how happily the soul might live apart from it. She having no love of
dispute had always seemed to acquiesce in his philosophical opinions; he
now therefore believed that he should have no difficulty in persuading
her to follow his example, and discard this useless appendage.
When he arrived at home, he was, from habit, about to knock at the door;
but endeavouring to raise what seemed to him a hand and arm, and seeing,
to his surprise, that no hand or arm resulted from the supposed effort,
he remembered his new condition, and was at a loss in what manner to
procure entrance into his house. He called many times, but was not
heard; and to his perplexity now first discovered that the immortal soul
by itself cannot knock at a door. He thought that the god ought to have
remedied this defect, and that as he had made him a false speech and
hearing, by the same art he ought to have invented some fiction, by
which he might have gained an entrance into his own house. It then
occurred to him that the arm which he had just discarded was the very
instrument that he was in need of, and a sudden apprehension crossed his
mind that he had acted rashly. From this difficulty he was relieved by
pressing against the door, and finding that he passed through it as if
it had been air. Delighted and re-assured by this exploit, he tried
himself against two or three other doors, which also offered no
opposition, and he stood in his wife's apartment. She was quite ignorant
of his presence: he passed before her face, and she took no notice of
him; till having amused himself for a short time in watching her, he
pronounced her name aloud. She started, and looked round the room
without answering: he stood close to her, and again uttered her name,
when in great astonishment she said, "Aristus, is that you?"
"Yes, certainly; do not you know my voice?"
"Where are you?"
"Here, in this room, close to you; my hand is on your shoulder. Though,
indeed, I cannot properly call it my hand, because I no longer have
one, but that sensation of a hand which I retain is now placed on your
shoulder."
"The sensation of a hand!" she exclaimed; "what can this mean? You must
have been learning some juggling arts, by which you make your voice seem
so near to me. But pray come into the room."
"My dearest wife, cannot you believe me? I am now in the room with you.
My soul, my intellect, all the faculties of my mind are by your side at
this moment; as for the body, arms, and legs, which you have been
accustomed to call Aristus, I know not what is become of them."
Aristus, perceiving that this explanation of his circumstances was not
quite intelligible to Cleopatra, at length relieved her astonishment by
relating to her his conversation with the image, and the change which it
had so kindly effected in him. His wife would have believed this
wonderful tale to be merely a pleasantry of her husband's, had she not
been convinced of its truth by his being invisible. She looked all
round, and could see nothing; the voice was certainly close to her; and
when she heard the air telling her this story she could not refuse to
believe that something unusual had occurred.
She did not at first understand that her husband was to pass all his
life in this condition, but imagined that he had merely gained a
privilege of making himself invisible at pleasure; and in this belief
she said to him, "The Image has certainly taught you an excellent trick;
but as I have now had a proof of it, pray let me see you come to
yourself again."
"What do you mean by coming to myself?"
"Why, making visible the body that you now contrive to hide?"
"Do you believe, then, that my body is here in concealment?"
"I do not understand how you can be here without it."
"Have I not already explained to you that my body is no longer a part of
me? Though it is away I am present; that is to say, my judgment, my
imagination, my memory, are here in person."
"Where are they? I cannot see them."
"No, they are not things to be looked at, but to be reasoned about."
"What! shall I never see you again, and shall I only reason about you in
future?"
"You will never again see those paltry limbs in which I formerly went
about; but me you will have with you still, that is, my reason, my ----"
"Oh, Aristus! what have you done?"
"Surely you do not regret what I have done. I have attained to that pure
and exalted condition which is natural to me,--I have become a genuine
mind, and shall pass the rest of my days in free contemplation. But this
is not all, I have happy tidings for you; the household god, at my
entreaty, has consented to extricate you also from your body. You have
only to repair to the sea, and as soon as you have sprinkled a little
salt water in your face, and repeated a word, which I will teach you,
your body will release you, and you will see it crumble away. Let us
immediately go to the sea, and practise this enchantment."
"Indeed if I thought water would have such an effect I would never wash
my face again."
"You do not seriously mean to be so perverse as to neglect this
opportunity of quitting your body."
"Really I do not understand what is the advantage of being without a
body."
"Have I not often explained to you that the mind by being disengaged
from the limbs is able to think with all its natural vigour?"
"My limbs do not prevent me from thinking: I have now as many thoughts
as I desire, and do not wish to lose so much as a finger."
"I am grieved that you are unable to value the blessing offered you.
Consider the glorious life we shall enjoy, when together with our bodies
we shall have laid aside our infirmities. We shall undoubtedly soon
become the two wisest persons upon earth, we shall attain to
contemplations hitherto beyond the reach of mortal reason, and shall
every day make fresh discoveries in nature."
"One of us is sufficient for all this: you can make discoveries while I
stay in my body, and then you can tell me what you have found."
