Satyricon, vol 5, Crotona Affairs | Page 2

you only
fan the passion of the lady who burns for you, for some women will
only kindle for canaille and cannot work up an appetite unless they see
some slave or runner with his clothing girded up: a gladiator arouses
one, or a mule-driver all covered with dust, or some actor posturing in
some exhibition on the stage. My mistress belongs to this class, she
jumps the fourteen rows from the stage to the gallery and looks for a
lover among the gallery gods at the back." Puffed up with this
delightful chatter. "Come now, confess, won't you," I queried, "is this
lady who loves me yourself?" The waiting maid smiled broadly at this

blunt speech. "Don't have such a high opinion of yourself," said she,
"I've never given in to any servant yet; the gods forbid that I should
ever throw my arms around a gallows-bird. Let the married women see
to that and kiss the marks of the scourge if they like: I'll sit upon
nothing below a knight, even if I am only a servant." I could not help
marveling, for my part, at such discordant passions, and I thought it
nothing short of a miracle that this servant should possess the hauteur
of the mistress and the mistress the low tastes of the wench!
Each one will find what suits his taste, one thing is not for all, One
gathers roses as his share, another thorns enthrall.
After a little more teasing, I requested the maid to conduct her mistress
to a clump of plane trees. Pleased with this plan, the girl picked up the
skirt of her garment and turned into a laurel grove that bordered the
path. After a short delay she brought her mistress from her hiding-place
and conducted her to my side; a woman more perfect than any statue.
There are no words with which to describe her form and anything I
could say would fall far short. Her hair, naturally wavy, flowed
completely over her shoulders; her forehead was low and the roots of
her hair were brushed back from it; her eyebrows, running from the
very springs of her cheeks, almost met at the boundary line between a
pair of eyes brighter than stars shining in a moonless night; her nose
was slightly aquiline and her mouth was such an one as Praxiteles
dreamed Diana had. Her chin, her neck, her hands, the gleaming
whiteness of her feet under a slender band of gold; she turned Parian
marble dull! Then, for the first time, Doris' tried lover thought lightly of
Doris!
Oh Jove, what's come to pass that thou, thine armor cast away Art mute
in heaven; and but an idle tale? At such a time the horns should sprout,
the raging bull hold sway, Or they white hair beneath swan's down
conceal Here's Dana's self! But touch that lovely form Thy limbs will
melt beneath thy passions' storm!

CHAPTER THE
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVENTH.
She was delighted and so be witchingly did she smile that I seemed to
see the full moon showing her face from behind a cloud. Then,

punctuating her words with her fingers, "Dear boy, if you are not too
critical to enjoy a woman of wealth who has but this year known her
first man, I offer you a sister," said she. "You have a brother already, I
know, for I didn't disdain to ask, but what is to prevent your adopting a
sister, too? I will come in on the same footing only deem my kisses
worthy of recognition and caress me at your own pleasure!" "Rather let
me implore you by your beauty," I replied. "Do not scorn to admit an
alien among your worshipers: If you permit me to kneel before your
shrine you will find me a true votary and, that you may not think I
approach this temple of love without a gift, I make you a present of my
brother!" "What," she exclaimed, "would you really sacrifice the only
one without whom you. could not live'? The one upon whose kisses
your happiness depends. Him whom you love as I would have you love
me?" Such sweetness permeated her voice as she said this, so
entrancing was the sound upon the listening air that you would have
believed the Sirens' harmonies were floating in the breeze. I was struck
with wonder and dazzled by I know not what light that shone upon me,
brighter than, the whole heaven, but I made bold to inquire the name of
my divinity. "Why, didn't my maid tell you that I am called Circe?" she
replied. "But I am not the sun-child nor has my mother ever stayed the
revolving world in its course at her pleasure; but if the Fates bring us