the golden asse-第14部分

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owed　us　with　great　staves；　and　willed　one　of　their　fellows　to　tarry　behind；　and　bring　them　tydings　what　was　done　concerning　the　robbery　：　and　so　they　beat　us　forward　over　great　hils　out　of　the　way。　　But　I；　what　with　my　heavy　burden　and　long　journy；　did　nothing　differ　from　a　dead　asse　：　wherfore　I　determined　with　my　self　to　seek　some　civil　remedy；　and　by　invocation　of　the　name　of　the　prince　of　the　country　to　be　delivered　from　so　many　miseries　：　and　on　a　time　I　passed　through　a　great　faire；　I　came　among　a　multitude　of　Greeks；　and　I　thought　to　call　upon　the　renowned　name　of　the　Emperor　and　say；　O　Cesar；　and　cried　out　aloud　O；　but　Cesar　I　could　in　no　wise　pronounce。　　The　Theeves　little　regarding　my　crying；　did　lay　me　on　and　beat　my　wretched　skinne　in　such　sort；　that　after　it　was　neither　apt　nor　meet　to　make　Sives　or　Sarces。　　Howbeit　at　last　Jupiter　administred　to　me　an　unhoped　remedy。　　For　when　we　had　passed　through　many　townes　and　villages；　I　fortuned　to　espy　a　pleasant　garden；　wherein　beside　many　other　flowers　of　delectable　hiew；　were　new　and　fresh　roses　：　and　being　very　joyful；　and　desirous　to　catch　some　as　I　passed　by；　I　drew　neerer　and　neerer　：　and　while　my　lips　watered　upon　them；　I　thought　of　a　better　advice　more　profitable　for　me；　lest　if　from　an　asse　I　should　become　a　man；　I　might　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　theeves；　and　either　by　suspition　that　I　were　some　witch；　or　for　feare　that　I　should　utter　their　theft；　I　should　be　slaine；　wherefore　I　abstained　for　that　time　from　eating　of　Roses；　　and　enduring　my　present　adversity；　I　did　eat　hay　as　other　Asses　did。




THE　FOURTH　BOOKE



THE　EIGHTEENTH　CHAPTER

How　Apuleius　thinking　to　eat　Roses；　was　cruelly　beaten　by　a　Gardener；　and　chased　by　dogs

When　noone　was　come；　that　the　broyling　heate　of　the　sunne　had　most　power；　we　turned　into　a　village　to　certaine　of　the　theeves　acquaintance　and　friends；　for　verily　their　meeting　and　embracing　together　did　give　me；　poore　asse；　cause　to　deeme　the　same；　and　they　tooke　the　trusse　from　my　backe；　and　gave　them　part　of　the　Treasure　which　was　in　it；　and　they　seemed　to　whisper　and　tell　them　that　it　was　stollen　goods；　and　after　that　we　were　unladen　of　our　burthens；　they　let　us　loose　in　a　medow　to　pasture；　but　myne　own　horse　and　Miloes　Asse　would　not　suffer　me　to　feed　there　with　them；　but　I　must　seeke　my　dinner　in　some　other　place。

