 CHAPTER V. PART II. THE SISTERS, thus inflamed, having called on their parents in a hasty manner, and passed through a night of interrupted sleep, fly as soon as it was morning to the rock, and by the usual vehicle of the wind descend rapidly down to Psyche, who, with forced tears, they craftily addressed. Happy, in your own imagination, and blessed only in your ignorance of evil, you sit here inattentive to your own danger, but we, who watch over your affairs with a vigilant care, are miserably tormented at your lost condition. For, by diligent search we have discovered, nor can we conceal from you the calls of our mutual grief in your own misfortune, that a vast serpent who glides along the plane in various volumes, whose neck is swollen with noxious poison, and whose mouth widely gapes through profound gluttony, secretly sleeps with you by night. Now call to mind the Pythian Oracle, which declared you was destined to marry a fierce and terrible beast, and many of the inhabitants of this place, who haunt all round the country, have observed him returning home from his prey in the evening, and gliding through the shallows of the neighboring river. These declare that he will not long feast you with delicious delicacies, but that, as soon as a full womb shall have given maturity to your pregnancy, he will then devour you as a richer morsel, so that you have only to consider whether you will comply with the desires of your sisters, who are anxious for your dear preservation and avoiding death, live with us secure from danger. But if you are wedded to the vocal solitude of this country retreat, or to the filthy and dangerous enjoyment of clandestine venery and the embraces of a poisoned serpent, we have at least acted as pious sisters, and thus admonishing you of your danger. Then the miserable psyche, as being full of simplicity and of a pliant disposition, is seized with terror at the dire relation, and being thus quite beside herself, loses the remembrance of all her husband's admonitions and her own promises, and hurls herself headlong into a profound abyss of calamity, trembling therefore and pale and with an almost lifeless voice. She thus addressed them in broken words. You, indeed, most dear sisters, have acted as it was proper you should, and with becoming piety towards me. And it appears to me that those who gave you this information did not invent a lie, for I have never yet beheld my husband's face, nor do I know who or what he is. But only hearing him by night I endure a husband of an uncertain condition, and one that perpetually avoids the light of day. I am therefore of your opinion that he is some monstrous beast who always terrifies me from attempting to behold him, and threatens some prodigious evil as the consequence of curiosity respecting his countenance. Therefore if you are able to give any salutariate assistance to your sister, who is thus dangerously situated, defer it not for a moment. These wicked women, having thus found an avenue to their pernicious design by a full discovery of their sister's condition, laying aside the concealments of covered artifice, invade the trembling thoughts of the simple girl with the drawn sword of deception, and length therefore one of them thus began. As the ties of blood oblige us to have no fear of danger before our eyes in the pursuit of your safety, we will discover to you the only way which leads to your preservation, and which has been the result of long continued cogitation. Secretly conceal a very sharp razor, which has been perfectly well set, and that part of the bed on which you are accustomed to lie, and provide likewise an elegant lamp full of oil and shining with a splendid light. Provide this lamp in some part of the enclosing tapestry, and having acted with the utmost secrecy in these preparations, as soon as with foroed steps he ascends the accustomed bed, is stretched at length, and held fast in the fetters of his first and soundest sleep. Then silently leaving the bed and tripping along softly with naked feet, free the lamp from its dark concealment, take advantage of its light to accomplish your illustrious undertaking, and with a bold heart, elevated right hand, and strenuous exertion, cut off the head of the noxious serpent. Nor shall our assistance be wanting to you in this affair, but we shall wait near with impatient anxiety till you have procured your safety by his death, and then bringing away with you all your invisible attendants, we will join you, who are a woman invotive nuptials to a man. With such pernicious discourse, having inflamed the bosom of their now perfectly ardent sister, they left her, fearing in the highest degree the very confines of such a mighty evil, and by the wanted impulse of the winged gale, being raised on the rock, immediately hurled themselves from thence with rapid flight, and having ascended the ships depart to their respective habitations. But Psyche, being left alone, if she can be said to be alone, who is hurried by the pernicious furies, is tossed with sorrow like a raging sea, and though her designs were fixed and her mind was obstinately bent to accomplish what she intended, yet she now was beginning to apply her hands to the impious work, and she staggers with uncertain determinations, and is distracted with the apprehension of her approaching calamities. She is now full of speed, then dilatory, now bold, then fearful, now diffident, then angry, and what is the most wonderful of all in the same body she loves her husband, and hates the beast. However, as soon as the evening draws on the night, she prepares with precipitate haste the instruments of her nefarious enterprise. In night came, the husband was present, and after the first embrace he fell into a profound sleep. Then Psyche, who was otherwise of an imbecile body and mind, yet the cruelty of her fate assisting her, is now corroborated. Hence, taking out the lamp and snatching the razor, her boldness transformed her sex. But as soon as, by the light of the lamp, the secrets of the bed stood revealed, she saw the most mild and sweet of all wild beasts, even the beautiful God Cupid himself, most beautifully lying on the bed, by whose aspect the lamp itself participated of hilarity, and the razor repented itself of its sacrilegious edge. But Psyche, terrified at the amazingly beautiful countenance of the God, impotent of mind, and sinking through deadly paleness and trembling, fell on her knees, and could not tell where so properly to hide the steel as in her own bosom, which, indeed, she would have done, had not the razor, afraid of a crime so prodigious, fled just then out of her rash hand. And now, as she kneels weary on the ground, by often beholding the beauty of his divine countenance, she finds herself refreshed. She sees the genial locks of his golden head, largely anointed with ambrosia. The ringlets gracefully entangled, wandering over his milky neck and purple cheeks, some pendulous before and some behind, by whose excessive radiance the very light of the lamp shone with a wavering splendor. On the shoulders of the volatile God, wings of a shining whiteness were seen, and though they were not in motion, yet the outward tender and delicate down, tremulously rebounding, was unquietly wanton. The rest of his body was smooth and elegant, and such as Venus did not repent of bringing forth. At the foot of the bed lie his bow, his quiver, and his arrows, the propitious weapons of the mighty God. These, while Psyche with an insatiable mind handles and explores with eager curiosity, it admires her husband's arms. She draws out of the quiver one of the arrows, and with the tip of her finger touching the point to try its sharpness, by the bold pressure of her trembling hand she pierced the flesh so deep that some small drops of rosy blood spread themselves with dewy sprinkling on her skin. Thus ignorant Psyche voluntarily fell in love with love. Then, burning more and more with the desire of Cupid, gazing on his face with insatiable eyes and multiplying pencholink kisses, her only fear was lest he would wake too soon. In while astonished through such a mighty good, who wounded mind fluctuates, the lamp, whether through vile perfidy, or noxious envy, or whether it longed to touch, as it were, kiss such a beautiful body, threw out a drop of boiling oil from the summit of its light on the right shoulder of the god. Strange, oh bold and rash lamp, that thou shouldest burn the very god of all fire, though some lover first invented thee, that he might for a longer time enjoy by night the object of his desire. The god, thus burnt, leapt from his bed, and seeing the evidence of forfeited fidelity, silently flew away from the hands and eyes of his most unhappy wife. But Psyche immediately and with both her hands caught hold of his right leg as he was mounting, being the miserable appendix of his sublime flight through the cloudy regions, till at length through weariness she fell to the ground. Her lover god, however, not yet deserting her as she lay on the ground, flew to a neighboring cypress tree, and, being severely agitated, thus spoke to her from its lofty top. Such simple Psyche, I, unmyful of the commands of my mother Venus, who ordered me to cause you to be enamored of some mean and miserable son of the vulgar, chose rather to fly to you as a lover myself. I know that I have acted in this respect lightly, and I, who am so excellent in archer, have wounded myself with my own arrow, and have made you my wife, that I might, it seems, be considered by you as a beast, and that you might cut off my head, which bears those very eyes by which you are beloved. This was the danger of which I so often warned you to beware. This was the mischief I so benevolently admonished you to consider. But those egregious counselors of yours shall speedily suffer from me the punishments of such pernicious advice, while I shall only punish you by my flight. Thus spake cupid, and, with the conclusion of his speech, sprang from his pinions on high. But Psyche lay prostrate on the ground, gazing on her soaring husband as long as he remained in sight, and afflicting herself with lamentations in the extreme. When, however, by the rowing of his wings, distance had rendered him invisible, she threw herself from the bank of the next river headlong into its stream. But the gentle river, in honor of the God who used to burn the waters themselves, and fearing for himself, immediately on the back of an obnoxious wave, delivered her safe to the flowery bank. It happened at that time that the rural God Pan sat at the margin of the river, embracing the goddess Kana, and teaching her to sing in all manner of gentle strains. Near them a wanton herd of kids browsed on the grassy bank. This shaggy God, who was not ignorant of the misfortunes of Psyche, called her gently to him, and thus allured her in soothing language. Most elegant girl, I am indeed a rural person, and a shepherd. But through the benefit of an extended old age I have inquired abundance of experience. And if I rightly conjecture, since prudent men boast the power of divination, and from your stumbling, and often reeling, gait, from the extreme paleness of your countenance, and from your perpetual sighing in sourful eyes, you labor under an excess of love. Listen therefore to me, attempt no more to drown yourself, or to put an end to your existence by calling any other kind of death to your assistance. But cease to grieve, lay aside your sorrow, and rather by prayers worship Cupid, the greatest of the gods, and strive to please him by bland obsequiousness, as he is a delicate and luxurious youth. The pastoral God, having thus spoken, Psyche made no reply, but adoring the salutary divinity departed from the place. But before she had traveled far with painful steps, pursuing an unknown path, she drew near to a city, in which the husband of one of her sisters was king. This as soon as she understood, she desired that her arrival might be announced to her sister. Psyche was accordingly introduced to her, and when the embraces of mutual salutation were over, to her sister inquiring the cause of her visit, she thus began, You doubtless remember the advice you gave me. I mean that I should destroy with a razor the beast that lie with me under the name of a husband. Before, through voracious gluttony, he destroyed me. But as soon as, by the assistance of the conscious light, I beheld his countenance, I saw a spectacle perfectly wonderful and divine. The very son himself of the goddess Venus, Cupid himself, I say, sunk in gentle sleep. And while struck with astonishment at the sight of such a mighty good, and