"And do you imagine that you, a composition of dust, will be able to
comprehend the conceptions of a pure spirit?"
"I must be content, then, with as many of them as are suitable to my
capacity."
Aristus was greatly mortified by this obstinacy of his wife; and being
determined to enforce his advice, he turned towards her, as he imagined,
with a look not to be disputed, but suddenly remembered that he had no
longer a face to be stern with, and that this invisible anger could have
but little efficacy. Finding, therefore, that his wife began already to
have less veneration for him, now that he was out of sight, he became
more than ever desirous of obtaining the resignation of her body, and
continued to remonstrate against her perverseness. She persisted,
however, in refusing the release that he offered, and also reproached
him with his folly, lamenting her loss very bitterly, and declaring that
nothing could reconcile her to the change of his character.
Aristus endeavoured to prove to her that his efficacy was not at all
diminished, the mind constituting a rational creature, and the body
being an insignificant addition. While he was thus labouring to
vindicate himself, a friend of his, named Polemo, entered the room, and
inquired whether Aristus was at home.
"Oh, Polemo!" exclaimed Cleopatra, weeping vehemently, "you are come to
receive sad intelligence of your friend: you will never see him again."
Polemo, supposing him to be dead, expressed the greatest sorrow, and
asked what disease or accident had caused this unexpected calamity.
"Aristus can best relate his misfortune to you himself," answered
Cleopatra; "for I scarcely understand what has happened to him."
"Is my friend then still alive?" inquired Polemo eagerly.
"He is; but you can never again look upon him."
"What can you mean? I conjure you to explain what has occurred."
"Oh, Polemo! one of our household gods has taken away Aristus's body
from him. But ask him to tell you what has happened, for he is now in
the room."
"Now in the room! and without his body! Really, if it were not for your
tears, I should suppose you were jesting. Perhaps there may be some
pleasant raillery in all this, but I confess I am too dull to understand
it."
"Why do not you speak," said Cleopatra, addressing herself to the air,
"and explain this mystery?"
Aristus having thus long suffered his friend's perplexity to continue,
at length declared himself by saying,--
"It is true that I am now in the room and apart from my body, but I know
you will not regard my separation as a calamity."
Polemo was in great astonishment when these words spoke themselves close
to him. He knew the voice to be his friend's, and looking round
endeavoured to find him, till Aristus related to him the whole
adventure, and the circumstances in which he now found himself, saying
to him at the conclusion of his story,--
"You have come fortunately, my friend, to assist me in persuading my
wife to her duty. I have prevailed on the god to grant that by
sprinkling her face, and by the magical word, she shall be let loose as
I was, but (would you believe it?) she determines to remain shut up in
her body, and in spite of the fidelity and love which I have a right to
expect from her, she positively refuses to resemble me."
"Indeed, my friend," answered Polemo, "I think you very unreasonable in
expecting that she should submit to such a change. She is certainly
obliged as a wife to be faithful and kind, but it does not seem to me
that as a wife she is obliged to be air whenever you may think fit to
desire it."
"But is she not acting contrary to her own happiness in refusing such an
opportunity?"
"Why, perhaps she has not, like you, felt the hardship of a body, but
having passed many years in hers very comfortably, has no reason for
desiring to break out of it. Not only do I commend her prudence, but I
believe that you even, philosopher as you are, will soon repent of
having allowed yourself to be thus despoiled; and I earnestly advise you
to repair instantly to this household god which takes away men's bodies,
and entreat that it will again let you into the human frame, which you
have so unadvisedly abandoned; that is, if it has not quite decayed
since your desertion of it, but can still be repaired so as to be
habitable."
"That, I rejoice to say, is impossible," answered Aristus: "my body is
gone--quite annulled--I saw it abolished. But even if there were still a
frame fit for my reception, do you imagine, that after having once
escaped from that carcass I shall ever suffer myself to be inveigled
into it again?"
"And pray what advantages have you gained by being shut out?"
"I have gained the power of passing my life in uninterrupted thought,
the proper employment of the human mind."
"But why could not you think in your body? I do not understand why your
limbs should interfere with your studies. When I wish to think I never
find that my arm interrupts me, or that my leg breaks in upon my
meditations."
"Nor did his body interrupt him," exclaimed Cleopatra: "I have seen him
sit in it and think for hours together without any one of his limbs
molesting him."
"Indeed," replied Polemo, "I think he had as much time for contemplation
as a man moderately thoughtful could wish."
"But," said Aristus, "what an addition is now made to my life! for I
shall not lose a moment of time in any of those duties which the body
exacts. I am no longer required to eat, drink, or sleep."
"You have to rejoice, then, in being quite exempt from pleasure," said
Polemo.
"Entirely so."