Wherefore　I　leaped　into　a　garden　which　was　behinde　the　stable；　and　being　well　nigh　perished　with　hunger；　although　I　could　find　nothing　there　but　raw　and　green　fallets；　yet　I　filled　my　hungry　guts　therwithall　abundantly；　and　praying　unto　all　the　gods；　I　looked　about　in　every　place　if　I　could　espy　any　red　roses　in　the　gardens　by；　and　my　solitary　being　alone　did　put　me　in　good　hope；　that　if　I　could　find　any　remedy；　I　should　presently　of　an　Asse　be　changed　into　Lucius　out　of　every　mans　sight。　　And　while　I　considered　these　things；　I　loked　about；　and　behold　I　saw　a　farre　off　a　shadowed　valley　adjoyning　nigh　unto　a　wood；　where　amongst　divers　other　hearbes　and　pleasant　verdures；　me　thought　I　saw　bright　flourishing　Roses　of　bright　damaske　colour；　and　said　within　my　bestaill　minde；　Verily　that　place　is　the　place　of　Venus　and　the　Graces；　where　secretly　glistereth　the　royall　hew；　of　so　lively　and　delectable　a　floure。　　Then　I　desiring　the　help　of　the　guide　of　my　good　fortune；　ranne　lustily　towards　the　wood；　insomuch　that　I　felt　myself　that　I　was　no　more　an　Asse；　but　a　swift　coursing　horse　：　　but　my　agility　and　quicknes　could　not　prevent　the　cruelty　of　my　fortune；　for　when　I　came　to　the　place　I　perceived　that　they　were　no　roses；　neither　tender　nor　pleasant；　neither　moystened　with　the　heavenly　drops　of　dew；　nor　celestial　liquor；　which　grew　out　of　the　thicket　and　thornes　there。　Neither　did　I　perceive　that　there　was　any　valley　at　all；　but　onely　the　bank　of　the　river；　environed　with　great　thick　trees；　which　had　long　branches　like　unto　lawrell；　and　bearing　a　flour　without　any　manner　of　sent；　and　the　common　people　call　them　by　the　name　of　Lawrel　roses；　which　be　very　poyson　to　all　manner　of　beasts。　　Then　was　I　so　intangled　with　unhappy　fortune　that　I　little　esteemed　mine　own　danger；　and　went　willingly　to　eat　of　these　roses；　though　I　knew　them　to　be　present　poyson　：　and　as　I　drew　neere　I　saw　a　yong　man　that　seemed　to　be　the　gardener；　come　upon　mee；　and　when　he　perceived　that　I　had　devoured　all　his　hearbes　in　the　garden；　he　came　swearing　with　a　great　staffe　n　his　hand；　and　laid　upon　me　in　such　sort；　that　I　was　well　nigh　dead；　but　I　speedily　devised　some　remedy　my　self；　for　I　lift　up　my　legs　and　kicked　him　with　my　hinder　heels；　that　I　left　him　lying　at　the　hill　foot　wel　nigh　slain；　and　so　I　ran　away。　　Incontinently　came　out　his　wife；　who　seeing　her　husband　halfe　dead；　cried　and　howled　in　pittifull　sort；　and　went　toward　her　husband；　to　the　intent　that　by　her　lowd　cries　shee　might　purchase　to　me　present　destruction。　　Then　all　the　persons　of　the　town；　moved　by　her　noise　came　forth；　and　cried　fro　dogs　to　teare　me　down。　　Out　came　a　great　company　of　Bandogs　and　mastifes；　more　fit　to　pul　down　bears　and　lions　than　me；　whom　when　I　beheld　I　thought　verily　I　should　presently　die　：　but　I　turned　myself　about；　and　ranne　as　fast　as　ever　I　might　to　the　stable　from　whence　I　came。　　Then　the　men　of　the　towne　called　in　their　dogs；　and　took　me　and　bound　mee　to　the　staple　of　a　post；　and　scourged　me　with　a　great　knotted　whip　till　I　was　well　nigh　dead；　and　they　would　undoubtedly　have　slaine　me；　had　it　not　come　to　passe；　that　what　with　the　paine　　of　their　beating；　and　the　greene　hearbes　that　lay　in　my　guts；　I　caught　such　a　laske　that　I　all　besprinkled　their　faces　with　my　liquid　dung；　and　enforced　them　to　leave　off。



THE　NINETEENTH　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　was　prevented　of　his　purpose；　and　how　the　Theeves　came　to　their　den。

Not　long　after；　the　theeves　laded　us　againe；　but　especially　me；　and　brought　us　forth　of　the　stable；　and　when　wee　had　gone　a　good　part　of　our　journey　what　with　the　long　way；　my　great　burthen；　the　beating　of　staves；　and　my　worne　hooves；　I　was　so　weary　that　I　could　scantly　go。　　Then　I　saw　a　little　before　mee　a　river　running　with　fair　water；　and　I　said　to　myself；　Behold；　now　I　have　found　a　good　occasion　：　for　I　will　fall　down　when　I　come　yonder；　and　surely　I　will　not　rise　againe；　neither　with　scourging　nor　with　beating；　for　I　had　rather　be　slaine　there　presently；　than　goe　any　further。

