the golden asse-第8部分

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unto　　his　minde；　but　halfe　amased）　soone　answered　and　sayd；　I　would　to　god　that　all　our　enemies　and　evil　willers　might　fall　into　the　like　dangerous　peregrination　and　trouble。　　For　the　ship　where　we　were　in；　after　it　was　by　the　waves　of　the　seas　and　by　the　great　tempests　tossed　hither　and　thither；　in　great　peril；　and　after　that　the　mast　and　stern　brake　likewise　in　pieces；　could　in　no　wise　be　brought　to　shore；　but　sunk　into　the　water；　and　so　we　did　swim；　and　hardly　escaped　to　land。　　And　after　that；　whatsoever　was　given　unto　us　in　recompense　of　our　losses；　either　by　the　pitty　of　strangers；　or　by　the　benevolence　of　our　friends；　was　taken　away　from　us　by　theeves；　whose　violence　when　my　brother　Arisuatus　did　assay　to　resist；　hee　was　cruelly　murthered　by　them　before　my　face。　　These　things　when　he　had　sadly　declared；　the　Cobler　tooke　up　his　money　againe　which　he　had　told　out　to　pay　for　the　telling　of　his　fortune；　and　ran　away。　　The　Diophanes　comming　to　himselfe　perceived　what　he　had　done；　and　we　all　that　stood　by　laughed　greatly。　　But　that　（quoth　Milo）　which　Diophanes　did　tell　unto　you　Lucius；　that　you　should　be　happy　and　have　a　prosperous　journey；　was　only　true。　Thus　Milo　reasoned　with　me。　　But　I　was　not　a　little　sorry　that　I　had　traind　him　into　such　a　vaine　of　talke；　that　I　lost　a　good　part　of　the　night；　and　the　sweete　pleasure　thereof　：　but　at　length　I　boldly　said　to　Milo；　Let　Diophanes　fare　well　with　his　evil　fortune；　and　get　againe　that　which　he　lost　by　sea　and　land；　for　I　verily　do　yet　feel　the　wearinesse　of　my　travell；　whereof　I　pray　you　pardon　mee；　and　give　me　licence　to　depart　to　bed　：　wherewithall　I　rose　up　and　went　unto　my　chamber；　where　I　found　all　things　finely　prepared　and　the　childrens　bed　（because　they　should　not　heare　what　we　did　in　the　night）　was　removed　far　off　without　the　chamber　doore。　　The　table　was　all　covered　with　those　meats　that　were　left　at　supper；　the　cups　were　filled　halfe　full　with　water；　to　temper　and　delay　the　wines；　the　flagon　stood　ready　prepared；　and　there　lacked　nothing　that　was　necessary　for　the　preparation　of　Venus。　　And　when　I　was　entring　into　the　bed；　behold　my　Fotis　（who　had　brought　her　mistresse　to　bed）　came　in　and　gave　me　roses　and　floures　which　she　had　in　her　apron；　and　some　she　threw　about　the　bed；　and　kissed　mee　sweetly；　and　tied　a　garland　about　my　head；　and　bespred　the　chamber　with　the　residue。　　Which　when　shee　had　done；　shee　tooke　a　cup　of　wine　and　delaied　it　with　hot　water；　and　profered　it　me　to　drinke；　and　before　I　had　drunk　it　all　off　she　pulled　it　from　my　mouth；　and　then　gave　it　me　againe；　and　in　this　manner　we　emptied　the　pot　twice　or　thrice　together。　　Thus　when　I　had　well　replenished　my　self　with　wine；　and　was　now　ready　unto　Venery　not　onely　in　minde　but　also　in　body；　　I　removed　my　cloathes；　and　shewing　to　Fotis　my　great　impatiencie　I　sayd；　O　my　sweet　heart　take　pitty　upon　me　and　helpe　me；　for　as　you　see　I　am　now　prepared　unto　the　battell；　which　you　your　selfe　did　appoint　：　for　after　that　I　felt　the　first　Arrow　of　cruell　Cupid　within　my　breast；　　I　bent　my　bow　very　strong；　and　now　feare；　（because　it　is　bended　so　hard）　lest　my　string　should　breake　：　but　that　thou　mayst　the　better　please　me；　undresse　thy　haire　and　come　and　embrace　me　lovingly　：　whereupon　shee　made　no　long　delay；　but　set　aside　all　the　meat　and　wine；　and　then　she　unapparelled　her　selfe；　and　unattyred　her　haire；　presenting　her　amiable　body　unto　me　in　manner　of　faire　Venus；　when　shee　goeth　under　the　waves　of　the　sea。　　Now　（quoth　shee）　is　come　the　houre　of　justing；　now　is　come　the　time　of　warre；　wherefore　shew　thy　selfe　like　unto　a　man；　for　I　will　not　retyre；　I　will　not　fly　the　field；　see　then　thou　bee　valiant；　see　thou　be　couragious；　since　there　is　no　time　appointed　when　our　skirmish　shall　cease。　　In　saying　these　words　shee　came　to　me　to　bed；　and　embraced　me　sweetly；　and　so　wee　passed　all　the　night　in　pastime　and　pleasure；　and　never　slept　until　it　was　day　：　but　we　would　eftsoones　refresh　our　wearinesse；　and　provoke　our　pleasure；　and　renew　our　venery　by　drinking　of　wine。　　In　which　sort　we　pleasantly　passed　away　many　other　nights　following。