"I hope you may find this immunity as delightful as you expect," said
his friend; "but I cannot help fearing that you will soon begin to look
back with regret on those bodily employments by which you tell me you
have been so much persecuted; some of them seem to me very pleasant."
"You would not suppose me likely to feel much regret if you knew what
satisfaction and alacrity I now find from being at large, and with what
compassion I regard you, when I see you encumbered by all those useless
limbs."
"I can carry them without any inconvenience, and in my turn I lament
that you should go about nothing but voice, and talk out of the air in
that ridiculous manner."
"You will envy my condition when you hear of my discoveries in
philosophy, and the wisdom and renown which I shall attain. From the
elevation of thought, which I feel already, I have no doubt that my
progress in study will be very rapid, and that I shall soon have things
to impart to you much too sublime to have been discovered within a
body."
After some further conversation Polemo took his leave, having promised
to return soon, that he might learn the discoveries which Aristus should
have made.
Cleopatra, being now left alone with the voice, which she was henceforth
to regard as Aristus, remained silent, and plainly showed by her
dejected countenance that she did not consider this sound as equivalent
to a husband; while Aristus, in suggesting arguments to console her,
felt himself very insignificant, and was conscious that he greatly
wanted personal advantages. The remainder of the day having passed in
melancholy conversation, and the hour of rest being arrived, he said,
"We must now part, for the immortal soul does not lie in bed: your body
insists upon sleep, but I, being intellect, am no longer liable to any
such infirmity. While you and your body are asleep, I shall be engaged
in meditation, and you see, therefore, how many valuable hours I have
rescued."
Cleopatra retired alone, not a little indignant that this meditation
should have supplanted her in her husband's affections, while he left
the house and glided forth to pass the night in contemplation, as he
said. The moon was bright, and the night calm and beautiful. He sat down
on the sea-shore, and betook himself to the consideration of several
philosophical subjects, being very desirous of arriving at some happy
thought, which might justify him to his friend. He had been persuaded
that as soon as he was reduced to pure intellect he should be put in
possession of extraordinary powers, and that whenever he applied himself
to thinking, some great revelation would be made to him. He now,
therefore, sat waiting for these new thoughts; but though he revolved
one subject after another, on which he desired to gain information, to
his great disappointment his meditations did not seem to him more
profound than when he had been detained in a body.
After some hours, he was weary of these studies, by which he was
surprised, having always imagined that the soul was not liable to
fatigue, and having always laid to the charge of his body all the
weariness that he had felt. Finding, however, that he was not the
indefatigable intellect which he had expected to be, he returned home
without having acquired any information except that it was a fine
night. On arriving at home, he entered his wife's chamber, and sat down
by her bed. She was asleep, and appeared very beautiful to him, and he
could not refrain from stooping to kiss her, forgetting how incapable of
such an enterprise he was become. On reaching her face he endeavoured to
press what he considered his lips against hers, and finding that no
intercourse ensued, was reminded of the deception. Being distressed that
all endearments were unattainable, he continued to gaze upon her,
acknowledging to himself that she was a beautiful woman, and beginning
to doubt whether he had done right. But he suddenly checked himself with
the consideration that he was now a pure soul, and as such, could not
possibly be affected by female beauty.
Aristus had several young children, and the next morning Cleopatra
endeavoured to explain to them the change that had taken place in their
father. This, however, she was unable to make them comprehend: they were
never to see him again, they were told, yet he was still with them, and
by what means he had been put out of sight was a mystery beyond their
understanding. That figure which they had been used to consider as their
father having vanished, they wondered how any remainder of him could be
left, and were much perplexed by hearing that he had been divided into
two. In vain their mother tried to explain to them that the body might
be gone, and the mind remain at home; this was a distinction that they
could not reach.
Aristus remained silent while his wife thus endeavoured to explain him
to the children; but finding himself too abstruse for their
understanding, in order to make his condition more intelligible, he
spoke to them. They were at first terrified by this mysterious voice,
and could hardly be prevented from running away; but hearing it solemnly
assure them that it was their father, and had no design of hurting them,
they took courage, and were then greatly amused to find how their father
had hid himself,--they laughed violently whenever he spoke, and seemed
to be delighted with the novelty. It was not long before Aristus found
that the order and obedience of the family were likely to be much
disturbed by his concealment. His wife being of a gentle temper had left
to him all the duty of command, and never claimed much authority to
herself; but now his influence was much lessened by his new singularity,
and the household was soon in great want of control. He endeavoured to
admonish and instruct his children as before, but the same obedience did
not ensue. They had been accustomed to follow without hesitation the
advice which came from a peremptory countenance; but now the advice
which came out of the air made very little impression upon them. His
positive commands were broken, and the lessons he enjoined were not
learned. Their mother attempted to persuade them of the duty they owed
to the voice which was going about the house, and which she affirmed was
still their father; but her expostulations could procure no obedience to
the venerable sound, and it was disobeyed every hour. In this revolt,
Aristus having nothing but a voice to govern with made trial of all its
tones, but still without success. Sometimes he remonstrated gravely, and
at other times was provoked into very loud invectives. When the voice
grew choleric the children were amused; they practised tricks to incense
it, and laughed immoderately whenever the air began to exclaim. On one
occasion, Aristus being exasperated beyond forbearance against his
eldest boy, and forgetting how incapable of revenge he was become,
attempted to inflict on him a severe blow; but the offender sitting
quite insensible of the admonition which had been aimed at him, Aristus
was obliged to confess that the mind, notwithstanding all its great
endowments, cannot chastise a child without the aid of an arm.
