The Works of Apuleius (Golden Ass, God of Socrates, Florida, On the Doctrines of Plato)

at the extreme, blade-first, and afterwards, for a small fee, bury the hunter's spear deep in his entrails, with the sharp end pointed downward. And, wondrous to tell! Behind the iron head of the spear, where the handle of the embedded weaponWe follow the Delphin editor, who correctly replaces inversi (inverted) with immersi (immersed). passed up the throatThe term ingluviem (gullet) is preferable here to inguen (groin). toward the back of the head, a beautiful boy climbed up, wriggling and twisting himself as if he had been without sinew or bone in his body, to the admiration of all of us present. You would have said it was the noble serpent clinging with its slippery coils to the knotted staff that the God of MedicineA reference to the rod of Asclepius, which is entwined by a snake. carries. But you, who began the story, be good enough to repeat it again, I pray you. I will believe you, even if he will not, and will invite you to dinner at the first inn we reach. I propose this as your reward.”

“I gratefully decline your offer,”The Latin aequi bonique facio is a polite form of thanks that implies a refusal, similar to the French merci. he replied, “but I will begin my story again. And, in the first place, I will swear to you by that sun, the all-seeing god, that what I relate I know by experience to be true. You will no longer doubt it when you reach the next city in Thessaly, for there the story is in everyone’s mouth, as it concerns matters that took place publicly. But, so that you may first know who I am, where I am from, and how I earn my living, listen to my narrative.”

FIRST EPISODE.

TALE OF ARISTOMENES, THE COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER.

“I am a native of Aegina, and I travel back and forth through Thessaly, Aetolia, and Boeotia to purchase honey from Hypata, as well as cheese and other trade goods.