the golden asse-第44节

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；　was　accompanied　with　two　young　men　armed；　and　brandishing　their　naked　swords　in　their　hands；　whereof　one　named　Terror；　and　the　other　Feare；　behind　them　approached　one　sounding　his　trumpet　to　provoke　and　stirre　men　to　battell；　this　maiden　began　to　dance　and　shake　her　head；　throwing　her　fierce　and　terrible　eyes　upon　Paris　and　promising　that　if　it　pleased　him　to　give　her　the　victory　of　beauty；　shee　would　make　him　the　most　strong　and　victorious　man　alive。　　Then　came　Venus　and　presented　her　selfe　in　the　middle　of　the　Theater；　with　much　favour　of　all　the　people；　for　shee　was　accompanied　with　a　great　many　of　youth；　whereby　you　would　have　judged　them　all　to　be　Cupidoes；　either　to　have　flowne　from　heaven　or　else　from　the　river　of　the　sea；　for　they　had　wings；　arrowes；　and　the　residue　of　their　habit　according　in　each　point；　and　they　bare　in　their　hands　torches　lighted；　as　though　it　had　beene　a　day　of　marriage。　　Then　came　in　a　great　multitude　of　faire　maidens　：　on　the　one　side　were　the　most　comely　Graces　：　on　the　other　side；　the　most　beautifull　Houres　carrying　garlands　and　loose　flowers；　and　making　great　honor　to　the　goddesse　of　pleasure；　the　flutes　and　Pipes　yeelded　out　the　sweet　sound　of　Lydians；　whereby　they　pleased　the　minds　of　the　standers　by　exceedingly；　but　the　more　pleasing　Venus　mooved　forward　more　and　more；　and　shaking　her　head　answered　by　her　motion　and　gesture；　to　the　sound　of　the　instruments。　　For　sometimes　she　would　winke　gently；　sometimes　threaten　and　looke　aspishly；　and　sometimes　dance　onely　with　her　eyes　：　As　soone　as　she　was　come　before　the　Judge；　she　made　a　signe　and　token　to　give　him　the　most　fairest　spouse　of　all　the　world；　if　he　would　prefer　her　above　the　residue　of　the　goddesses。　　Then　the　young　Phrygian　shepheard　Paris　with　a　willing　mind　delivered　the　golden　Apple　to　Venus；　which　was　the　victory　of　beauty。

Why　doe　ye　marvell；　ye　Orators；　ye　Lawyers；　and　Advocates；　if　many　of　our　judges　now　a　daies　sell　their　judgements　for　money；　when　as　in　the　beginning　of　the　world　one　onely　Grace　corrupted　the　sentence　betweene　God　and　men；　and　that　one　rusticall　Judge　and　shepheard　appointed　by　the　counsell　of　great　Jupiter；　sold　his　judgement　for　a　little　pleasure；　which　was　the　cause　afterward　of　the　ruine　of　all　his　progeny？　　By　like　manner　of　meane；　was　sentence　given　between　the　noble　Greekes：　For　the　noble　and　valiant　personage　Palamedes　was　convicted　and　attainted　of　treason；　by　false　perswasion　and　accusation；　and　Ulisses　being　but　of　base　condition；　was　preferred　in　Martiall　prowesse　above　great　Ajax。　　What　judgement　was　there　likewise　amongst　the　Athenian　lawyers；　sage　and　expert　in　all　sciences？　　Was　not　Socrates　who　was　preferred　by　Apollo；　above　all　the　wise　men　in　the　world；　by　envy　and　malice　of　wicked　persons　impoysoned　with　the　herbe　Cicuta；　as　one　that　corrupted　the　youth　of　the　countrey；　whom　alwaies　be　kept　under　by　correction？　　For　we　see　now　a　dayes　many　excellent　Philosophers　greatly　desire　to　follow　his　sect；　and　by　perpetual　study　to　value　and　revolve　his　workes；　but　to　the　end　I　may　not　be　reproved　of　indignation　by　any　one　that　might　say　：　What；　shall　we　suffer　an　Asse　to　play　the　Philosopher？　　I　will　returne　to　my　further　purpose。

