How Apuleius fell in love with Fotis.
When I was within the house I found my deare and sweet love Fotis
mincing of meat and making pottage for her master and mistresse, the
Cupboord was all set with wines, and I thought I smelled the savor of
some dainty meats: she had about her middle a white and clean apron,
and shee was girded about her body under the paps with a swathell of
red silke, and she stirred the pot and turned the meat with her fair
and white hands, in such sort that with stirring and turning the same,
her loynes and hips did likewise move and shake, which was in my mind a
comely sight to see.
These things when I saw I was halfe amazed, and stood musing with my
selfe, and my courage came then upon mee, which before was scant. And I
spake unto Fotis merrily and sayd, O Fotis how trimmely you can stirre
the pot, and how finely, with shaking your buttockes, you can make
pottage. O happy and twice happy is hee to whom you give leave and
licence but to touch you there. Then shee beeing likewise merrily
disposed, made answer, Depart I say, Miser from me, depart from my
fire, for if the flame thereof doe never so little blaze forth, it will
burne thee extreamely and none can extinguish the heat thereof but I
alone, who in stirring the pot and making the bed can so finely shake
my selfe. When she had sayd these words shee cast her eyes upon me and
laughed, but I did not depart from thence until such time as I had
viewed her in every point. But what should I speak of others, when as I
doe accustome abroad to marke the face and haire of every dame, and
afterwards delight my selfe therewith privately at home, and thereby
judge the residue of their shape, because the face is the principall
part of all the body, and is first open to our eyes. And whatsoever
flourishing and gorgeous apparell doth work and set forth in the
corporal parts of a woman, the same doth the naturall and comely beauty
set out in the face. Moreover there be divers, that to the intent to
shew their grace and feature, wil cast off their partlets, collars,
habiliments, fronts, cornets and krippins, and doe more delight to shew
the fairnesse of their skinne, than to deck themselves up in gold and
pretious stones. But because it is a crime unto me to say so, and to
give no example thereof, know ye, that if you spoyle and cut the haire
of any woman or deprive her of the colour of her face, though shee were
never so excellent in beauty, though shee were throwne downe from
heaven, sprung of the Seas, nourished of the flouds, though shee were
Venus her selfe, though shee were waited upon by all the Court of
Cupid, though were girded with her beautifull skarfe of Love, and
though shee smelled of perfumes and musks, yet if shee appeared bald,
shee could in no wise please, no not her owne Vulcanus.
O how well doth a faire colour and a shining face agree with glittering
hair! Behold, it encountreth with the beams of the Sunne, and pleaseth
the eye marvellously. Sometimes the beauty of the haire resembleth the
colour of gold and honey, sometimes the blew plumes and azured feathers
about the neckes of Doves, especially when it is either anointed with
the gumme of Arabia, or trimmely tuft out with the teeth of a fine
combe, which if it be tyed up in the pole of the necke, it seemeth to
the lover that beholdeth the same, as a glasse that yeeldeth forth a
more pleasant and gracious comelinesse than if it should be sparsed
abroad on the shoulders of the woman, or hang down scattering behind.
Finally there is such a dignity in the haire, that whatsoever shee be,
though she be never to bravely attyred with gold, silks, pretious
stones, and other rich and gorgeous ornaments, yet if her hair be not
curiously set forth shee cannot seeme faire. But in my Fotis, her
garments unbrast and unlaste increased her beauty, her haire hanged
about her shoulders, and was dispersed abroad upon her partlet, and in
every part of her necke, howbeit the greater part was trussed upon her
pole with a lace. Then I unable to sustain the broiling heat that I was
in, ran upon her and kissed the place where she had thus laid her
haire. Whereat she turned her face, and cast her rolling eyes upon me,
saying, O Scholler, thou hast tasted now both hony and gall, take heed
that thy pleasure do not turn unto repentance. Tush (quoth I) my sweet
heart, I am contented for such another kiss to be broiled here upon
this fire, wherwithall I embraced and kissed her more often, and shee
embraced and kissed me likewise, and moreover her breath smelled like
Cinnamon, and the liquor of her tongue was like unto sweet Nectar,
wherewith when my mind was greatly delighted I sayd, Behold Fotis I am
yours, and shall presently dye unlesse you take pitty upon me. Which
when I had said she eftsoone kissed me, and bid me be of good courage,
and I will (quoth shee) satisfie your whole desire, and it shall be no
longer delayed than until night, when as assure your selfe I will come
and lie with you; wherfore go your wayes and prepare your selfe, for I
intend valiantly and couragiously to encounter with you this night.
Thus when we had lovingly talked and reasoned together, we departed for
that time.