disturbed through too great an abundance of pleasure, I labored under the want of enjoyment, by a most dire misfortune, the boiling oil bubbled to the summit of the lamp, and leaped on the shoulder of the god. Being immediately awakened by the pain, when he beheld me harmed with the weapon and the light. From whence, said he, precedes this desire wickedness of thine. Immediately quip my bed, and depart for my sight. I will now immediately join myself in marriage to your sister, mentioning you expressly by name, and then he ordered Zephyr to blow me beyond the boundaries of his habitation. Psyche had scarcely ended her narration, when the sister, agitated by the incentives of lust and baneful envy, having deceived her husband by a preconcerted fiction respecting the death of her parents, immediately set sail for the rock on which Psyche had been exposed. And though another wind then blowed, yet elated with blind hope she exclaimed, Receive me, Cupid, a wife worthy of thy embraces, and thou, Zephyr, receive thy mistress. Thus sleeping as high as she was able, she fell headlong from the mountain. Unable, even when dead, to arrive at the palace of Cupid. For her limbs were torn in pieces by the rocks as she fell, and her bowels became, as they deserved to be, food for birds and beasts of prey. Nor was the vengeance which remained to be inflicted slow in its approaches. For Psyche, with wandering steps, arrived in another city, where her other sister reigned, who, deceived and sinning in the same manner, hastened to the rock, and died just in the same way her sister had done before. In the meantime, while Psyche, wandering over various realms, anxiously searched after Cupid, he, though the pain, from the wound, from the lamp, lay groaning in the bedchamber of his mother. Then that extremely white bird, the seagull, who swims with his wings on the waves of the sea, hastily merged himself in the profound bosom of the ocean. There placing himself near Venus, as she was bathing and swimming, he informed her that her son was severely burnt, and that he was groaning with the pain of the wound, and that his cure was doubtful. Thus, besides this, the whole family of Venus was everywhere reviled. In the first place, Cupid, because he had retired to a mountain, in order to have illicit connection with a girl, and in the next place, said he, yourself, by thus withdrawing to swim in the sea. Hence it is said, continued the bird, that there was no longer any pleasure, elegance, and festivity to be found, but that everything is inelegant, rustic, and horrid, that nuptial ties, social friendships, and love of children are no more, but that in their place have succeeded enormous filth, and the bitter loathing of soared compacts. Thus did this loquacious and impertinent bird defame the son of Venus by murmuring scandal in her ear. But Venus, being enraged by this information, suddenly exclaimed, in a firm-toned voice. So then this hopeful son of mine has got a mistress. Come, tell me thou who alone dost serve me with affection. Tell me the name of her who has solicited the ingenuous and naked boy, and whether she is one of the tribes of nymphs, or of the number of the goddesses, or of the choir of the muses, or belonging to my own train of the graces. The loquacious bird was not silent, but my mistress said he, I am not certain, though, if I well remember, he is said to have been vehemently in love with the girl, whose name is Psyche. Thus Venus, being indignant, exclaimed, does he thus love her, who is a rival of my beauty, and who is emulous of my name, and does he mean to make me, who first brought him to the knowledge of her, act the part of a bard? Thus complaining, she immediately emerged from the sea, and hastened to her golden bedchamber, where she found her son sick, as she had been told, and so vehemently raving through the pain that she heard him before she reached the doors. This is fine conduct indeed, said she, and very agreeable to our dignified birth in your temperance. In the first place that you should trample on the precepts of your mistress and mother, and so far from tormenting my enemy with soya'd love, take her to your licentious and immature abrases, on purpose that I might suffer the indignity of having my enemy for my daughter-in-law. Doubtless thou dost presume, thou trifler, corrupted and unbeloved boy, that I am too old to have another son. Know therefore that I will beget another son, much better than thou art, or rather that you may be more sensible of the disgrace. I will adopt one of my little slaves, and on him I will bestow those wings and flames, that bow and those arrows, and all my furniture which I gave you for purposes, very different from those to which you employ them. For you received no part of this apparatus from your father's possessions. But thou has been of a perverse disposition from thy very childhood, and hence it is that thou hast so often struck thy elders, and even thy mother herself, even me, thou parasite. Besides you despise me as if I were a widow, nor are you afraid of your valiant father-in-law, the mighty God whom, to my torment, you have supplied with many a virgin. I shall take care, however, to make you repent of this frolicsome trick of yours, and render your nuptials sharp and bitter. However, being thus derided, what shall I do? Where shall I but take myself? How shall I punish that little deceiver? Shall I solicit assistance for my enemy? Sobriety, whom I have so often offended, through the luxury of this fraudulent boy. Must I have recourse to that rustic and filthy woman? I abhor the very thought, yet the consolation of revenge is not to be despised. I must therefore apply to her, and to her alone, for she will severely chastise this trifler. She will rifle his quiver, disarm his arrows, unbend his bow, extinguish his torch, and punish his body with still sharper remedies. Then I shall believe entomment has been made for the injury I have received, when I have shaved off those locks, which, with these hands of mine, I have so often bound with a golden bandage, and cut off those pinions, which I have died, in the nectarius fountain, my bosom. Having thus given vent to her passion, full of venereal bile, she rust impetuously out of doors. But Ceres and Juno immediately attended her, and, perceiving her angry countenance, asked her why she did so great an injury to her the gracefulness of her sparkling eyes by such a sullen contraction of her brows. To whom Venus thus replied, You are come very opportunity to be the executioners of that violence which has taken possession of my ardent breast. I beg therefore that, with the utmost care and diligence, you will inquire after the fugitive psyche, for that infamous report respecting my house and the conduct of my unworthy son cannot be unknown to you. Then the two goddesses, being ignorant of what had happened, thus endeavored to mitigate the raging anger of Venus. What offense has your son committed, that you so violently oppose his pleasures, and are impatient to destroy her whom he loves? What crime we beseech you can he be charging with, in loving, without restraint a beautiful virgin? Can you be ignorant of his sex and youth? Or have you indeed forgot how old he is? What, because he carries his ears elegantly, would you consider him as a boy? Is it possible that you, who are his mother, and besides this woman of understanding, can be determined always to pry inquisitively into his sport, blame his luxury and amours, and reprobate, in your beautiful son, your own arts and delights? But what God or man will suffer you to disseminate everywhere among the people amorous desires, when you restrain the gallantry of your own house, and thus shut up the public shop of female vices? The fear of his darts induced them to pay this flattery to absent Cupid, in a gracious patronage of his cause. But Venus, indignant that her injuries were thus ridiculously treated, with haughty mane, and mighty step, passed on to the ocean. And of Chapter 5, Part 2. Chapter 6, Part 1 of the Metamorphosis, or Golden Ass. This is the LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Metamorphosis, or Golden Ass, by Apuleus. Translated by Thomas Taylor. Chapter 6, Part 1. In the meantime, Psyche was driven about from place to place, variously wandering, and with restless mind inquiring after her husband, her desire of finding him increasing in proportion to the difficulty of the search. For, though she had incurred his anger, she hoped she should be able to appease him by suppliant prayers, if she could allure him by the tender blandishments of a wife. Perceiving, therefore, a temple on the summit of a lofty mountain. How can I tell, said she, but this may be the residence of my lord. And immediately she directed her hasty steps thither, incited by hope and desire, though spent with unceasing toil. And now, having gained the highest ridges of the mountain, she enters the temple, in which she saw ears of corn, some of which lay in a heap, some were twisted into garlands, and some were mingled with ears of barley. Here, likewise, were scythes, and all the instruments of harvest, but scattered in a confused and careless manner, and thrown, as is usually the case in the heat of summer, out of the weary hands of the reapers. Psyche, on seeing this confusion, curiously separated the mingled heaps, and properly arranged them, when separated, believing that she ought not to neglect the temples and ceremonies of any divinity, but that she should implore the benevolent pity of all the gods. The bountiful Ceres, whose temple this was, finds her thus anxiously and seduously employed, and addresses her at a distance as follows. Alas, miserable Psyche, Venus, full of rage and indignation, prayers after thy footsteps with anxious search, dooms thee to the most severe punishments, and, importunately, demands revenge, with all the powers of her divinity. Canst thou therefore now busy thyself about my affairs, or think of anything else but thy own safety? Then Psyche, throwing herself at the feet of the goddess, watering them with abundant weeping, and sweeping the ground with her disheveled blocks, and treated pardon of her divinity with numerous prayers. I beseech thee, says she, by thy fruit-bearing right hand, by the joyful ceremonies of harvest, by the occult sacred concerns of the sistae, by the winged car of thy ministrant dragons, the furrows of the Sicilian soil, the rapacious chariot, and the detaining earth, by the dark descending ceremonies attending the marriage of Persephone, and the ascending rites which accompanied the luminous discovery of thy daughter, and by other arcana, which elusis, the edict sanctuary, conceals in profound silence, support the soul of Psyche, thy suppliant, suffer me to conceal myself in that heap of corn for a few days till the raging anger of so great a goddess is mitigated by time, or at least permit me to stay here to my bodily powers, weakened by long-continuing labor, become invigorated by an interval of rest. To this prayer, Ceres thus replied, I am moved by your weeping supplications, and desire to assist you, but I cannot with propriety incur the displeasure of the kindred goddess, to whom I am united by an ancient league of friendship, depart therefore from this temple immediately, and take it in good part, my not detaining and making you a prisoner. Psyche, being thus repulsed, contrary to her hopes, and oppressed with a double sorrow, retired from the temple, and in a dark grove of the valley, beneath the mountain, beheld a fain of elegant structure, and unwilling to omit any way, though dubious, which might lead to better hope, and determined to employ the pardon of every god, she suppliantly approached the sacred doors. Here she perceived splendid gifts, and parts of garments interwoven with golden letters, fixed to the branches of the trees and the pillars of the temple, the letters signifying that these were votive offerings for the benefits received, and exhibiting the name of the goddess to whom they were dedicated. Then Psyche, throwing herself on her knees and embracing the altar, having first wiped away her tears, thus prayed, O sister and wife of the mighty Jupiter, whether thou dost possess the ancient temples of Samos, which glories in thy querulous infancy, or in thy nurture, or whether thou dost frequent the blessed seats of the happy Carthage, which adores thee as a virgin, riding through the heavens in a lion-yoked car, or dost preside over the illustrious walls of the Argives, near the banks of Anarchis, which celebrate thee, now married to the thunderer and the queen of the gods. O