As soon as night was past, and the day began to spring, I fortuned to awake, and rose out of my bed as half amazed, and very desirous to know and see some marvelous and strange things, remembering with myself that I was in the middle part of all Thessaly, whereas by the common report of all the world, the sorceries and enchantments are most used, I oftentimes repeated with myself the tale of my companion Aristomenus touching the manner of this city, and being moved by great desire, I viewed the whole situation thereof, neither was there anything which I saw there, but that I did believe to be the same which it was indeed, but everything seemed unto me to be transformed and altered into other shapes, by the wicked power of sorcery and enchantment, insomuch that I thought that the stones which I found were indurate, and turned from men into that figure, and that the birds which I heard chirping, and the trees without the walls of the city, and the running waters, were changed from men into such kind of likenesses. And further I thought that the statues, images and walls could go, and the oxen and other brute beasts could speak and tell strange news, and that immediately I should see and hear some Oracles from the heavens, and from the gleed of the sun. Thus being astonied or rather dismayed and vexed with desire, knowing no certain place whither I intended to go, I went from street to street, and at length (as I curiously gazed on everything) I fortuned unawares to come into the market place, whereas I espied a certain woman, accompanied with a great many servants, towards whom I drew nigh, and viewed her garments beset with gold and precious stone, in such sort that she seemed to be some noble matron. And there was an old man which followed her, who as soon as he espied me, said to himself, Verily this is Lucius, and then he came and embraced me, by and by he went unto his mistress and whispered in her ear, and came to me again saying, How is it Lucius that you will not salute your dear cousin and singular friend? To whom I answered, Sir I dare not be so bold as to take acquaintance of an unknown woman. Howbeit as half ashamed I drew towards her, and she turned herself and said, Behold how he resembleth the very same grace as his mother Salvia doth, behold his countenance and stature, agreeing thereto in each point, behold his comely state, his fine slenderness, his vermilion colour, his hair yellow by nature, his gray and quick eye, like to the eagle, and his trim and comely gait, which do sufficiently prove him to be the natural child of Salvia. And moreover she said, Oh Lucius, I have nourished thee with mine own proper hand: and why not? For I am not only of kindred to thy mother by blood, but also by nurse, for we both descended of the line of Plutarch, lay in one belly, sucked the same paps, and were brought up together in one house. And further there is no other difference between us two, but that she is married more honorably than I: I am the same Byrrhena whom you have often heard named among your friends at home: wherefore I pray you to take so much pains as to come with me to my house, and use it as your own. At whose words I was partly abashed and said, God forbid Cousin that I should forsake mine host Milo without any reasonable cause; but verily I will, as often as I have occasion to pass by thy house, come and see how you do. And while we were talking thus together, little by little we came to her house, and behold the gates of the same were very beautifully set with pillars quadrangle wise, on the top whereof were placed carved statues and images, but principally the goddess of Victory was so lively and with such excellency portrayed and set forth, that you would have verily have thought that she had flied, and hovered with her wings hither and thither. On the contrary part, the image of the goddess Diana was wrought in white marble, which was a marvelous sight to see, for she seemed as though the wind did blow up her garments, and that she did encounter with them that came into the house. On each side of her were dogs made of stone, that seemed to menace with their fiery eyes, their pricked ears, their bended nostrils, their grinning teeth in such sort that you would have thought they had bayed and barked. And moreover (which was a greater marvel to behold) the excellent carver and deviser of this work had fashioned the dogs to stand up fiercely with their former feet, and their hinder feet on the ground ready to fight. Behind the back of the goddess was carved a stone in manner of a cavern, environed with moss, herbs, leaves, sprigs, green branches and boughs, growing in and about the same, insomuch that within the stone it glistered and shone marvelously, under the brim of the stone hanged apples and grapes carved finely, wherein art envying nature, showed her great cunning. For they were so lively set out, that you would have thought if summer had been come, they might have been pulled and eaten; and while I beheld the running water, which seemed to spring and leap under the feet of the goddess, I marked the grapes which hanged in the water, which were like in every point to the grapes of the vine, and seemed to move and stir by the violence of the stream. Moreover, amongst the branches of the stone appeared the image of Acteon: and how that Diana (which was carved within the same stone, standing in the water) because he did see her naked, did turn him into an hart, and so he was torn and slain of his own hounds. And while I was greatly delighted with the view of these things, Byrrhena spake to me and said, cousin all things here be at your commandment. And therewithal she willed secretly the residue to depart: who being gone she said, My most dear Cousin Lucius, I do swear by the goddess Diana, that I do greatly tender your safety, and am as careful for you as if you were mine own natural child, beware I say, beware of the evil arts and wicked allurements of that Pamphiles who is the wife of Milo, whom you call your host, for she is accounted the most chief and principal magician and enchantress living, who by breathing out certain words and charms over boughs, stones and other frivolous things, can throw down all the powers of the heavens into the deep bottom of hell, and reduce all the whole world again to the old chaos. For as soon as she espieth any comely young man, she is forthwith stricken with his love, and presently setteth her whole mind and affection on him. She soweth her seed of flattery, she invades his spirit and entangleth him with continual snares of unmeasurable love.

And then if any accord not to her filthy desire, or if they seem loathsome in her eye, by and by in the moment of an hour she turneth them into stones, sheep or some other beast, as herself pleaseth, and some she presently slayeth and murdereth, of whom I would you should earnestly beware. For she burneth continually, and you by reason of your tender age and comely beauty are capable of her fire and love.

Thus with great care Byrrhena gave me in charge, but I (that always coveted and desired, after that I had heard talk of such sorceries and witchcrafts, to be experienced in the same) little esteemed to beware of Pamphiles, but willingly determined to bestow my money in learning of that art, and now wholly to become a witch. And so I waxed joyful, and wringing myself out of her company, as out of links or chains, I bade her farewell, and departed toward the house of mine host Milo, by the way reasoning thus with myself: Oh Lucius now take heed, be vigilant, have a good care, for now thou hast time and place to satisfy thy desire, now shake off thy childishness and show thyself a man, but especially temper thyself from the love of thine hostess, and abstain from violation of the bed of Milo, but heartily attempt to win the maiden Fotis, for she is beautiful, wanton and pleasant in talk. And soon when thou goest to sleep, and when she bringeth you gently into thy chamber, and tenderly layeth thee down in thy bed, and lovingly covereth thee, and kisseth thee sweetly, and departeth unwillingly, and casteth her eyes oftentimes back, and stands still, then hast thou a good occasion ministered to thee to prove and try the mind of Fotis. Thus while I reasoned to myself I came to Milo’s door, persevering still in my purpose, but I found neither Milo nor his wife at home.