And　the　cause　why　I　had　determined　so　to　doe　was　this；　I　thought　that　the　theeves　when　they　did　see　me　so　feeble　and　weake　that　I　could　not　travell；　to　the　intent　they　would　not　stay　in　their　journey；　they　would　take　the　burthen　from　my　backe　and　put　it　on　my　fellowes；　and　so　for　my　further　punishment　to　leave　me　as　a　prey　to　the　wolves　and　ravening　beasts。　　But　evill　fortune　prevented　so　good　a　consideration；　for　the　other　Asse　being　of　the　same　purpose　that　I　was　of；　by　feigned　and　coloured　wearinesse　fell　downe　first；　with　all　his　burthen　on　the　ground　as　though　hee　were　dead；　and　he　would　not　rise　neither　with　beating　nor　with　pricking；　　nor　stand　upon　his　legs；　though　they　pulled　him　by　the　tail；　by　his　legs；　and　by　his　eares　：　which　when　the　theeves　beheld；　as　without　all　hope　they　said　one　unto　another；　What　should　we　stand　here　so　long　about　a　dead　or　rather　a　stony　asse？　let　us　bee　gone　：　and　so　they　tooke　his　burthen；　and　divided　some　to　mee；　and　some　to　my　horse。　And　then　they　drew　out　their　swords　and　cut　off　his　legs；　and　threw　his　body　from　the　point　of　a　hill　down　into　a　great　valley。　　Then　I　considering　with　my　selfe　of　the　evill　fortune　of　my　poore　companion；　and　purposed　now　to　forget　all　subtility　and　deceit；　and　to　play　the　good　Asse　to　get　my　masters　favour；　for　I　perceived　by　their　talke　that　we　were　come　home　well　nigh　at　our　journeys　end。　　And　after　that　wee　had　passed　over　a　little　hill；　we　came　to　our　appointed　place；　and　when　we　were　unladen　of　our　burthens；　and　all　things　carried　in；　I　tumbled　and　wallowed　in　the　dust；　to　refresh　my　selfe　in　stead　of　water。　　The　thing　and　the　time　compelleth　me　to　make　description　of　the　places；　and　especially　of　the　den　where　the　theeves　did　inhabit；　I　will　prove　my　wit　in　what　I　can　doe；　and　the　consider　you　whether　I　was　an　Asse　in　judgement　and　sence；　or　no。　　For　first　there　was　an　exceeding　great　hill　compassed　about　with　big　trees　very　high；　with　many　turning　bottoms　full　of　sharp　stones；　whereby　it　was　inaccessible。　　There　was　many　winding　and　hollow　vallies；　environed　with　thickets　and　thornes；　and　naturally　fortressed　round　about。　　From　the　top　of　the　hill　ranne　a　running　water　as　cleare　as　silver；　that　watered　all　the　valleyes　below；　that　it　seemed　like　unto　a　sea　inclosed；　or　a　standing　floud。　　Before　the　denne　where　was　no　hill　stood　an　high　tower；　and　at　the　foot　thereof　were　sheep…coats　fenced　and　walled　with　clay。　　Before　the　gate　of　the　house　were　pathes　made　in　stead　of　wals；　in　such　sort　that　you　could　easily　judge　it　to　be　a　very　den　for　theeves；　and　there　was　nothing　else　except　a　little　coat　covered　with　thatch；　wherein　the　theeves　did　　nightly　accustome　to　watch　by　order；　as　I　after　perceived。　　And　when　they　were　all　crept　into　the　house；　and　we　were　all　tied　fast　with　halters　at　the　dore；　they　began　to　chide　with　an　old　woman　there；　crooked　with　age；　who　had　the　government　an