I did not like to observing an entry; and was afraid I had entertain’d another Ascyltos.  Eumolpus pursuing his humour, when the boy fill’d him a glass, “I had rather,” said he, “be in possession of thee, than the whole bagnio”; and greedily drinking it off, “the heat I’ve been in,” added he, “made this the pleasantest draught I ever took:  For to deal freely with ye, I narrowly scap’d a beating, for attempting, when I was in the bath, to deliver my thoughts of it in verse:  And after I was turn’d out of the bagnio, as I us’d to be out of the theatre; I search’d every place, crying as loud as I cou’d, ’Encolpius, Encolpius.’  A naked youth that had lost his cloaths, as strongly echo’d back to me, ‘Gito, Gito’:  The boys, believing me mad, ridicul’d me with their mimikry:  But the other was attended with a great concourse of people, that with an awful admiration prais’d the youth:  For nature had so largely qualify’d him for a lover, his body seem’d but as the skirt of the mighty member it bore:  A lusty rogue!  I’ll warrant, he’d maintain the field four and twenty hours!  He therefore soon found relief, for some debauch’d spark, a Roman knight, as was reported, flung his cloak over him, and took him home, with hopes, I presume to engross so great a prize:  But I was so far from meeting such civility, that even my own cloaths were kept from me, till I brought one that knew me, to satisfie ’em in my character:  So much more profitable ’tis to improve the body than the mind.”

Whilst Eumolpus was telling his story, I often chang’d countenance:  Looking glad at the ill fortune of my rival, but troubled at his good:  yet did not interrupt him, lest he shou’d discover my concern:  and when he had done, I told him what we had for supper.

I had hardly given him an account, e’re our entertainment came in:  ’Twas common homely food, but very nourishing:  Our half starv’d doctor attacqu’d it very briskly, but when he had well fill’d himself, began to tell us, philosophers were above the world, and to ridicule those that condemn every thing, because ’tis common, and only to admire those things that are difficult to be had:  “These vicious appetites,” added he, “that despise what they can cheaply come by, never taste any thing pure, but, like sick men, love only those things that are hurtful to ’em.

   “What’s soon obtain’d, we nauseously receive,
    All hate the victory that’s got with leave: 
    We scorn the good our happy isle brings forth,
    But love whatever is of foreign growth: 
    Not that the fish that distant waters feed,
    Do those excel that in our climate breed;
    But these are cheaply taken, those came far,
    With difficulty got, and cost us dear: 
    Thus the kind she, abroad, we admire above
    Th’ insipid lump, at home of lawful love: 
    Yet once enjoy’d, we strait a new desire,
    And absent pleasures only do admire.”