Apuleius, “and take in good part, I shall not only think my small travel and labour well employed, but shall also receive a further comfort to attempt some more serious matter.” If the serious matter were ever attempted, its very gravity has sunk it out of knowledge: unless, indeed, he be the author of that very rare and exceeding obvious tract in verse, entitled,
A Special Remedy Against the Force of Lawless Love.
4 This was published in 1579, and ascribed upon the titlepage to
W. A. As the agreement of name and date is perfect, so also the tone of the preface corresponds precisely with Adlington’s admonition to the reader of
The Golden Ass. When the “friendly Reader” of the
Special Remedy is warned how “like unto a beast love transformeth a man, during the which nothing can be exercised in mind, nothing by reason or study of mind can be done,” you are forthwith reminded of Adlington and of Lucius changed to an ass. The verses are properly forgotten, but by his own confession we know him subject to an invincible morality which, ill according with his century, drove him perchance to undertake this enterprise gloomy enough for oblivion.
Lector intende: laetaberis—such is the bidding of Apuleius. And Adlington apologises that “although the matter seem very light and merry, yet the effect thereof tendeth to a good and virtuous moral,” just as the author of the
Special Remedy remarks with Plinie, “there is no book so simple, but that therein is somewhat worthy the noting.” As though the Milesian tale were judged, not by its pleasantry and delight, but by the quality of its moral sustenance! But Adlington was of those who would allegorise both mythology and romance. “The fall of Icarus is an example to proud and arrogant persons, that weeneth to climb up to the heavens;” and further, he holds that “by Midas is carped the foul sin of avarice.” And, as if to excuse the translation of a “mere jest and fable,” he addresses to the reader a most solemn homily, setting forth the example of Nebuchadnezzar and upholding the efficacy of prayer. “Verily under the wrap of this transformation is taxed the life of mortal men,” thus he writes in the proper spirit of the divine; concluding that “we can never be restored to the right figure of ourselves, except we taste and eat the sweet rose of reason and virtue, which the rather by mediation of prayer we may assuredly attained.” Nor is this the mere perversion of ingenuity. His prudery is perfectly sincere. In many places he is inclined, by a modest suppression, to mitigate the gaiety of the Apuleian narrative. But only once does he completely sacrifice his author’s effect to his own scruples; and the restrained nobility of his prose more than atones for lack of scholarship and a prudish habit of mind. The lapse of three centuries has left his book as fresh and living as its original, and withal as brave a piece of narrative as the literature of his century has to show.
Epistle Dedicatory
To the Right Honourable and Mighty Lord,
Thomas Earl of Sussex,
Viscount Fitzwalter, Lord of Egremont and of Burnell, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Justice of the Forests and Chases from Trent Southward; Captain of the Gentleman Pensioners of the House of the Queen Our Sovereign Lady
After that I had taken upon me (right honourable) in manner of that unlearned and foolish poet, Choerilus, who rashly and unadvisedly wrought a big volume in verses, of the valiant prowess of Alexander the Great, to translate this present book, containing the Metamorphosis of Lucius Apuleius; being moved thereunto by the right pleasant pastime and delectable matter therein; I eftsoons consulted with myself, to whom I might best offer so pleasant and worthy a work, devised by the author, it being now barbarously and simply framed in our English tongue. And after long deliberation had, your honourable lordship came to my remembrance, a man much more worthy, than to whom so homely and rude a translation should be presented. But when I again remembered the jesting and sportful matter of the book, unfit to be offered to any man of gravity and wisdom, I was wholly determined to make no epistle dedicatory at all; till as now of late persuaded thereunto by my friends, I have boldly enterprised to offer the same to your Lordship, who as I trust will accept the same, than if it did entreat of some serious and lofty matter, light and merry, yet the effect thereof tendeth to a good and virtuous moral, as in the following epistle to the reader may be declared. For so have all writers in times past employed their travel and labours, that their posterity might receive some fruitful profit by the same. And therefore the poets feigned not their fables in vain, considering that children in time of their first studies, are very much allured thereby to proceed to more grave and deep studies and disciplines, whereas their minds would quickly loath the wise and prudent works of learned men, wherein in such unripe years they take no spark of delectation at all. And not only that profit ariseth to children by such feigned fables, but also the virtues of men are covertly thereby commended, and their vices discommended and abhorred. For by the fable of Acteon, where it is feigned that he saw Diana washing herself in a well, he was immediately turned into an hart, and so was slain of his own Dogs; may be meant, that when a man casteth his eyes on the vain and soon fading beauty of the world, consenting thereto in his mind, he seemeth to be turned into a brute beast, and so to be slain by the inordinate desire of his own affects. By Tantalus that
