The Golden Ass quotes

… and visage blubbered with tears, in such sort that she hath well-nigh wept out both her eyes) is constrained by her parents to put out of remembrance the unfortunate loss and lack of thee at home, and against her will to take a new husband.

And dost thou live here as a ghost or hog, to our great shame and ignominy?

Then he answered he to me and said, Oh my friend Aristomenus, now perceive I well that you are ignorant of the whirling changes, the unstable forces, and slippery inconstancy of Fortune:

But I not willing to see him any longer in such great misery and calamity, took him by the hand and lifted him up from the ground: who having his face covered in such sort,

Let Fortune (quoth he) triumph yet more, let her have her sway, and finish that which she hath begun.

And therewithal I put off one of my garments and covered him, and immediately I brought him to the bain, and caused him to be anointed, wiped, and the filthy scurf of his body to be rubbed away;

… her occupation, and therefore she bare him a grudge, and now the poor miser swimming in one of his pipes of wine, and well-nigh drowned in the dregs, doth cry and call with an hoarse voice, for his old guests and acquaintance that pass by.

Likewise she turned one of the advocates of the court (because he pleaded and spake against her in a rightful cause) into a horned ram, and now the poor ram is become an advocate.

Moreover she caused, that the wife of a certain lover that she had should never be delivered of her child, but according to the computation of all men, it is eight years past since the poor woman first began to swell, and now she is …

Then perceived I in myself, that certain affects of the mind by nature doth chance contrary.

For as tears oftentimes trickle down the cheeks of him that seeth or heareth some joyful news, so I being in this fearful perplexity, could not forbear laughing, to see how of Aristomenus I was made like unto a snail in his shell.

And while I lay on the ground covered in this sort, I peeped under the bed to see what would happen. And behold there entered in two old women, the one bearing a burning torch, and the other a sponge and a naked sword;

Then Panthia stopped up the wide wound of his throat with the sponge and said,

Oh sponge sprung and made of the sea, beware that thou not pass by running river.

This being said, one of them moved and turned up my bed, and then they strid over me, and clapped their buttocks upon my face, and all bepissed me until I was wringing wet.

who when he perceived that I was not only wearied by travel, but also with talk, and that I fell asleep in the midst of my tale, and further that I spake nothing directly or advisedly, he suffered me to depart to my chamber.

So scaped I at length from the prating and hungry supper of this rank old man, and being compelled by sleep and not by meat, and having supped only with talk, I returned into my chamber, and there betook me to my quiet and long desired rest.

… or if they seem loathsome in her eye, by and by in the moment of an hour she turneth them into stones, sheep or some other beast, as herself pleaseth, and some she presently slayeth and murdereth, of whom I would you should earnestly beware.

For she burneth continually, and you by reason of your tender age and comely beauty are capable of her fire and love.

Thus with great care Byrrhena gave me in charge, but I (that always coveted and desired, after that I had heard talk of such sorceries and witchcrafts, to be experienced in the same) little esteemed to beware of Pamphiles, but willingly determined to bestow my …

… Venus herself, though she were waited upon by all the court of Cupid, though were girded with her beautiful scarf of love, and though she smelled of perfumes and musks, yet if she appeared bald, she could in nowise please, no not her own Vulcanus.

Oh how well doth a fair colour and a shining face agree with glittering hair!

Behold, it encountereth with the beams of the sun, and pleaseth the eye marvelously.

Then I unable to sustain the broiling heat that I was in, ran upon her and kissed the place where she had thus laid her hair. Whereat she turned her face, and cast her rolling eyes upon me, saying,

Oh scholar, thou hast tasted now both honey and gall, take heed that thy pleasure do not turn unto repentance.

Tush (quoth I) my sweetheart, I am contented for such another kiss to be broiled here upon this fire, wherewithal I embraced and kissed her more often, and she embraced and kissed me likewise, and moreover her breath smelled like cinnamon, and the liquor of …

… amongst them nigh unto the bier, and got upon a stone to see this mystery, and behold incontinently the dead body began to receive spirit, his principal veins did move, his life came again and he held up his head and spake in this sort:

Why do you call me back again to this transitory life, that have already tasted of the water of Lethe, and likewise been in the deadly den of Styx?

Leave off, I pray, leave off, and let me lie in quiet rest.

… not (quoth she) for my mistress hath taught me the way to bring that to pass, neither think you that she did it for any goodwill and favour, but to the end that I might help her, and minister some remedy when she returneth home.

Consider I pray you with yourself, with what frivolous trifles so marvelous a thing is wrought

: for by Hercules I swear I give her nothing else save a little dill and laurel leaves, in well water, the which she drinketh and washeth herself withal.

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.

Then I thought to blame Fotis, but being deprived as well of language as of human shape, I looked upon her with my hanging lips and watery eyes.

Who as soon as she espied me in such sort, cried out, Alas poor wretch that I am, I am utterly cast away. The fear I was in, and my haste hath beguiled me, but especially the mistaking of the box, hath deceived me.

and further he said,

How is it possible that so courageous a captain can live without his hand, wherewith he could sometime rob and slay so many people?

I would think myself sufficiently happy if I could be slain by one of you.

… was so greedy that he would leave nothing behind, he went into the old woman’s bed where she lay asleep, and would have taken off the coverlet to have thrown down likewise, but she awaked, and kneeling on her knees, desired him in this manner:

Oh sir I pray you cast not away such torn and ragged cloths into my neighbours houses, for they are rich enough, and need no such things.

Then Alcinus thinking her words to be true, was brought in belief, that such things as he had thrown out already, and such things as he should throw out after, was not fallen down to his fellows, but to other men’s houses, wherefore he went …

but at last there came a butcher more valiant than the rest, who opening the paunch of the beast, slit out an hardy and venturous thief.