THE　ELEVENTH　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　supped　with　Byrrhena；　and　what　a　strange　tale　Bellephoron　told　at　the　table

It　fortuned　on　a　day；　that　Byrrhena　desired　me　earnestly　to　suppe　with　her；　and　shee　would　in　no　wise　take　any　excusation。　Whereupon　I　went　to　Fotis；　to　aske　counsell　of　her　as　of　some　Divine；　who　although　she　was　unwilling　that　I　should　depart　one　foot　from　her　company；　　yet　at　length　shee　gave　me　license　to　bee　absent　for　a　while；　saying　；　Beware　that　you　tarry　not　long　at　supper　there；　for　there　is　a　rabblement　of　common　Barrettors　and　disturbers　of　the　publique　peace；　that　rove　about　in　the　streets　and　murther　all　such　as　they　may　take；　neither　can　law　nor　justice　redress　them　in　any　case。　　And　they　will　the　sooner　set　upon　you；　by　reason　of　your　comelinesse　and　audacity；　in　that　you　are　not　afeared　at　any　time　to　walke　in　the　streets。

Then　I　answered　and　sayd；　Have　no　care　of　me　Fotis；　for　I　esteeme　the　pleasure　which　I　have　with　thee；　above　the　dainty　meats　that　I　eat　abroad；　and　therefore　I　will　returne　againe　quickly。　Neverthelesse　I　minde　not　to　come　without　company；　for　I　have　here　my　sword；　wherby　I　hope　to　defend　my　selfe。

