THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER

The Golden Ass

by Lucius Apuleius

THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER, THE GOLDEN ASS by Lucius Apuleius


How Fotis brought Apuleius to see her Mistresse enchant.

On a day Fotis came running to me in great feare, and said that her
mistresse, to work her sorceries on such as shee loved, intended
the night following to transforme her selfe into a bird, and to fly
whither she pleased. Wherefore she willed me privily to prepare
my selfe to see the same. And when midnight came she led me
softly into a high chamber, and bid me look thorow the chink of a
doore : where first I saw how shee put off all her garments, and
took out of a certain coffer sundry kindes of Boxes, of the which
she opened one, and tempered the ointment therein with her
fingers, and then rubbed her body therewith from the sole of the
foot to the crowne of the head, and when she had spoken privily
with her selfe, having the candle in her hand, she shaked the parts
of her body, and behold, I perceived a plume of feathers did burgen
out, her nose waxed crooked and hard, her nailes turned into
clawes, and so she became an Owle. Then she cried and
screeched like a bird of that kinde, and willing to proove her force,
mooved her selfe from the ground by little and little, til at last she
flew quite away.

Thus by her sorcery shee transformed her body into what shape
she would. Which when I saw I was greatly astonied : and
although I was inchanted by no kind of charme, yet I thought that I
seemed not to have the likenesse of Lucius, for so was I banished
from my sences, amazed in madnesse, and so I dreamed waking,
that I felt myne eyes, whether I were asleepe or no. But when I
was come againe to my selfe, I tooke Fotis by the hand, and moved
it to my face and said, I pray thee while occasion doth serve, that I
may have the fruition of the fruits of my desire, and grant me some
of this oyntment. O Fotis I pray thee by thy sweet paps, to make
that in the great flames of my love I may be turned into a bird, so I
will ever hereafter be bound unto you, and obedient to your
commandement. Then said Fotis, Wil you go about to deceive me
now, and inforce me to work my own sorrow? Are you in the mind
that you will not tarry in Thessaly? If you be a bird, where shall I
seek you, and when shall I see you? Then answered I, God forbid
that I should commit such a crime, for though I could fly in the aire
as an Eagle or though I were the messenger of Jupiter, yet would I
have recourse to nest with thee : and I swear by the knot of thy
amiable hair, that since the time I first loved thee, I never fancied
any other person : moreover, this commeth to my minde, that if by
the vertue of the oyntment I shall become an Owle, I will take
heed I will come nigh no mans house : for I am not to learn, how
these matrons would handle their lovers, if they knew that they
were transformed into Owles : Moreover, when they are taken in
any place they are nayled upon posts, and so they are worthily
rewarded, because it is thought that they bring evill fortune to the
house. But I pray you (which I had almost forgotten) to tell me by
what meanes when I am an Owle, I shall return to my pristine
shape, and become Lucius againe. Feare not (quoth she) for my
mistres hath taught me the way to bring that to passe, neither thinke
you that she did it for any good will and favour, but to the end that I
might help her, and minister some remedy when she returneth
home.

Consider I pray you with your selfe, with what frivolous trifles so
marvellous a thing is wrought : for by Hercules I swear I give her
nothing else save a little Dill and Lawrell leaves, in Well water, the
which she drinketh and washeth her selfe withall. Which when she
had spoken she went into the chamber and took a box out of the
coffer, which I first kissed and embraced, and prayed that I might
[have] good successe in my purpose. And then I put off all my
garments, and greedily thrust my hand into the box, and took out a
good deale of oyntment and rubbed my selfe withall.