thou whom all the east venerates under the name of Zygia, and all the west denominates Lukina, be thou, Juno, the savior of this my extreme misfortune, and deliver me weary with the toils of such long-continued labors, from the fear of my present impending danger, for I know that thou art accustomed voluntarily to relieve the distresses of the pregnant. Juno immediately presented herself to Psyche, supplicating, in all, the august dignity of her divinity, and said, I would most willingly have my daughter-in-law Venus yield to your prayers, but decency will not permit me to act contrary to the will of Venus, whom I have always loved as my own daughter. Besides, the law forbids me to receive into my protection any fugitive servant without the consent of her mistress. But Psyche now terrified with this second shipwreck of her fortune, in despairing of being able to recover her volatile husband, having laid aside all hopes of safety, thus consulted with her own thoughts. What other relief from my sorrows can now be either attempted or procured since even goddesses cannot, though willing, afford me assistance? To what place shall I again direct my wandering steps, when entangled in such inextricable nets? Concealed in what habitations or darkness can I escape the inevitable eyes of the mighty Venus? Assume, therefore, a masculine mind, my soul, bravely renounce all thy vain little hopes, voluntarily surrender thyself into the hands of thy mistress, and try, though late, to mitigate her rage by the modesty of thy behavior. Besides, thou mayest perhaps find him in the house of his mother, whom thou hast so long sought for in vain. Being thus persuaded to enter on her dubious duty, or rather certain destruction, she considered with herself how she should begin her supplications to Venus. Venus, however, refusing to employ earthly remedies in her inquiries after Psyche, returned to heaven. She orders the chariots to be made ready, which Vulcan, having fabricated with subtle skill, arched like the horned moon, and precious, with a waste of gold, had presented her before the consummation of her marriage. Four white doves, out of many that nestled about the bed-chamber of their mistress, joyfully turning about their painted necks, assumed the yoke, decorated with gems, and having taken up their mistress, gladly fly with her to heaven. The chariot of the goddess was attended by a flock of sparrows, functioning with loud chirpings, and by other birds who sing sweetly, all of them announcing the approach of Venus in the most malefruous notes. The clouds give way, the heavens unfold themselves to their daughter, and the lofty aether receives the goddess with joy, nor does the singing family of Venus fear opposing eagles or rapacious hawks. Then immediately she directed her steps to the royal palace of Jupiter, and proudly demanded the necessary assistance of the vocal god Mercury, nor did the azure bow of Jupiter refuse ascent. Then Venus, accompanied by Mercury, joyfully descended from heaven, and in her flight thus anxiously addressed him. My Arcadian brother, you well know that your sister Venus never did anything without the presence of Mercury, nor are you ignorant how long I have sought in vain for my lurking female slave. Hence nothing remains to be done, but for you to proclaim her in a public manner, and propose a reward to him that shall find her. Take care therefore that my commands are speedily executed, and clearly describe the marks by which she may be known, that no one may plead ignorance for the crime of unlawfully concealing her. At the same time she gave him a small volume, in which the name of Psyche was written, and every other particular respecting her, after which she immediately returned home. Nor was Mercury negligent in the performance of her commands, for running everywhere, through all nations he cried, in the following words, if any one can seize in her flight, or discover where a fugitive king's daughter, a servant of Venus, and of the name of Psyche, lays concealed, let him or her repair to Mercury, the crier, at the temple of Venus Mertia, and receive as a reward of the discovery seven sweet kisses from Venus herself, and one exquisitely delicious touch of her charming tongue. Mercury, having thus executed the proclamation of Venus, the desire of such a mighty reward, excited ardent endeavors in all mortals to obtain it, and this circumstance took away from Psyche all thoughts of any further delay. And now, as she approached the gates of her mistress, she was met by one of the servants of Venus, named Custom, who immediately exclaimed, as loud as she was able, at length then, most wicked slave, do you begin to know that you have a mistress? And do you likewise pretend to be ignorant of the great fatigue we have endured in endeavoring to find you out? But it is well that you have fallen into my hands, for now you have entered within the very gates of hell, to receive without delay the punishment of such obstinate contumacy. After she had thus reviled Psyche, she audaciously twisted her hands in her hair, and dragged her along without resistance. But as Venus, as soon as she beheld her, thus brought into her presence, burst into a loud laugh, such as agitates those who are transported with vehement rage, and shaking her head, at length, says she, have you thought proper to come and pay your respects to your mother-in-law? Or did you rather come to see your sick husband, who was yet dangerously ill, through the wound that which you gave him? But take courage, for your reception will be of such as a good mother-in-law ought to give. Better than, says she, are my servants, solicitude and sorrow. These immediately attending, in obedience to the commands of their mistress, scourged and afflicted other torments on the miserable Psyche, and afterwards brought her again into the presence of Venus. Then Venus began laughing. Behold, says she, her swelling belly moves my compassion, since it is through this that she is to make me a happy grandmother, she indeed am I who, in the very flower of my age, shall be called a grandmother, and the son of a vile slave shall be dignified with the appellation of the grandson of Venus. Though indeed I foolishly call him my grandson, for marriage is unequal, and besides this made in a village, without any witnesses, and without the father's consent, can never be deemed legitimate, so that thy offspring must be abastered, even if I should suffer thee to bring him into the light. Having thus said, she flew upon her, rent her garments in many places, tore her hair, beat her on the head, and severely chastised her in various ways. Then taking wheat, barley, millet, poppy seed, vetches, lentils, and beans, and mixing them in one globular heap, she thus spoke to her. You seem to me a servant so deformed as to be incapable of deserving your lover by any other means than the diligent performance of menial employments. I will, therefore, make trial of your abilities as a housewife. Take and separate this mass of seeds, and having properly disposed the several grains apart from each other, give me a proof of your expedition by finishing the task before evening. Thus spoke Venus, and immediately after departed to a wedding supper. But Psyche, astonished at the prodigious command, sat silent and stupid, without moving a hand to the disordered and inexorable mass. Then a little aunt, a native of the fields, vehemently commiserating such prodigious difficulty and labor, and execrating the stepmother's cruelty towards the wife of the mighty God Cupid, rapidly summoned together the populist tribe of neighboring aunts, and thus addressed them, take pity, ye active nurselings of the all-parent earth, take pity, and with prompt celerity assist the wife of love, a beautiful young woman who is now in a dangerous situation. Immediately the six-footed people rushed forth to her assistance in undulating tribes, and with the utmost diligence, separated the whole heap, grain by grain, and having properly sorted the confused mingled species, rapidly vanished from her sight. But Venus, on the commencement of night, returns from the nuptial banquet, moist with wine, fragrant with rich ointments, and having her body elegantly bound with shining roses. And as soon as she saw the diligence which had been exerted on the wonderful labor, most vile creature, said she, this is not the work of your hands, but of his, whom, to your own, and his own misfortune, you have pleased, and, throwing her a piece of household bread, she retired to rest. In the meantime Cupid was very closely confined to his bed chamber, in the interior part of the house, partly lest he should injure his wound by petulant luxury, and partly lest he should associate with his beloved. Thus the lovers, being separated from each other under one roof, passed away, exhausted with grief, the cruel night. But as soon as Aurora had ushered in the morning, Venus, having called Psyche, thus addressed her. Do you perceive Yonder Grove, which stretches itself to a considerable distance along the margin of a river, whose deepest whirlpools look down upon a neighboring fountain? Where, shining sheep of a golden color wander about, feeding without a shepherd, I think it fit that you should bring me immediately a flock of that precious wool, whatever may be the difficulty of procuring it. Psyche willingly rose, but not with any intention of executing this command, but to procure rest for murmur's fortunes, by hurling herself headlong from the rock into the river. But when she came to the brink, a reed, the sweet nurse of music, being divinely inspired, thus prophetically spoke in a soft and harmonious murmur's. Psyche, exercised in mighty sorrows, neither pollute my sacred waters by thy most miserable death, nor yet venture to approach the formidable sheep on the opposite bank, while, borrowing heat from the burning radiance of the sun, they are transported with savage rage and are the destruction of mortals, either by their sharp horns, stony foreheads, or venomous bites. But when the meridian sun has driven the cattle to the shade, and the serene spirit of the flood lulled them to rest, then you may hide yourself under yonder lofty plain tree, which drinks of the same river with myself. And as soon as the sheep have mitigated their fury, on shaking the leaves of the neighboring grove, you will find the woolly gold everywhere sticking to the roots of the trees. Thus the simple and humane reed taught the wretched Psyche how to accomplish this dangerous enterprise with safety. Psyche therefore, observing all the directions, found her obedience was not in vain, but returned to Venus with her bosom full of the delicate golden fleece. Yet she was not able to procure the approbation of her mistress by this, her second perilous labor. Good Venus, smiling bitterly with severe eyebrows, thus addressed her. I am not ignorant that you are not the performer of this task also, but I will now try whether you are endowed with a courageous mind and singular prudence. Do you see the summit of yonder lofty mountain, from which the dusky waters of a black fountain fall, and which, confined in the channel of the neighboring valley, irrigate the stiggy and stretches, and supply the hoarse streams of coquetus? Bring me immediately in this little urn, liquid dew drawn from the most inmost influx of the lofty fountain. Thus speaking, she gave her a vessel of polished crystal, and at the same time threatened her more severely than before. But Psyche, with the utmost celerity, ascended to the very summit of the mountain, presuming that there at least she should find the period of her most miserable life. However, when she arrived at the confines of the Vertex, she saw the deadly difficulty of the vast undertaking. For a rock enormously lofty and inaccessibly rugged, vomited from its middle the horrid waters of the fountain, which immediately falling headlong in winding streams, rushed suddenly through a narrow channel into the neighboring valley. On the right and left hand they creeped through hollow rocks, for which the fierce dragons stretch out their long necks, and with unwinking vigilance keep a perpetual watch. And now the vocal waters shook themselves and exclaimed as they rolled along, Depart, what do you attempt? Look and see what you do, take care, fly, or you will perish. Psyche therefore petrified through the impossibility of accomplishing the task, though she was present in body, was absent in mind, and being perfectly buried under the huge balk of the inextricable danger was even deprived of the benefit of tears, the last solace of the wretched. But