THE THIRTY-SECOND CHAPTER

The Golden Ass

by Lucius Apuleius

THE THIRTY-SECOND CHAPTER, THE GOLDEN ASS by Lucius Apuleius


How a young man came and declared the miserable death of
Lepolemus and his wife Charites.

About midnight came a young man, which seemed to be one of the
family of the good woman Charites, who sometimes endured so
much misery and calamity with mee amongst the theeves, who
after that hee had taken a stoole, and sate downe before the
fireside, in the company of the servants, began to declare many
terrible things that had happened unto the house of Charites, saying:
O yee house-keepers, shepheards and cowheards, you shall
understand that wee have lost our good mistris Charites miserably
and by evill adventure: and to the end you may learne and know all
the whole matter, I purpose to tell you the circumstances of every
point, whereby such as are more learned then I (to whom fortune
hath ministred more copious stile) may painte it out in paper in
forme of an History. There was a young Gentleman dwelling in the
next City, borne of good parentage, valiant in prowesse, and riche
in substance, but very much given and adicted to whorehunting, and
continuall revelling. Whereby he fell in company with Theeves, and
had his hand ready to the effusion of humane blood; his name was
Thrasillus. The matter was this according to the report of every
man. Hee demanded Charites in marriage, who although he were
a man more comely then the residue that wooed her, and also had
riches abundantly, yet because he was of evill fame, and a man of
wicked manners and conversation, he had the repulse and was put
off by Charites, and so she married with Lepolemus. Howbeit this
young man secretly loved her, yet moved somewhat at her refusall,
hee busily searched some meanes to worke his damnable intent.
And (having found occasion and opportunity to accomplish his
purpose, which he had long time concealed) brought to passe, that
the same day that Charites was delivered by the subtill meane and
valiant audacity of her husband, from the puissance of the Theeves,
he mingled himselfe among the assembly, faining that he was glad
of the new marriage, and comming home againe of the maiden,
Whereby (by reason that he came of so noble parents) he was
received and entertained into the house as one of their chiefe and
principall friends : Howbeit under cloake of a faithfull welwiller, hee
dissimuled his mischievous mind and intent : in continuance of time
by much familiarity and often conversation and banketting together,
he fell more and more in favour, like as we see it fortuneth to
Lovers, who first doe little delight themselves in love : till as by
continuall acquaintance they kisse and imbrace each other.
Thrasillus perceiving that it was a hard matter to breake his minde
secretly to Charites, whereby he was wholly barred from the
accomplishment of his luxurious appetite, and on the other side
perceiving that the love of her and her husband was so strongly
lincked together, that the bond betweene them might in no wise be
dissevered, moreover, it was a thing impossible to ravish her,
although he had consented thereto, yet was hee still provoked
forward by vehement lust, when as hee saw himselfe unable to
bring his purpose to passe. Howbeit at length the thing which
seemed so hard and difficill, thorough hope of his fortified love, did
now appeare easie and facill : but marke I pray you diligently to
what end the furious force of his inordinate desire came. On a day
Lepolemus went to the chase with Thrasillus, to hunt for Goates,
for his wife Charites desired him earnestly to meddle with no other
beasts, which were of more fierce and wilde nature. When they
were come within the chase to a great thicket fortressed about with
bryers and thornes, they compassed round with their Dogs and
beset every place with nets : by and by warning was given to let
loose. The Dogs rushed in with such a cry, that all the Forrest rang
againe with the noyse, but behold there leaped out no Goat, nor
Deere, nor gentle Hinde, but an horrible and dangerous wild Boare,
hard and thicke skinned, bristeled terribly with thornes, foming at
the mouth, grinding his teeth, and looking direfully with fiery eyes.
The Dogs that first set upon him, he tare and rent with his tuskes,
and then he ranne quite through the nets, and escaped away.
When wee saw the fury of this beast, wee were greatly striken
with feare, and because wee never accustomed to chase such
dreadfull Boares, and further because we were unarmed and
without weapons, we got and hid our selves under bushes and
trees. Then Thrasillus having found opportunity to worke his
treason, said to Lepolemus : What stand we here amazed? Why
show we our selves like dastards? Why leese we so worthy a prey
with our feminine hearts? Let us mount upon our Horses, and
pursue him incontinently : take you a hunting staffe, and I will take
a chasing speare. By and by they leaped upon their Horses, and
followed the beast. But hee returning against them with furious
force, pryed with his eyes, on whom hee might first assayle with his
tuskes : Lepolemus strooke the beast first on the backe with his
hunting staffe. Thrasillus faining to ayde and assist him, came
behind, and cut off the hinder legges of Lepolemus Horse, in such
sort that hee fell downe to the ground with his master : and
sodainely the Boare came upon Lepolemus and furiously tare and
