How Apuleius told to the strangers, what he saw a jugler do in Athens.
The other night being at supper with a sort of hungry fellowes, while I
did greedily put a great morsel of meate in my mouth, that was fried
with the flower of cheese and barley, it cleaved so fast in the passage
of my throat and stopped my winde in such sort that I was well nigh
choked. And yet at Athens before the porch there called Peale, I saw
with these eyes a jugler that swallowed up a two hand sword, with a
very keene edge, and by and by for a little money that we who looked on
gave him, hee devoured a chasing speare with the point downeward. And
after that hee had conveyed the whole speare within the closure of his
body, and brought it out againe behind, there appeared on the top
thereof (which caused us all to marvell) a faire boy pleasant and
nimble, winding and turning himself in such sort, that you would
suppose he had neither bone nor gristle, and verily thinke that he were
the naturall Serpent, creeping and sliding on the knotted staffe, which
the god of Medicine is feigned to beare. But turning me to him that
began his tale, I pray you (quoth I) follow your purpose, and I alone
will give credit unto you, and for your paynes will pay your charges at
the next Inne we come unto. To whom he answered Certes sir I thank you
for your gentle offer, and at your request I wil proceed in my tale,
but first I will sweare unto you by the light of this Sunne that
shineth here, that those things shall be true, least when you come to
the next city called Thessaly, you should doubt any thing of that which
is rife in the mouthes of every person, and done before the face of all
men. And that I may first make relation to you, what and who I am, and
whither I go, and for what purpose, know you that I am of Egin,
travelling these countries about from Thessaly to Etolia, and from
Etolia to Boetia, to provide for honey, cheese, and other victuals to
sell againe: and understanding that at Hippata (which is the principall
city of all Thessaly), is accustomed to be soulde new cheeses of
exceeding good taste and relish, I fortuned on a day to go thither, to
make my market there: but as it often happeneth, I came in an evill
houre; for one Lupus a purveyor had bought and ingrossed up all the day
before, and so I was deceived.
Wherefore towards night being very weary, I went to the Baines to
refresh my selfe, and behold, I fortuned to espy my companion Socrates
sitting upon the ground, covered with a torn and course mantle; who was
so meigre and of so sallow and miserable a countenance, that I scantly
knew him: for fortune had brought him into such estate and calamity,
that he verily seemed as a common begger that standeth in the streets
to crave the benevolence of the passers by. Towards whom (howbeit he
was my singular friend and familiar acquaintance, yet half in despaire)
I drew nigh and said, Alas my Socrates, what meaneth this? how faireth
it with thee? What crime hast thou committed? verily there is great
lamentation and weeping for thee at home: Thy children are in ward by
decree of the Provinciall Judge: Thy wife (having ended her mourning
time in lamentable wise, with face and visage blubbered with teares, in
such sort that she hath well nigh wept out both her eyes) is
constrained by her parents to put out of remembrance the unfortunate
losse and lacke of thee at home, and against her will to take a new
husband. And dost thou live here as a ghost or hogge, to our great
shame and ignominy?
Then he answered he to me and said, O my friend Aristomenus, now
perceive I well that you are ignorant of the whirling changes, the
unstable forces, and slippery inconstancy of Fortune: and therewithall
he covered his face (even then blushing for very shame) with his rugged
mantle insomuch that from his navel downwards he appeared all naked.
But I not willing to see him any longer in such great miserie and
calamitie, took him by the hand and lifted him up from the ground: who
having his face covered in such sort, Let Fortune (quoth he) triumph
yet more, let her have her sway, and finish that which shee hath begun.
And therewithall I put off one of my garments and covered him, and
immediately I brought him to the Baine, and caused him to be anointed,
wiped, and the filthy scurfe of his body to be rubbed away; which done,
though I were very weary my selfe, yet I led the poore miser to my
Inne, where he reposed his body upon a bed, and then I brought him meat
and drinke, and so wee talked together: for there we might be merry and
laugh at our pleasure, and so we were, untill such time as he (fetching
a pittifull sigh from the bottom of his heart, and beating his face in
miserable sort), began to say.