How Apuleius by Roses and prayer returned to his humane shape.
When midnight came that I had slept my first sleepe, I awaked with
suddaine feare, and saw the Moone shining bright, as when shee is at
the full, and seeming as though she leaped out of the Sea. Then thought
I with my selfe, that was the most secret time, when the goddesse Ceres
had most puissance and force, considering that all humane things be
governed by her providence: and not onely all beasts private and tame,
but also all wild and savage beasts be under her protection. And
considering that all bodies in the heavens, the earth and the seas, be
by her increasing motions increased, and by her diminishing motions
diminished: as weary of all my cruell fortune and calamity, I found
good hope and soveraigne remedy, though it were very late, to be
delivered from all my misery, by invocation and prayer, to the
excellent beauty of the Goddesse, whom I saw shining before mine eyes,
wherefore shaking off mine Assie and drowsie sleepe, I arose with a
joyfull face, and mooved by a great affection to purifie my selfe, I
plunged my selfe seven times into the water of the Sea, which number of
seven is conveniable and agreeable to holy and divine things, as the
worthy and sage Philosopher Pythagoras hath declared. Then with a
weeping countenance, I made this Orison to the puissant Goddesse,
saying: O blessed Queene of heaven, whether thou be the Dame Ceres
which art the originall and motherly nource of all fruitfull things in
earth, who after the finding of thy daughter Proserpina, through the
great joy which thou diddest presently conceive, madest barraine and
unfruitfull ground to be plowed and sowne, and now thou inhabitest in
the land of Eleusie; or whether thou be the celestiall Venus, who in
the beginning of the world diddest couple together all kind of things
with an ingendered love, by an eternall propagation of humane kind, art
now worshipped within the Temples of the Ile Paphos, thou which art the
sister of the God Phoebus, who nourishest so many people by the
generation of beasts, and art now adored at the sacred places of
Ephesus, thou which art horrible Proserpina, by reason of the deadly
howlings which thou yeeldest, that hast power to stoppe and put away
the invasion of the hags and Ghoasts which appeare unto men, and to
keepe them downe in the closures of the earth: thou which art
worshipped in divers manners, and doest illuminate all the borders of
the earth by thy feminine shape, thou which nourishest all the fruits
of the world by thy vigor and force; with whatsoever name or fashion it
is lawfull to call upon thee, I pray thee, to end my great travaile and
misery, and deliver mee from the wretched fortune, which had so long
time pursued me. Grant peace and rest if it please thee to my
adversities, for I have endured too much labour and perill. Remoove
from me my shape of mine Asse, and render to me my pristine estate, and
if I have offended in any point of divine Majesty, let me rather dye
then live, for I am full weary of my life. When I had ended this
orison, and discovered my plaints to the Goddesse, I fortuned to fall
asleepe, and by and by appeared unto me a divine and venerable face,
worshipped even of the Gods themselves. Then by little and little I
seemed to see the whole figure of her body, mounting out of the sea and
standing before mee, wherefore I purpose to describe her divine
semblance, if the poverty of my humane speech will suffer me, or her
divine power give me eloquence thereto. First shee had a great
abundance of haire, dispersed and scattered about her neck, on the
crowne of her head she bare many garlands enterlaced with floures, in
the middle of her forehead was a compasse in fashion of a glasse, or
resembling the light of the Moone, in one of her hands she bare
serpents, in the other, blades of corne, her vestiment was of fine
silke yeelding divers colours, sometime yellow, sometime rosie,
sometime flamy, and sometime (which troubled my spirit sore) darke and
obscure, covered with a blacke robe in manner of a shield, and pleated
in most subtill fashion at the skirts of her garments, the welts
appeared comely, whereas here and there the starres glimpsed, and in
the middle of them was placed the Moone, which shone like a flame of
fire, round about the robe was a coronet or garland made with flowers
and fruits. In her right hand shee had a timbrell of brasse, which gave
a pleasant sound, in her left hand shee bare a cup of gold, out of the
mouth whereof the serpent Aspis lifted up his head, with a swelling
throat, her odoriferous feete were covered with shoes interlaced and
wrought with victorious palme. Thus the divine shape breathing out the
pleasant spice of fertill Arabia, disdained not with her divine voyce
to utter these words unto me: Behold Lucius I am come, thy weeping and
prayers hath mooved mee to succour thee. I am she that is the naturall
mother of all things, mistresse and governesse of all the Elements, the
initiall progeny of worlds, chiefe of powers divine, Queene of heaven!
