the golden asse-第35节

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me：　　The　priests　of　the　goddesse　Siria　invented　a　new　meanes　to　picke　mens　purses；　for　they　had　certaine　lotts；　whereon　were　written　：

Coniuncti　terram　proscindunt　boves　ut　in　futurum　loeta　germinent　sata

That　is　to　say　：　The　Oxen　tied　and　yoked　together；　doe　till　the　ground　to　the　intent　it　may　bring　forth　his　increase　：　and　by　these　kind　of　lottes　they　deceive　many　of　the　simple　sort；　for　if　one　had　demanded　whether　he　should　have　a　good　wife　or　no；　they　would　say　that　his　lot　did　testifie　the　same；　that　he　should。　be　tyed　and　yoked　to　a　good　woman　and　have　increase　of　children。　　If　one　demanded　whether　he　should　buy　lands　and　possession；　they　said　that　he　should　have　much　ground　that　should　yeeld　his　increase。　If　one　demanded　whether　he　should　have　a　good　and　prosperous　voyage；　they　said　he　should　have　good　successe；　and　it　should　be　for　the　increase　of　his　profit。　　If　one　demanded　whether　hee　should　vanquish　his　enemies；　and　prevaile　in　pursuite　of　theeves；　they　said　that　this　enemy　should　be　tyed　and　yoked　to　him：　and　his　pursuits　after　theeves　should　be　prosperous。　　Thus　by　the　telling　of　fortunes；　they　gathered　a　great　quantity　of　money；　but　when　they　were　weary　with　giving　of　answers；　they　drave　me　away　before　them　next　night；　through　a　lane　which　was　more　dangerous　and　stony　then　the　way　which　we　went　the　night　before；　for　on　the　one　side　were　quagmires　and　foggy　marshes；　on　the　other　side　were　falling　trenches　and　ditches；　whereby　my　legges　failed　me；　in　such　sort　that　I　could　scarce　come　to　the　plaine　field　pathes。　And　behold　by　and　by　a　great　company　of　inhabitants　of　the　towne　armed　with　weapons　and　on　horsebacke　overtooke　us；　and　incontinently　arresting　Philebus　and　his　Priests；　tied　them　by　the　necks　and　beate　them　cruelly；　calling　them　theeves　and　robbers；　and　after　they　had　manacled　their　hands：　Shew　us　（quoth　they）　the　cup　of　gold；　which　（under　the　colour　of　your　solemne　religion）　ye　have　taken　away；　and　now　ye　thinke　to　escape　in　the　night　without　punishment　for　your　fact。　By　and　by　one　came　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　vu