branne；　nothing　cleane　but　full　of　stones。　　Being　in　this　calamity；　yet　fortune　worked　me　other　torments；　for　on　a　day　I　was　let　loose　into　the　fields　to　pasture；　by　the　commandement　of　my　master。　O　how　I　leaped　for　joy；　how　I　neighed　to　see　my　selfe　in　such　liberty；　but　especially　since　I　beheld　so　many　Mares；　which　I　thought　should　be　my　wives　and　concubines；　and　I　espied　out　and　chose　the　fairest　before　I　came　nigh　them；　but　this　my　joyfull　hope　turned　into　otter　destruction；　for　incontinently　all　the　stone　Horses　which　were　well　fedde　and　made　strong　by　ease　of　pasture；　and　thereby　much　more　puissant　then　a　poore　Asse；　were　jealous　over　me；　and　（having　no　regard　to　the　law　and　order　of　God　Jupiter）　ranne　fiercely　and　terribly　against　me；　one　lifted　up　his　forefeete　and　kicked　me　spitefully；　another　turned　himselfe；　and　with　his　hinder　heeles　spurned　me　cruelly；　the　third　threatning　with　a　malicious　neighing；　dressed　his　eares　and　shewing　his　sharpe　and　white　teeth　bit　me　on　every　side。　　In　like　sort　have　I　read　in　Histories　how　the　King　of　Thrace　would　throw　his　miserable　ghests　to　be　torne　in　peeces　and　devoured　of　his　wild　Horses；　so　niggish　was　that　Tyrant　of　his　provender；　that　he　nourished　them　　with　the　bodies　of　men。



THE　TWENTY…EIGHTH　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　was　made　a　common　Asse　to　fetch　home　wood；　and　how　he　was　handled　by　a　boy。

　After　that　I　was　thus　handled　by　horses；　I　was　brought　home　againe　to　the　Mill；　but　behold　fortune　（insatiable　of　my　torments）　had　devised　a　　new　paine　for　me。　　I　was　appointed　to　bring　home　wood　every　day　from　a　high　hill；　and　who　should　drive　me　thither　and　home　again；　but　a　boy　that　was　the　veriest　hangman　in　all　the　world；　who　was　not　contented　with　the　great　travell　that　I　tooke　in　climbing　up　the　hill；　neither　pleased　when　he　saw　my　hoofe　torne　and　worne　away　by　sharpe　flintes；　but　he　beat　me　cruelly　with　a　great　staffe；　insomuch　that　the　marrow　of　my　bones　did　ake　for　woe；　for　he　would　strike　me　continually　on　the　right　hip；　and　still　in　one　place；　whereby　he　tore　my　skinne　and　made　of　my　wide　sore　a　great　hole　or　trench；　or　rather　a　window　to　looke　out　at；　and　although　it　runne　downe　of　blood；　yet　would　he　not　cease　beating　me　in　that　place　：　moreover　he　laded　me　with　such　great　burthens　of　wood　that　you　would　thinke　they　had　　been　rather　prepared　for　Elephants　then　for　me；　and　when　he　perceived　that　my　wood　hanged　more　on　one　side　then　another；　（when　he　should　rather　take　away　the　heavy　sides；　and　so　ease　me；　or　else　lift　them　up　to　make　them　equall　with　the　other）　he　laid　great　stones　upon　the　weaker　side　to　remedy　the　matter；　yet　could　be　not　be　contented　with　this　my　great　misery　and　immoderate　burthens　of　wood；　but　when　hee　came　to　any　river　（as　there　were　many　by　the　way）　he　to　save　his　feete　from　water；　would　leape　upon　my　loynes　likewise；　which　was　no　small　loade　upon　loade。　　And　if　by　adversity　I　had　fell　downe　in　any　dirty　or　myrie　place；　when　he　should　have　pulled　me　out　either　with　ropes；　or　lifted　me　up　by　the　taile；　he　would　never　helpe　me；　but　lay　me　on　from　top　to　toe　with　a　mighty　staffe；　till　he　had　left　no　haire　on　all　my　body；　no　not　so　much　as　on　mine　eares；　whereby　I　was　compelled　by　force　of　blowes　to　stand　up。　　The　same　hangman　boy　did　invent　another　torment　for　me　：　he　gathered　a　great　many　sharp　thornes　as　sharp　as　needles　and　bound　them　together　like　a　fagot；　and　tyed　them　at　my　tayle　to　pricke　me；　then　was　I　afflicted　on　every　side；　for　if　I　had　indeavoured　to　runne　away；　the　thornes　would　have　pricked　me；　if　I　had　stood　still；　the　boy　would　have　beaten　mee；　and　yet　the　boy　beate　mee　to　make　me　runne；　whereby　I　perceived　that　the　hangman　did　devise　nothing　else　save　only　to　kill　me　by　some　manner　of　meanes；　and　he　would　sweare　and　threaten　to　do　me　worse　harme；　and　because　hee　might　have　some　occasion　to　execute　his　malicious　minde；　upon　a　day　（after　that　I　had　endeavoured　too　much　by　my　patience）　I　lifted　up　my　heeles　and　spurned　him　welfavouredly。　　Then　he　invented　this　vengeance　against　me；　after　that　he　had　well　laded　me　with　shrubs　and　rubble；　and　trussed　it　round　upon　my　backe；　hee　brought　me　out　into　the　way　：　then　hee　stole　a　burning　coale　out　of　a　mans　house　of　the　next　village；　and　put　it　into　the　middle　of　the　rubbell；　the　rubbell　and　shrubs　being　very　dry；　did　fall　on　a　light　fire　and　burned　me　on　every　side。　　I　could　see　no　remedy　how　I　might　save　my　selfe；　and　in　such　a　case　it　was　not　best　for　me　to　stand　still　but　fortune　was　favourable　towards　me；　perhaps　to　reserve　me　for　more　dangers；　for　I　espyed　a　great　hole　full　of　raine　water　that　fell　the　day　before；　thither　I　ranne　hastily　and　plunged　my　selfe　therein；　in　such　sor