The metamorphosis, or golden ass, and philosophical works, of Apuleius [A. on the God of Socrates; A. on the habitude of the doctrines of Plato] / Translated from the original Latin, by Thomas Taylor.

  • Apuleius
Date:
1822
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The metamorphosis, or golden ass, and philosophical works, of Apuleius [A. on the God of Socrates; A. on the habitude of the doctrines of Plato] / Translated from the original Latin, by Thomas Taylor. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    only her lover into a beaver, who had by force debauched another woman ; because that beast, fearing lest it should be taken, frees itself from the hunter that pursues it, by the abscission of its testicles ; in order that the same thing might happen to her lover, in consequence of his having been connected with another female. She likewise changed into a frog an innkeeper, who was her neighbour, and of whom she was on that account envious ; and now that old man, swimming in a tub of his own wine, and merged in the dregs of it, calls on his ancient guests with a hoarse and courteously croaking voice. “ She likewise changed one of the advocates of the court, because he had declaimed against her, into a ram; and now that ram pleads causes. The same sorceress also condemned to perpetual pregnancy the wife of her lover, who was now parturient, by closing her womb, and retarding the egress of the infant, because she had reviled her somewhat severely. And, according to the computa- tion of all men, the belly of the miserable woman has been distended for the space of eight years, as if she was about to be delivered of an elephant. As this [unfortunate] woman, however, and many others, had been frequently injured by her arts, the public indigna- tion was excited against her; and it was decreed, that on the following day she should be severely punished, by being stoned to death. But she frustrated this design by the power of her enchantments. And as Medea, having obtained by entreaty from Creon the space of one day, [prior to her,departure] burnt the whole of his palace, and also his daughter, together with the old man, with coronal flames [or flames at the top of the head]1; thus, likewise, this sorceress, having performed certain 1 When Jason, having repudiated Medea, intended to have led away his wife Glauca, or, according to some authors, Creusa, the daughter of Creon, king of Corinth, Medea having obtained from Creon the space of one day, in order that she might prepare, as she said, for her departure, burnt the palace, together with Creon and the bride. See Seneca, in his Medea; Diodorus, Plinv, and Ilyginus.
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