the golden asse-第48节

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th　be　perswaded　to　depart；　before　I　had　fallen　prostrate　before　the　face　of　the　goddesse；　and　wiped　her　steps　with　my　face；　whereby　I　began　so　greatly　to　weepe　and　sigh　that　my　words　were　interrupted；　and　as　devouring　my　prayer；　I　began　to　say　in　this　sort：　O　holy　and　blessed　dame；　the　perpetuall　comfort　of　humane　kind；　who　by　thy　bounty　and　grace　nourishest　all　the　world；　and　hearest　a　great　affection　to　the　adversities　of　the　miserable；　as　a　loving　mother　thou　takest　no　rest；　neither　art　thou　idle　at　any　time　in　giving　thy　benefits；　and　succoring　all　men；　as　well　on　land　as　sea；　thou　art　she　that　puttest　away　all　stormes　and　dangers　from　mans　life　by　thy　right　hand；　whereby　likewise　thou　restrainest　the　fatall　dispositions；　appeasest　the　great　tempests　of　fortune　and　keepest　backe　the　course　of　the　stars：　the　gods　supernall　doe　honour　thee：　the　gods　infernall　have　thee　in　reverence：　thou　environest　all　the　world；　thou　givest　light　to　the　Sunne；　thou　governest　the　world；　thou　treadest　downe　the　power　of　hell：　By　thy　meane　the　times　returne；　the　Planets　rejoyce；　the　Elements　serve：　at　thy　commandment　the　winds　do　blow；　the　clouds　increase；　the　seeds　prosper；　and　the　fruits　prevaile；　the　birds　of　the　aire；　the　beasts　of　the　hill；　the　serpents　of　the　den；　and　the　fishes　of　the　sea；　do　tremble　at　thy　majesty；　but　my　spirit　is　not　able　to　give　thee　sufficient　praise；　my　patrimonie　is　unable　to　satisfie　thy　sacrifice；　my　voice　hath　no　power　to　utter　that　which　I　thinke；　no　if　I　had　a　thousand　mouths　and　so　many　tongues：　Howbeit　as　a　good　religious　person；　and　according　to　my　estate；　I　will　alwaies　keepe　thee　in　remembrance　and　close　thee　within　my　breast。　　When　I　had　ended　mine　orison；　I　went　to　embrace　the　great　Priest　Mythra　my　spirituall　father；　and　to　demand　his　pardon；　considering　I　was　unable　to　recompence　the　good　which　he　had　done　to　me：　after　great　greeting　and　thanks　I　departed　from　him　to　visit　my　parents　and　friends；　and　within　a　while　after　by　the　exhortation　of　the　goddesse。　I　made　up　my　packet；　and　tooke　shipping　toward　the　Citie　of　Rome；　where　with　a　prosperous　winde　I　arrived　about　the　xii。　day　of　December。　And　the　greatest　desire　that　I　had　there；　was　daily　to　make　my　praiers　to　the　soveraigne　goddesse　Isis；　who　by　reason　of　the　place　where　her　temple　was　builded；　was　called　Campensis；　and　continually　adored　of　the　people　of　Rome。　Her　minister　and　worshipper　was　I；　howbeit　I　was　a　stranger　to　her　Church；　and　unknowne　to　her　religion　there。

When　the　yeare　was　ended；　and　the　goddesse　warned　me　againe　to　receive　this　new　order　and　consecration；　I　marvailed　greatly　what　it　should　signifie；　and　what　should　happen；　considering　that　I　was　a　sacred。　person　already。　but　it　fortuned　that　while　I　partly　reasoned　with　my　selfe；　and　partly　examining　the　thing　with　the　Priests　and　Bishops；　there　came　a　new　and　marvailous　thought　in　my　mind；　that　is　to　say；　I　was　onely　religious　to　the　goddesse　Isis；　but　not　sacred　to　the　religion　of　great　Osiris　the　soveraigne　father　of　all　the　goddesses；　between　whom；　although　there　was　a　religious　unitie　and　concord；　yet　there　was　a　great　difference　of　order　and　ceremony。　And　because　it　was　necessary　that　I　should　likewise　be　a　minister　unto　Osiris；　there　was　no　long　delay：　for　in　the　night　after；　appeared　unto　me　one　of　that　order；　covered　with　linnen　robes；　holding　in　his　hands　speares　wrapped　in　Ivie；　and　other　things　not　convenient　to　declare；　which　then　he　left　in　my　chamber；　and　sitting　in　my　seate；　recited　to　me　such　things　as　were　necessary　for　the　sumptuous　banket　of　mine　entrie。　And　to　the　end　I　might　know　him　againe；　he　shewed　me　how　the　ankle　of　his　left　foote　was　somewhat　maimed；　which　caused　him　a　little　to　halt。

