The Golden Ass | Page 3

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This etext was prepared from a reprint of the 1639 edition by Donal O'Danachair, email
[email protected]

The Golden Asse by Lucius Apuleius "Africanus"

Translated by William Adlington

First published 1566 This version as reprinted from the edition of 1639. Typed, scanned
and proofed by Donal O'Danachair, [email protected] The original spelling,
capitalisation and punctuation have been retained.

Dedication
To the Right Honourable and Mighty Lord, THOMAS EARLE OF SUSSEX, Viscount
Fitzwalter, Lord of Egremont and of Burnell, Knight of the most noble Order of the
Garter, Iustice of the forrests and Chases from Trent Southward; Captain of the
Gentleman Pensioners of the House of the QUEENE our Soveraigne Lady.
After that I had taken upon me (right Honourable) in manner of that unlearned and
foolish Poet, Cherillus, who rashly and unadvisedly wrought a big volume in verses, of
the valiant prowesse of Alexander the Great, to translate this present booke, contayning
the Metamorphosis of Lucius Apuleius; being mooved thereunto by the right pleasant
pastime and delectable matter therein; I eftsoones consulted with myself, to whom I
might best offer so pleasant and worthy a work, devised by the author, it being now
barbarously and simply framed in our English tongue. And after long deliberation had,
your honourable lordship came to my remembrance, a man much more worthy, than to
whom so homely and rude a translation should be presented. But when I again
remembred the jesting and sportfull matter of the booke, unfit to be offered to any man of
gravity and wisdome, I was wholly determined to make no Epistle Dedicatory at all; till
as now of late perswaded thereunto by my friends, I have boldly enterprised to offer the
same to your Lordship, who as I trust wil accept the same, than if it did entreat of some
serious and lofty matter, light and merry, yet the effect thereof tendeth to a good and
vertuous moral, as in the following Epistle to the reader may be declared. For so have all
writers in times past employed their travell and labours, that their posterity might receive
some fruitfull profit by the same. And therfore the poets feined not their fables in vain,
considering that children in time of their first studies, are very much allured thereby to
proceed to more grave and deepe studies and disciplines, whereas their mindes would
quickly loath the wise and prudent workes of learned men, wherein in such unripe years
they take no spark of delectation at all. And not only that profit ariseth to children by
such feined fables, but also the vertues of men are covertly thereby commended, and their
vices discommended and abhorred. For by the fable of Actaeon, where it is feigned that
he saw Diana washing her selfe in a well, hee was immediately turned into an Hart, and
so was slain of his own Dogs; may bee meant, That when a man casteth his eyes on the
vain and soone fading beauty of the world, consenting thereto in his minde, hee seemeth
to bee turned into a brute beast, and so to be slain by the inordinate desire of his owne
affects. By Tantalus that stands in the midst of the floud Eridan, having before him a tree
laden with pleasant apples, he being neverthelesse always thirsty and hungry, betokeneth
the insatiable desires of covetous persons. The fables of Atreus, Thiestes, Tereus and
Progne signifieth the wicked and abhominable facts wrought and attempted by mortall
men. The fall of Icarus is an example to proud and arrogant persons, that weeneth to
climb up to the heavens. By Mydas, who obtained of Bacchus, that all things which he
touched might be gold, is carped the