The Golden Ass | Page 8

In faith Aristomenus to tell you the truth, this woman had a certaine Lover, whom by the
utterance of one only word she turned into a Bever, because he loved another woman
beside her : and the reason why she transformed him into such a beast is, for that it is his
nature, when hee perceiveth the hunters and hounds to draw after him, to bite off his
members, and lay them in the way, that the hounds may be at a stop when they find them,
and to the intent it might so happen unto him (for that he fancied another woman) she
turned him into that kind of shape.
Semblably she changed one of her neighbours, being an old man and one that sold wine,
into a Frog, in that he was one of her occupation, and therefore she bare him a grudge,
and now the poore miser swimming in one of his pipes of wine, and well nigh drowned in
the dregs, doth cry and call with an hoarse voice, for his old guests and acquaintance that
pass by. Like wise she turned one of the Advocates of the Court (because he pleaded and
spake against her in a rightful cause) into a horned Ram, and now the poore Ram is
become an Advocate. Moreover she caused, that the wife of a certain lover that she had
should never be delivered of her childe, but according to the computation of all men, it is
eight yeares past since the poore woman first began to swell, and now shee is encreased
so big, that shee seemeth as though she would bring forth some great Elephant : which
when it was knowne abroad, and published throughout all the towne, they tooke
indignation against her, and ordayned that the next day shee should most cruelly be
stoned to death. Which purpose of theirs she prevented by the vertue of her inchantments,
and as Medea (who obtained of King Creon but one days respit before her departure) did
burn all his house, him, and his daughter : so she, by her conjurations and invocations of
spirits, (which she useth in a certaine hole in her house, as shee her selfe declared unto
me the next day following) closed all the persons in the towne so sure in their houses, and
with such violence of power, that for the space of two dayes they could not get forth, nor
open their gates nor doore, nor break downe their walls, whereby they were inforced by
mutuall consent to cry unto her, and to bind themselves strictly by oaths, that they would
never afterwards molest or hurt her : and moreover, if any did offer her any injury they

would be ready to defend her. Whereupon shee, mooved by their promises, and stirred by
pitty, released all the towne. But shee conveyed the principal Author of this ordinance
about midnight, with all his house, the walls, the ground, and the foundation, into another
towne, distant from thence an hundred miles, scituate and beeing on the top of an high
hill, and by reason thereof destitute of water, and because the edifices and houses were so
nigh built together, that it was not possible for the house to stand there, she threw it
downe before the gate of the towne. Then I spake and said O my friend Socrates you have
declared unto me many marvellous things and strange chances, and moreover stricken me
with no small trouble of minde, yea rather with great feare, lest the same old woman
using the like practice, should fortune to heare all our communication. Wherefore let us
now sleepe, and after that we have taken our rest, let us rise betimes in the morning, and
ride away hence before day, as far as we can possible.

THE FIFTH CHAPTER
How Socrates and Aristomenus slept together in one Chamber, and how they were
handled by Witches.
In speaking these words, and devising with my selfe of our departing the next morrow,
lest Meroe the witch should play by us as she had done by divers other persons, it
fortuned that Socrates did fall asleepe, and slept very soundly, by reason of his travell and
plenty of meat and wine wherewithall hee had filled him selfe. Wherefore I closed and
barred fast the doores of the chamber, and put my bed behinde the doore, and so layed
mee downe to rest. But I could in no wise sleepe, for the great feare which was in my
heart, untill it was about midnight, and then I began to slumber. But alas, behold
suddenly the chamber doores brake open, and locks, bolts, and posts fell downe, that you
would verily have thought that some Theeves had been presently come to have spoyled