THE FORTY-EIGHTH CHAPTER

The Golden Ass

by Lucius Apuleius

THE FORTY-EIGHTH CHAPTER, THE GOLDEN ASS by Lucius Apuleius


How the parents and friends of Apuleius heard news that he was
alive and in health.


In the mean season newes was carried into my countrey (as swift
as the flight of birds, or as the blast of windes) of the grace and
benefit which I received of the goddesse, and of my fortune worthy
to be had in memory. Then my parents friends and servants of our
house understanding that I was not dead, as they were falsely
informed, came towards me with great diligence to see me, as a
man raised from death to life : and I which never thought to see
them againe, was as joyfull as they, accepting and taking in good
part their honest gifts and oblations that they gave, to the intent I
might buy such things as was necessarie for my body : for after I
had made relation unto them of all my pristine miserie, and present
joyes, I went before the face of the goddesse and hired me a house
within the cloister of the temple to the end I might continually be
ready to the service of the goddesse, and ordinarily frequent the
company of the priests, whereby I would wholy become devout to
the goddesse, and an inseparable worshipper of her divine name : It
fortuned that the goddesse appeared to me oftetimes in the night
perswading and commanding me to take the order of her religion,
but I, though I was indued with a desirous good will, yet the feare
of the same withheld me considering her obeysance was hard and
difficile, the chastitie of the Priests intolerable, and the life fraile
and subject to manie inconveniences. Being thus in doubt, I
refrained my selfe from all those things as seemed impossible.

On a night the great priest appeared unto me, presenting his lap full
of treasure, and when I demanded what it signified, he answered,
that it was sent me from the countrey of Thessaly, and that a
servant of mine named Candidus was arived likewise : when I was
awake, I mused in my selfe what this vision should pretend,
considering I had never any servant called by that name : but what
soever it did signifie, this I verely thought, that it was a foreshew of
gaine and prosperous chance : while I was thus astonied I went to
the temple, and taried there till the opening of the gates, then I went
in and began to pray before the face of the goddesse, the Priest
prepared and set the divine things of every Altar, and pulled out the
fountaine and holy vessell with solempne supplication. Then they
began to sing the mattens of the morning, testifying thereby the
houre of the prime. By and by behold arived my servant which I
had left in the country, when Fotis by errour made me an Asse,
bringing with him my horse, recovered by her through certaine
signes and tokens which I had upon my backe. Then I perceived
the interpretation of my dreame, by reason that beside the promise
of gaine, my white horse was restored to me, which was signified
by the argument of my servant Candidus.

This done I retired to the service of the goddesse in hope of greater
benefits, considering I had received a signe and token, whereby my
courage increased every day more and more to take upon me the
orders and sacraments of the temple: insomuch that I oftentimes
communed with the Priest, desiring him greatly to give me the
degree of the religion, but he which was a man of gravitie, and well
renowned in the order of priesthood, deferred my affection from
day to day, with comfort and better hope, as parents commonly
bridle the desires of their children, when they attempt or indeavour
any unprofitable thing, saying, that the day when any one should be
admitted into their order is appointed by the goddesse, the Priest
which should minister the sacrifice is chosen by her providence,
and the necessary charges of the ceremonies is alotted by her
commandement, all which things he willed me to attend with
marvailous patience, and that I should beware either of too much
hastinesse, or too great slacknesse, considering that there was like
danger, if being called I should delay: or not called I should be hasty
: moreover he said that there was none of his company either of so
desperate a mind, or so rash and hardy, as to enterprise any thing
without the commandernent of the goddesse, whereby he should
commit a deadly offence, considering that it was in her power to
damne and save all persons, and if any were at the point of death,
and in the way to damnation, so that he were capable to receive the
secrets of the goddesse, it was in her power by divine providence
to reduce him to the path of health, as by a certaine kind of
regeneration : Finally he said that I must attend the celestiall
precept, although it was evident and plaine, that the goddesse had
already vouchsafed to call and appoint me to her ministery, and to
will me refraine from prophane and unlawfull meates, as those
Priests which were already received, to the end I might come more
apt and cleane to the knowledge of the secrets of religion. Then
was I obedient unto these words, and attentive with meek
quietnesse, and probable taciturnity, I daily served at the temple : in
the end the wholesome gentlenesse of the goddesse did nothing
deceive me, for in the night she appeared to me in a vision, shewing
that the day was come which I had wished for so long, she told me
what provision and charges I should be at, and how that she had
appointed her principallest Priest Mythra to be minister with me in
my sacrifices.

