The Golden Asse

 Table of Contents

 The Life of Lucius Apuleius Briefly Described

 The Preface of the Author To His Sonne, Faustinus And unto the Readers of this Book

 The First Booke

 The First Chapter How Apuleius riding in Thessaly, fortuned to fall into company with two strangers, that reasoned together of the mighty power of Wit

 The Second Chapter How Apuleius told to the strangers, what he saw a jugler do in Athens.

 The Third Chapter How Socrates in his returne from Macedony to Larissa was spoyled and robbed, and how he fell acquainted with one Meroe a Witch.

 The Fourth Chapter How Meroe the Witch turned divers persons into miserable beasts.

 The Fifth Chapter How Socrates and Aristomenus slept together in one Chamber, and how they were handled by Witches.

 The Sixth Chapter How Apuleius came unto a city named Hipate, and was lodged in one Milos house, and brought him letters from one Demeas of Corinth.

 The Seventh Chapter How Apuleius going to buy fish, met with his companion Pythias.

 The Second Booke

 The Eighth Chapter How Apuleius fortuned to meet with his Cousin Byrrhena.

 The Ninth Chapter How Apuleius fell in love with Fotis.

 The Tenth Chapter How Byrrhena sent victuals unto Apuleius, and how hee talked with Milo of Diophanes, and how he lay with Fotis.

 The Eleventh Chapter How Apuleius supped with Byrrhena, and what a strange tale Bellephoron told at the table.

 The Third Booke

 The Twelfth Chapter How Apuleius was taken and put in prison for murther.

 The Thirteenth Chapter How Apuleius was accused by an old man, and how he answered for himselfe.

 The Fourteenth Chapter How Apuleius was accused by two women, and how the slaine bodies were found blowne bladders.

 The Fifteenth Chapter How Fotis told to Apuleius, what witchcraft her mistresse did use.

 The Sixteenth Chapter How Fotis brought Apuleius to see her Mistresse enchant.

 The Seventeenth Chapter How Apuleius thinking to be turned into a Bird, was turned into an Asse, and how he was led away by Theves.

 The Fourth Booke

 The Eighteenth Chapter How Apuleius thinking to eat Roses, was cruelly beaten by a Gardener, and chased by dogs.

 The Nineteenth Chapter How Apuleius was prevented of his purpose, and how the Theeves came to their den.

 The Twentieth Chapter How Thrasileon was disguised in a Beares skin, and how he was handled.

 The Twenty-First Chapter How the Theeves stole away a Gentlewoman, and brought her to their den.

 The Marriage of Cupid and Psyches

 The Twenty-Second Chapter The most pleasant and delectable tale of the marriage of Cupid and Psyches.

 The Sixth Booke

 The Twenty-Third Chapter How Apuleius carried away the Gentlewoman, and how they were taken againe by the theeves, and what a kind of death was invent

 The Seventh Booke

 The Twenty-Fourth Chapter How hee that was left behinde at Hippata did bring newes concerning the robbery of Miloes house, came home and declared to h

 The Twenty-Fifth Chapter How the death of the Asse, and the Gentlewoman was stayed.

 The Twenty-Sixth Chapter How all the Theeves were brought asleepe by their new companion.

 The Twenty-Seventh Chapter How the Gentlewoman was carried home by her husband while the theeves were asleepe, and how much Apuleius was made of.

 The Twenty-Eighth Chapter How Apuleius was made a common Asse to fetch home wood, and how he was handled by a boy.

 The Twenty-Ninth Chapter How Apuleius was accused of Lechery by the boy.

 The Thirtieth Chapter How the boy that lead Apuleius to the field, was slaine in the wood.

 The Thirty-First Chapter How Apuleius was cruelly beaten by the Mother of the boy that was slaine.

 The Eighth Booke

 The Thirty-Second Chapter How a young man came and declared the miserable death of Lepolemus and his wife Charites.

 The Thirty-Third Chapter How Apuleius was lead away by the Horsekeeper: and what danger he was in.

 The Thirty-Fourth Chapter How the shepheards determined to abide in a certaine wood to cure their wounds.

 The Thirty-Fifth Chapter How a woman killed her selfe and her child, because her husband haunted harlots.

 The Thirty-Sixth Chapter How Apuleius was cheapned by divers persons, and how they looked in his mouth to know his age.

