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Ancients and Moderns under the Empire of Circe: Machiavelli’s The Ass, Translation2 5 5150 went on all fours with the animals after her,between the shoulders of a stag, and of a bear.Chapter ThreeMoving behind the soles of my duchess,with my back to the heavens,among that thick multitude of animals,I was overcome now with heat now with chill,5 next, arms trembling I felt to see ifthey had changed hide or hair.My hands and knees I ruined;oh you who sometimes go on all fours,you may discern the state I was in.10 I had been maybe an hour on my kneesamong those animals, when we arrivedat a ditch between two large walls.See what was before us, we could notbecause the light of that lady that we15 were following blinded us all;when we heard a voice that was whistlingwith the sound of an entrance opening,of which the one and the other door squeaked.When the view allowed itself to be looked upon,20 before our eyes, a large palaceof admirable height was revealed.Magnificent and immense was the space;but it required, to arrive at it,wading through the water in the ditch.25 A beam made a small bridgeacross which only our escort passed,the beasts not being able to go over it.As soon as we arrived at the foot of the high door,full of grief and anguish I entered inside,30 among that crowd that is worse than dead,and I was rather less afraid;because my lady so that I would not fear,had there in the entrance extinguished the light.And this was the reason that I did not see