The Golden Ass

As I fortuned to take my voyage into Thessaly, about certain affairs which I had to do (for there mine ancestry by my mother’s side inhabiteth, descended of the line of that most excellent person Plutarch, and of Sextus the philosopher his nephew, which is to us a great honour) and after that by much travel and great pain I had passed over the high mountains and slippery valleys, and had ridden through the cloggy fallowed fields; perceiving that my horse did wax somewhat slow, and to the intent likewise that I might repose and strengthen myself (being weary with riding) I lighted off my horse, and wiping the sweat from every part of his body, I unbridled him, and walked him softly in my hand, to the end he might piss, and ease himself of his weariness and travel: and while he went grazing freshly in the field (casting his head sometimes aside, as a token of rejoicing and gladness) I perceived a little before me two companions riding, and so I overtaking them made a third. And while I listened to hear their communication, the one of them laughed and mocked his fellow, saying, Leave off I pray thee and speak no more, for I cannot abide to hear thee tell such absurd and incredible lies; which when I heard, I desired to hear some news, and said, I pray you masters make me partaker of your talk, that am not so curious as desirous to know all your communication: so shall we shorten our journey, and easily pass this high hill before us, by merry and pleasant talk.

How Fotis brought Apuleius to see her mistress enchant.

On a day Fotis came running to me in great fear, and said that her mistress, to work her sorceries on such as she loved, intended the night following to transform herself into a bird, and to fly whither she pleased. Wherefore she willed me privily to prepare myself to see the same. And when midnight came she led me softly into a high chamber, and bid me look through the chink of a door: where first I saw how she put off all her garments, and took out of a certain coffer sundry kinds of boxes, of the which she opened one, and tempered the ointment therein with her fingers, and then rubbed her body therewith from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head, and when she had spoken privily with herself, having the candle in her hand, she shaked the parts of her body, and behold, I perceived a plume of feathers did burgeon out, her nose waxed crooked and hard, her nails turned into claws, and so she became an owl. Then she cried and screeched like a bird of that kind, and willing to prove her force, moved herself from the ground by little and little, till at last she flew quite away.

How Apuleius thinking to be turned into a bird, was turned into an ass, and how he was led away by thieves.

After that I had well rubbed every part and member of my body, I hovered with mine arms, and moved myself, looking still when I should be changed into a bird as Pamphiles was, and behold neither feathers nor appearance of feathers did burgeon out, but verily my hair did turn in ruggedness, and my tender skin waxed tough and hard, my fingers and toes losing the number of five, changed into hoofs, and out of mine arse grew a great tail, now my face became monstrous, my nostrils wide, my lips hanging down, and mine ears rugged with hair: neither could I see any comfort of my transformation, for my members increased likewise, and so without all help (viewing every part of my poor body) I perceived that I was no bird, but a plain ass.

There was sometimes a certain King, inhabiting in the west parts, who had to wife a noble dame, by whom he had three daughters exceeding fair: of whom the two elder were of such comely shape and beauty, as they did excel and pass all other women living, whereby they were thought worthily to deserve the praise and commendation of every person, and deservedly to be preferred above the residue of the common sort. Yet the singular passing beauty and maidenly majesty of the youngest daughter did so far surmount and excel them two, as no earthly creature could by any means sufficiently express or set out the same.

By reason whereof, after the fame of this excellent maiden was spread about in every part of the city, the citizens and strangers there being inwardly pricked by the zealous affection to behold her famous person, came daily by thousands, hundredths, and scores, to her father’s palace, who was astonied with admiration of her incomparable beauty, did no less worship and reverence her with crosses, signs, and tokens, and other divine adorations, according to the custom of the old used rites and ceremonies, than if she were the lady Venus indeed, and shortly after the fame was spread into the next cities and bordering regions, that the goddess whom the deep seas had born and brought forth, and the froth of the waves had nourished, to the intent to show her high magnificence and divine power on earth, to such as erst did honour and worship her, was now conversant among mortal men, or else that the earth and not the sea, by a new concourse and influence of the celestial planets, had budded and yielded forth a new Venus, endued with the flower of virginity.

How the shepherds determined to abide in a certain wood to cure their wounds.

When we had gone a good part of our way, we came to a certain wood environed with great trees and compassed about with pleasant meadows, whereas the shepherds appointed to continue a certain space to cure their wounds and sores; then they sat down on the ground to refresh their weary minds, and afterwards they sought for medicines, to heal their bodies: some washed away their blood with the water of the running river: some stopped their wounds with sponges and cloths, in this manner everyone provided for his own safety. In the mean season we perceived an old man, who seemed to be a shepherd, by reason of the goats and sheep that fed round about him. Then one of our company demanded whether he had any milk, butter, or cheese to sell. To whom he made answer saying: Do you look for any meat or drink, or any other refection here? Know you not in what place you be?

And therewithal he took his sheep and drave them away as fast as he might possible.