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.