world　was　at　Laodicea；　in　Syria；　in　a　Roman　family　of　no　great
  note；　and；　being　of　a　roving　disposition；　I　came　at　the　age　of
  seventeen　to　Constantinople；　where；　after　about　a　year's　stay；　I
  set　out　for　Thrace；　at　the　time　when　the　emperor　Valens　admitted
  the　Goths　into　that　country。　　I　was　there　so　captivated　with　the
  beauty　of　a　Gothic　lady；　the　wife　of　one　Rodoric；　a　captain；
  whose　name；　out　of　the　most　delicate　tenderness　for　her　lovely
  sex；　I　shall　even　at　this　distance　conceal；　since　her　behavior　to
  me　was　more　consistent　with　good…nature　than　with　that　virtue
  which　women　are　obliged　to　preserve　against　every　assailant。　　In
  order　to　procure　an　intimacy　with　this　woman　I　sold　myself　a
  slave　to　her　husband；　who；　being　of　a　nation　not　over…inclined　to
  jealousy；　presented　me　to　his　wife；　for　those　very　reasons　which
  would　have　induced　one　of　a　jealous　complexion　to　have　withheld
  me　from　her；　namely；　for　that　I　was　young　and　handsome。
  〃Matters　succeeded　so　far　according　to　my　wish；　and　the　sequel
  answered　those　hopes　which　this　beginning　had　raised。　　I　soon
  perceived　my　service　was　very　acceptable　to　her；　I　often　met　her
  eyes；　nor　did　she　withdraw　them　without　a　confusion　which　is
  scarce　consistent　with　entire　purity　of　heart。　　Indeed；　she　gave
  me　every　day　fresh　encouragement；　but　the　unhappy　distance　which
  circumstances　had　placed　between　us　deterred　me　long　from　making
  any　direct　attack；　and　she　was　too　strict　an　observer　of　decorum
  to　violate　the　severe　rules　of　modesty　by　advancing　first；　but
  passion　at　last　got　the　better　of　my　respect；　and　I　resolved　to
  make　one　bold　attempt；　whatever　was　the　consequence。
  Accordingly；　laying　hold　of　the　first　kind　opportunity；　when　she
  was　alone　and　my　master　abroad；　I　stoutly　assailed　the　citadel
  and　carried　it　by　storm。　　Well　may　I　say　by　storm；　for　the
  resistance　I　met　was　extremely　resolute；　and　indeed　as　much　as
  the　most　perfect　decency　would　require。　　She　swore　often　she
  would　cry　out　for　help；　but　I　answered　it　was　in　vain；　seeing
  there　was　no　person　near　to　assist　her；　and　probably　she　believed
  me；　for　she　did　not　once　actually　cry　out；　which　if　she　had；　I
  might　very　likely　have　been　prevented。
  〃When　she　found　her　virtue　thus　subdued　against　her　will　she
  patiently　submitted　to　her　fate；　and　quietly　suffered　me　a　long
  time　to　enjoy　the　most　delicious　fruits　of　my　victory；　but
  envious　fortune　resolved　to　make　me　pay　a　dear　price　for　my
  pleasure。　　One　day　in　the　midst　of　our　happiness　we　were　suddenly
  surprised　by　the　unexpected　return　of　her　husband；　who；　coming
  directly　into　his　wife's　apartment；　just　allowed　me　time　to　creep
  under　the　bed。　　The　disorder　in　which　he　found　his　wife　might
  have　surprised　a　jealous　temper；　but　his　was　so　far　otherwise；
  that　possibly　no　mischief　might　have　happened　had　he　not　by　a
  cross　accident　discovered　my　legs；　which　were　not　well　hid。　　He
  immediately　drew　me　out　by　them；　and　then；　turning　to　his　wife
  with　a　stern　countenance；　began　to　handle　a　weapon　he　wore　by　his
  side；　with　which　I　am　persuaded　he　would　have　instantly
  dispatched　her；　had　I　not　very　gallantly；　and　with　many
  imprecations；　asserted　her　innocence　and　my　own　guilt；　which；
  however；　I　protested　had　hitherto　gone　no　farther　than　design。
  She　so　well　seconded　my　plea　（for　she　was　a　woman　of　wonderful
  art）；　that　he　was　at　length　imposed　upon；　and　now　all　his　rage
  was　directed　against　me；　threatening　all　manner　of　tortures；
  which　the　poor　lady　was　in　too　great　a　fright　and　confusion　to
  dissuade　him　from　executing；　and　perhaps；　if　her　concern　for　me
  had　made　her　attempt　it；　it　would　have　raised　a　jealousy　in　him
  not　afterwards　to　be　removed。
  〃After　some　hesitation　Roderic　cried　out　he　had　luckily　hit　on
  the　most　proper　punishment　for　me　in　the　world；　by　a　method　which
  would　at　once　do　severe　justice　on　me　for　my　criminal　intention；
  and　at　the　same　time　prevent　me　from　any　danger　of　executing　my
  wicked　purpose　hereafter。　　This　cruel　resolution　was　immediately
  executed；　and　I　was　no　longer　worthy　the　name　of　a　man。
  〃Having　thus　disqualified　me　from　doing　him　any　future　injury；　he
  still　retained　me　in　his　family；　but　the　lady；　very　probably
  repenting　of　what　she　had　done；　and　looking　on　me　as　the　author
  of　her　guilt；　would　never　for　the　future　give　me　either　a　kind
  word　or　look：　　and　shortly　after；　a　great　exchange　being　made
  between　the　Romans　and　the　Goths　of　dogs　for　men；　my　lady