the principall of the Gods celestiall, the light of the goddesses: at
my will the planets of the ayre, the wholesome winds of the Seas, and
the silences of hell be diposed; my name, my divinity is adored
throughout all the world in divers manners, in variable customes and in
many names, for the Phrygians call me the mother of the Gods: the
Athenians, Minerva: the Cyprians, Venus: the Candians, Diana: the
Sicilians Proserpina: the Eleusians, Ceres: some Juno, other Bellona,
other Hecate: and principally the Aethiopians which dwell in the
Orient, and the Aegyptians which are excellent in all kind of ancient
doctrine, and by their proper ceremonies accustome to worship mee, doe
call mee Queene Isis. Behold I am come to take pitty of thy fortune and
tribulation, behold I am present to favour and ayd thee, leave off thy
weeping and lamentation, put away all thy sorrow, for behold the
healthfull day which is ordained by my providence, therefore be ready
to attend to my commandement. This day which shall come after this
night, is dedicated to my service, by an eternall religion, my Priests
and Ministers doe accustome after the tempests of the Sea, be ceased,
to offer in my name a new ship as a first fruit of my Navigation. I
command thee not to prophane or despise the sacrifice in any wise, for
the great Priest shall carry this day following in procession by my
exhortation, a Garland of Roses, next the timbrell of his right hand:
follow thou my procession amongst the people, and when thou commest to
the Priest make as though thou wouldest kisse his hand, but snatch at
the Roses, whereby I will put away the skin and shape of an Asse, which
kind of beast I have long time abhorred and despised, but above all
things beware thou doubt not nor feare any of those things, as hard and
difficill to bee brought to passe, for in the same houre that I am come
to thee, I have commanded the Priest by a vision what he shall doe, and
all the people by my commandement shall be compelled to give thee place
and say nothing! Moreover, thinke not that amongst so faire and joyfull
Ceremonies, and in so good a company that any person shall abhorre thy
ill-favoured and deformed figure, or that any man shall be so hardy, as
to blame and reprove thy suddaine restoration to humane shape, wherby
they should gather or conceive any sinister opinion: and know thou this
of certaine, that the residue of thy life untill the houre of death
shall be bound and subject to me! And think it not an injury to be
alwayes serviceable towards me, since as by my meane and benefit thou
shalt become a man: thou shalt live blessed in this world, thou shalt
live glorious by my guide and protection, and when thou descendest to
Hell, where thou shalt see me shine in that subterene place, shining
(as thou seest me now) in the darkness of Acheron, and raigning in the
deepe profundity of Stix, thou shalt worship me, as one that hath bin
favourable to thee, and if I perceive that thou art obedient to my
commandement, addict to my religion, and merite my divine grace, know
thou, that I will prolong thy dales above the time that the fates have
appointed, and the celestial Planets ordeined.
When the divine Image had spoken these words, she vanished away! By and
by when I awaked, I arose, haveing the members of my bodie mixed with
feare, joy and sweate, and marvailed at the cleare presence of the
puissant goddesse, and being sprinkled with the water of the sea, I
recounted orderly her admonitions and divine commandements. Soone
after, the darknes chased away, and the cleare and golden sunne arose,
when as behold I saw the streets replenished with people going in a
religious sort and in great triumph. All things seemed that day to be
joyfull, as well all manner of beasts and houses, as also the very day
it selfe seemed to rejoyce. For after the hore-frost, ensued the hot
and temperat sun, whereby the little birds weening that the spring time
had bin come, did chirp and sing in their steven melodiously: the
mother of stars, the parent of times, and mistres of all the world: The
fruitfull trees rejoyced at their fertility: The barren and sterill
were contented at their shadow, rendering sweete and pleasant shrills!
The seas were quiet from winds and tempests: the heaven had chaced away
the clouds, and appeared faire and cleare with his proper light. Behold
then more and more appeared the pomps and processions, attired in
regall manner and singing joyfully: One was girded about the middle
like a man of armes: Another bare and spare, and had a cloake and
high-shooes like a hunter! another was attired in a robe of silke, and
socks of gold, having his haire laid out, and dressed in forme of a
woman! There was another ware legge-harnesse, and bare a target, a
sallet, and a speare like a martial souldier: after him marched one
attired in purple with vergers before him like a magistrate! after him
followed one with a maurell, a staffe, a paire of pantofles, and with a
gray beard, signifying a philosopher: after him went one with lime,
betokening a fowler, another with hookes declaring a fisher: I saw
there a meeke and tame beare, which in matron habite was carried on a
stoole: An Ape with a bonet on his head, and covered with lawne,
resemling a shepheard, and bearing a cup of gold in his hand: an Asse
which had wings glewed to his backe, and went after an old man, whereby
you would judge the one to be Pegasus, and the other Bellephoron.