the sorrow of the innocent soul is not concealed from the penetrating eyes of Providence. For the rapacious eagle, that royal bird of Jupiter, on a sudden flew to her with expanded wings, calling to mind his ancient obligations to Cupid, for enabling him to elevate to heaven the Phrygian cup-bearer, Ganymedes, to Jupiter, and reverencing the divinity of Cupid in the labors of his wife, deserted the lofty paths of Jupiter and bringing with him seasonable assistance, thus addressed her. Can you, in other respects, of an undesigning disposition and unexperienced in attempts of this kind, ever hope to steal one drop of this most holy and no less terrible fountain? Have you not heard, at least, that these, Stygian waters, are formidable even to Jupiter himself, and that, as you swear by the divinity of the gods, so they are accustomed to swear by the majesty of sticks? But give me that little urn. Immediately therefore, taking it in haste, and poising it on his moving wings, he sailed between the cheeks of raging teeth, and the three-forked vibrating tongues of the dragons, and steering his course to the right and to the left, drew off the reluctant waters, which previously admonished him, that he might depart in safety, because he pretended that Venus himself wanted some of the water, and had ordered him to procure it. And on this account, his access to the fountain was facilitated. Psyche, therefore, joyfully receiving the full urn, returned with the utmost celerity to Venus. Yet she was not able, even by the accomplishment of this dangerous enterprise, to appease the anger of the raging goddess. For, threatening her with still more severe endurance, she thus addressed her, a smile the harbinger of ruin accompanied her words. You appear to me to be a profound and malevolent magician, or you never could, with so much dexterity, have performed my commands. But there is one task more, my dear, which you ought to perform. Take this box, she immediately gave it to her, and direct your course to the infernal regions in the deadly palace of Pluto. Then presenting the box to Persephone, say, Venus requests you to send her a small portion of your beauty, at least as much as may be sufficient, for one short day. For she has consumed all the beauty she possessed, through the attention which she pays to her diseased son. But return with the utmost expedition, for it is necessary that I should adorn myself with the beauty of Persephone, as I must go to the theater of the gods. End of Chapter 6 Part 1 Chapter 6 Part 2 of the Metamorphosis, or Golden Asse. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Metamorphosis, or Golden Asse, by Apuleius, translated by Thomas Taylor. Chapter 6 Part 2 Psyche was now truly sensible that she was arrived at the extremity of her evil fortune, and clearly perceived that, all further pretenses being laid aside, she was impelled to immediate destruction, since she was forced to direct her steps to Tartarus and the shades below. Hence without any further delay she ascended a lofty tower, that she might, from thence, hurl herself headlong, for she considered that she should thus descend by a straight road, and in a beautiful manner to the infernal regions. But she was no sooner arrived there than the tower, suddenly addressed her in the following words. Why, O miserable creature, dost thou seek to destroy thyself by falling headlong from hence? And why dost thou rashly sink under this thy last danger and endurance? For as soon as thy breath shall be thus separated from thy body, that will indeed descend to profound Tartarus, but canst not by any means return from thence. Listen therefore to me. Like a Daimon, a noble city of Achaia, is not far from hence. Near this city, concealed in devious places, seek Tenerus. From there you will find the cavity through which Pluto breathes, and the impassable road presents itself to the view through the yawning gates. As soon as you have passed the threshold of this cavity, you will proceed in a direct path to the palace of Pluto. You ought not, however, to pass through those shades with empty hands, but you should take a sop of barley bread, soaked in hydromel, in both your hands, and in your mouth two pieces of money. And now, when you have accomplished a good part of your deadly journey, you will meet a lame ass laden with wood, with a driver's lame as himself, who will ask you to reach him certain cords to fasten the burden which has fallen from the ass. But be careful that you pass by him in silence. Then without any delay proceed to your arrive at the dead river, in which Charon, immediately demanding his fee, in his patched boat, ferries over the passengers to the farthest shore. Averus therefore lives among the dead, nor does Charon himself, nor the father Pluto, though so great a god, do anything gratuitously. The poor man, dying, ought to prepare his viaticum, and no one suffers him to expire without having any money at hand. To this squalid old man give one of the pieces of money which you carry with you, yet in such a manner that he may take it, with his own hand from your mouth. While you are passing over the sluggish river, a certain dead old man floating on its surface and raising his putrid hand will entreat you to take him into the boat. However, be careful that you are not influenced by an unlawful piety. Having passed over the river, and proceeded to a little distance from thence, certain old women weaving a web will request you to lend them a helping hand. But it is not lawful for you to touch the web. For all these, and many other particulars, are snares prepared for you by Venus, that you might drop one of the sops out of your hands. But do not suppose that this would be a trifling loss, since the want of only one of those sops would prevent your return to light. For a huge dog, with three necks, and heads sufficiently large and fierce and formidable, barking with his thunderous jaws, terrifies in vain the dead, whom he cannot injure, and is always watching before the threshold and black palace of Persephone, guards the empty house of Pluto. Having appeased this dog with one of your sops, you may easily pass by him, and then you will immediately enter into the presence of Persephone herself, who will receive you in a very courteous and benignant manner, desire you to repose yourself on a soft seat, and persuade you to partake of a sumptuous banquet. But seat yourself on the ground, and having asked for a piece of common bread, eat it. Then telling your message, and receiving what you came for, bribed the cruelty of the dog by the remaining sop. Having given to the avaricious ferrymen the piece of money which you have reserved, and passed his river, you will return to the choir of the celestial stars. But above all things I think you should be particularly cautious not to open, or even look on the box which you carry, or explore that concealed treasury of divine beauty. In this manner the propitious tower delivered its prophetic admonitions. Psyche therefore, without delay, proceeded to tenorus, and taking in a proper manner her pieces of money and her sops, ran down the infernal avenue. Here having passed by the lame ass in silence, given the ferrymen his fee, neglected the entreaties of the floating corpse, despised the fraudulent prayers of the spinsters, and lawed the rage of the horrid dog with a sop, she penetrated the palace of Persephone. Or did she accept the delicate seat, or delicious banquet, but humbly sat at the feet of Persephone, and being contented with a piece of common bread, delivered her embassy from Venus. Immediately after this she received the box, secretly filled and shut, and having barred the barking of the dog by the fraud of the remaining sop, and given the ferryman the other piece of money she returned from the infernal regions much more vigorous than before. Then, enjoying and adoring the fair light of day, though she wasn't haste to finish her errand, she was seized with a rash curiosity. Behold, said she, what a foolish bearer am I of divine beauty who did not even take the least portion of it, that I may, by this means, appear pleasing in the eyes of my beautiful lover. As she ended this soliloquy she opened the box, but a contained no beauty, nor indeed anything, but an infernal and truly Stygian sleep, which, being freed from its confinement, immediately invades her and oppresses all her members with a cloud of profound sleep, and detains her, fallen down in the very place where she opened the box, so that she lay motionless and nothing else than a sleeping corpse. But Cupid, being now recovered of his wound and not enduring the long absence of his psyche, collided through the narrow window of the bed-chamber in which he was confined, and having his wings invigorated by repose, flew far more swiftly than before, and dispelling the sleep from the prying fair, and again concealing it in its ancient seat, the box, roused Psyche with an inoxious touch of one of his arrows. And behold, said he, miserable creature, thou wouldest again have perished by a similar curiosity. Now, however, strenuously performed the task imposed on thee by my mother, and I myself will take care of the rest. Having thus spoke, the lover raised himself on high with the rowing of his wings, and Psyche immediately carried the present a percepony to Venus. In the meantime, Cupid, wasting away through excess of love and dreading the sudden severity of his mother, returns to his armory, and having, with rapid wings, penetrated the summit of heaven, supplicates the mighty Jupiter and defends his cause. Then Jupiter, stroking the little cheeks of Cupid, and kissing his hand, thus addressed him. Though you, my son, endued with the authority of a master, however, pay me that reverence which has been decreed me by the Senate of the Gods, but perpetually wound this breast of mine, by which the laws of the elements and the revolution of the stars are governed, and frequently defile it with the earthly intrigues, contrary to the laws, the Julian Edict, and the public discipline, injuring my reputation and fame by base adulteries, and sorely changing my serene countenance into serpent's fire, wild beasts, birds, and cattle. Yet, remembering my own moderation, and that you have been nursed in these hands of mine, I will accomplish all that you desire, and at the same time you must be sensible that you ought to guard yourself against your rivals, and to recompense me for this service by presenting me with any girl of transcendent beauty that may now happen to be upon the earth. Having thus spoke, he ordered Mercury immediately to summon all the gods to attend, and at the same time to proclaim that if any of the Celestials was absent, he should be fined ten thousand pieces of money. Through fear of this, therefore, the Celestial Theater being immediately filled, lofty Jupiter sitting on his sublime throne, thus addressed the assembly of gods. We conscript gods, whose names are registered in the white roll of the muses. You are all well acquainted with that youth whom I have reared with my own hands, and the fiery impetus of whose first years I thought would have been restrained by some bridle or other. It is sufficient that he is, every day, defamed in conversation, for the adulteries, an all manner of corruption of which he is the cause. The occasion of this is to be taken away, and his puberial luxury ought to be bound in nuptial fetters. He has made the choice of a girl, and deprived her of her virginity. Let him, therefore, hold her, let him possess her, and, embracing Psyche, always enjoy the object of his love. Then, turning his face to Venus, Nor do you, my daughter, said he, be sorrowful on this occasion, both fearful that your pedigree and rank will be disgraced by immortal marriage, for I will now cause the nuptials not to be unequal but legitimate and agreeable to the civil law. Immediately after this he ordered Mercury to bring Psyche to heaven, and as soon as she was arrived, extended to her a cup of ambrosia. Take this, said he, Psyche, and be immortal, nor shall Cupid ever depart from thy embrace. But these nuptials of yours shall be perpetual. Then without delay the wedding supper was served in great abundance. The husband, reclining at the upper end of the table, embraced Psyche in his bosom, and in this manner Jupiter was seated with Juno, and after them the other gods and goddesses in their proper order. Then Jupiter was presented with a bowl of nectar, which is the wine of the gods. By that rustic youth, Ganymedes, his cup-bearer. But Bacchus supplied the rest. Vulcan dressed the supper. The hours purpled over