THE SECOND CHAPTER
How Apuleius told to the strangers, what he saw a jugler do in Athens.
HE other night being at supper with a sort of hungry fellowes, while
I did greedily put a great morsel of meate in my mouth, that was fried
with the flower of cheese and barley, it cleaved so fast in the passage
of my throat and stopped my winde in such sort that I was well nigh
choked. And yet at Athens before the porch there called Peale, I saw
with these eyes a jugler that swallowed up a two hand sword, with a very
keene edge, and by and by for a little money that we who looked on gave
him, hee devoured a chasing speare with the point downeward. And after
that hee had conveyed the whole speare within the closure of his body,
and brought it out againe behind, there appeared on the top thereof
(which caused us all to marvell) a faire boy pleasant and nimble,
winding and turning himself in such sort, that you would suppose he had
neither bone nor gristle, and verily thinke that he were the naturall
Serpent, creeping and sliding on the knotted staffe, which the god of
Medicine is feigned to beare. But turning me to him that began his tale,
I pray you (quoth I) follow your purpose, and I alone will give credit
unto you, and for your paynes will pay your charges at the next Inne we
come unto. To whom he answered Certes sir I thank you for your gentle
offer, and at your request I wil proceed in my tale, but first I will
sweare unto you by the light of this Sunne that shineth here, that
those things shall be true, least when you come to the next city called
Thessaly, you should doubt any thing of that which is rife in the
mouthes of every person, and done before the face of all men. And that I
may first make relation to you, what and who I am, and whither I go, and
for what purpose, know you that I am of Egin, travelling
