Fond though he was of sorcery, he was too lazy to leave the town and its pleasures — the chariot-racing, the theatre, and the wrestling, and to travel in search of the wizards who were renowned2 for their skill in the art. However, the time came when, very unwillingly3, he was forced to take a journey into Thessaly, to see to the proper working of some silver mines in which he had a share, and Thessaly, as everybody knows, is the home of all magic. So when Apuleius arrived at the town of Hypata, where dwelt the man Milo, overseer of his mines, he was prepared to believe that all he saw was enchanted4.
Now, if Thessaly is the country of magic, it is also the country of robbers, and Apuleius soon noticed that everybody he met was in fear of them. Indeed, they made this fear the excuse for all sorts of mean and foolish ways. For instance, Milo, who loved money and could not bear to spend a farthing, refused to have any seats in his house that could be removed, and in consequence there was nothing to sit upon except two marble chairs fixed5 to the wall. As there was only room in these for one person, the wife of Milo had to retire to her own chamber6 when the young man entered.
‘It was no use,’ explained Milo, ‘in laying out money on moveable seats, with robbers about. They would be sure to hear of it and to break into the house.’
Unlike his guest, Milo was always occupied in adding to his wealth in one form or another. Sometimes he sent down a train of mules7 to the sea, and bought merchandise which the ships had carried from Babylon or Egypt, to sell it again at a high price. Then he dealt in sheep and cattle, and when he thought he might do so with safety made false returns of the silver that was dug up from the mines, and kept the difference for himself. But most often he lent large sums at high interest to the young men of the neighbourhood, and so cunning was he that, whoever else might be ruined, Milo managed to make large profits.
Apuleius knew very well that his steward8 was in his way as great a robber as any in Thessaly, but, as usual, he found it too much trouble to look into the matter. So he laughed and jested with the miser9, and next morning went out to the public baths and then took a stroll through the city. It was full of statues of the famous men to whom Hypata had given birth; but as Apuleius had made up his mind that nothing in Thessaly could be what it seemed, he supposed that they were living people who had fallen under enchantment10, and that the oxen whom he met driven through the streets had once been men and women.
One evening he was returning as usual from a walk when he saw from afar three figures before Milo’s house, who he at once guessed were trying to force an entrance. ‘Here is an adventure at last,’ thought he, and, keeping in the shadow, he stole softly up behind them, and drawing his short sword he stabbed each one to the heart. Then, without waiting to see what more would befall, he left them where they were and entered the house by a door at the back.
He said nothing of what had happened to Milo his host, but the next day, before he had left his bed, a summons was brought him by one of the slaves to appear before the court at noon on a charge of murder. As has been seen, Apuleius was a brave man and did not fear to face three times his number, but his heart quailed12 at the thought of a public trial. Still, he was wise enough to know that there was no help for it, and at the hour appointed he was in his place.
The first witnesses against him were two women with black veils covering them from head to foot. At the sound of the herald13’s trumpet14, one of the two stepped forward and accused him of compassing the death of her husband. When she had ended her plaint the herald blew another blast, and another veiled woman came forward and charged him with her son’s murder. Then the herald inquired if there was not yet a third victim, but was answered that his wound was slight, and that he was able to roam through the city.
After the witnesses had been called, the judge pronounced sentence. Apuleius the murderer was condemned16 to death, but he must first of all be tortured, so that he might reveal the names of the men who had abetted17 him. By order of the court, horrible instruments were brought forward which chilled the blood of Apuleius in his veins18. But to his surprise, when he looked round to see if none would be his friend, he noticed that every one, from the judge to the herald, was shaking with laughter. His amazement19 was increased when with a trembling voice one of the women demanded that the bodies should be produced, so that the judge might be induced to feel more pity and to order more tortures. The judge assented20 to this, and two bodies were carried into court shrouded21 in wrappings, and the order was given that Apuleius himself should remove the wrappings.
The face of the young man grew white as he heard the words of the judge, for even a hardened criminal cares but little to touch the corpse22 of a man whom he has murdered. But he dared not disobey, and walked slowly to the place where the dead bodies lay. He shrank for a moment as he took the cloth in his hand, but his guards were behind him, and calling up all his courage he withdrew it. A shout of laughter pealed24 out behind him, and to his amazement he saw that his victims of the previous night had been three huge leather bottles and not men at all!