　After　the　judgement　of　Paris　was　ended；　Juno　and　Pallas　departed　away　angerly；　shewing　by　their　gesture；　that　they　would　revenge　themselves　on　Paris；　but　Venus　that　was　right　pleased　and　glad　in　her　heart；　danced　about　the　Theater　with　much　joy。　　This　done　from　the　top　of　the　hill　through　a　privy　spout；　ran　a　floud　of　the　colour　of　Saffron；　which　fell　upon　the　Goates；　and　changed　their　white　haire　into　yellow；　with　a　sweet　odour　to　all　them　of　the　Theater。　　By　and　by　after　by　certaine　engines；　the　ground　opened；　and　swallowed　up　the　hill　of　wood　：　and　then　behold　there　came　a　man　of　armes　through　the　multitude；　demanding　by　the　consent　of　the　people；　the　woman　who　was　condemned　to　the　beasts；　and　appointed　for　me　to　have　to　doe　withall　：　our　bed　was　finely　and　bravely　prepared；　and　covered　with　silke　and　other　things　necessary。　But　I；　beside　the　shame　to　commit　this　horrible　fact；　and　to　pollute　my　body　with　this　wicked　harlot　did　greatly　feare　the　danger　of　death：　for　I　thought　in　my　selfe；　that　when　she　and　I　were　together；　the　savage　beast　appointed　to　devoure　the　woman；　was　not　so　instructed　and　taught；　or　would　so　temper　his　greedinesse；　as　that　hee　would　teare　her　in　peeces　lying　under　mee；　and　spare　mee　with　a　regard　of　mine　innocency。　Wherefore　I　was　more　carefull　for　the　safeguard　of　my　life；　then　for　the　shame　that　I　should　abide；　but　in　the　meane　season　while　my　master　made　ready　the　bed；　all　the　residue　did　greatly　delight　to　see　the　hunting　and　pleasantnesse　of　the　triumph；　I　began　to　thinke　and　devise　for　my　selfe。　When　I　perceived　that　no　man　had　regard　to　mee；　that　was　so　tame　and　gentle　an　Asse；　I　stole　out　of　the　gate　that　was　next　me；　and　then　I　ran　away　with　all　force；　and　came　to　Cenchris；　which　is　the　most　famous　towne　of　all　the　Carthaginians；　bordering　upon　the　Seas　called　Ageum；　and　Saronicum；　where　is　a　great　and　mighty　Haven；　frequented　with　many　a　sundry　Nation。　There　because　I　would　avoyd　the　multitude　of　the　people；　I　went　to　a　secret　place　of　the　Sea　coast；　where　I　laid　me　down　upon　the　sand；　to　ease　and　refresh　my　selfe；　for　the　day　was　past　and　the　Sunne　gone　downe；　and　lying　in　this　sort　on　the　ground；　did　fall　in　a　sound　sleepe。