everything with roses and other fragrant flowers. The graces scattered balsam. The muses sang melodiously, and Apollo accompanied the liar with his voice, and Venus beautifully danced with steps in unison with the delightful music. The order, too, of the entertainment was that the muses should sing the chorus, and satirists play on the flute, and paniskus speak to the pipe. Thus Psyche came lawfully into the hands of Cupid, and at length, from a mature pregnancy, a daughter was born to them, whom we denominate pleasure. After this manner, that delirious and intoxicated old woman related these particulars to the captive virgin. I, however, who stood not far from her, lamented, by Hercules, that I had not the means of committing to writing such a beautiful fable. But behold, the robbers returned laden, having finished I know not what severe battle. Nevertheless, some of them, who were more prompt in mind, having left those that were wounded at home, that they might be cured of their wounds, were desirous of going, in order to bring away the other bundles of plunder, which, as they said, they had concealed in a certain cave. And having hastily devoured their dinner, they turned me and my horse into the road, intending to load us with those bundles, and striking us with staves. They led us, wearied, with many eclivities and windings of the road, towards evening, to a certain cavern. From whence they quickly brought us back, not suffering us to refresh ourselves, for the smallest portion of time. They also hastened away with such great trepidation, that frequently striking me, and impelling me, against a stone which lay in the road, they caused me to fall down. In consequence of this, they scarcely suffered me to rise, being again struck with many blows, and severely hurt in my right leg, and left hoof. On this occasion one of them said, How long shall we feed in vain this ruptured ass? Who now also is lame? And another said, He came into our house with an ill omen, and from that time we have not obtained any considerable gain, but we have only suffered blows, and the loss of our bravest associates. Another again observed, Certainly, as soon as he has brought home, though unwillingly these burdens, I will immediately hurl him headlong, that he may become most delectable food for vultures. While those mildest of men debate with each other about my death, we had now reached our home, for fear had made wings of my hoofs. Then having hastily removed our burdens, and paying no attention to our safety, not even thinking of my death, but taking with them the associates whom they had before left at home wounded, they immediately entered into their place of abode, in order to relate, as they said, the tediousness produced by our tardity. Nonetheless I was not a little tormented by the contemplation of the death, with which I was threatened, and I said to myself, Why dost thou stand still, O Lucius? Or why do you now wait for the last calamity that can befall you? Death and that of the most cruel kind is decreed for you by the robbers, nor is the accomplishment of the thing attended with any great difficulty. Do you not perceive those neighboring precipices, and in these sharp and prominent rugged rocks, which, penetrating into you wherever you may fall, will cause a disruption of your members? For that illustrious magic of yours has alone given to you the face and labors of an ass, but has surrounded you not with the thick hide of that animal, but with the delicate skin of a horse leech. Why do you not, therefore, assume a masculine mind, and consult your safety while you are permitted so to do? An excellent opportunity of flight will be afforded you during the absence of the robbers. Are you afraid of the diligence of a half-dead old woman whom you may bring to an end with one blow of your lame foot? But whither shall I fly, or who will receive me under his roof? This cogitation, indeed of mine, is stupid and perfectly asinine, for what traveler would not gladly take away with him a beast on whom he might ride? Notwithstanding, however, this conference with myself, I immediately, with a strong effort, broke the thong by which I was tied, and hurried away with the swiftness of a quadruped. Yet, I could not escape the sharp eyes of the crafty old woman, for, as soon as she saw me free, assuming a boldness above her sex and age, she laid hold of the thong, and endeavored to lead me back again. I, however, being mindful of the deadly purpose of the robbers, was not influenced by any pity, but immediately threw her on the ground by striking her with the hooves of my hind feet. But she, though prostrate on the earth, nevertheless tenaciously held by the thong, so that for a short time she followed, a consequence of being drawn by me. She also immediately began, with clamorous howlings, to implore the assistance of a stronger hand. But she in vain endeavored to procure help by her lamentations. For there was none but the captive virgin alone that could afford her aid, who, being excited by the clamour, ran out of the cave, and saw by Hercules a most remarkable spectacle, the old woman, dersey, hanging not from a bull, but from an ass. But the virgin, assuming a virile fortitude, dared to engage in a beautiful enterprise. For, resting the thong from the hands of the old woman, she restrained my impetus with bland words, and strenuously got on my back, and again incited me to hasten away. And I, impelled by the desire of a voluntary flight, and at the same time by a wish to liberate the virgin, and also by the incitement of the blows with which she frequently admonished me, beating the ground in my quadruped course with an equestrian celerity, I endeavored, by braying, to answer the delicate words of the virgin. Sometimes also turning my neck and pretending to scratch my back, I kissed the beautiful feet of the virgin. Then she, profoundly sighing and looking to heaven with the solicitous countenance, O ye gods, she said, give it length assistance to me in my extreme danger. And thou, O more cruel fortune, now cease to be severe. You have been sufficiently appeased by my miserable torments. And you, addressing herself to me, who are the defense of my liberty and of my life, if you bring me home safe and restore me to my parents and my beautiful lover, what thanks shall I not give you? What honors shall I not bestow upon you? And what food shall I not afford you? For in the first place I will adorn that mane of yours, after it has been well combed with my virgin necklaces, and after having curled the hairs that hang over your forehead I will gracefully separate them and will, with all diligence, comb the hairs of your tail, which, through negligence, are intricate and rough. Having also you, who are my preserver, with many golden ornaments, which will cause you to be resplendent like the celestial stars, and, leading you in triumph, while the people joyfully follow, I will daily fatten you by bringing you nuts and milder foods in my silken apron. But neither, amidst that delicate food, profound leisure, and the blessedness of the whole of your life, shall a glorious dignity be wanting to you, for I will have a perpetual monument of my present fortune and of divine providence, and I will dedicate in the vestibule of my house an image of my present flight depicted in a tablet. This history also, though rude, shall be narrated in fables and delivered to posterity in the writings of the learned. THE HISTORY OF A ROYAL VIRGIN FLYING FROM CATIVITY ON THE BACK OF AN ASS You shall likewise be numbered among the miracles of antiquity. For from the example of your true history we shall believe that Frixus swam, sat on a ram, that Arian piloted a dolphin, and that Europa sat on a bull. And if Jupiter truly loathe under the form of a bull, something also may be concealed in my ass, either a human countenance, or the resemblance of the gods. While the Virgin often repeats this, and mingles frequent sides with her vows, we came to a certain place where three roads met, and then she, seizing me by the cord which was tied about my head, greatly desired to lead me into the road on the right hand, because that would conduct her to her parents. But I, who knew that the robbers had taken that path in order to bring away the remainder of their spoil, strenuously resisted, and thus silently in my own mind expostulated with her. What are you doing, O unhappy Virgin? What do you attempt? Why do you hasten to Hades? And what is it which you strive to affect with my feet? For you will not only be the cause of your own, but likewise of my destruction. This while we were contending to go in different directions, and dispute concerning the lordship of the ground and the division of the path, as if in a legal process about the limits of land, the robbers, burdened with their plunder, perceived us, and knowing us at a considerable distance by the light of the moon, saluted us with a malignant laugh, and one of their number thus addressed us. Whether with hasty steps are you proceeding by moonlight, you do not fear the shades and ghosts that are seen at a more advanced period of the night. Do you hasten, O most excellent Virgin, to visit your parents privately, but we will afford a defence to your solitude and will point out to you a shorter way to your friends. He had no sooner said this than extending his hand and seizing my reins he turned me back again, and was not sparing in beating me cruelly with the knotted staff which he carried in his hand. Then I, unwillingly, returned to prompt destruction, recollected the pain in my hoof, and began with an inclining head to walk lame. He, however, who turned me back, said, So then do you again stumble and stagger, and are your rotten feet able to fly away, but no, not how to walk? A little before this, however, you were surpassed the winged celerity of Pegasus. While this beneficent, associate, thus justed with me, at the same time beating me with his staff, we had now arrived at the outward enclosure of the robbers abode. And behold, we found that old woman, with a rope tied about her neck, suspended from a certain branch on a lofty cypress tree. But the robbers, taking her from thence, immediately precipitated her, bound her with her own rope, and, having put the virgin in chains, they attacked, with savage minds, the supper, which the unhappy old woman had prepared for them, with posthumous diligence. And while they devour everything with greedy veracity, they now began to deliberate with themselves about our punishment. And their own revenge, and their opinions were various, as is usually the case in a turbulent crowd. And, as I said before, the robbers, who were the robbers, was usually the case in a turbulent crowd. Hence, the first of them that spoke thought that the virgin should be burnt alive. The second persuaded them to expose her to wild beasts. And the third was of the opinion that she should be crucified. And the fourth that she ought to be mangled by various torments. She was, however, certainly condemned to die by the suffrage of all of them. Then one of them, having appeased the tumult of all the rest, thus began to speak in mild language. It does not accord with the ordinances of our association, nor with the clemency of each of us, nor indeed with my moderation, to suffer you to inflict punishment without measure, which exceeds the magnitude of the crime, nor that you should employ for this purpose wild beasts, or the cross, or fire, or torments, or invoke the hasty darkness of a rapid death. Listening therefore to my counsel, grant life to the virgin, but that life which she deserves. Nor can you forget what you some time ago decreed respecting that ass, who was always sluggish indeed, but a prodigious eater, and who now also, through the deception of a fictitious debility, was the instrument and servant of the virgin's flight. It will be well therefore to cut his throat tomorrow, and having taken away all his intestines, to sew up the virgin, naked in the middle of the belly of the ass, whom she has preferred to us, so that her face alone being outwardly apparent, the ass may confine, in the beastly embrace of his belly, the rest of her body. Then let the ass, in which the virgin is thus sewn up, be exposed on some stony rock, to the heat of the burning sun. Thus both of them will suffer everything which you have rightly decreed, for the ass will suffer death, which he has long ago deserved, but she will endure the bites of wild beasts, when her limbs have been gnawed by worms, the flagrancy of fire, when the sun shall abhurt the belly of the ass with his excessive heat, and the torment of the cross, when dogs and vultures draw out her most inward viscara. But enumerate also the rest of her infelicities and torments. In the first place she will remain alive in the belly of the dead beast. In the next place her nostrils will be replete, with the most fetid vapor. And in the third place she will waste away, with the deadly hunger of protracted fasting, and will not have her hands at liberty, by which she might procure for herself death. After he had thus spoken the robbers go into his opinion, not with feet, but with their whole soul. Such decree, when I heard, with my great ears. What else could I do, then lament, that I should be a corpse upon the next day? CHAPTER VII PART I OF THE MINIMORPHASIS, OR GOLDEN ASS. