The Golden Asse
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the face of all men. And that I may first make relation to you,
what and who I am, and whither I go, and for what purpose, know
you that I am of Egin, travelling these countries about from
Thessaly to Etolia, and from Etolia to Boetia, to provide for honey,
cheese, and other victuals to sell againe : and understanding that at
Hippata (which is the principall city of all Thessaly), is accustomed
to be soulde new cheeses of exceeding good taste and relish, I
fortuned on a day to go thither, to make my market there : but as it
often happeneth, I came in an evill houre; for one Lupus a purveyor
had bought and ingrossed up all the day before, and so I was
deceived.
Wherefore towards night being very weary, I went to the Baines to
refresh my selfe, and behold, I fortuned to espy my companion
Socrates sitting upon the ground, covered with a torn and course
mantle; who was so meigre and of so sallow and miserable a
countenance, that I scantly knew him : for fortune had brought him
into such estate and calamity, that he verily seemed as a common
begger that standeth in the streets to crave the benevolence of the
passers by. Towards whom (howbeit he was my singular friend
and familiar acquaintance, yet half in despaire) I drew nigh and
said, Alas my Socrates, what meaneth this? how faireth it with
thee? What crime hast thou committed? verily there is great
lamentation and weeping for thee at Home : Thy children are in
ward by decree of the Provinciall Judge : Thy wife (having ended
her mourning time in lamentable wise, with face and visage
blubbered with teares, in such sort that she hath well nigh wept out
both her eyes) is constrained by her parents to put out of
remembrance the unfortunate losse and lacke of thee at Home, and
against her will to take a new husband. And dost thou live here as
a ghost or hogge, to our great shame and ignominy?
Then he answered he to me and said, O my friend Aristomenus,
now perceive I well that you are ignorant of the whirling changes,
the unstable forces, and slippery inconstancy of Fortune : and
therewithall he covered his face (even then blushing for very
shame) with his rugged mantle insomuch that from his navel
downwards he appeared all naked.
But I not willing to see him any longer in such great miserie and
calamitie, took him by the hand and lifted him up from the ground :
who having his face covered in such sort, Let Fortune (quoth he)
triumph yet more, let her have her sway, and finish that which shee
hath begun. And therewithall I put off one of my garments and
covered him, and immediately I brought him to the Baine, and
caused him to be anointed, wiped, and the filthy scurfe of his body
to be rubbed away; which done, though I were very weary my
selfe, yet I led the poore miser to my Inne, where he reposed his
body upon a bed, and then I brought him meat and drinke, and so
wee talked together : for there we might be merry and laugh at our
pleasure, and so we were, untill such time as he (fetching a pittifull
sigh from the bottom of his heart, and beating his face in miserable
sort, began to say.
THE THIRD CHAPTER
How Socrates in his returne from Macedony to Larissa was
spoyled and robbed, and how he fell acquainted with one Meroe a
Witch.
Alas poore miser that I am, that for the onely desire to see a game
of triall of weapons, am fallen into these miseries and wretched
snares of misfortune. For in my returne from Macedonie, wheras I
sould all my wares, and played the Merchant by the space of ten
months, a little before that I came to Larissa, I turned out of the
way, to view the scituation of the countrey there, and behold in the
bottom of a deep valley I was suddenly environed with a company
of theeves, who robbed and spoiled me of such things as I had, and
yet would hardly suffer me to escape. But I beeing in such
extremity, in the end was happily delivered from their hands, and so
I fortuned to come to the house of an old woman that sold wine,
called Meroe, who had her tongue sufficiently instructed to flattery
: unto whom I opened the causes of my long peregrination and
careful travell, and of myne unlucky adventure : and after that I had
declared to her such things as then presently came to my
remembrance, shee gently entertained mee and made mee good
cheere; and by and by being pricked with carnall desire, shee
brought me to her own bed chamber; whereas I poore miser the
very first night of our lying together did purchase to my selfe this
miserable face, and for her lodging I gave to her such apparel as
the theeves left to cover me withall.
The I understanding the cause of his miserable estate, sayd unto
him, In faith thou art worthy to sustaine the most extreame misery
and calamity, which hast defiled and maculated thyne owne body,
forsaken thy wife traitorously, and dishonoured thy children,
parents, and friends, for the love of a vile harlot and old strumpet.
When Socrates heard mee raile against Meroe in such sort,&nbs
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