In this manner we lost our captain Thrasileon, but he left not his fame and honour.

When this was done we packed up our treasure, which we committed to the sepulchre to keep, and got out of the bounds of Platea, thus thinking with ourselves, that there was more fidelity amongst the dead than amongst the living, by reason that our …

In the mean season Psyche with all her beauty received no fruit of honor.

She was wondered at of all, she was praised of all, but she perceived that no king nor prince, nor any one of the superior sort did repair to woo her.

Everyone marvelled at her divine beauty, as it were some image well painted and set out. Her other two sisters, which were nothing so greatly exalted by the people, were royally married to two kings:

Why soil ye your faces with tears, which I ought to adore and worship? Why tear you my eyes in yours? Why pull you your hoary hairs? Why knock ye your breasts for me?

Now you see the reward of my excellent beauty: now, now you perceive, but too late, the plague of envy.

When the people did honour me, and call me new Venus, then ye should have wept, then you should have sorrowed as though I had been dead:

… length for the great affection which he may bear unto her that he may make her a goddess, for by Hercules, such was her countenance, so she behaved herself, that as a goddess she had voices to serve her, and the winds did obey her.

But I poor wretch have first married an husband elder than my father, more bald than a coot, more weak than a child, and that locketh me up all day in the house.

Then said the other sister, And in faith I am married to a husband that hath the gout, twofold, crooked, nor courageous in paying my debt, I am fain to rub and mollify his stony fingers with diverse sorts of oils, and to wrap them …

And how in vaunting herself she uttered her presumptuous mind, how she cast a little gold into our laps, and being weary of our company, commanded that we should be borne and blown away?

Verily I live not, nor am a woman, but I will deprive her of all her bliss.

And if you my sister be so far bent as I, let us consult together, and not to utter our mind to any person, no not to our parents, nor tell that ever we saw her.

… cheeks delicate and tender, by your pleasant hot breast, whose shape and face I shall learn at length by the child in my belly, grant the fruit of my desire, refresh your dear spouse Psyche with joy, who is bound and linked unto you forever.

I little esteem to see your visage and figure, little do I regard the night and darkness thereof, for you are my only light.

Her husband being as it were enchanted with these words and compelled by violence of her often embracing, wiping away her tears with his hair, did yield unto his wife. And when morning came, departed as he was accustomed to do.

… stirred by so many furies) she was in a tossing mind like the waves of the sea, and although her will was obstinate, and resisted to put in execution the counsel of her sisters, yet she was in doubtful and diverse opinions touching her calamity.

Sometime she would, sometime she would not, sometime she is bold, sometime she feareth, sometime she mistrusteth, sometime she is moved, sometime she hateth the beast, sometime she loveth her husband: but at length night came, when as she prepared for her wicked intent.

Soon after her husband came, and when he had kissed and embraced her he fell asleep.

But alas while she was in this great joy, whether it were for envy for desire to touch this amiable body likewise, there fell out a drop of burning oil from the lamp upon the right shoulder of the god.

Oh rash and bold lamp, the vile ministry of love, how darest thou be so bold as to burn the god of all fire?

When as he invented thee, to the intent that all lovers might with more joy pass the nights in pleasure.

Did not I always give thee a charge? Did not I gently will thee to beware? But those cursed aides and counselors of thine shall be worthily rewarded for their pains.

As for thee thou shalt be sufficiently punished by my absence.

When he had spoken these words he took his flight into the air. Then Psyche fell flat on the ground, and as long as she could see her husband she cast her eyes after him into the air, weeping and lamenting piteously:

… regarding the commandment of my mother (who willed me that thou shouldst be married to a man of base and miserable condition) did come myself from heaven to love thee, and wounded mine own body with my proper weapons, to have thee to my spouse:

And did I seem a beast unto thee, that thou shouldst go about to cut off my head with a razor, who loved thee so well?

Did not I always give thee a charge? Did not I gently will thee to beware? But those cursed aides and counselors of thine shall be worthily rewarded for their pains. As for thee thou shalt be sufficiently punished by my absence.

Is this an honest thing, is this honourable to thy parents? Is this reason, that thou hast violated and broken the commandment of thy mother and sovereign mistress: and whereas thou shouldst have vexed my enemy with loathsome love, thou hast done otherwise?

For being of tender and unripe years, thou hast with too licentious appetite embraced my most mortal foe, to whom I shall be made a mother, and she a daughter.

Thou presumest and thinkest, thou trifling boy, thou varlet, and without all reverence, that thou art most worthy and excellent, and that I am not able by reason of mine age to have another son, which if I should have, thou shouldst well understand that …

… deem evil of the generation of women, when as I saw the maiden (who was appointed to be married to a young gentleman, and who so greatly desired the same) was now delighted with the talk of a wicked brothel house, and other things dishonest.

In this sort the consent and manners of women depended in the judgment of an ass.

… wickedness of the Servant, and, the treason of the stepdame was plainly discovered, and the verity of the matter revealed, whereby the woman was perpetually exiled, the servant hanged on a gallows, and the physician had the crowns, which was prepared to buy the poison.

Behold how the fortune of the old man was changed, who thinking to be deprived of all his race and posterity, was in one moment made the father of two children.

But as for me, I was ruled and handled by Fortune, according to her pleasure.

Thus the divine shape breathing out the pleasant spice of fertile Arabia, disdained not with her divine voice to utter these words unto me: Behold Lucius I am come, thy weeping and prayers hath moved me to succor thee.

I am she that is the natural mother of all things, mistress and governess of all the elements, the initial progeny of worlds, chief of powers divine, queen of heaven!

the principal of the gods celestial, the light of the goddesses: at my will the planets of the air, the wholesome winds of the Seas, and the silences of hell be disposed;