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. THE MINIMORPHASIS, OR GOLDEN ASS. BY APULIUS. TRANSLATED BY TOMAS TAYLOR. CHAPTER VII PART I As soon as the darkness being dispersed, the fair light of day appeared, and everything was illuminated by the splendid chariot of the sun, a certain person, who was one of the number of the robbers, approached. For it might be conjectured that he was one of them by their mutual salutations. This man, sitting at the entrance of the cavern, after he had recovered his breath and was able to speak, made the following narration to his companions. With respect to what pertains to the house of Milo of Haipata, which we lately plundered, we may now, having dissipated our solicitude, be secure, for after you, almost brave men, had returned to our cave, all the property of Milo having been taken away by you, I being mingled with the crowd of the inhabitants, and resembling one who was grieved and indignant at what had happened, observed what counsel would be taken for an investigation of the robbery, and whether and to what extent they would inquire after the robbers, in order that I might relate to you, every particular, conformably to your mandates. And one Lucius, whom I know not, was accused by the according consent of all the multitude as the evident author of the robbery, and this not with dubious arguments, but with probable reasons. This Lucius, not long before, by false, commendatory letters, feigning himself to be a worthy man, firmly conciliated himself with Milo, as that being hospitally received by him, he was ranked among the number of his intimate friends, and when he had remained there not a few days, having ensnared the mind of a maid servant of Milo with false love, he diligently explored the bolts and bars of the house, and curiously surveyed those parts of it in which all the patrimony was usually deposited. This also was considered as no small indication of the crime which he had committed, that he fled on the very same night at the time of the robbery, and has not been heard of since. For an aide to his flight was easily supplied him, by which, having more rapidly eluded his pursuers, he might still farther and farther conceal himself from their search, as he had taken with him his own white horse on which he fled. Moreover, his servant was found in the same house, who, being accused as a accessory to the felony and escape of his master, was, by order of the magistrates, committed to the common jail, and on the following day, having suffered many torments, and being tortured till he was almost dead, confessed, after all, nothing of this kind. Nevertheless, many persons were sent to the country of that Lucius in search of him, in order that he might undergo the punishment of his crime. As he was narrating these things, I deeply lamented, making a comparison between my ancient fortune and my present calamity, and that once happy Lucius and an unhappy ass, it also occurred to me that men of ancient wisdom did not, without reason, feign and pronounce fortune to be blind, an entirely deprived of eyes, since she always bestows her riches on the unworthy and worthless, nor ever judiciously makes any mortal the object of her regard. But indeed, as principally conversant with man from whom, if she could see, she ought to fly far away. And, what is the most extreme of all ills, she causes opinions that are different from, or rather contrary to, our life, to be circulated about us, so as to enable the bad man to boast with the renown of the good man, and, on the contrary, to cause the most innocent man to be punished after the manner of noxious characters. Lastly, I, whom she has most cruelly attacked by changing me into a beast, and a quadruped of the vilest condition, and whose misfortune may deservedly seem worthy to be lamented and commiserated, even by the most iniquitous person, am accused of the crime of having robbed my most dear host, a crime which may not only be called a robbery, but which everyone may more rightly denominate a parasite. Yet I was not permitted to defend my cause, or at least by uttering one word to deny it. However, lest I, being present, should seem, through an evil conscience, to consent to so wicked a crime, I only wished, being impelled by impatience, to say, non-fetchie, I did not do that deed. And in the former word, indeed, non, I once infrequently roared out, but in the other word, fetchie, I could by no means pronounce. But I remained uttering the former word, and repeatedly vociferated, non, non. Though I vibrated my pendulous lips with excessive rotundity. Why, however, do I prolixly complain of the un-propitiousness of fortune, since she was not ashamed to make me a fellow servant and yokemate with my horse, who carried me and was my servant? While I was fluctuating with these thoughts, a concern of a more important nature engaged my attention, these, the recollection that I was destined, by the decree of the robbers to be a victim to the mains of the virgin, and frequently looking down to my belly. I seemed to myself to have the unhappy virgin enclosed in it. But he, who just before having narrated that false accusation concerning me, having drawn out a thousand pieces of gold and coin, which he had concealed sewn up in his garment, and which he had taken, as he said, from different travelers, and had conscientiously brought to the common treasury, began also anxiously to inquire concerning the welfare of his associates. Finding also that some, and indeed all of the bravest of them, had perished by various but strenuous deaths, he persuaded them to relinquish the exercise of their profession for some time, and rather apply themselves to soaching after other associates, and to supply the deficiency of their former war-like band by the election of Tyros from young men. For he said, those that were unwilling might be compelled by fear, and the willing be incited by reward, and that not a few, abandoning an object and servile life would rather wish to unite themselves to an association which possessed an authority similar to that of regal power. That for his part he had sometimes since met with a certain man of a lofty stature, young of vast bodily dimensions and of great strength, and that he had at length persuaded him to apply to better purposes his hands, which had become torpid through long idleness, and to enjoy while he might be advantages of a prosperous condition of body, nor extend his powerful hand in asking relief, but rather exercise it in procuring gold. All the robbers that were present consented to what he said, and decreed to receive him into their society, who now appeared to be a tried man, and also to search after others who might supply the place of those they had lost. Then he, going out, and shortly after returning, brought with him, as he had promised, a certain tall young man, with whom I do not know that any who were present could be compared. For besides the great bulk of his body he surpassed all the rest in height by the whole of his head, and the down had just begun to creep on his cheeks, and he was only half-clothed with dissimilar pieces of cloth, badly sewed together through the joinings of which his breasts and belly, with calloused thickness, endeavored to burst forth. Thus entering, all hail, said he, ye who were under the protection of the most powerful God, Mars, and who are now become my faithful associates, and willily receive a man of magnanimous vigor, who voluntarily joins himself to you, and who more cheerfully receives wounds in his body than gold in his hand, and who despises death which others dread, nor think that I am a needy or abject man, nor judge of my virtues from these rags, for I have been the leader of a most powerful band, and have, in fact, plundered all Macedonia. I am that famous robber, Hamas the Thracian, whose name whole provinces dread, and am the offspring of Thero, who was an equally illustrious robber, nourished in human blood, educated among bands of men of this description, and the air and imitator of paternal virtue. But I lost, in a short space of time, all the pristine multitude of my brave associates, and all that great wealth, for I attacked a factor of Caesar, as he was passing by Oratum, who had been the leader of two hundred men, but was afterwards deprived of his employment through the malignity of fortune. I will, however, relate in order the whole affair that you may clearly know it. There was a certain person illustrious and conspicuous by the many offices which he held in the palace of Caesar, and who was also well-esteemed by Caesar himself. Cruel envy, through the crafty accusation of certain persons, hurled him into exile. But a certain woman named Plartina, who was his wife, and who was a female of rare fidelity and singular chastity, having given stability to the family of her husband by the birth of ten children, spurned and despised the pleasures of city luxury, became the companion of her husband in his flight and a partaker of his misfortune. For this purpose she cut off her hair, changed her dress, so that she might appear like a man, and being beguert with zones full of necklaces of the greatest value, and of gold and coin, she intrepidly passed through the bands and drawn swords of the soldiers that guarded her husband, a partaker of all his dangers, sustaining an ever-wakeful care for his safety and enduring continual labors with a mask of the mind. And now, having vanquished the greater part of the difficulties of the journey and the dangers of the sea, she went with her husband to Zacchintas, which their fatal destiny had decreed to be their temporary habitation. As soon, however, as they had arrived on the shore of Actium, at which place we were then rowing about, in our return from Macedonia, they went late at night to a certain cottage which was near the shore and their ship, and there they slept in order to avoid the tossing of the sea. In this cottage we attacked and plundered them of everything, yet we did not depart without great danger. For as soon as the mistress of the house heard the first noise of the gate, she ran into the bed chamber and disturbed all that were in the house by her tumultuous clamors. She likewise called on her service by name, and all her neighbors, but it so happened, through the general fear, that we escaped with impunity, each concealing himself through the terror produced on this occasion. This most holy woman, however, for the truth must be spoken, who possessed a singular probity and was beloved for her virtues, immediately pouring forth her prayers to the majesty of Caesar, obtained both a speedy return for her husband, and a complete revenge of the assault. Lastly, Caesar was unwilling that the band of the rubber Hamas should any longer exist, and it was immediately destroyed, so much can even the wish do of a great prince. At length, when by diligent search of the emperor's army, all our band was destroyed, I scarcely saved myself and escaped from the midst of the jaws of hell after the following manner. Having clothed myself in the floor investment of a woman, which had bounded in flowing folds, and covering my head with a small woven miter, being likewise shy with those white and thin shoes which are worn by women, and as it were grafted and concealed in the other sex, I passed through the midst of the troops of hospital soldiers, riding on an ass laden with sheaves of barley. For they, believing me to be a woman, the driver of an ass, granted me a free passage, because at that time my cheeks, being without a beard, were graceful with pure rile smoothness. Yet I have not degenerated from that paternal glory, or for my fortitude, though I was somewhat fearful in consequence of being placed in the midst of military swords. Being concealed, however, by the fallacy of a dress foreign to my sex, and attacking by myself alone, villas or castles, I