Amongst the pleasures and popular delectations, which wandered hither
and thither, you might see the pompe of the goddesse triumphantly march
forward: The woman attired in white vestiments, and rejoicing, in that
they bare garlands and flowers upon their heads, bedspread the waies
with hearbes, which they bare in their aprons, where this regall and
devout procession should passe: Other caried glasses on their backes,
to testifie obeisance to the goddess which came after. Other bare combs
of Ivory, and declared by their gesture and motions of their armes,
that they were ordained and readie to dresse the goddesse: Others
dropped in the wayes as they went Balme and other pretious ointments:
Then came a great number, as well of men as women, with Candels,
torches, and other lights, doing honour to the celestiall goddesse:
After that sounded the musical harmony of instruments: then came a
faire companie of youth, apparelled in white vestiments, singing both
meter and verse, with a comely grade which some studious Poet had made
in honour of the Muses: In the meane season, arrived the blowers of
trumpets, which were dedicated unto Serapes, and to the temple before
them were officers and beadles, preparing roome for the goddess to
passe. Then came the great company of men and women, which had taken
divine orders, whose garments glistered all the streets over. The women
had their haire annointed and their heads covered with linnen: but the
men had their crownes shaven, which were the terrene stars of the
goddesse, holding in their hand instruments of brasse, silver and gold,
which rendered a pleasant sound.
The principall Priests which were apparelled with white surplesses
hanging downe to the ground, bare the relikes of the puissant goddesse.
One carried in his hand a light, not unlike to those which we used in
our houses, saving that in the middle thereof appeared a bole which
rendred a more bright flame. The second attired like the other bare in
his hand an Altar, which the goddesse her selfe named the succor of
nations. The third held a tree of palme with leaves of gold, and the
verge of Mercurie. The fourth shewed out a token of equitie by his left
hand, which was deformed in every place, signifiing thereby more
equitie then by the right hand. The same Priest carried a round vessell
of gold, in forme of a cap. The fifth bare a van, wrought with springs
of gold, and another carried a vessell for wine: By and by after the
goddesse followed a foot as men do, and specially Mercurie, the
messenger of the goddesse infernall and supernall, with his face
sometime blacke, sometime faire, lifting up the head of the dogges
Annubis, and bearing in his left hand, his verge, and in his right
hand, the branches of a palme tree, after whom followed a cow with an
upright gate, representing the figure of the great goddesse, and he
that guided her, marched on with much gravity. Another carried after
the secrets of their religion, closed in a coffer. There was one that
bare on his stomacke a figure of his god, not formed like any beast,
bird, savage thing or humane shape, but made by a new invention,
whereby was signified that such a religion should not be discovered or
revealed to any person. There was a vessel wrought with a round
bottome, haveing on the one side, pictures figured like unto the manner
of the Egyptians, and on the other side was an eare, whereupon stood
the Serpent Aspis, holding out his scaly necke. Finally, came he which
was appointed to my good fortun according to the promise of the
goddesse. For the great Priest which bare the restoration of my human
shape, by the commandement of the goddes, Approached more and more,
bearing in his left hand the timbrill, and in the other a garland of
Roses to give me, to the end I might be delivered from cruel fortune,
which was alwaies mine enemie, after the sufferance of so much
calamitie and paine, and after the endurance of so manie perilles: Then
I not returning hastilie, by reason of sodaine joye, lest I should
disturbe the quiet procession with mine importunitie, but going softly
through the prease of the people, which gave me place on every side,
went after the Priest. The priest being admonished the night before, as
I might well perceive stood still and holding out his hand, thrust out
the garland of roses into my mouth, I (trembling) devoured with a great
affection: And as soone as I had eaten them, I was not deceived of the
promise made unto me. For my deforme and Assie face abated, and first
the rugged haire of my body fell off, my thick skin waxed soft and
tender, the hooves of my feet changed into toes, my hands returned
againe, my neck grew short, my head and mouth began round, my long
eares were made little, my great and stonie teeth waxed lesse like the
teeth of men, and my tayle which combred me most, appeared no where:
then the people began to marvaile, and the religious honoured the
goddesse, for so evident a miracle, they wondered at the visions which
they saw in the night, and the facilitie of my reformation, whereby
they rendered testimonie of so great a benefit which I received of the
goddesse. When I saw my selfe in such estate, I stood still a good
space and said nothing, for I could not tell what to say, nor what word
