The Satyricon of Petronius ArbiterPetronius Arbiter
General
The Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter
Petronius Arbiter
Rome -- Fiction; Satire, Latin -- Translations into English
So when a dream our wandring eyes betrays,
And to our side some hidden gold conveys;
Our busie hands the inviting treasure seize,
And hid in guilty folds the fancy'd prize.
Sweating we fear lest any conscious spy,
Might search our bosom, and the theft descry.
But with our sieep when all our joys are o're,
And minds restor'd to what they were before,
Concern'd, we wish the fancy'd loss regain'd,
And with the image still are entertain'd.
This misfortune might make me justly think it not only a true vision,
but real witchcraft; for I had so long lost my strength I cou'd not
rise: My mind at last, a little freed, began by degrees to recover its
vigour, upon which I went to my lodging, and dissembling a faintness,
lay down on the bed. A little after Gito, being inform'd I was ill,
came to me, much troubl'd; but to allay his concern, I told him I was
only a little weary, and had a mind for a nap. Several things I talkt
to him of, but not a word of my last adventure, for I was afraid
because I knew he envy'd every one that had a charm for me, and to
prevent his suspicion, throwing my arms about him, I endeavour'd to
give a proof of my love; but disappointed of the expectation I had
rais'd him to, he rose very angry from my side, and accusing my
weakness, and strange behaviour to him, told me that of late he had
found my chief favours were bestow'd in another's arms.
"My love to you, Gito," said I, "has ever been the same, but now my
dancing-days submit to reason."
"Therefore," said he, laughing at me, "in the name of Socrates, I
thank you, because like him, you propose to love me: Alcibiades,
Encolpius, did not rise a virgin from that philosopher's side."
"Then," added I, "believe me, Gito, I hardly know I've any thing of
man about me, how useless lyes the terrible part, where once I was
Achilles."
When he found how unfit I was to confer the favours he wanted, and to
prevent suspicion, of his privacy with me, he jumpt up and ran to
another part of the house.
He was hardly gone, e're Chrysis enter'd my chamber, and gave me a
billet from her mistress, in which I found this written:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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