Reading Notes- The Escape Part B

Apuleius's Golden Ass, as translated into English by Tony Kline (2013).

This tale describes the escape of Lucius and the woman. These two had been held prisoner by an old woman. The donkey worked up the courage to break free from his harness after using the robbers encouragement. As the donkey breaks free he the old woman with her hawk like eyes sees him. As he runs by with al this might she reaches out to grab a rope. To much amazement she is able to hold on reigning him back in. Though with much fight the donkey uses his hind legs to kick her down. Though she has not given up. He drags her along the ground as she screams out for help. His courage and resilience to break free is used when the girl mounts his back. She yells out to the sky “O gods above,’ she cried, ‘help me now in my desperate plight. And you, crueler Fortune, cease your fury at last. I should have atoned enough in your eyes given all these piteous torments I’ve endured. And you, protector of my life and freedom, if you carry me safely home to my parents and handsome lover, how I’ll thank you, honour you, and feed you! First I’ll comb out that mane of yours and adorn it with my maiden’s gems. Then I’ll curl the locks on your brow, part them neatly, and carefully disentangle the hair of your tail, all matted and bristly from neglect. Glittering with golden amulets, bright as the starry sky, you’ll march triumphantly in joyful public procession. I’ll stuff you with food every day, my hero, bringing you nuts and sweet dainties in my silk apron. And with delicacies to eat, to perfect leisure and profound happiness, I’ll add this glorious honour: I’ll enshrine the remembrance of my salvation, through divine providence, in a painting showing our present flight, to be hung in my entrance-hall. There people will see it, and when stories are told they’ll hear it, and the clumsy commentaries of the learned will perpetuate the tale: “How a princess fled her captors, riding on an ass.” As she uttered these statements praying to the gods they reached a fork in the road finally breaking free. 

Photo provided by Classical Literatures

https://www.ancient-literature.com/greece_homer_iliad.html