Hearing that, and thirsty as always for something new, I said: “No, really, share your talk with me. I’m no busybody, mind you, only someone who would like to know everything, or at least most things. Besides, the charm of a good story will smooth the roughness of this ridge we are climbing.”

Lewis & Short has two examples of sititor, “a thirster,” used of a thirst for something other than water: one from Martianus Capella and this one, sititor novitatis, “a thirster after novelty.” Its entry for the rare aspritudo, “roughness,” notes that the older text of this sentence read asperitudo; Helm prints aspritudinem. Then Lucius says he is not curiosus, “a busybody,” only someone who wants to know everything, or at least most things. The joke is the denial. Lewis & Short gives the word a sense “implying censure,” “meddlesome, officious, curious, prying, inquisitive.” Curiosity is the trait the whole novel turns on: it will carry Lucius into a witch’s house and into the body of an ass. Here it is still charming, and he uses it to shorten a climb.