Here all our courage fail'd us, and nothing but certain death seem'd
to appear before us.
Then I began, "If, madam, you design to be more severe with us, be yet
so kind as to dispatch it quickly; for whate'er our offence be, it is
not so hainous that we ought to be rack'd to death for it": Upon which
her woman, whose name was Psyche, spread a coverlet on the floor,
Sollicitavit inguina mea mille iam mortibus frigida. Ascyltos muffled
his head in his coat, as having had a hint given him, how dangerous it
was to take notice of what did not concern him. In the mean time
Psyche took off her garters, and with one of them bound my feet, and
with the other my hands.
Thus fetter'd as I lay, "This, madam," said I, "is not the way to rid
you of your ague." "I grant it," answer'd Psyche, "but I have a Dose
at hand will infallibly do it" and therefore brought me a lusty bowl
of satyricon, (a love-potion) and so merrily ran over the wonderful
effects of it, that I had well-nigh suck'd it all off; but because
Ascyltos had slighted her courtship, she finding his back towards her,
threw the bottom of it on him.
Ascyltos perceiving the chat was at an end, "Am not I worthy," said
he, "to get a sup?" And Psyche fearing my laughter might discover
her, clapped her hands, and told him, "Young-man I made you an offer
of it, but your friend here has drunk it all out.
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