Each of the 11 books are selfcontained chapters of about 20 pages with a spoilery summary of whats to come at the beginning, so it was easy to dip in and out. I wasnt particularly happy with the ending, in fact i skimmed and skipped around at that point. Featured audio all audio latest this just in grateful dead netlabels old time radio 78 rpms and cylinder recordings. I show how apuleius portrays lucius as an articulate, but ignorant ass in order to. The golden ass is considered the only novel to survive the roman period, and the earliest novel to survive complete in the western literary tradition. The question of whether book 11 of apuleius metamorphoses is a sincere. His curiosity about magic gets him changed into a donkey. Apuleius famous novel, the metamorphoses,tells the story of a man who was magically changed into an ass, and whohad various humorous, sad, exciting, disturbing, erotic, horrificadventures before he regained his human. Jan 31, 2011 rdg ovid metamorphoses 14 386 downloads this is a literal wordforword translation of ovids metamorphoses books from the key to the classics series by rev.
The chief question mark is that hanging over book 11 of the golden ass and lucius conversion. He was a numidian who lived under the roman empire and was from madauros now mdaourouch, algeria. Apuleius was born in madauros, a colonia in numidia on the north african coast bordering gaetulia, and he described himself as halfnumidian halfgaetulian. Lucius apuleius, platonic philosopher, rhetorician, and author remembered for the golden ass, a prose narrative that proved influential long after his death. The metamorphoses of apuleius, which augustine of hippo referred to as the golden ass. An annotated edition of book 1 of apuleius novel metamorphoses, this text is suitable for a students first unadapted author, or in combination with other readings at the intermediate level. Linkpage citation the world of the metamorphoses 110 is not a pretty one, being full of treachery, robbery, exploitation, and cruelty. Project muse an interpretation of apuleius metamorphoses. Apuleius, the golden ass based upon a translation by william adlington 1566 i have updated the spelling and idiom of the text, and have added chapter numbers.
Apuleius aristomenes asss beasts book 11 byrrhena century chapter charite complex charites cleverness comedy comic condemned woman contrast cult of isis cupid and psyche curiosity dionysus diversity divine earlier eros and psyche festival of laughter figure folktale fortuna. Book 11 a new complete downloadable english translation with comprehensive index, and other poetry translations including. His writings are characterized by an exuberant and bizarre use of language and he is best known for the metamorphoses the golden ass, a picaresque novel which recounts the adventures of a man who is transformed into an ass. In the metamorphoses of apuleiusthe golden ass, we have the only latin novel which survives entire. For the ambivalent meaning of the bald pate as an important aspect of lucius. All these works have been published in russian translation 1959. A new complete downloadable english translation of the roman novel. Apuleius the golden ass or metamorphoses translated with an introduction and notes by e. The work, called metamorphoses by its author, narrates the adventures of a young man changed by magic into an ass. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. Evil or unpleasant characters and situations outnumber the positive ones. The hero, lucius, eager to experience the sensations of a bird, resorts to. Please note that, in spite of my updating, this is still an old translation. It is not known what his first name was, although writers in the middle ages often called him lucius apuleius because the hero of his novel was called lucius.
Apuleius metamorphoses or golden ass written in a highly ornate and archaizing latin probably in the 160s or so, apuleius prose novel, the metamorphoses known to saint augustine as the golden ass, tells the story of lucius, a romannamed greek youth of means and prominent family. Occasionally i have added to the translation where adlington has omitted certain passages. The golden ass the metamorphoses of apuleius ebook. Apuleius simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. It is brimming with slapstick humor and sexual escapades, and foreshadows later works by boccaccio, rabelais, cervantes, and chaucer, upon whom it was a. This is the first volume dedicated to the topic of characterisation in apuleius metamorphoses, the latin novel from the second century ce.
Apuleius of madaura article about apuleius of madaura by. The moralis that luciuss avid curiosity to explore. Even though it deals with suffering, the storys symmetry suggests balance and peace are possible even in the face of great loss. A new english translation of the transformations of lucius apuleius, and the rites of isis. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. He also published a monograph on aulus gellius gellius the satirist. Read less than it deserves at the undergraduate level, apuleius metamorphoses tells the story of lucius the assman and his encounters with sex, magic, robbers, storytellers, slaves, and finally the goddess. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you make.
Apuleius definition, roman philosopher and satirist. Bibliography includes bibliographical references pages 567607 and indexes. This surviving greek text appears to be an abridgement or epitome of lucius of patraes. Partly for this reason, but more perhaps in view of the nature of book 11, speculation has arisen as to why, or for what serious purpose. This book is the 751st greatest fiction book of all time as determined by. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. Metamorphoses the golden ass, vol 2, books 711 by apuleius.