When I heard these divine commandements, I greatly rejoyced :
and arose before day to speake with the great Priest, whom I
fortuned to espie comming out of his chamber: Then I saluted him,
and thought with my selfe to aske and demand his counsell with a
bold courage, but as soone as he perceived me, he began first to
say : O Lucius now know I well that thou art most happy and
blessed, whom the divine goddesse doth so greatly accept with
mercy, why dost thou delay? Behold the day which thou desiredst
when as thou shalt receive at my hands the order of religion, and
know the most pure secrets of the gods, whereupon the old man
tooke me by the hand, and lead me to the gate of the great temple,
where at the first entrie he made a solempne celebration, and after
morning sacrifice ended, brought out of the secret place of the
temple books, partly written with unknown characters, and partly
painted with figures of beasts declaring briefly every sentence, with
tops and tailes, turning in fashion of a wheele, which were strange
and impossible to be read of the prophane people: There he
interpreted to me such things as were necessary to the use and
preparation of mine order. This done, I gave charge to certaine of
my companions to buy liberally, whatsoever was needfull and
convenient, then he brought me to the next bains accompanied with
all the religious sort, and demanding pardon of the goddesse,
washed me and purified my body, according to custome. After this,
when noone approached, he brought me backe againe to the
temple, presented me before the face of the goddesse, giving a
charge of certaine secret things unlawfull to be uttered, and
commanding me, and generally all the rest, to fast by the space of
ten continuall daies, without eating of any beast, or drinking any
wine, which thing I observed with a marvellous continencie. Then
behold the day approached, when as the sacrifice should be done,
and when night came there arrived on every coast, a great
multitude of Priests, who according to their order offered me many
presents and gifts: then was all the Laity and prophane people
commanded to depart, and when they had put on my back a linnen
robe, they brought me to the most secret and sacred place of all the
temple. You would peradventure demand (you studious reader)
what was said and done there, verely I would tell you if it were
lawfull for me to tell, you should know if it were convenient for you
to heare, but both thy eares, and my tongue shall incur the like
paine of rash curiositie: Howbeit, I will content thy mind for this
present time, which peradventure is somewhat religious and given
to some devotion, listen therefore and beleeve it to be true: Thou
shalt understand that I approached neere unto Hell, even to the
gates of Proserpina, and after that, I was ravished throughout all
the Element, I returned to my proper place: About midnight I saw
the Sun shine, I saw likewise the gods celestiall and gods infernall,
before whom I presented my selfe, and worshipped them: Behold
now have I told thee, which although thou hast heard, yet it is
necessarie thou conceale it; this have I declared without offence,
for the understanding of the prophane.

When morning came, and that the solemnities were finished, I
came forth sanctified with xii. Stoles and in a religious habit,
whereof I am not forbidden to speake, considering that many
persons saw me at that time: there I was commanded to stand upon
a seate of wood, which stood in the middle of the temple, before
the figure and remembrance of the goddesse; my vestiment was of
fine linnen, covered and embroidered with flowers. I had a pretious
Cope upon my shoulders hanging downe to the ground, whereon
were beasts wrought of divers colours as Indian dragons, and
Hiperborian Griphons, whom in forme of birds, the other world doth
ingender; the Priests commonly call such a habit, a celestiall Stole:
in my right hand I carried a light torch, and a garland of flowers
upon my head, with Palme leaves sprouting out on every side: I
was adorned like unto the Sun, and made in fashion of an Image, in
such sort that all the people compassed about to behold me: then
they began to solemnize the feast of the nativitie, and the new
procession with sumptuous bankets and delicate meates: the third
day was likewise celebrated with like ceremonies with a religious
dinner, and with all the consummation of the order: when I had
continued there a good space, I conceived a marvailous great
pleasure and consolation in beholding ordinarily the Image of the
goddesse, who at length admonished me to depart homeward, not
without rendring of thanks, which although it were not sufficient,
yet they were according to my power. Howbeit I could unneth be
perswaded to depart, before I had fallen prostrate before the face
of the goddesse, and wiped her steps with my face, whereby I
began so greatly to weepe and sigh that my words were
interrupted, and as devouring my prayer, I began to say in this sort:
O holy and blessed dame, the perpetuall comfort of humane kind,
who by thy bounty and grace nourishest all the world, and hearest a
great affection to the adversities of the miserable, as a loving
mother thou takest no rest, neither art thou idle at any time in giving
thy benefits, and succoring all men, as well on land as sea; thou art
she that puttest away all stormes and dangers from mans life by thy
right hand, whereby likewise thou restrainest the fatall dispositions,
appeasest the great tempests of fortune and keepest backe the
course of the stars: the gods supernall doe honour thee: the gods
infernall have thee in reverence: thou environest all the world, thou
givest light to the Sunne, thou governest the world, thou treadest
downe the power of hell: By thy meane the times returne, the
Planets rejoyce, the Elements serve: at thy commandment the
winds do blow, the clouds increase, the seeds prosper, and the
fruits prevaile, the birds of the aire, the beasts of the hill, the
serpents of the den, and the fishes of the sea, do tremble at thy
majesty, but my spirit is not able to give thee sufficient praise, my
patrimonie is unable to satisfie thy sacrifice, my voice hath no
power to utter that which I thinke, no if I had a thousand mouths
and so many tongues: Howbeit as a good religious person, and
according to my estate, I will alwaies keepe thee in remembrance
and close thee within my breast. When I had ended mine orison, I
went to embrace the great Priest Mythra my spirituall father, and to
demand his pardon, considering I was unable to recompence the
good which he had done to me: after great greeting and thanks I
departed from him to visit my parents and friends; and within a
while after by the exhortation of the goddesse. I made up my
packet, and tooke shipping toward the Citie of Rome, where with a
prosperous winde I arrived about the xii. day of December. And
the greatest desire that I had there, was daily to make my praiers to
the soveraigne goddesse Isis, who by reason of the place where
her temple was builded, was called Campensis, and continually
adored of the people of Rome. Her minister and worshipper was I,
howbeit I was a stranger to her Church, and unknowne to her
religion there.