I shoulde first speake, nor what thanks I should render to the
goddesse, but the great Priest understanding all my fortune and
miserie, by divine advertisement, commanded that one should give me
garments to cover me: Howbeit as soone as I was transformed from an
asse to my humane shape, I hid the privitie of my body with my hands as
shame and necessity compelled mee. Then one of the company put off his
upper robe and put it on my backe: which done, the Priest looked upon
me, with a sweete and benigne voice, gan say in this sort: O my friend
Lucius, after the endurance of so many labours, and the escape of so
many tempests of fortune, thou art at length come to the port and haven
of rest and mercy: neither did thy noble linage, thy dignity, thy
doctrine, or any thing prevaile, but that thou hast endured so many
servil pleasures, by a little folly of thy youthfullnes, whereby thou
hast had a sinister reward for thy unprosperous curiositie, but
howsoever the blindnes of fortune tormented thee in divers dangers: so
it is, that now unwares to her, thou art come to this present
felicitie: let fortune go, and fume with fury in another place, let her
finde some other matter to execute her cruelty, for fortune hath no
puissance against them which serve and honour our goddesse. For what
availed the theeves: the beasts savage: thy great servitude: the ill
and dangerous waits: the long passages: the feare of death every day?
Know thou, that now thou art safe, and under the protection of her, who
by her cleare light doth lighten the other gods: wherefore rejoyce and
take a convenable countenance to thy white habit, follow the pomp of
this devout and honorable procession, to the end that such which be not
devout to the Goddes, may see and acknowledge their errour. Behold
Lucius, thou art delivered from so great miseries, by the providence of
the goddesse Isis, rejoyce therefore and triumph of the victory of
fortune; to the end thou maist live more safe and sure, make thy selfe
one of this holy order, dedicate thy minde to the Obsequy of our
Religion, and take upon thee a voluntary yoake of ministrie: And when
thou beginnest to serve and honour the goddes, then thou shalt feele
the fruit of thy liberty: After that the great Priest had prophesied in
this manner, with often breathings, he made a conclusion of his words:
Then I went amongst the company of the rest and followed the
procession: everie one of the people knew me, and pointing at me with
their fingers, said in this sort: Behold him who is this day
transformed into a man by the puissance of the soveraigne goddesse,
verily he is blessed and most blessed that hath merited so great grace
from heaven, as by the innocencie of his former life, and as it were by
a new regeneration is reserved to the obsequie of the goddesse. In the
meane season by little and little we approached nigh unto the sea cost,
even to that place where I lay the night before being an Asse. There
after the images and reliques were orderly disposed, the great Priest
compassed about with divers pictures according to the fashion of the
Aegyptians, did dedicate and consecrate with certaine prayers a fair
ship made very cunningly, and purified the same with a torch, an egge,
and sulphur; the saile was of white linnen cloath, whereon was written
certaine letters, which testified the navigation to be prosperous, the
mast was of a great length, made of a Pine tree, round and very
excellent with a shining top, the cabin was covered over with coverings
of gold, and all the shippe was made of Citron tree very faire; then
all the people as well religious as prophane tooke a great number of
Vannes, replenished with odours and pleasant smells and threw them into
the sea mingled with milke, untill the ship was filled up with large
gifts and prosperous devotions, when as with a pleasant wind it
launched out into the deep. But when they had lost the sight of the
ship, every man caried againe that he brought, and went toward the
temple in like pompe and order as they came to the sea side. When we
were come to the temple, the great priest and those which were deputed
to carrie the divine figures, but especially those which had long time
bin worshippers of the religion, went into the secret chamber of the
goddesse, where they put and placed the images according to their
ordor. This done, one of the company which was a scribe or interpreter
of letters, who in forme of a preacher stood up in a chaire before the
place of the holy college, and began to reade out of a booke, and to
interpret to the great prince, the senate, and to all the noble order
of chivalry, and generally to all the Romane people, and to all such as
be under the jurisdiction of Rome, these words following (Laois
Aphesus) which signified the end of their divin service and that it was
lawfull for every man to depart, whereat all the people gave a great
showt, and replenished with much joy, bare all kind of hearbs and
garlands of flowers home to their houses, kissing and imbracing the
steps where the goddesse passed: howbeit I could not doe as the rest,
for my mind would not suffer me to depart one foot away, so attentiv
was I to behold the beauty of the goddesse, with remembrance of the
great miserie I had endured.