Grecians, which were ready prepared, no, nor yet the fire could enforce him to confess the matter, so obstinate and grounded was he in his mischievous mind. But the physician perceiving that the menaces of these torments did nothing prevail, gan say: I cannot suffer or abide that this young man who is innocent, should against all law and conscience, be punished and condemned to die, and the other which is culpable, should escape so easily, and after mock and flout at your judgment: for I will give you an evident proof and argument of this present crime. You shall understand, that when this caitiff demanded of me a present and strong poison, considering that it was not my part to give occasion of any other’s death, but rather to cure and save sick persons by mean of medicines: and on the other side, fearing least if I should deny his request, I might minister a further cause of his mischief, either that he would buy poison of some other, or else return and work his wicked intent, with a sword or some dangerous weapon, I gave him no poison, but a doling drink of mandragora, which is of such force, that it will cause any man to sleep as though he were dead. Neither is it any marvel if this most desperate man, who is certainly assured to be put to death, ordained by an ancient custom, can suffer and abide these
facill and easy torments, but if it be so that the child hath received the drink as I tempered it with mine own hands, he is yet alive and doth but sleep, and after his sleep he shall return to life again, but if he be dead indeed, then may you further inquire of the causes of his death. The opinion of this ancient physician was found good, and every man had a desire to go to the sepulchre where the child was laid; there was none of the justices, none of any reputation of the town, nor any of the common people, but went to see this strange sight. Amongst them all the father of the child removed with his own hands the stone of the sepulchre, and found his Son rising up after his dead and soporiferous sleep, whom when he beheld, he embraced him in his arms, and presented him before the people, with great joy and consolation, and as he was wrapped and bound in his grave, so he brought him before the judges, whereupon the wickedness of the Servant, and, the treason of the stepdame was plainly discovered, and the verity of the matter revealed, whereby the woman was perpetually exiled, the servant hanged on a gallows, and the physician had the crowns, which was prepared to buy the poison. Behold how the fortune of the old man was changed, who thinking to be deprived of all his race and posterity, was in one moment made the father of two children. But as for me, I was ruled and handled by Fortune, according to her pleasure.
XLV
How Apuleius was sold to two brethren, whereof one was a baker, and the other a cook, and how finely and daintily he fared.
The soldier that paid never a penny for me, by the commandment of his captain was sent unto Rome, to carry letters to the great prince, and General of the camp. Before he went, he sold me for eleven pence to two of his companions, being servants to a man of worship, whereof one was a baker that baked sweet bread and delicates, the other a cook, which dressed fine and excellent meats for his master. These two lived in common, and would drive me from place to place, to carry such things as was necessary, insomuch that I was received by these two, as a third brother, and companion, and I thought I was never better placed, than with them: for when night came that supper was done, and their business ended, they would bring many good morsels into their chamber for themselves. One would bring pigs, chickens, fish, and other good meats, the other fine bread, pasties, tarts, custards and other delicate junkets dipped in honey. And when they had shut their chamber door, and went to the baines: (oh Lord) how I would fill my guts with these goodly dishes: neither was I so much a fool, or so very an ass, to leave the dainty meats, and to grind my teeth upon hard hay. In this sort I continued a great space, for I played the honest ass, taking but a little of one dish, and a little of another, whereby no man distrusted me. In the end, I was more hardier and began to devour the whole messes of the sweet delicates, which caused the baker and the cook to suspect, howbeit they nothing mistrusted me, but searched about to apprehend the thief. At length they began to accuse one another of theft, and to set the dishes and morsels of meat in order, one by another, because they would learn what was taken away, whereby one of them was compelled to say thus to his fellow: Is it reason to break promise and faith in this sort, by stealing away the best meat, and to sell it to augment thy good, and yet nevertheless to have thy part in the residue that is left: if our partnership do mislike thee, we will be partners and brothers in other things, but in this we will break of: for I perceive that the great loss which I sustain, will at length be a cause of great discord between us. Then answered the other, Verily I praise thy great constancy and subtleness, in that (when thou hast secretly taken away the meat) [thou] dost begin to complain first, whereas I by long space of time have suffered thee, because I would not
