He still continu’d looking on the ground,
    Nor more, at this had rais’d his guilty head,
    Than th’ drooping poppy on its tender stalk.

Nor when I had done, did I less repent of my ridiculous passion, and with a conscious blush, began to think, how unaccountable it was, that forgetting all shame, I shou’d contend with that part of me, that all men of sence, reckon not worth their thoughts.  A little after, relapsing to my former humour:  But what’s the crime, began I, if by a natural complaint I was eas’d of my grief? or how is it, that we blame our stomachs or bellies, when ’tis our heads that are distemper’d?  Did not Ulysses beat his breast, as if that had disturb’d him?  And don’t we see the actors punish their eyes, as if they heard the tragick scene?  Those that have the gout in their legs, swear at them; Those that have it in their fingers, do so by them:  Those that have sore eyes, are angry with their eyes.

    Why do the strickt-liv’d Cato’s of the age,
    At my familiar lines so gravely rage? 
    In measures loosly plain, blunt satyr flows,
    And all the people so sincerely shows. 
    For whose a stranger to the joys of love? 
    Who, can’t the thoughts of such lost pleasures move? 
    Such Epicurus own’d the chiefest bliss,
    And such lives the gods themselves possess.

There’s nothing more deceitful than a ridiculous opinion, nor more ridiculous, than an affected gravity.  After this, I call’d Gito to me; and “tell me,” said I, “but sincerely, whether Ascyltos, when he took you from me, pursu’d the injury that night, or was chastly content to lye alone?” The boy with his finger at his eyes, took a solemn oath, that he had no incivility offer’d him by Ascyltos.

This drove me to my wits end, nor did I well know what to say:  For why, I consider’d, shou’d I think of the twice mischievous accident that lately befell me?  At last, I did what I cou’d to recover my vigour:  and willing to invoke the assistance of the gods, I went out to pay my devotions to Priapus, and as wretched as I was, did not despair, but kneeling at the entry of the chamber, thus beseecht the god: 

   “Bacchus and Nymphs delight, O mighty God! 
    Whom Cynthia gave to rule the blooming wood. 
    Lesbos and verdant Thasos thee adore,
    And Lydians, in loose flowing dress implore,
    And raise devoted temples to thy power. 
    Thou Dryad’s joy, and Bacchus’s guardian, hear
    My conscious prayer, with an attentive ear. 
    My hands with guiltless blood I never stain’d,
    Or sacrilegiously the gods prophan’d. 
    To feeble me, restoring blessings send,
    I did not thee, with my whole self offend. 
    Who sins thro’ weakness is less guilty thought,
    Be pacify’d, and spare a venial fault. 
    On me, when smiling fate shall smiling gifts bestow,
    I’ll not ungrateful to thy godhead go.