Lucius apuleius roman philosopher and scholar britannica. Characterisation in apuleius metamorphoses pierides studies in greek and latin. Apuleius metamorphoses or the golden ass, our only complete latin novel, tells the story of lucius, a young man turned into a donkey by magic because of his unfettered curiosity. The bulk of the reader consists of 75 passages enough for a semesters worth of readings, each denoted by the book number from apuleius metamorphoses and then a letter since each passage is not always equivalent to one numbered section in apuleius. Madaurus was the same colonia where augustine of hippo later received part of his early education, and, though located well away from the romanized coast, is today the site of some pristine roman ruins. On the meaning plot adapted from greek and significance of this term cf. An interpretation of apuleius metamorphoses ben edwin perry when macrobius 1 expresses surprise that apuleius, the professed student of plato, should have stooped to the writing of fiction, he voices thereby not only the ancient reaction toward such a performance on the part of a selfrespecting rhetor, but likewise that of the modern. Rdg ovid metamorphoses 14 386 downloads this is a literal wordforword translation of ovids metamorphoses books from the key to the classics series by rev. The actual title of apuleius novel is 11 books of metamorphoses. Psyche, pleasantly reclining in that grassy place on a bed of dewwet grass, free of her mental perturbation, fell peacefully asleep, and when she was sufficiently refreshed by slumber, rose, feeling calm. From the cruel mockery of the festival of laughter to the sweet tale of cupid and psyche, from adventures that question humananimal boundaries to the profoundly spiritual conclusion.
The golden ass study guide contains a biography of apuleius, literature essays. The metamorphoses of apuleius, which augustine of hippo referred to as the golden ass asinus aureus, is the only ancient roman novel in latin to survive in its entirety the protagonist of the novel is called lucius. Initiations and mysteries in apuleius metamorphoses. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. Apuleian apuleius aristomenes asss beasts book 11 byrrhena century. Each of the 11 books are selfcontained chapters of about 20 pages with a spoilery summary of whats.
All these works have been published in russian translation. Initiations and mysteries in apuleius metamorphoses sarolta a. It is brimming with slapstick humor and sexual escapades, and foreshadows later works by boccaccio, rabelais, cervantes, and chaucer, upon whom it was a direct influence. Wytse keulen currently teaches latin at the university of rostock.
A reinterpretation of satire in apuleius, metamorphoses 11. Religion and narrative in the metamorphoses of apuleius. In 158 he delivered a speech recorded as apologia apuleii. The nagging clashing effect of the rhymes gives us half the meaning. His commentary on apuleius metamorphoses book i groningen commentaries on apuleius appeared in 2007. He studied platonism in athens, travelled to italy, asia minor, and egypt, and was an initiate in several cults or. Apuleius was born in about 125, in madauros, numidia. Book 1 exhibits the spontaneity and ebullience of apuleius latin as well as his ability to engage the reader with a lively story. The subject has not been ignored in recent scholarship on individual characters in the work, but the lack of an earlier general overview of the topic reflects the general history of scholarship on the metamorphoses. Summary of the metamorphoses the spectacles of apuleius. Metamorphoses the golden ass, vol 2, books 7 11 book. Summary using a transdisciplinary approach for a thorough assessment of the muchdebated religious ending of the metamorphoses, this new and detailed commentary on apuleius isis book will elucidate the narrative in its literary, religious, archaeological and cultural context.
The hardcover of the metamorphoses the golden ass, volume ii. As well as being genuinely interesting and great fun to read, the metamorphoses is of. Benefits and moral development in apuleius metamorphoses. The subject has not been ignored in recent scholarship on individual characters in the work, but the lack of an earlier general overview of the topic reflects the general history of. Apuleius narrative of book 11 makes possible several ways of. What they fail to mention is that the versions with the full text are merely reprints of the original latinwhich you can find for free all over the internet, and they provide zero assistance for deciphering the text.
The plot revolves around the protagonists curiosity curiositas and insatiable. This volume reveals how apuleius metamorphoses the only fully extant roman novel and a classic of world literature works as a piece of literature, exploring its poetics and the way in which questions of production and reception are reflected in its text. In the metamorphoses of apuleius, also known as the golden ass, we have the only latin novel which survives entire. The golden ass books 1011 summary and analysis gradesaver. At the end of the novel, he is revealed to be from madaurus, the hometown of apuleius himself. The golden ass, being the metamorphoses of lucius apuleius. Metamorphoses apuleius famous novel, the metamorphoses, tells the story of a man who was magically changed into an ass, and who had various humorous, sad, exciting, disturbing, erotic, horri. His extant works are the novel metamorphoses in xi books also known as the golden ass, defense, or a discourse on magic, and florida, a collection of excerpts from speeches and rhetorical declamations. The mellon foundation provided support for entering this text. Metamorphoses, the golden ass being the metamorphoses of lucius apuleius. Full text of apuleius the golden ass penguin classics. Apuleius was educated in carthage and athens, and then traveled around the mediterranean learning about religious cults. A seriocomic interpretation of apuleius, metamorphoses 11.