 The Ninth Booke

 The Thirty-Seventh Chapter How Apuleius saved himselfe from the Cooke, breaking his halter, and of other things that happened.

 The Thirty-Eighth Chapter Of the deceipt of a Woman which made her husband Cuckold.

 The Thirty-Ninth Chapter How the Priests of the goddesse Siria were taken and put in prison, and how Apuleius was sold to a Baker.

 The Fortieth Chapter How Apuleius was handled by the Bakers wife, which was a harlot.

 The Forty-First Chapter How Barbarus being jealous over his wife, commanded that shee should be kept close in his house, and what happened.

 The Forty-Second Chapter How Apuleius after the Baker was hanged, was sold to a Gardener, and what dreadfull things happened.

 The Forty-Third Chapter How Apuleius was found by his shadow.

 The Tenth Booke

 The Forty-Fourth Chapter How the souldier drave Apuleius away, and how he came to a Captaines house, and what happened there.

 The Forty-Fifth Chapter How Apuleius was sold to two brethren, whereof one was a Baker, and the other a Cooke, and how finely and daintily he fared.

 The Forty-Sixth Chapter How a certaine Matron fell in love with Apuleius, how hee had his pleasure with her, and what other things happened.

 The Eleventh Booke

 The Forty-Seventh Chapter How Apuleius by Roses and prayer returned to his humane shape.

 The Forty-Eighth Chapter How the parents and friends of Apuleius heard news that he was alive and in health.

The Thirtieth Chapter

How the boy that lead Apuleius to the field, was slaine in the wood.

While I devised with my selfe in what manner I might end my life, the roperipe boy on the next morrow lead me to the same hill againe, and tied me to a bow of a great Oke, and in the meane season he tooke his hatchet and cut wood to load me withall, but behold there crept out of a cave by, a marvailous great Beare, holding out his mighty head, whom when I saw, I was sodainly stroken in feare, and (throwing all the strength of my body into my hinder heeles) lifted up my strained head and brake the halter, wherewith I was tied. Then there was no need to bid me runne away, for I scoured not only on foot, but tumbled over the stones and rocks with my body till I came into the open fields, to the intent I would escape from the terrible Beare, but especially from the boy that was worse than the Beare. Then a certaine stranger that passed by the way (espying me alone as a stray Asse) tooke me up and roade upon my backe, beating me with a staffe (which he bare in his hand) through a wide and unknowne lane, whereat I was nothing displeased, but willingly went forward to avoid the cruell paine of gelding, which the shepherds had ordained for me, but as for the stripes I was nothing moved, since I was accustomed to be beaten so every day. But evill fortune would not suffer me to continue in so good estate long: For the shepheards looking about for a Cow that they had lost (after they had sought in divers places) fortuned to come upon us unwares, who when they espied and knew me, they would have taken me by the halter, but he that rode upon my backe resisted them saying, O Lord masters, what intend you to do? Will you rob me? Then said the shepheards, What? thinkest thou we handle thee otherwise then thou deservest, which hast stollen away our Asse? Why dost thou not rather tell us where thou hast hidden the boy whom thou hast slaine? And therewithall they pulled him downe to the ground, beating him with their fists, and spurning him with their feete. Then he answered unto them saying, titathat he saw no manner of boy, but onely found the Asse loose and straying abroad, which he tooke up to the intent to have some reward for the finding of him and to restore him againe to his Master. And I would to God (quoth he) that this Asse (which verely was never seene) could speake as a man to give witnesse of mine innocency: Then would you be ashamed of the injury which you have done to me. Thus (reasoning for Himselfe) he nothing prevailed, for they tied the halter about my necke, and (maugre his face) pulled me quite away, and lead me backe againe through the woods of the hill to the place where the boy accustomed to resort. And after they could find him in no place, at length they found his body rent and torne in peeces, and his members dispersed in sundry places, which I well knew was done by the cruell Beare: and verely I would have told it if I might have spoken, but (which I could onely do) I greatly rejoiced at his death, although it came too late. Then they gathered together the peeces of his body and buried them. By and by they laid the fault to my new Master, that tooke me up by the way, and (bringing him home fast bound to their houses) purposed on the next morrow to accuse him of murther, and to lead him before the Justices to have judgement of death.