As soon as Apuleius found out the trick that had been played on him he was no less amused than the rest, but in the midst of his mirth a sudden thought struck him.
‘How was it you managed to make them alive?’ asked he, ‘for alive they were, and battering25 themselves against the door of the house.’
‘Oh, that is simple enough when one has a sorceress for a mistress,’ answered a damsel, who was standing26 by. ‘She burned the hairs of some goats and wove spells over them, so that the animals to whom the hairs and skins had once belonged became endowed with life and tried to enter their former dwelling27.’
‘They may well say that Thessaly is the home of wonders,’ cried the young man. ‘But do you think that your mistress would let me see her at work? I would pay her well — and you also,’ he added.
‘It might be managed perhaps, without her knowledge,’ answered Fotis, for such was the girl’s name; ‘but you must hold yourself in readiness after nightfall, for I cannot tell what evening she may choose to cast off her own shape.’
Apuleius promised readily that he would not stir out after sunset, and the damsel went her way.
That very evening, Hesperus had scarcely risen from his bed when Fotis knocked at the door of the house.
A half-man, half-donkey standing in front of a woman
APULEIUS CHANGES INTO AN ASS15
‘Come hither, and quickly,’ she said; and without stopping to question her Apuleius hastened by her side to the dwelling of the witch Pamphile. Entering softly, they crept along a dark passage, where they could peep through a crack in the wall and see Pamphile at work. She was in the act of rubbing her body with essences from a long row of bottles which stood in a cupboard in the wall, chanting to herself spells as she did so. Slowly, feathers began to sprout28 from her head to her feet. Her arms vanished, her nails became claws, her eyes grew round and her nose hooked, and a little brown owl23 flew out of the window.
‘Well, are you satisfied?’ asked Fotis; but Apuleius shook his head.
‘Not yet,’ he answered. ‘I want to know how she transforms herself into a woman again.’
‘That is quite easy, you may be sure,’ replied Fotis. ‘My mistress never runs any risks. A cup of water from a spring, with some laurel leaves and anise floating in it, is all that she needs. I have seen her do it a thousand times.’
‘Turn me into a nightingale, then, and I will give you five hundred sesterces,’ cried Apuleius eagerly; and Fotis, tempted29 by the thought of so much money, agreed to do what he wished.
But either Fotis was not so skilful30 as she thought herself, or in her hurry she neglected to observe that the bird bottles were all on one shelf, and the beast bottles on another, for when she had rubbed the ointment31 over the young man’s chest something fearful happened. Instead of his arms disappearing, they stretched downwards32; his back became bent33, his face long and narrow, while a browny-grey fur covered his body. Apuleius had been changed, not into a nightingale, but into an ass!
A loud scream broke from Fotis when she saw what she had done, and Apuleius, glancing at a polished mirror from Corinth which hung on the walls, beheld34 with horror the fate that had overtaken him.
‘Quick, quick! fetch the water, and I will seek for the laurels35 and anise,’ he cried. ‘I do not want to be an ass at all; my arms and back are aching already, and if I am not swiftly restored to my own shape I shall not be able to overthrow36 the champion in the wrestling match to-morrow.’
So Fotis ran out to draw the water from the spring, while Apuleius opened some boxes with his teeth, and soon found the anise and laurels. But alas37! Fotis had deceived herself. The charm which was meant for a bird would not work with a beast, and, what was worse, when Apuleius tried to speak to her and beg her to try something else, he found he could only bray38!
In despair the girl took down the book of spells, and began to turn over the pages; while the ass, who was still a man in all but his outward form, glanced eagerly down them also. At length he gave a loud bray of satisfaction, and rubbed his nose on a part of the long scroll39.
‘Of course, I remember now,’ cried Fotis with delight. ‘What a comfort that nothing more is needed to restore you to your proper shape than a handful of rose leaves!
The mind of Apuleius was now quite easy, but his spirits fell again when Fotis reminded him that he could no longer expect to be received by his friends, but must lie in the stable of Milo, with his own horse, and be tended, if he was tended at all, by his own servant.