After　that　I　manifestly　knew　the　will　of　the　God　Osiris；　when　mattins　was　ended；　I　went　from　one　to　another；　to　find　him　out　which　had　the　halting　marke　on　his　foote；　according　as　I　learned　by　my　vision；　at　length　I　found　it　true：　for　I　perceived　one　of　the　company　of　the　Priests　who　had　not　onely　the　token　of　his　foote；　but　the　stature　and　habite　of　his　body；　resembling　in　every　point　as　he　appeared　in　the　night：　he　was　called　Asinius　Marcellus；　a　name　not　much　disagreeing　from　my　transformation。　By　and　by　I　went　to　him；　which　knew　well　enough　all　the　matter；　as　being　monished　by　like　precept　in　the　night：　for　the　night　before　as　he　dressed　the　flowers　and　garlands　about　the　head　of　the　god　Osiris；　he　understood　by　the　mouth　of　the　image　which　told　the　predestinations　of　all　men；　how　he　had　sent　a　poore　man　of　Madura；　to　whom　he　should　minister　his　sacraments；　to　the　end　hee　should　receive　a　reward　by　divine　providence；　and　the　other　glory；　for　his　vertuous　studies。　When　I　saw　my　selfe　this　deputed　unto　religion；　my　desire　was　stopped　by　reason　of　povertie；　for　I　had　spent　a　great　part　of　my　goods　in　travell　and　peregrination；　but　most　of　all　in　the　Citie　of　Rome；　whereby　my　low　estate　withdrew　me　a　great　while。

In　the　end　being　oft　times　stirred　forward；　not　without　great　trouble　of　mind；　I　was　constrained　to　sell　my　robe　for　a　little　money　：　howbeit　sufficient　for　all　my　affaires。　Then　the　Priest　spake　unto　me　saying；　How　is　it　that　for　a　little　pleasure　thou　art　not　afraid　to　sell　thy　vestiments；　and　entring　into　so　great　ceremonies；　fearest　to　fall　into　povertie？　Prepare　thy　selfe；　and　abstaine　from　all　animall　meats；　as　beasts　and　fish。　　In　the　meane　season　I　frequented　the　sacrifices　of　Serapis；　which　were　done　in　the　night；　which　thing　gave　me　great　comfort　to　my　peregrination；　and　ministred　unto　me　more　plentifull　living；　considering　I　gained　some　money　in　haunting　the　court；　by　reason　of　my　Latin　tongue。

Immediately　after　I　was　eftsoones　called　and　admonished　by　the　god　Osiris；　to　receive　a　third　order　of　religion。　Then　I　was　greatly　astonied；　because　I　could　not　tell　what　this　new　vision　signified；　or　what　the　intent　of　the　celestiall　god　was；　doubting　least　the　former　Priests　had　given　me　ill　counsell；　and　fearing　that　they　had　not　faithfully　instructed　me　：　being　in　this　manner　as　it　were　incensed　the　god　Osiris　appeared　to　me　the　night　following；　and　giving　me　admonition　said；　There　is　no　occasion　why　thou　shouldest　be　afraid　with　so　often　order　of　religion；　as　though　there　were　somewhat　omitted；　but　that　thou　shouldest　rather　rejoyce；　since　as　it　hath　pleased　the　gods　to　call　thee　three　times；　when　as　there　was　never　yet　any　person　that　atchieved　to　the　order　but　once　：　wherefore　thou　maist　thinke　thy　selfe　happy　for　so　great　benefits。　And　know　thou　that　the　religion　which　thou　must　now　receive；　is　right　necessary；　if　thou　meane　to　persever　in　the　worshipping　of　the　goddesse；　and　to　make　solempnity　on　the　festivall　day　with　the　blessed　habite；　which　thing　shalt　be　a　glory　and　renowne　to　thee。

After　this　sort；　the　divine　majesty　perswaded　me　in　my　sleepe；　whereupon　by　and　by　I　went　towards　the　Priest；　and　declared　all　that　which　I　had　seene；　then　I　fasted　ten　dayes　according　to　the　custome；　and　of　mine　owne　proper　will　I　abstained　longer　then　I　was　commanded　：　and　verely　I　did　nothing　repent　of　the　paine　which　I　had　taken；　and　of　the　charges　which　I　was　at；　considering　that　the　divine　providence　had　given　me　such　an　order；　that　I　gained　much　money　in　pleading　of　causes　：　Finally　after　a　few　dayes；　the　great　god　Osiris　appeared　to　me　in　the　night；　not　disguised　in　any　other　forme；　but　in　his　owne　essence；　commanding　me　that　I　should　be　an　Advocate　in　the　court；　and　not　feare　the　slander　and　envie　of　ill　persons　；　which　beare　me　stomacke　and　grudge　by　reason　of　my　doctrine；　which　I　had　gotten　by　much　labour　：　moreover；　he　would　not　that　I　should　be　any　longer　of　the　number　of　his　Priests；　but　he　allotted　me　to　be　one　of　the　Decurions　and　Senatours　：　and　after　he　appointed　me　a　place　within　the　ancient　pallace；　which　was　erected　in　the　time　of　Silla；　where　I　executed　my　office　in　great　joy　with　a　shaven　Crowne。






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