rent him with his teeth. Howbeit, Thrasillus was not sufficed to see
him thus wounded, but when he desired his friendly help, he thrust
Lepolemus through the right thigh with his speare, the more
because he thought the wound of the speare would be taken for a
wound of the Boars teeth, then he killed the beast likewise, And
when he was thus miserably slaine, every one of us came out of
our holes, and went towards our slaine master. But although that
Thrasillus was joyfull of the death of Lepolemus, whom he did
greatly hate, yet he cloked the matter with a sorrowfull
countenance, he fained a dolorous face, he often imbraced the body
which himselfe slew, he played all the parts of a mourning person,
saving there fell no teares from his eyes. Thus hee resembled us in
each point, who verily and not without occasion had cause to
lament for our master, laying all the blame of this homicide unto the
Boare. Incontinently after the sorrowfull newes of the death of
Lepolemus, came to the eares of all the family, but especially to
Charites, who after she had heard such pitifull tydings, as a mad
and raging woman, ran up and down the streets, crying and howling
lamentably. All the Citizens gathered together, and such as they
met bare them company running towards the chasse. When they
came to the slaine body of Lepolemus, Charites threw her selfe
upon him weeping and lamenting grievously for his death, in such
sort, that she would have presently ended her life, upon the corps of
her slaine husband, whom shee so entirely loved, had it not beene
that her parents and friends did comfort her, and pulled her away.
The body was taken up, and in funerall pompe brought to the City
and buried. In the meane season, Thrasillus fained much sorrow
for the death of Lepolemus, but in his heart he was well pleased
and joyfull. And to counterfeit the matter, he would come to
Charites and say : O what a losse have I had of my friend, my
fellow, my companion Lepolemus? O Charites comfort your selfe,
pacifie your dolour, refraine your weeping, beat not your breasts :
and with such other and like words and divers examples he
endeavoured to suppresse her great sorrow, but he spake not this
for any other intent but to win the heart of the woman, and to
nourish his odious love with filthy delight. Howbeit Charites after
the buriall of her husband sought the meanes to follow him, and (not
sustaining the sorrows wherein she was Wrapped) got her secretly
into a chamber and purposed to finish her life there with dolour and
tribulation. But Thrasillus was very importunate, and at length
brought to passe, that at the intercession of the Parents and friends
of Charites, she somewhat refreshed her fallen members with
refection of meate and baine. Howbeit, she did it more at the
commandement of her Parents, then for any thing else : for she
could in no wise be merry, nor receive any comfort, but tormented
her selfe day and night before the Image of her husband which she
made like unto Bacchus, and rendred unto him divine honours and
services. In the meane season Thrasillus not able to refraine any
longer, before Charites had asswaged her dolor, before her troubled
mind had pacified her fury, even in the middle of all her griefes,
while she tare her haire and rent her garments, demanded her in
marriage, and so without shame, he detected the secrets and
unspeakeable deceipts of his heart. But Charites detested and
abhorred his demand, and as she had beene stroken with some clap
of thunder, with some storme, or with the lightning of Jupiter, she
presently fell downe to the ground all amazed. Howbeit when her
spirits were revived arid that she returned to her selfe, perceiving
that Thrasillus was so importunate, she demanded respite to
deliberate and to take advise on the matter. In the meane season,
the shape of Lepolemus that was slaine so miserably, appeared to
Charites saying, O my sweet wife (which no other person can say
but I) I pray thee for the love which is betweene us two, if there he
any memorie of me in thy heart, or remembrance of my pittifull
death, marry with any other person, so that thou marry not with the
traitour Thrasillus, have no conference with him, eate not with him,
lie not with him, avoid the bloudie hand of mine enemie, couple not
thy selfe with a paricide, for those wounds (the bloud whereof thy
teares did wash away) were not the wounds of the teeth of the
Boare, but the speare of Thrasillus, that deprived me from thee.
Thus spake Lepolemus, unto his loving wife, and declared the
residue of the damnable fact. Then Charites, awaking from sleepe,
began to renew her dolour, to teare her garments, and to beate her
armes with her comely hands, howbeit she revealed the vision
which she saw to no manner of person, but dissimuling that she
knew no part of the mischiefe, devised with her selfe how she
might be revenged on the traitor, and finish her owne life to end and
knit up all sorrow. Incontinently came Thrasillus, the detestable
demander of sodaine pleasure, and wearied the closed eares of
Charites with talke of marriage, but she gently refused his
communication, and coloring the matter, with passing craft in the
middest of his earnest desires gan say, Thrasillus you shall
understand that yet the face of your brother and my husband, is
alwayes before mine eies, I smell yet the Cinamon sent of his