have procured for myself by plunder this small viaticum. And immediately ripping open his rags, he poured forth into the midst of them two thousand pieces of golden coin, and behold, said he, I will only offer to your band this largesse, or rather gift, and also myself to you, if you do not reject my offer, as the most faithful leader, who in a short space of time will make this your house to be golden, which is now stony. The robbers, without delay and without hesitation, but with the suffragists of all of them, unanimously elect him their leader. They also brought forth a more costly garment, which he put on, throwing away his rich rags. And having this changed his attire, and embraced each of them, and being also placed in the highest part of the bed, he was inaugurated by a supper and large bowls. Then by mutual conversation the robber knew of the flight of the virgin, of my carrying her, and of the monstrous death to which each of us was destined. When also he had asked where the virgin was, and being brought to her, saw her laden with chains. He departed in derision, bending his brows and snuffing up his nose, and said, I am not indeed so stupid, or at least so rash, as to oppose your decree, but I should sustain within myself the guilt of an evil conscious, if I should disemble what appears to me to be for your benefit. But in the first place suffer me, who am solicitous for your sake, to speak boldly, especially since, if this my decision displeases you, you may again return to what you have decreed concerning the virgin and the ass. For I think that those robbers who are truly wise ought to prefer nothing to their own gain, nor even vengeance itself, which is often detrimental both to themselves and others. If, therefore, you destroy the virgin and the body of the ass, you will exercise nothing else than your own ignorant nation, without any profit to yourselves. But I think that she should rather be brought to some city, and there be sold, for a virgin of her age may be sold for no small price. For I myself, some time ago, knew certain bods, one of whom might, as I think, give a great sum of money for this virgin, and place her in a brothel, suitable to her birth, so that she may not be exposed to a similar flight. She will also have afforded you some revenge, when she becomes in bondage at a brothel. I have sincerely offered this counsel to you, as conducted to your advantage, but you are the masters of your own counsels. Thus, this advocate of the Exchequer of the robbers, and the excellent saver of the virgin and the ass, pleaded our cause. The rest of the robbers, however, tormenting my bowels, or rather my miserable spirit, by protracting their decision in long deliberation, at length willingly acceded to the opinion of the new robber, and immediately freed the virgin from her bonds. And she, indeed, as soon as she beheld that young man, and heard him mention a brothel and a bod, began to be elated, and to laugh most joyfully, so that the vituperation of all the sex with good reason occurred to me, when I saw a virgin, who pretended that she was enamored of a young lover, and was desirous of a chaste marriage, was suddenly delighted with the name of a vile and filthy brothel, and then, indeed, the whole female sex, and the manners of women, depending on the judgment of an ass. The young man, however, resuming his discourse, said, Why do we not go and supplicate Mars to be propitious to us in selling the virgin, and searching for other associates? But as far as I see, we have not any beast for sacrifice, nor sufficient wine for drinking largely. Send with me, therefore, ten of our associates, with whom I may go to the next castle, and bring from themce for you some just food. So he, having departed, attended by ten of the robbers, the rest prepared a great fire, and raised an altar to the God Mars from green turf. Not long after, they returned, bringing with them bladders full of wine, and driving before them a great number of cattle, from among which they sacrificed a large he-goat, old and hairy, to Mars' secretary and associate. And immediately a sumptuous supper was prepared. Then that stranger said, You ought not only to consider me as the strenuous leader of your expeditions and repine, but also of your pleasures. And accompanying his words by deeds, he diligently performed everything that was to requisite with wonderful facility. He swept the floor, made the bed smooth, dressed the meat, seasoned the call-ups, and waited on them elegantly. But he especially applied each of them, and that frequently, with large bowls of wine. Nevertheless, sometimes pertaining to fetch what he wanted, he frequently went to the virgin, and joyfully presented her with fragments which he had secretly taken away, and cups of wine, of which he had previously tasted. But she most willingly received what he brought her, and sometimes, when he wished to kiss her, recompensed his wish with prompt and sweet kisses, which thing greatly displeased me. And I said to myself, alas, O girl, O virgin, are you forgetful of your nuptials and of your reciprocal love? Do you also prefer this foreign and cruel homicide to the young man your husband, who is unknown to me, and to whom your parents have betrothed you? Nor does conscious stimulate you, but trampling on affection, does it please you to act libidinously among spears and swords? What if the other robbers likewise should, by some means or other, perceive what you are doing, would you not again return to the ass and again procure my destruction? You, in reality, sport and are delighted with the danger of another person. While I discuss these things with myself, with the greatest indignation, falsely accusing the virgin I knew, by certain words used by them in their conversation, which were dubious, but not obscured to an intelligent ass, that the young man was not the famous robber Hamas, but Tleptolamus, the bridegroom of the virgin, for, in the course of their conference, fearing nothing from my being present, he said, Be of good courage, my dear charities, for you shall immediately have all these your enemies in captivity. And he, refraining from drinking immoderately, did not cease to supply the robbers in a still greater degree with wine, now unmingled with water, but made tepid by moderate heat, as they now began to be overwhelmed with inebriation. And, by Hercules, I suspected that he had mingled in their cups a certain self-superfurious drug. At length all of them, without the exception of even wine, lay on the floor, buried in wine, and all of them were everywhere in a fit condition to be easily slain. End of Chapter 7, Part 1. Chapter 7, Part 2 of the Metamorphosis or Golden Ass. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Ted Garvin. The Metamorphosis or Golden Ass. by Apuleus. Translated by Thomas Taylor. Chapter 7, Part 2. Then, without any difficulty, kleptolemus, having strongly bound them with ropes, and tied them together in such a way as he thought proper, placed the virgin on my back and directed his steps to his own country. To which, as soon as we arrived, the whole city was poured forth at the wished-for sight. Parents, kindred, retainers, bondmen, and servants joyfully ran out to meet us. You might see a procession of every sex and of every age and, by Hercules, a new and memorable spectacle, a virgin triumphantly riding on an ass. In the last place, I also being as joyful as I possibly could, in order that I might not be at variance with the present circumstance, as if I was not concerned in it, strenuously braid, with erect ears and blowing nostrils, or rather I vociferated with a thundering clamor. With respect to the virgin, her parents received her into their bedchamber, and in the handsomest manner administered to her comfort. But kleptolemus immediately brought me back from whence we came, accompanied by a great number of laboring beasts and men. Nor did I return unwillingly, for being in other respects curious, I then also wished to be a spectator of the captivity of the robbers, whom we found, indeed, still more forcibly detain by wine than by fetters, having taken therefore and brought out of the cave everything that was in it, and we, and all the rest, being burdened with gold and silver, kleptolemus and his attendants rolled some of the robbers, bound as they were, into the neighboring precipitous craggy places. But they left others beheaded with their own swords, triumphantly rejoicing in such a revenge, we returned to the city. And those riches, indeed, were deposited in the public treasury, but the virgin, who had been recovered by kleptolemus, was given to him according to law. After this had taken place, that noble woman paid the greatest attention to me, whom she called her savior, and on the very day of her nuptials ordered my manger to be completely filled with barley, and as much hate to be given to me as would be sufficient for a bacteria and camel. But what did I do? On photos, who had transferred me not into a dog, but an ass. When I saw all the dogs saturated and distended with the relics of the most abundant supper, and with the food which they had pillaged, after the first night and the rudiments of Venus, the bride did not cease to mention to her parents and to her husband that she owed me the greatest assalted after what manner I might most worthily be rewarded. One was of the opinion that I should be shut up in the house and there leading an idle life be fattened with select barley, beans, and vetches. But the opinion of another prevailed, who regarded my liberty, and persuaded them rather to permit me to run in the plains and meadows, wantingly sporting among a gregarious multitude of gallant Congress. The keeper of the horses, therefore, being immediately called, I was delivered to him to be taken away, much having been previously said in my favor. And, indeed, I ran triumphantly rejoicing as I was now to have nothing more to do with baggages and other burdens, and having obtained my liberty, might find, at the beginning of the spring, some roses and the grassy meadows. It likewise frequently occurred to me that since I knew, and so many honors conferred on me, though an ass, I should receive far greater benefits when I had recovered the human form. As soon, however, as that keeper of the horses had led me a considerable distance from the city, I obtained their no pleasure, nor indeed any liberty. For his wife, who was an avaricious and iniquitous woman, immediately tied me to the mill of a bakehouse, and frequently striking me. Nor was she content to weary me for the sake of her own food only, but she also ground-corned for her neighbors by my circuitous labors, and made them pay for what was ground. Nor did she even afford unhappy me the food for such great labors, which had been appointed for me, for she sold to the neighboring husbandmen the barley which had been bruised and gave toward evening bran, not purified and sifted, and roughed through a multitude of stones. Cruel fortune exposed me, tamed by such miseries, to new torments, these that I should boast as it is said, both at home and abroad, of deeds bravely accomplished and full of glory. For that excellent inquiry, complying though late with the length of free ass, leaving with joy and wantingly walking with gentle steps, chose out of the mayors those which I thought would be the fittest for my concubines. Here, however, also more joyful hope gave place to extreme danger. For the horses being satiated with food for the sake of copulating with the mayors, having been for a long time fattened and independently of this being formidable minor adultery and not regarding the laws of hospitable Jupiter. Furiously pursued me as a rival with the greatest hatred. This struck me with his anterior hoofs, his ample breast being raised and his head and neck sublimely elevated, but that turning his brawny back hurled against me his hind feet and another threatening me with malignant name letting his ears fall and showing his face similar to this is that which I have read in the history of the king of Thrace who exposed his unhappy guests to be lacerated and devoured by his wild horses. For so sparing was that very powerful tyrant of his barley that he appeased the hunger of his voracious horses by the consumption of human bodies. For I was destined to bring home wood from a mountain and a boy who was perfectly depraved was appointed to drive and govern me. Nor did the arduous aclivity of the lofty mountain alone fatigue me nor did I alone wear away my hooves by running on sharp stones but I was also frequently severely beaten with his staff and by