‘However, it will not be for long,’ she added consolingly. ‘In the corner of the stable is a little shrine40 to the goddess of horses, and every day fresh roses are placed before it. Before the sun sets to-morrow you will be yourself again.’
Slowly and shyly Apuleius slunk along lonely paths till he came to the stable of Milo. The door was open, but, as he entered, his horse, who was fastened with a sliding cord, kicked wildly at him, and caught him right on the shoulder. But before the horse could deal another blow Apuleius had sprung hastily on one side, and had hidden himself in a dark corner, where he slept soundly.
The moon was shining brightly when he awoke, and looking round he saw, as Fotis had told him, the shrine of Hippone, with a branch of sweet-smelling pink roses lying before it. It was rather high up, he thought, but, when he reared himself on his hind11 legs, he would surely be tall enough to reach it. So up he got, and trod softly over the straw, till he drew near the shrine, when with a violent effort he threw up his forelegs into the air. Yes! it was all right, his nose was quite near the roses; but just as he opened his mouth his balance gave way, and his front feet came heavily on the floor.
The noise brought the man, who was sleeping in another part of the stable.
‘Oh, I see what you are at, you ugly beast,’ cried he; ‘would you eat roses that I put there for the goddess? I don’t know who may be your master, or how you got here, but I will take care that you do no more mischief41.’ So saying, he struck the ass several times with his fists, and then, putting a rope round his neck, tied him up in another part of the stable.
Now it happened that an hour or two later some of the most desperate robbers in all Thessaly broke into the house of Milo, and, unheard by anyone, took all the bags of money that the miser had concealed42 under some loose stones in his cellar. It was clear that they could not carry away such heavy plunder43 without risk of the crime being discovered, but they managed to get it quietly as far as the stable, where they gave the horse some apples to put it in a good temper, while they thrust a turnip44 into the mouth of Apuleius, who did not like it at all. Then they led out both the animals, and placed the sacks of money on their backs, after which they all set out for the robbers’ cave in the side of the mountain. As this, however, was some distance off, it took them many hours to reach it, and on the way they passed through a large deserted45 garden, where rose bushes of all sorts grew like weeds. The pulse of Apuleius bounded at the sight, and he had already stretched out his nose towards them, when he suddenly remembered that if he should turn into a man in his present company he would probably be murdered by the robbers. With a great effort, he left the roses alone, and tramped steadily46 on his way.
It were long indeed to tell the adventures of Apuleius and the number of masters whom he served. After some time he was captured by a soldier, and by him sold to two brothers, one a cook and the other a maker47 of pastry48, who were attached to the service of a rich man who lived in the country. This man did not allow any of his slaves to dwell in his house, except those who attended on him personally, and these two brothers lived in a tent on the other side of the garden, and the ass was given to them to send to and fro with savoury dishes in his panniers.
The cook and his brother were both careful men, and always had a great store of pastry and sweet things on their shelves, so that none might be lacking if their lord should command them. When they had done their work they placed water and food for their donkey in a little shed which opened on to the tent, then, fastening the door so that no one could enter, they went out to enjoy the evening air.
On their return, it struck them that the tent looked unusually bare, and at length they perceived that this was because every morsel49 of pastry and sweets on the shelves had disappeared, and nothing was left of them, not so much as a crumb50. There was no room for a thief to hide, so the two brothers supposed that, impossible though it seemed, he must not only have got in but out by the door, and, as their master might send for a tray of cakes at any moment, there was no help for it but to make a fresh supply. And so they did, and it took them more than half the night to do it.
The next evening the same thing happened again; and the next, and the next, and the next.
Then, by accident, the cook went into the shed where the ass lay, and discovered a heap of corn and hay that reached nearly to the roof.
‘Ah, you rascal51!’ he exclaimed, bursting out laughing as he spoke52. ‘So it is you who have cost us our sleep! Well, well, I dare say I should have done the same myself, for cakes and sweets are certainly nicer than corn and hay.’ And the donkey brayed53 in answer, and winked54 an eye at him, and, more amused than before, the man went away to tell his brother.