　THE　ELEVENTH　BOOKE



　THE　FORTY…SEVENTH　CHAPTER


　How　Apuleius　by　Roses　and　prayer　returned　to　his　humane　shape。

　When　midnight　came　that　I　had　slept　my　first　sleepe；　I　awaked　with　suddaine　feare；　and　saw　the　Moone　shining　bright；　as　when　shee　is　at　the　full；　and　seeming　as　though　she　leaped　out　of　the　Sea。　Then　thought　I　with　my　selfe；　that　was　the　most　secret　time；　when　the　goddesse　Ceres　had　most　puissance　and　force；　considering　that　all　humane　things　be　governed　by　her　providence　：　and　not　onely　all　beasts　private　and　tame；　but　also　all　wild　and　savage　beasts　be　under　her　protection。　　And　considering　that　all　bodies　in　the　heavens；　the　earth　and　the　seas；　be　by　her　increasing　motions　increased；　and　by　her　diminishing　motions　diminished　：　as　weary　of　all　my　cruell　fortune　and　calamity；　I　found　good　hope　and　soveraigne　remedy；　though　it　were　very　late；　to　be　delivered　from　all　my　misery；　by　invocation　and　prayer；　to　the　excellent　beauty　of　the　Goddesse；　whom　I　saw　shining　before　mine　eyes；　wherefore　shaking　off　mine　Assie　and　drowsie　sleepe；　I　arose　with　a　joyfull　face；　and　mooved　by　a　great　affection　to　purifie　my　selfe；　I　plunged　my　selfe　seven　times　into　the　water　of　the　Sea；　which　number　of　seven　is　conveniable　and　agreeable　to　holy　and　divine　things；　as　the　worthy　and　sage　Philosopher　Pythagoras　hath　declared。　Then　with　a　weeping　countenance；　I　made　this　Orison　to　the　puissant　Goddesse；　saying　：　O　blessed　Queene　of　heaven；　whether　thou　be　the　Dame　Ceres　which　art　the　originall　and　motherly　nource　of　all　fruitfull　things　in　earth；　who　after　the　finding　of　thy　daughter　Proserpina；　through　the　great　joy　which　thou　diddest　presently　conceive；　madest　barraine　and　unfruitfull　ground　to　be　plowed　and　sowne；　and　now　thou　inhabitest　in　the　land　of　Eleusie；　or　whether　thou　be　the　celestiall　Venus；　who　in　the　beginning　of　the　world　diddest　couple　together　all　kind　of　things　with　an　ingendered　love；　by　an　eternall　propagation　of　humane　kind；　art　now　worshipped　within　the　Temples　of　the　Ile　Paphos；　thou　which　art　the　sister　of　the　God　Phoebus；　who　nourishest　so　many　people　by　the　generation　of　beasts；　and　art　now　adored　at　the　sacred　places　of　Ephesus；　thou　which　art　horrible　Proserpina；　by　reason　of　the　deadly　howlings　which　thou　yeeldest；　that　hast　power　to　stoppe　and　put　away　the　invasion　of　the　hags　and　Ghoasts　which　appeare　unto　men；　and　to　keepe　them　downe　in　the　closures　of　the　earth　：　thou　which　art　worshipped　in　divers　manners；　and　doest　illuminate　all　the　borders　of　the　earth　by　thy　feminine　shape；　thou　which　nourishest　all　the　fruits　of　the　world　by　thy　vigor　and　force；　with　whatsoever　name　or　fashion　it　is　lawfull　to　call　upon　thee；　I　pray　thee；　to　end　my　great　travaile　and　misery；　and　deliver　mee　from　the　wretched　fortune；　which　had　so　long　time　pursued　me。　　Grant　peace　and　rest　if　it　please　thee　to　my　adversities；　for　I　have　endured　too　much　labour　and　perill。　　Remoove　from　me　my　shape　of　mine　Asse；　and　render　to　me　my　pristine　estate；　and　if　I　have　offended　in　any　point　of　divine　Majesty；　let　me　rather　dye　then　live；　for　I　am　full　weary　of　my　life。　　When　I　had　ended　this　orison；　and　discovered　my　plaints　to　the　Goddesse；　I　fortuned　to　fall　asleepe；　and　by　and　by　appeared　unto　me　a　divine　and　venerable　face；　worshipped　even　of　the　Gods　themselves。　　Then　by　little　and　little　I　seemed　to　see　the　whole　figure　of　her　body；　mounting　out　of　the　sea　and　standing　before　mee；　wherefore　I　purpose　to　describe　her　divine　semblance；　if　the　poverty　of　my　humane　speech　will　suffer　me；　or　her　divine　power　give　me　eloquence　thereto。　First　shee　had　a　great　abundance　of　haire；　dispersed　and　scattered　about　her　neck；　on　the　crowne　of　her　head　she　bare　many　garlands　enterlaced　with　floures；　in　the　middle　of　her　forehead　was　a　compasse　in　fashion　of　a　glasse；　or　resembling　the　light　of　the　Moone；　in　one　of　he