The Golden Ass

he came to the town, but he would not declare the matter to any person nor complain to any justice, lest he should be accused of cowardice or dastardness, yet in the end he told some of his companions of all the matter that happened: then they took him and caused him to be closed in some secret place, thinking that beside the injury which he had received, he should be accused of the breach of his faith, by reason of the loss of his spear, and when they had learned the signs of my master, they went to search him out: at last there was an unfaithful neighbour that told them where he was, then incontinently the soldiers went to the justice declaring that they had lost by the way a silver goblet of their captain’s, and that a gardener had found it, who refusing to deliver the goblet, was hidden in one of his friends’ houses: by and by the magistrates understanding the loss of the captain, came to the doors where we were, commanded our host to deliver my master upon pain of death: howbeit these threatenings could not enforce him to confess that he was within his doors, but by reason of his faithful promise and for the safeguard of his friend, he said, that he saw not the gardener a great while, neither knew where he was: the soldiers said contrary, whereby to know the verity of the matter, the magistrates commanded their sergeants and ministers to search every corner of the house, but when they could find neither gardener nor ass, there was a great contention between the soldiers and our host, for they said we were within the house: and he said no, but I that was very curious to know the matter, when I heard so great a noise, put my head out of the window to learn what the stir and tumult did signify. It fortuned that one of the soldiers perceived my shadow, whereupon he began to cry, saying: that he had certainly seen me; then they were all glad and came up into the chamber, and pulled me down like a prisoner. When they had found me, they doubted nothing of the gardener, but seeking about more narrowly, at length they found him couched in a chest. And so they brought out the poor gardener to the justices, who was committed immediately to prison, but they could never forbear laughing from the time they found me by my shadow, wherefore is risen a common proverb: “the shadow of the ass.”

Book X

XLIV

How the soldier drave Apuleius away, and how he came to a captain’s house, and what happened there.

The next day how my master the gardener sped, I knew not, but the gentle soldier, who was well beaten for his cowardice, led me to his lodging without the contradiction of any man: where he laded me well, and garnished my body (as seemed to me) like an ass of arms. For on the one side I bare an helmet that shined exceedingly: on the other side a target that glistered more a thousandfold. And on the top of my burden he put a long spear, which things he placed thus gallantly, not because he was so expert in war (for the gardener proved the contrary) but to the end he might fear those which passed by, when they saw such a similitude of war. When we had gone a good part of our journey, over the plain and easy fields, we fortuned to come to a little town, where we lodged at a certain captain’s house. And there the soldier took me to one of the servants, while he himself went towards his captain; who had the charge of a thousand men. And when we had remained there a few days, I understood of a wicked and mischievous fact committed there, which I have put in writing to the end you may know the same. The master of the house had a son instructed in good literature, and endued with virtuous manners, such a one as you would desire to have the like. Long time before his mother died, and when his father married a new wife, and had another child of the age of twelve years. The stepdame was more excellent in beauty than honesty: for she loved this young man her son-in-law, either because she was unchaste by nature, or because she was enforced by fate of stepmother, to commit so great a mischief. Gentle reader, thou shalt not read of a fable, but rather a tragedy: this woman when her love began first to kindle in her heart, could easily resist her desire and inordinate appetite by reason of shame and fear, lest her intent should be known: But after it compassed and burned every part of her breast, she was compelled to yield unto the raging flame of Cupid, and under colour of the disease and infirmity of her body, to conceal the wound of her restless mind. Every man knoweth well the signs and tokens of love, and the malady convenient to the same: her countenance was pale, her eyes sorrowful, her knees weak, and there was no comfort in her, but continual weeping and sobbing, insomuch that you would have thought that she had some spice of an ague, saving that she wept unmeasurably: the physicians knew not her disease, when they felt the beating of her veins, the intemperance of her heart, the sobbing sighs, and her often tossing of every side: no, no, the cunning physician knew it not, but a scholar of Venus’ court might easily conjecture the whole. After that she had been long time tormented in her affliction, and was no more able to conceal her ardent desire, she caused her son to be called for, (which word son she would fain put away if it were not