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Ancients and Moderns under the Empire of Circe: Machiavelli’s The Ass, Translation2 6 7which according to her pleasure could uncover or conceal the light.40 When we had gone some distance, but not that far,I thought we entered into a large dormitory,such as one sees used in convents.A corridor was just like theirs,and from each of the sides could be seen45 doors made of poor work.Then the lady turned toward me,and said that inside those doorsher great herd lay idle for me.And because fate was varied,50 varied were their abodes,and each one is with his consort.“They are on the right hand, at the first door lions,”she began, as soon as she resumed her speech,“with sharp teeth and hooked claws.55 Anyone who has a magnanimous and courteous heart,by Circe into that beast is converted;but there are few from your country.Your meadows are indeed made desertand deprived of all the glorious foliage,60 that made them less steep and rocky.If for some too much rage and anger abounds,taking life rough and violent,among the bears they stay in the second room;and in the third, if I remember well,65 there are wolves voracious and starved,such that no food satisfies them.Their home in the fourth location hasbuffalo and cattle, and if with those wild beastsone of your people finds himself, too bad for him.70 He who is delighted to have good cheerand sleeps when he keeps vigil around the fire,is among goats in the fifth troop.I do not want to converse with you about each location:because in wanting to speak of all of them,75 the talk would be long and the time short.Let this suffice: that behind and in front of youthere are stags, panthers, and leopards,