WALSH'S TRANSLATION (1994) pp. 51-52, 53
‘Pamphile first divested herself of all her clothing.
She then opened a small casket and took from it several small boxes. She
removed the lid from one of these, and extracted ointment from it. This she
rubbed for some time between her hands, and then smeared it all over herself
from the tips of her toes to the crown of her head. She next held a long and
private conservation with the lamp, and proceeded to flap her arms and legs
with a trembling motion. As she gently moved them up and down, soft feathers
began to sprout on them, and sturdy wings began to grow. Her nose became
curved and hard, and her nails became talons. In this way Pamphile became
an owl; she uttered a plaintive squawk as she tried out her new identity by
gradually forsaking the ground. Soon she rose aloft, and with the full power
of her wings quitted the house…
Then I hastily tore off all my clothes, dipped my hands eagerly
into the box, drew out a good quantity of the ointment, and rubbed all my
limbs with it. I then flapped my arms up and down, imitating the movements
of a bird. But no down and no sign of feathers appeared. Instead, the hair
on my body was becoming coarse bristles, and my tender skin was hardening
into hide. There were no longer five fingers at the extremities of my hands,
for each was compressed into one hoof. From the base of my spine protruded
an enormous tail. My face became misshapen, my mouth widened, my nostrils
flared open, my lips became pendulous, and my ears huge and bristly. The sole
consolation I could see in this wretched transformation was the swelling
of my penis—though now I could not embrace Photis.
As I helplessly surveyed the entire length of my body, [I]
came to the realization that I was not a bird but an ass…’
KENNEY'S TRANSLATION (1998) pp. 50-51, 52
‘First Pamphile completely stripped herself; then
she opened a chest and took out a number of small boxes. From one of these
she removed the lid and scooped out some ointment, which she rubbed between
her hands for a long time before smearing herself with it all over from head
to foot. Then there was a long muttered address to the lamp during which
she shook her arms with a fluttering motion. As they gently flapped up and
down there appeared on them a soft fluff, then a growth of strong feathers;
her nose hardened into a hooked beak, her feet contracted into talons – and
Pamphile was an owl. Hooting mournfully she took off and landed once or twice
to try her wings; then she launched herself into full flight out of the house
and away high into the sky…
…then I tore off my clothes, and plunging
my hands into [the box] scooped out a generous portion of the ointment and
rubbed it all over myself; then I flapped my arms up and down in imitation
of a bird. But no down or feathers appeared; instead my hair became coarse
and shaggy, my soft skin hardened into hide, my fingers and toes lost their
separate identity and coalesced into hooves, and from the end of my spine
there protruded a long tail. My face became enormous and my mouth widened;
my nostrils dilated and my lips hung down; and my ears became monstrously
long and hairy. The only redeeming feature of this catastrophic transformation
was that my natural endowment had grown too—but how could I embrace Photis
like this? In this hapless state I looked myself over and saw that I was
now no bird, but an ass…’
BOHN'S LIBRARY TRANSLATION
(1902) pp. 60-61, 62
I hastily divested myself of all my garments, then greedily
dipping my fingers into the box, and taking thence a considerable quantity
of the ointment, I rubbed it all over my body and limbs. And now,
flapping my arms up and down, I anxiously awaited my change into a bird.
But no down, no shooting wings appeared, but my hairs evidently
became thickened into bristles, and my tender skin was hardened into a
hide; my hands and feet, too, no longer furnished with distinct fingers
and toes, formed as many massive hoofs, and a long tail projected from
the extremity of my spine. My face was now enormous, my mouth wide, my
nostrils gaping, and my lips hanging down. In like manner my ears grew
hairy, and of immoderate length, and I found in every respect I had become
enlarged. Thus, hopelessly surveying all parts of my body, I beheld
myself changed not into a bird, but an ass.'
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