The Golden Asse

And therfore the poets feined not their fables in vain, considering that children in time of their first studies, are very much allured thereby to proceed to more grave and deepe studies and disciplines, whereas their mindes would quickly loath the wise and prudent workes of learned men, wherein in such unripe years they take no spark of delectation at all.

因此，诗人们并非无谓地虚构他们的寓言，考虑到孩子们在最初学习的时候，会被这些寓言所吸引，进而去研究更严肃和深奥的学科和知识，否则他们的思想会很快厌倦那些明智和谨慎的学者作品，在这样的青涩年华里，他们一点也不会感到愉悦。

For by the fable of Actaeon, where it is feigned that he saw Diana washing her selfe in a well, hee was immediately turned into an Hart, and so was slain of his own Dogs; may bee meant, That when a man casteth his eyes on the vain and soone fading beauty of the world, consenting thereto in his minde, hee seemeth to bee turned into a brute beast, and so to be slain by the inordinate desire of his owne affects.

因为在阿克泰翁的寓言中，他被虚构为看到狄安娜在井中沐浴，立刻被变成了一只鹿，并被自己的狗所杀；这可能意味着，当一个人将目光投向这个虚妄和迅速消逝的世间的美丽，并在心中默许时，他似乎变成了一个野兽，因此被自己过度的欲望所杀。