THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER

The Golden Ass

by Lucius Apuleius

THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER, THE GOLDEN ASS by Lucius Apuleius


How Fotis told to Apuleius, what witchcraft her mistresse did use.

When I was a bed I began to call to minde all the sorrowes and
griefes that I was in the day before, until such time as my love
Fotis, having brought her mistresse to sleepe, came into the
chamber, not as shee was wont to do, for she seemed nothing
pleasant neither in countenance nor talke, but with sowre face and
frowning looke, gan speak in this sort, Verily I confesse that I have
been the occasion of all thy trouble this day, and therewith shee
pulled out a whippe from under her apron, and delivered it unto mee
saying, Revenge thyself upon mee mischievous harlot, or rather
slay me.

And thinke you not that I did willingly procure this anguish and
sorrow unto you, I call the gods to witnesse. For I had rather myne
owne body to perish, than that you should receive or sustaine any
harme by my means, but that which I did was by the
commandement of another, and wrought as I thought for some
other, but behold the unlucky chance fortuned on you by my evill
occasion.

The I, very curious and desirous to know the matter, answered, In
faith (quoth I), this most pestilent and evill favoured whip which
thou hast brought to scourge thee withal, shal first be broken in a
thousand pieces, than it should touch or hurt thy delicate and dainty
skin. But I pray you tell me how have you been the cause and
mean of my trouble and sorrow? For I dare sweare by the love
that I beare unto you, and I will not be perswaded, though you your
selfe should endeavour the same, that ever you went to trouble or
harm me : perhaps sometimes you imagined an evil thought in your
mind, which afterwards you revoked, but that is not to bee deemed
as a crime.

When I had spoken these words, I perceived by Fotis eys being
wet with tears and well nigh closed up that shee had a desire unto
pleasure and specially because shee embraced and kissed me
sweetly. And when she was somewhat restored unto joy shee
desired me that shee might first shut the chamber doore, least by
the untemperance of her tongue, in uttering any unfitting words,
there might grow further inconvenience. Wherewithall shee barred
and propped the doore, and came to me againe, and embracing me
lovingly about the neck with both her armes, spake with a soft
voice and said, I doe greatly feare to discover the privities of this
house, and to utter the secret mysteries of my dame. But I have
such confidence in you and in your wisedome, by reason that you
are come of so noble a line, and endowed with so profound
sapience, and further instructed in so many holy and divine things,
that you will faithfully keepe silence, and that whatsoever I shall
reveale or declare unto you, you would close them within the
bottome of your heart, and never discover the same : for I ensure
you, the love that I beare unto you, enforceth mee to utter it. Now
shal you know all the estate of our house, now shal you know the
hidden secrets of my mistres, unto whome the powers of hel do
obey, and by whom the celestial planets are troubled, the gods
made weake, and the elements subdued, neither is the violence of
her art in more strength and force, than when she espieth some
comly young man that pleaseth her fancie, as oftentimes it hapneth,
for now she loveth one Boetian a fair and beautiful person, on
whom she employes al her sorcerie and enchantment, and I heard
her say with mine own ears yester night, that if the Sun had not
then presently gon downe, and the night come to minister
convenient time to worke her magicall enticements, she would have
brought perpetuall darkness over all the world her selfe. And you
shall know, that when she saw yester night, this Boetian sitting at
the Barbers a polling, when she came from the Baines shee
secretly commanded me to gather up some of the haires of his
head which lay dispersed upon the ground, and to bring it home.
Which when I thought to have done the Barber espied me, and by
reason it was bruited though all the City that we were Witches and
Enchantresses, he cried out and said, Wil you never leave off
stealing of young mens haires? In faith I assure you, unlesse you
cease your wicked sorceries, I will complaine to the Justices.
Wherewithall he came angerly towards me, and tooke away the
haire which I had gathered, out of my apron : which grieved me
very much, for I knew my Mistresses manners, that she would not
be contented but beat me cruelly.

Wherefore I intended to runne away, but the remembrance of you
put alwayes the thought out of my minde, and so I came homeward
very sorrowful : but because I would not seeme to come to my
mistresse sight with empty hands, I saw a man shearing of blowne
goat skinnes, and the hayre which he had shorne off was yellow,
and much resembled the haire of the Boetian, and I tooke a good
deale thereof, and colouring of the matter, I brought it to my
mistresse. And so when night came, before your return form
supper, she to bring her purpose to passe, went up to a high Gallery
of her house, opening to the East part of the world, and preparing
her selfe according to her accustomed practise, shee gathered
together all substance for fumigations, she brought forth plates of
mettal carved with strange characters, she prepared the bones of
such as were drowned by tempest in the seas, she made ready the
members of dead men, as the nosethrils and fingers, shee set out
the lumps of flesh of such as were hanged, the blood which she had
reserved of such as were slaine and the jaw bones and teeth of
willed beasts, then she said certaine charmes over the haire, and
dipped it in divers waters, as in Wel water, Cow milk, mountain
honey, and other liquor. Which when she had done, she tied and
lapped it up together, and with many perfumes and smells threw it
into an hot fire to burn. Then by the great force of this sorcerie,
and the violence of so many confections, those bodies whose haire
was burning in the fire, received humane shape, and felt, heard and
walked : And smelling the sent of their owne haire, came and
rapped at our doores in stead of Boetius. Then you being well
tipled, and deceived by the obscurity of the night, drew out your
sword courageously like furious Ajax, and kild not as he did, whole
heard of beastes, but three blowne skinnes, to the intent that I, after
the slaughter of so many enemies, without effusion of bloud might
embrace and kisse, not an homicide but an Utricide.

Thus when I was pleasantly mocked and taunted by Fotis, I sayd
unto her, verily now may I for this atcheived enterprise be
numbered as Hercules, who by his valiant prowesse performed the
twelve notable Labors, as Gerion with three bodies, and as
Cerberus with three heads, for I have slaine three blown goat
skinnes. But to the end that I may pardon thee of that thing which
though hast committed, perform, the thing which I most earnestly
desire of thee, that is, bring me that I may see and behold when thy
mistresse goeth about any Sorcery or enchantment, and when she
prayeth unto the gods : for I am very desirous to learne that art, and
as it seemeth unto mee, thou thy selfe hath some experience in the
same. For this I know and plainly feele, That whereas I have
always yrked and loathed the embrace of Matrones, I am so
stricken and subdued with thy shining eyes, ruddy cheekes,
glittering haire, sweet cosses, and lilly white paps, that I have
neither minde to goe home, nor to depart hence, but esteeme the
pleasure which I shall have with thee this night, above all the joyes
of the world. Then (quoth she) O my Lucius, how willing would I
be to fulfil your desire, but by reason shee is so hated, she getteth
her selfe into solitary places, and out of the presence of every
person, when she mindeth to work her enchantments. Howbeit I
regarde more to gratify your request, than I doe esteeme the
danger of my life : and when I see opportunitie and time I will
assuredly bring you word, so that you shal see all her
enchantments, but always upon this condition, that you secretly
keepe close such things as are done.

Thus as we reasoned together the courage of Venus assailed, as
well our desires as our members, and so she unrayed herself and
came to bed, and we passed the night in pastime and dalliance, till
as by drowsie and unlusty sleep I was constrained to lie still.