  exchanged　me　with　a　Roman　widow　for　a　small　lap…dog；　giving　a
  considerable　sum　of　money　to　boot。
  〃In　this　widow's　service　I　remained　seven　years；　during　all　which
  time　I　was　very　barbarously　treated。　　I　was　worked　without　the
  least　mercy；　and　often　severely　beat　by　a　swinging　maid…servant；
  who　never　called　me　by　any　other　names　than　those　of　the　Thing
  and　the　Animal。　　Though　I　used　my　utmost　industry　to　please；　it
  never　was　in　my　power。　　Neither　the　lady　nor　her　woman　would　eat
  anything　I　touched；　saying　they　did　not　believe　me　wholesome。　　It
  is　unnecessary　to　repeat　particulars；　in　a　word；　you　can　imagine
  no　kind　of　ill　usage　which　I　did　not　suffer　in　this　family。
  〃At　last　an　heathen　priest；　an　acquaintance　of　my　lady's；
  obtained　me　of　her　for　a　present。　　The　scene　was　now　totally
  changed；　and　I　had　as　much　reason　to　be　satisfied　with　my　present
  situation　as　I　had　to　lament　my　former。　　I　was　so　absolutely　my
  master's　favorite；　that　the　rest　of　the　slaves　paid　me　almost　as
  much　regard　as　they　showed　to　him；　well　knowing　that　it　was
  entirely　in　my　power　to　command　and　treat　them　as　I　pleased。　　I
  was　intrusted　with　all　my　master's　secrets；　and　used　to　assist
  him　in　privately　conveying　away　by　night　the　sacrifices　from　the
  altars；　which　the　people　believed　the　deities　themselves
  devoured。　　Upon　these　we　feasted　very　elegantly；　nor　could
  invention　suggest　a　rarity　which　we　did　not　pamper　ourselves
  with。　　Perhaps　you　may　admire　at　the　close　union　between　this
  priest　and　his　slave；　but　we　lived　in　an　intimacy　which　the
  Christians　thought　criminal；　but　my　master；　who　knew　the　will　of
  the　gods；　with　whom　he　told　me　he　often　conversed；　assured　me　it
  was　perfectly　innocent。
  〃This　happy　life　continued　about　four　years；　when　my　master's
  death；　occasioned　by　a　surfeit　got　by　overfeeding　on　several
  exquisite　dainties；　put　an　end　to　it。
  〃I　now　fell　into　the　hands　of　one　of　a　very　different
  disposition；　and　this　was　no　other　than　the　celebrated　St。
  Chrysostom；　who　dieted　me　with　sermons　instead　of　sacrifices；　and
  filled　my　ears　with　good　things；　but　not　my　belly。　　Instead　of
  high　food　to　fatten　and　pamper　my　flesh；　I　had　receipts　to
  mortify　and　reduce　it。　　With　these　I　edified　so　well；　that　within
  a　few　months　I　became　a　skeleton。　　However；　as　he　had　converted
  me　to　his　faith；　I　was　well　enough　satisfied　with　this　new　manner
  of　living；　by　which　he　taught　me　I　might　insure　myself　an　eternal
  reward　in　a　future　state。　　The　saint　was　a　good…natured　man；　and
  never　gave　me　an　ill　word　but　once；　which　was　occasioned　by　my
  neglecting　to　place　Aristophanes；　which　was　his　constant
  bedfellow；　on　his　pillow。　　He　was；　indeed；　extremely　fond　of　that
  Greek　poet；　and　frequently　made　me　read　his　comedies　to　him。
  When　I　came　to　any　of　the　loose　passages　he　would　smile；　and　say；
  'It　was　pity　his　matter　was　not　as　pure　as　his　style；'　of　which
  latter　he　was　so　immoderately　fond　that；　notwithstanding　the
  detestation　he　expressed　for　obscenity；　he　hath　made　me　repeat
  those　passages　ten　times　over。　　The　character　of　this　good　man
  hath　been　very　unjustly　attacked　by　his　heathen　contemporaries；
  particularly　with　regard　to　women；　but　his　severe　invectives
  against　that　sex　are　his　sufficient　justification。
  〃From　the　service　of　this　saint；　from　whom　I　received
  manumission；　I　entered　into　the　family　of　Timasius；　a　leader　of
  great　eminence　in　the　imperial　army；　into　whose　favor　I　so　far
  insinuated　myself　that　he　preferred　me　to　a　good　command；　and
  soon　made　me　partaker　of　both　his　company　and　his　secrets。　　I
  soon　grew　intoxicated　with　this　preferment；　and　the　more　he
  loaded　me　with　benefits　the　more　he　raised　my　opinion　of　my　own
  merit；　which；　still　outstripping　the　rewards　he　conferred　on　me；
  inspired　me　rather　with　dissatisfaction　than　gratitude。　　And
  thus；　by　preferring　me　beyond　my　merit　or　first　expectation；　he
  made　me　an　envious　aspiring　enemy；　whom　perhaps　a　more　moderate
  bounty　would　have　preserved　a　dutiful　servant。
  〃I　fell　now　acquainted　with　one　Lucilius；　a　creature　of　the　prime
  minister　Eutropius；　who　had　by　his　favor　been　raised　to　the　post
  of　a　tribune；　a　man　of　low　morals；　and　eminent　only　in　that
  meanest　of　qualities；　cunning。　　This　gentleman；　imagining　me　a
  fit　tool　for　the　minister's　purpose；　having　often　sounded　my
  principles　of　honor　and　honesty；　both　which　he　declared　to　me
  were　words　without　meaning；　and　finding　my　ready　concurrence　in
  his　sentiments；　recommended　me　to　Eutropius　as　ve