When the yeare was ended, and the goddesse warned me againe to
receive this new order and consecration, I marvailed greatly what it
should signifie, and what should happen, considering that I was a
sacred. person already. but it fortuned that while I partly reasoned
with my selfe, and partly examining the thing with the Priests and
Bishops, there came a new and marvailous thought in my mind, that
is to say, I was onely religious to the goddesse Isis, but not sacred
to the religion of great Osiris the soveraigne father of all the
goddesses, between whom, although there was a religious unitie
and concord, yet there was a great difference of order and
ceremony. And because it was necessary that I should likewise be
a minister unto Osiris, there was no long delay: for in the night
after, appeared unto me one of that order, covered with linnen
robes, holding in his hands speares wrapped in Ivie, and other things
not convenient to declare, which then he left in my chamber, and
sitting in my seate, recited to me such things as were necessary for
the sumptuous banket of mine entrie. And to the end I might know
him againe, he shewed me how the ankle of his left foote was
somewhat maimed, which caused him a little to halt.

After that I manifestly knew the will of the God Osiris, when
mattins was ended, I went from one to another, to find him out
which had the halting marke on his foote, according as I learned by
my vision; at length I found it true: for I perceived one of the
company of the Priests who had not onely the token of his foote,
but the stature and habite of his body, resembling in every point as
he appeared in the night: he was called Asinius Marcellus, a name
not much disagreeing from my transformation. By and by I went to
him, which knew well enough all the matter, as being monished by
like precept in the night: for the night before as he dressed the
flowers and garlands about the head of the god Osiris, he
understood by the mouth of the image which told the
predestinations of all men, how he had sent a poore man of
Madura, to whom he should minister his sacraments, to the end hee
should receive a reward by divine providence, and the other glory,
for his vertuous studies. When I saw my selfe this deputed unto
religion, my desire was stopped by reason of povertie, for I had
spent a great part of my goods in travell and peregrination, but most
of all in the Citie of Rome, whereby my low estate withdrew me a
great while.

In the end being oft times stirred forward, not without great trouble
of mind, I was constrained to sell my robe for a little money :
howbeit sufficient for all my affaires. Then the Priest spake unto
me saying, How is it that for a little pleasure thou art not afraid to
sell thy vestiments, and entring into so great ceremonies, fearest to
fall into povertie? Prepare thy selfe, and abstaine from all animall
meats, as beasts and fish. In the meane season I frequented the
sacrifices of Serapis, which were done in the night, which thing
gave me great comfort to my peregrination, and ministred unto me
more plentifull living, considering I gained some money in haunting
the court, by reason of my Latin tongue.

Immediately after I was eftsoones called and admonished by the
god Osiris, to receive a third order of religion. Then I was greatly
astonied, because I could not tell what this new vision signified, or
what the intent of the celestiall god was, doubting least the former
Priests had given me ill counsell, and fearing that they had not
faithfully instructed me : being in this manner as it were incensed
the god Osiris appeared to me the night following, and giving me
admonition said, There is no occasion why thou shouldest be afraid
with so often order of religion, as though there were somewhat
omitted, but that thou shouldest rather rejoyce, since as it hath
pleased the gods to call thee three times, when as there was never
yet any person that atchieved to the order but once : wherefore
thou maist thinke thy selfe happy for so great benefits. And know
thou that the religion which thou must now receive, is right
necessary, if thou meane to persever in the worshipping of the
goddesse, and to make solempnity on the festivall day with the
blessed habite, which thing shalt be a glory and renowne to thee.

After this sort, the divine majesty perswaded me in my sleepe,
whereupon by and by I went towards the Priest, and declared all
that which I had seene, then I fasted ten dayes according to the
custome, and of mine owne proper will I abstained longer then I
was commanded : and verely I did nothing repent of the paine
which I had taken, and of the charges which I was at, considering
that the divine providence had given me such an order, that I gained
much money in pleading of causes : Finally after a few dayes, the
great god Osiris appeared to me in the night, not disguised in any
other forme, but in his owne essence, commanding me that I should
be an Advocate in the court, and not feare the slander and envie of
ill persons , which beare me stomacke and grudge by reason of my
doctrine, which I had gotten by much labour : moreover, he would
not that I should be any longer of the number of his Priests, but he
allotted me to be one of the Decurions and Senatours : and after he
appointed me a place within the ancient pallace, which was erected
in the time of Silla, where I executed my office in great joy with a
shaven Crowne.