The Golden Asse eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 277 pages of information about The Golden Asse.

The Golden Asse eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 277 pages of information about The Golden Asse.

Which when she had said, they put off all their garments and refreshed themselves by the fire.  And after they were washed and noynted with oyle, they sate downe at the table garnished with all kind of dainty meats.  They were no sooner sate downe, but in came another company of yong men more in number than was before, who seemed likewise to bee Theeves, for they brought in their preyes of gold and silver, Plate, jewels, and rich robes, and when they had likewise washed, they sate among the rest, and served one another by order.  Then they drank and eat exceedingly, laughing, crying and making much noyse, that I thought that I was among the tyrannous and wilde Lapithes, Thebans, and Centaures.  At length one of them more valiant than the rest, spake in this sort, We verily have manfully conquered the house of Milo of Hippata, and beside all the riches and treasure which by force we have brought away, we are all come home safe, and are increased the more by this horse and this Asse.  But you that have roved about in the country of Boetia, have lost your valiante captaine Lamathus, whose life I more regarded than all the treasure which you have brought:  and therfore the memory of him shall bee renowned for ever amongst the most noble kings and valiant captains:  but you accustome when you goe abroad, like men with ganders hearts to creepe through every corner and hole for every trifle.  Then one of them that came last answered, Why are you only ignorant, that the greater the number is, the sooner they may rob and spoyle the house?  And although the family be dispersed in divers lodgings, yet every man had rather to defend his own life, than to save the riches of his master:  but when there be but a few theeves, then will they not only rather regard themselves, but also their substance, how little or great soever it be.  And to the intent you may beleeve me I will shew you an example:  wee were come nothing nigh to Thebes, where is the fountain of our art and science, but we learned where a rich Chuffe called Chriseros did dwell, who for fear of offices in the publique wel dissembled his estate, and lived sole and solitary in a small coat, howbeit replenished with aboundance of treasure, and went daily in ragged and torn apparel.  Wherefore wee devised with our selves to go to his house and spoyl him of all his riches.  And when night came we drew towards the dore, which was so strongly closed, that we could neither move it, nor lift it out of the hooks, and we thought it best not to break it open lest by the noyse we should raise up to our harm the neighbours by.  Then our strong and valiant captaine Lamathus trusting in his own strength and force, thrust in his had through a hole in the dore, and thought to pull back the bolt:  but the covetous caitif Chriseros being awake, and making no noise came softly to the dore and caught his hand and with a great naile nailed it fast to the post:  which when he had done, he ran up to the high chamber and called every one of his neighbours by name, desiring

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The Golden Asse from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.