pretious body, I yet feele Lepolemus alive in my heart : wherefore
you shall do well if you grant to me miserable woman, necessarie
time to bewaile his death, that after the residue of a few moneths,
the whole yeare may be expired, which thing toucheth as well my
shame as your wholsome profit, lest peradventure by your speed
and quicke marriage we should justly raise and provoke the spirit of
my husband to worke our destruction. Howbeit, Thrasillus was not
contented with this promise, but more and more came upon her :
Insomuch, that she was enforced to speake to him in this manner :
My friend Thrasillus, if thou be so contented untill the whole yeare
be compleate and finished, behold here is my bodie, take thy
pleasure, but in such sort and so secret that no servant of the house
may perceive it. Then Thrasillus trusting to the false promises of
the woman, and preferring his inordinate pleasure above all things
in the world, was joyfull in his heart and looked for night, when as
he might have his purpose. But come thou about midnight (quoth
Charites) disguised without companie, and doe but hisse at my
chamber doore, and my nourse shall attend and let thee in. This
counsell pleased Thrasillus marveilously, who (suspecting no
harme) did alwaies looke for night, and the houre assigned by
Charites. The time was scarce come, when as (according to her
commandement) he disguised himselfe, and went straight to the
chamber, where he found the nourse attending for him, who (by the
appointment of her Mistresse) fed him with flattering talke, and
gave him mingled and doled drinke in a cup, excusing the absence
of her Mistresse Charites, by reason that she attended on her
Father being sick, untill such time, that with sweet talke and
operation of the wine, he fell in a sound sleepe: Now when he lay
prostrate on the ground readie to all adventure, Charites (being
called for) came in, and with manly courage and bold force stood
over the sleeping murderer, saying: Behold the faithfull companion
of my husband, behold this valiant hunter; behold me deere spouse,
this is the hand which shed my bloud, this is the heart which hath
devised so many subtill meanes to worke my destruction, these be
the eies whom I have ill pleased, behold now they foreshew their
owne destinie: sleepe carelesse, dreame that thou art in the hands
of the mercifull, for I will not hurt thee with thy sword or any other
weapon: God forbid that I should slay thee as thou slewest my
husband, but thy eies shall faile thee, and thou shalt see no more,
then that whereof thou dreamest: Thou shalt thinke the death of
thine enemie more sweet then thy life: Thou shalt see no light, thou
shalt lacke the aide of a leader, thou shalt not have me as thou
hopest, thou shalt have no delight of my marriage, thou shalt not die,
and yet living thou shalt have no joy, but wander betweene light and
darknesse as an unsure Image: thou shalt seeke for the hand that
pricked out thine eies, yet shalt thou not know of whom thou
shouldest complaine: I will make sacrifice with the bloud of thine
eies upon the grave of my husband. But what gainest thou through
my delay? Perhaps thou dreamest that thou embracest me in thy
armes: leave off the darknesse of sleepe and awake thou to receive
a penall deprivation of thy sight, lift up thy face, regard thy
vengeance and evill fortune, reckon thy miserie; so pleaseth thine
eies to a chast woman, that thou shall have blindnesse to thy
companion, and an everlasting remorse of thy miserable
conscience. When she had spoken these words, she tooke a great
needle from her head and pricked out both his eies: which done, she
by and by caught the naked sword which her husband Lepolemus
accustomed to weare, and ranne throughout all the Citie like a mad
woman towards the Sepulchre of her husband. Then all we of the
house, with all the Citizens, ranne incontinently after her to take the
sword out of her hand, but she clasping about the tombe of
Lepolemus, kept us off with her naked weapon, and when she
perceived that every one of us wept and lamented, she spake in this
sort : I pray you my friends weepe not, nor lament for me, for I
have revenged the death of my husband, I have punished
deservedly the wicked breaker of our marriage; now is it time to
seeke out my sweet Lepolemus, and presently with this sword to
finish my life. And therewithall after she had made relation of the
whole matter, declared the vision which she saw and told by what
meane she deceived Thrasillus, thrusting her sword under her right
brest, and wallowing in her owne bloud, at length with manly
courage yeelded up the Ghost. Then immediately the friends of
miserable Charites did bury her body within the same Sepulchre.
Thrasillus hearing all the matter, and knowing not by what meanes
he might end his life, for he thought his sword was not sufficient to
revenge so great a crime, at length went to the same Sepulchre,
and cryed with a lowd voice, saying: o yee dead spirites whom I
have so highly and greatly offended, vouchsafe to receive me,
behold I make Sacrifice unto you with my whole body : which said,
hee closed the Sepulchre, purposing to famish himselfe, and to
finish his life there in sorrow. These things the young man with
pitifull sighes and teares, declared unto the Cowheards and
Shepheards, which caused them all to weepe : but they fearing to
become subject unto new masters, prepared themselves to depart
away.