Aristus had not lived long in this unusual condition before he began to
look back with regret upon the domestic happiness which he had enjoyed
in his body. He had relinquished all his pleasures, and had not found
those improvements in wisdom which he had expected. At first he had
been pleased by the novelty of his condition, the miracle of being
invisible, and the privilege of passing through a wall as if it were
air, but when he was accustomed to these ways he no longer found any
amusement in them, and pierced a wall without the least satisfaction.
When all mankind retired to sleep he sighed for that sweet rest and
forgetfulness, in exchange for which he had to pass his nights in a
dreary wandering.
He would now have most gladly subjected himself again to eating,
sleeping, and all such ignominious practices, in his exemption from
which he had at first so much exulted. When he saw any poor squalid
wretch, he thought of the happiness he enjoyed by being settled in a
body, and he could not look at an arm or leg, however withered and
crooked, without envying the proprietor of it.
He had frequent visits from his friend Polemo, who always inquired what
discoveries he had been making, and entreated him not to do so great an
injury to mankind as to keep them secret. To which Aristus answered that
he had indeed discovered many wonderful things, but since they were all
far too sublime to be comprehended by any person covered up in a body,
it would be useless to endeavour to explain them to Polemo; but if by
any means he could clear his mind from the limbs which obscured it he
would freely impart to him all his new acquirements. He had also to
contend against the visits and inquiries of all his friends; for the
news being soon spread that the mind of Aristus was loose from his body,
all were seized with a curiosity to know how a mind could live in such
circumstances. For several days, therefore, his house was crowded with
visiters, all desirous of hearing the mind speak.
They entreated Aristus to speak first in one place, then in another, and
to move about and talk in every corner of the room, that they might be
convinced he was not a deception.
Aristus continued to verify himself in this manner till his patience was
quite exhausted by the incredulity of his friends; some of whom he could
hardly persuade to believe in him by all the proofs that he could
furnish. He was perplexed, too, by their innumerable questions: they
wanted to be informed whether he had been cold when he was first
stripped, what were his sensations, by what contrivance he moved himself
about, and what invention had enabled him to talk without a tongue. Many
other such inquiries were made, which Aristus answered as favourably to
his own condition as he could.
He was chiefly incensed that all his friends regarded this event as a
great misfortune to him. In vain he endeavoured to undeceive them, and
to explain the happiness he was enjoying--they persisted in pitying him;
and he saw that they thought he had committed a great folly in
abandoning his comfortable body.
At length being quite overcome by his numberless vexations he resolved
to implore the household god that it would revoke what it had done for
him, and admit him again into his old frame if it were still fit for his
reception. Repairing, therefore, to the image, he entreated very
earnestly that his body might be restored to him. But to this request
the little figure remained as insensible as any other piece of wood. He
therefore repeated the prayer, and uttered a mournful narrative of his
sufferings, which, however, failed to extort any answer from the god.
This hope being disappointed, Aristus became every day more miserable,
till as he was walking on a cliff near the sea, and considering his
several vexations, he suddenly determined to destroy himself by leaping
from the cliff, as the only remedy of his afflictions. First, therefore,
turning round he surveyed his native country as for the last time, after
which he confronted the precipice, and having completed all his
preparations, sprung desperately into the air. He felt himself falling,
and expected every moment to be dashed to pieces, till finding that he
had suddenly stopped, and looking round to discover the cause, he
perceived that he was impeded by the earth, at which he had arrived, and
on which he was now safely standing. He looked up, the rock was above
him, and finding that he had attained the bottom of it without any
success, he discovered what in the distraction of his thoughts had never
occurred to him, that in order to be killed from a precipice a body is
necessary. He began to consider, too, that he was equally unable to
practise against himself any of the other arts of dying. A dagger would
in his case prove as futile as a precipice; he was also disqualified for
being hanged or drowned; there was no drug of sufficient skill to
benefit him, and thus in dismay he remembered his perfect security. Not
having, therefore, received the comfort that he had hoped by his fall
from the rock, he had no expedient left but to return home. Day after
day passed without any diminution of his misery, the ridicule of his
friends and the discontent of his wife continuing.