And　so　in　this　sort　I　went　to　supper；　and　behold　I　found　in　Byrrhena's　house　a　great　company　of　strangers；　and　the　chiefe　and　principall　of　the　city　：　the　beds　made　of　Citron　and　Ivory；　were　richly　adorned　and　spread　with　cloath　of　gold；　the　Cups　were　garnished　pretiously；　and　there　were　divers　other　things　of　sundry　fashion；　but　of　like　estimation　and　price　：　here　stood　a　glasse　gorgeously　wrought；　there　stood　another　of　Christall　finely　painted。　There　stood　a　cup　of　glittering　silver；　and　there　stood　another　of　shining　gold；　and　here　was　another　of　amber　artificially　carved　and　made　with　pretious　stones。　　Finally；　there　was　all　things　that　might　be　desired　：　the　Servitors　waited　orderly　at　the　table　in　rich　apparell；　the　pages　arrayed　in　silke　robes；　did　fill　great　gemmes　and　pearles　made　in　the　forme　of　cups；　with　excellent　wine。　　Then　one　brought　in　Candles　and　Torches；　and　when　we　were　set　down　and　placed　in　order；　we　began　to　talke；　to　laugh；　and　to　be　merry。　　And　Byrrhena　spake　unto　mee　and　sayd；　I　pray　you　Cousine　how　like　you　our　countrey？　　Verily　I　think　there　is　no　other　City　which　hath　the　like　Temples；　Baynes；　and　other　commodities　which　we　have　here。　Further　we　have　abundance　of　household　stuffe；　we　have　pleasure；　we　have　ease；　and　when　the　Roman　merchants　arrive　in　this　City　they　are　gently　and　quietly　entertained；　and　all　that　dwell　within　this　province　（when　they　purpose　to　solace　and　repose　themselves）　do　come　to　this　city。　　Whereunto　I　answered；　Verily　（quoth　I）　you　tell　truth；　for　I　can　finde　no　place　in　all　the　world　which　I　like　better　than　this；　but　I　greatly　feare　the　blind　inevitable　trenches　of　witches；　for　they　say　that　the　dead　bodies　are　digged　out　of　their　graves；　and　the　bones　of　them　that　are　burnt　be　stollen　away；　and　the　toes　and　fingers　of　such　as　are　slaine　are　cut　off；　and　afflict　and　torment　such　as　live。　　And　the　old　Witches　as　soone　as　they　heare　of　the　death　of　any　person；　do　forthwith　goe　and　uncover　the　hearse　and　spoyle　the　corpse；　to　work　their　inchantments。　　Then　another　sitting　at　the　table　spake　and　sayd；　In　faith　you　say　true；　neither　yet　do　they　spare　or　favor　the　living。　　For　I　know　one　not　farre　hence　that　was　cruelly　handled　by　them；　who　being　not　contented　with　cutting　off　his　nose；　did　likewise　cut　off　his　eares；　whereat　all　the　people　laughed　heartily；　and　looked　at　one　that　sate　at　the　boords　end；　who　being　amased　at　their　gazing；　and　somewhat　angry　withall；　would　have　risen　from　the　table；　had　not　Byrrhena　spake　unto　him　and　sayd；　I　pray　thee　friend　Bellerophon　sit　still　and　according　to　thy　accustomed　curtesie　declare　unto　us　the　losse　of　thy　nose　and　eares；　to　the　end　that　my　cousin　Lucius　may　be　delighted　with　the　pleasantnes　of　the　tale。　　　To　whom　he　answered；　Madam　in　the　office　of　your　bounty　shall　prevaile　herein；　but　the　insolencie　of　some　is　not　to　be　supported。　This　hee　spake　very　angerly　：　But　Byrrhena　was　earnest　upon　him；　and　assured　him　hee　should　have　no　wrong　at　any　mans　hand。　　Whereby　he　was　inforced　to　declare　the　same；　and　so　lapping　up　the　end　of　the　Table　cloath　and　carpet　together；　　hee　leaned　with　his　elbow　thereon；　and　held　out　three　forefingers　of　his　right　hand　in　manner　of　an　orator；　and　sayd；　When　I　was　a　young　man　I　went　unto　a　certaine　city　called　Milet；　to　see　the　games　and　triumphs　there　named　Olympia；　and　being　desirous　to　come　into　this　famous　province；　after　that　I　had　travelled　over　all　Thessaly；　I　fortuned　in　an　evil　hour　to　come　to　the　City　Larissa；　where　while　I　went　up　and　down　to　view　the　streets　to　seeke　some　reliefe　for　my　poore　estate　（for　I　had　spent　all　my　money）　I　espied　an　old　man　standing　on　a　stone　in　the　middest　of　the　market　place；　crying　with　a　loud　voice　and　saying；　that　if　any　man　would　watch　a　dead　corps　that　night　hee　should　be　reasonably　rewarded　for　this　paines。　　Which　when　I　heard；　I　sayd　to　one　who　passed　by；　What　is　here　to　doe？　　Do　dead　men　use　to　run　away　in　this　Countrey？　　Then　answered　he；　Hold　your　peace；　for　you　are