Of course it was not long before the story reached the ears of their master, who instantly sent to buy the donkey, and bade one of his servants, who had a taste for such things, teach him fresh tricks. This the man was ready enough to do, for the fame of this wonderful creature soon spread far and wide, and the citizens of the town thronged55 the doors of his stable. And while the servant reaped much gold by making the ass display his accomplishments56, the master gained many friends among the people, and was soon made chief ruler.
For five years Apuleius stayed in the house of Thyasus, and ate as many sweet cakes as he chose; and if he wanted more than were given him he wandered down to the tent of his old masters, and swept the shelves bare as of yore. At the end of the five years Thyasus proclaimed that a great feast would be held in his garden, after which plays would be acted, and in one of them his donkey should appear.
Now, though Apuleius loved eating and drinking, he was not at all fond of doing tricks in public, and as the day drew near he grew more and more resolved that he would take no part in the entertainment. So one warm moonlight night he stole out of his stable, and galloped57 as fast as he could for ten miles, when he reached the sea. He was hot and tired with his long run, and the sea looked cool and pleasant.
‘It is years since I have had a bath,’ thought he, ‘or wetted anything but my feet. I will take one now; it will make me feel like a man again’; and into the water he went, and splashed about with joy, which would much have surprised anyone who had seen him, for asses58 do not in general care about washing.
When he came back to dry land once more, he shook himself all over, and held his head first on one side and then on the other, so that the water might run out of his long ears. After that he felt quite comfortable, and lay down to sleep under a tree.
He was awakened59 some hours later by the sound of voices singing a hymn60, and, raising his head, he saw a vast crowd of people trooping down to the shore to hold the festival of their goddess, and in their midst walked the high priest crowned with a wreath of roses.
At this sight hope was born afresh in the heart of Apuleius. It was long indeed since he had beheld any roses, for Thyasus fancied they made him ill, and would not suffer anyone to grow them in the city. So he drew near to the priest as he passed by, and gazed at him so wistfully that, moved by some sudden impulse, the pontiff lifted the wreath from his head, and held it out to him, while the people drew on one side, feeling that something was happening which they did not understand.
Scarcely had Apuleius swallowed one of the roses, when the ass’s skin fell from him, his back straightened itself, and his face once more became fair and rosy61. Then he turned and joined in the hymn, and there was not a man among them all with a sweeter voice or more thankful spirit than that of Apuleius.
[Apuleius, The Golden Ass.]
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1
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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2
renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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4
enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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5
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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6
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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7
mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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miser
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| n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly) | |
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10
enchantment
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| n.迷惑，妖术，魅力 | |
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11
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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quailed
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| 害怕，发抖，畏缩( quail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
herald
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| vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎 | |
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14
trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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15
ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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16
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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17
abetted
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| v.教唆（犯罪）( abet的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；怂恿；支持 | |
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18
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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19
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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24
pealed
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| v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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battering
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| n.用坏，损坏v.连续猛击( batter的现在分词 ) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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sprout
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| n.芽，萌芽；vt.使发芽，摘去芽；vi.长芽，抽条 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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30
skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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31
ointment
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| n.药膏，油膏，软膏 | |
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downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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34
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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35
laurels
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| n.桂冠，荣誉 | |
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36
overthrow
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| v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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bray
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| n.驴叫声, 喇叭声；v.驴叫 | |
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39
scroll
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| n.卷轴，纸卷；(石刻上的)漩涡 | |
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40
shrine
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| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
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41
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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42
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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43
plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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44
turnip
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| n.萝卜，芜菁 | |
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45
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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46
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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47
maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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48
pastry
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| n.油酥面团，酥皮糕点 | |
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49
morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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50
crumb
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| n.饼屑，面包屑，小量 | |
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51
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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52
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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53
brayed
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| v.发出驴叫似的声音( bray的过去式和过去分词 )；发嘟嘟声；粗声粗气地讲话（或大笑）；猛击 | |
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54
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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55
thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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accomplishments
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| n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就 | |
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57
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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58
asses
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| n. 驴，愚蠢的人，臀部 adv. (常用作后置)用于贬损或骂人 | |
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59
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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60
hymn
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
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61
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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