continually striking me on the right thigh and always in the same place he occasioned the skin being burst a great ulcerous cavity or rather a trench or even a window yet he did not cease to strike the wound which was defiled with gore he likewise oppressed me with so great a weight of wood that you might have thought it was a burden prepared for an elephant and not for some of the bundles of wood from the heavier and preponderating side and thus easing me by somewhat lightening the pressure or at least equalizing the weight on the contrary by the addition of stones remedied the inequality of the weight nor yet after so many miseries which I had endured was he contended with the immoderate weight of my burden but when we passed over a river which happened to flow by the way he being intent on keeping his feet dry would leap on my back which occasioned the weight to so great a mass and if by any accident I happened to fall through the pressure of the burden and the slipperiness of the summit of the bank from the clay mud this most excellent ass driver instead of extending his hand as he ought to have done and pulling me up by the head stall or lifting me by my tail and removing a part of the weight till at least I had got up entirely to pilus beginning from my head or rather my ears till the blows that excited me in the place of a remedy that same boy also adopted the following pernicious conduct towards me he tied to my tail the sharpest thorns which possess a venomous pungency and were compacted into a bundle by a flexible knot in order that they might be to me a pendulum's torment so that being agitated and impaled by my walking hence I labored under a two-fold evil for when I withdrew myself from him and by running avoided his most cruel attacks I was hurt by the more vehement incursion of the thorns and if I stood still for a short time in order to spare the pain I was compelled by blows to go on nor did that most iniquitous boy seem to think of anything else than that he might by some means or other destroy me and that he might be to me with an oath and indeed it was evident that his decessible malice was stimulated to more baneful efforts for a certain day when his excessive insolence had vanquished my patience I lifted up my powerful heels against him but then with a view to my destruction he devised the following wicked stratagem he brought me into the road heavily laden with a bundle of coarse and now the fire being nourished and becoming very hot through the slender excitation of the flags burst into flames and the deadly burning heat invaded me on all sides nor did it appear that there was any refuge for this extreme destruction or that any hopes of safety remained a burning also of this kind did not admit of delay nor afford time for better councils a more joyous not of fortune however shown upon me in my cruel circumstances of danger or of liberating me from present and decreed death I know not for by chance perceiving a neighboring receptacle of muddy water produced by the rain of the preceding day I threw myself wholly into it with a precipitous impetus and the flame being immediately extinguished I departed from thence lightened of my burden and liberated from destruction but that most iniquitous and audacious boy ascribed I as I was passing near the hearth to the neighboring houses fell down with a staggering step and voluntarily drew the fire along with me he likewise added laughing at me how long shall we feed in vain this fire begotten ass a few days after this however he attacked me with fraudulent machinations of a most worst description for having sold at the next college of equity and refusing any longer the most miserable office of driving me to the mountain for wood he fabricated against me such complaints as the following do you see that sluggish most slow and immoderately asinine beast besides other mischief which he has already done he now also torments me by exposing me to new dangers for whatever traveler he happens to see the Persian being deranged and sometimes thrown from his back this lover also longs after men and greatly desiring them when prostrate on the ground attempts illicit and unknown lusts and beastly pleasures and invites a backward venus to his nuptials pretending likewise to kiss he strikes and bites which conduct occasions there's no small strife and quarrels and may also be imputed to us as a crime which he carried being thrown down and scattered he directed his furious impetus against her and this festive lover in the sight of all men longed to get on the woman who was prostrate in that very place on the sordid ground and had not been for the assistance afforded by passengers in consequence of her lamentations and feminine demeanor who snatched and liberated her from the midst of his hooves the miserable woman trembling and torn would have sustained a most painful death by mingling other words with such like lies which were calculated to overpower more vehemently my modest silence he atrociously excited the minds of the shepherds to my utter ruin at length one of them said why therefore do we not sacrifice this public husband or rather this common adulterer by making him a victim in a way worthy of these his monstrous nuptials and do you oh boy said he immediately cut off to preserve all the rest of his flesh for the supper of the laborers for having indurated his skin by sprinkling ashes on it we may return it to our masters and easily feigned that he was slain by a wolf without delay the boy who was my noxious accuser and who was also the joyful executor of the decree of the shepherds triumphing over my evils and admonished my own in order to slay me a certain person however from among the crowd of those rustics said it would be wicked to kill so fine an ass and because he had been accused of luxury and amateur lasciviousness to be deprived of labor and service so necessary when otherwise by cutting off his testicles he would not by any means be able to indulge in venery and would liberate us from all fear of danger by not only sluggish asses but likewise the most ferocious horses who being oppressed by the excessive heat of lust and who on that account were fierce and raging had afterwards by such an amputation of the testicles been rendered mild and not unadapted to carry burdens and that have been capable of performing other ministrant offices lastly I can bring from my home iron instruments adapted to this operation and immediately return to you and emasculate this ferocious and unameable lover and by cutting off his testicles render him milder than any lamb by such a decision being snatched from the midst of the hands of Pluto but reserved for extreme punishment I had lamented and wept as one who was about to perish holy in the extreme part of my body drawing myself down a precipice by doing which I should die indeed but should die entire and not mutilated and while I delay in choosing the kind of death I was to die that boy my destroyer brought me again in the morning to the custom road to the mountain and having tied me to the pendulous branch of a vast oak he went a little way out of the road in order to cut down with an axe wood which raising his surpassingly great head which as soon as I beheld trembling and terrified at its sudden appearance I drew back the whole bulk of my body on my hips and with my head elevated I burst the thong by which I was held and immediately betake myself to rapid flight precipitously likewise scampering all my might from that savage bear and from the boy still more cruel than the bear then a certain traveler beholding me alone and wondering seized me and hastily getting on my back and striking me with a staff which he carried in his hand led me through a winding and unknown path nor did I unwillingly betake myself to flight escaping from the most atrocious dismembering to be beaten with sticks but fortune spitefully obstinate and tormenting me outstripping with a miserable celerity my opportune retreat prepared for me new snares for the shepherds to whom I belonged searching for a cow which they had lost and wondering for this purpose through different places happened to meet with us and immediately seizing my bridle which they knew endeavored to lead me away the traveler however that wrote on me resisting with as a witness to the faith of men and gods and why said he do you violently drag me along why do you invade me to which they replied do we unjustly apprehend you who surreptitiously led away our ass why do you not rather tell us where you have concealed the boy who was the driver of the ass and whom you have doubtless slain merely made use of the ass as it was running set at liberty and alone for the purpose of obtaining a reward for finding it but with the intention of restoring it to its master and oh that the ass said he which I wish I had never seen could utter a human voice and give testimony to my innocence certainly you will repent of the whole of this injury which you have done me from this assertion however he derived toward the forest of that mountain whence the boy was accustomed to fetches wood nor was he to be found in any part of the country but his body only was seen diliterated in fragments and dispersed in many places which I very well knew was done by the teeth of that large bear and by Hercules I should have said what I knew if the faculty of speaking had been afforded me but I did that which I could alone do having also at length found the whole of the dead boy the members of which were dispersed and having with great difficulty adapted them to each other they buried the body in the same place but accusing my Bella for Ron as one who had undoubtedly led me away and as a cruel homicide they brought him in the meantime bound into their colleges in order as they said that he might on the following day be taken by the parents of the boy search for him with great lamentation and weeping behold a rustic approach abiding by his promise and requiring the accomplishment of my destined castration and one of the rustic said our present loss is not from the lascivenessness of this ass but indeed it is our pleasure not only to deprive this most iniquitous ass tomorrow of his virility running to you in this business and thus it came to pass that my destruction was deferred to another day but I gave thanks to that worthy boy that at least by his death he had occasioned the delay of one day to my disruption nevertheless not even the smallest portion of time was granted to my graduation or to my quiet for the mother of the boy deploring his hands her hair sprinkled with ashes loudly bewailing also vociferating from the gate of her house and vehemently beating her breasts she began to speak as follows and now that careless ass intent on the manger is subservient to his veracity and by perpetually eating distends his insatiable and profound belly nor does he pity my sorrow or call me perhaps however he presumes that he is innocent for to hope for security contrary to the dictates of even unoxious conscious is in unison with the most iniquitous endeavours for O faith of the gods though the use of speech should be granted for a time to thee most wicked of quadrupeds yet how is it possible that you are committed without your concurrence since you might have fought with your feet and prevented by biting the slaughter of the unhappy boy or is it to be admitted that you could frequently attack him with your heels and that you could not defend him with a similar alacrity when he was about to die certainly you ought to have immediately received him on your back as a fellow servant your leader your companion and your shepherd are you ignorant that it is usual to punish those also who have refused to give salutary aid to such as we're perishing because this the refusal is contrary to good manners but oh homicide you shall no longer rejoice at my calamities for I will make you to know that natural strength is present with miserable grief and having in order that nothing might prevent the execution of my punishment then taking a long pole which served as a bar to the doors of the sable she did not cease to beat me with it till becoming weary and her strength being vanquished the staff fell from her hands which were overpowered by its weight then complaining of the too rapid weariness of her arms she ran to the fire and taking from it he filed her face and eyes with liquid dung emitted by a compression of my fundament thus by the blindness and fetid smell which this produced I escaped destruction for otherwise an acid perished like another meleager by the burning firebrand of the delirious althea End of Chapter 7