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, horrific adventures before he regained his human form. Metamorphosis or the golden ass by lucius apuleius c. Full text of apuleius the golden ass penguin classics. Anxious as ever to investigate, with all my excessive eagerness, the rare and marvellous, and knowing that there i was in the heart of thessaly, the home of those magic arts whose powerful spells are praised throughout the world, and remembering that my dear friend. The plot revolves around the protagonists curiosity curiositas and insatiable. Apuleius simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Roman philosopher and satirist whose bestknown work is the golden ass. So that the book is never forgotten we have represented this book in a print format as the same form as it was originally first published. For a practicing neoplatonist, or a kin to ancient folk by heart and spirit this books conveys many trophies with plots that could easily be turned into stanzas of quotable wisdomliterature. Readings of apuleius metamorphoses in honor of maike zimmerman ancient narrative supplelemtum 6. One feature of his writing, however, can be reproduced in modern english.
In the eleventh and last book of the novel, the tone shifts, as the goddess isis. He also published a monograph on aulus gellius gellius the satirist. The story of cupid and psyche as related by apuleius book summary. Metamorphoses, the, works of apuleius, comprising the metamorphoses, or golden ass, the god of socrates, the florida, and his defence, or a discourse of magic. A seriocomic interpretation of apuleius, metamorphoses 11. The golden ass edition 1 by apuleius 9780253200365. His commentary on apuleius metamorphoses book i groningen commentaries on apuleius appeared in 2007.
Apulei metamorphoseon liber xi apulee, metamorphoses, livre xi. Contributors x commentary on apuleius metamorphoses iv. 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. The golden ass metamorphosis or the golden ass by lucius. B y book ix lucius has been passed around many times to various owners and is in bad shape from the abuse he has endured. Id like to string together various tales in the milesian style, and charm your kindly ear with seductive murmurs, so long as youre ready to be amazed at human forms and fortunes changed radically and then restored in turn in mutual exchange, and dont object to reading egyptian papyri, inscribed by a sly reed from the nile. Book ix the mill, the tale of arete and philesitherus. The florida is a collection of flamboyant highlights from the speeches of apuleius, delivered in africa in the second century a. This book has been considered by academicians and scholars of great significance and value to literature. In book eleven, apuleius presents lucius as the protagonist in a platonic. Wytse keulen currently teaches latin at the university of rostock. Apuleius was born in about 125, in madauros, numidia.
Instantly i was freed from sleep and leapt up, bathed in sweat, with feelings of fear and joy. Selections from the metamorphoses ebook written by ellen d. Book iii on trial, lucius transformed book iv the robbers, the tale of cupid and psyche. The isisbook brill, 2015 jointly with the seven other members of the groningen apuleius group.
An intermediate latin reader article pdf available in mouseion journal of the classical association of canada 101. Translated by sir samuel garth, john dryden, et al. His curiosity about magic gets him changed into a donkey. The chief question mark is that hanging over book 11 of the golden ass and. The mellon foundation provided support for entering this text. Apuleius the golden ass or metamorphoses translated with an. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read an apuleius reader. Book viii the tale of thrasyllus and charite, the eunuchs.
It tells the story of the hero lucius, whose curiosity and fascination for sex and magic results in his transformation into an ass. The golden ass, being the metamorphoses of lucius apuleius. With an introduction, in which the meaning of the fable is unfolded. The translation very much played a part in my enjoyment of this ancient novel.
In all probability apuleius used material from a lost metamorphoses by lucius of patrae. The metamorphoses the golden ass of apuleius born c. As soon as darkness had dispersed and the rising sun brought daylight, i emerged from sleep and bed. Mother, forgive me, and in my harsh misfortune, show a little human kindness. Read the golden ass metamorphoses by apuleius available from rakuten kobo.
Book 11 editions published between 1998 and 2015 in english and held by. He was a poet, philosopher, and rhetorician from whom numerous works survive some of doubtful authenticity. The latin is accompanied by a facing english translation, making the edition more accessible to students of comparative literature as well as to classicists. But unless otherwise noted, im quoting from the david raeburn translation. The experiences of a long life have not, i think, exhausted the springs of pity in that revered grey head of yours. His extant works are the novel metamorphoses in xi books also known as the golden ass, defense, or a discourse on magic. Meanwhile europas father, in ignorance of this, orders his son cadmus to search for the stolen girl, and adds that exile is his punishment if he fails to find her, showing himself, by the same action, both pious and impious. The metamorphoses of apuleius has intrigued and perplexed scholars throughout the ages. Near the end of the old english epic beowulf, after the hero speaks his last.
Isiac synonyms, isiac pronunciation, isiac translation, english dictionary definition of. Pdf the story of cupid and psyche as related by apuleius. In a translation that is both the most faithful and the most entertaining to date, ruden reveals to modern readers the vivid, farcical ingenuity of apuleiuss style. The hero, lucius, eager to experience the sensations of a bird, resorts to. The life of lucius apuleius briefly described lucius apuleius african, an excellent follower of plato his sect, born in madaura, a countrey sometime inhabited by the romans, and under the jurisdiction of syphax, scituate and lying on the borders of numidia and getulia, whereby he calleth himself half a numidian and half a getulian. Apuleius article about apuleius by the free dictionary. A translation of apuleius metamorphoses and the debate about fiction in the sixteenth century. Ovid, metamorphoses, book 11 english text johnstoniatexts. This forms a part of the knowledge base for future generations. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. 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. It was of great benefit to read books 16 of apuleius in the magnificent translation of j.
The golden ass, the first latin novel to survive in its entirety, is related to the second sophistic, a movement of learned and inventive literature. 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. Including a complete latin text and english translation of the peri hermeneias of apuleius of madaura philosophia antiqua brill. Fiction, classical mythology, metamorphosis, latin fiction, translations into english, translations into italian, translations into spanish, translations into french, isis egyptian deity, metamorphosis in literature, latin literature, translations into russian, mythology, classical, in literature, translations into.
There is plenty of room, as the text with notes is only 63 pages long. The bulk of the novel recounts his adventures as an animal, but lucius also recounts many stories he overhears, including that of cupid and psyche. I chose the kenney edition as it seemed the least stilted of those available, and im glad i made that choice. Metamorphoses the golden ass, vol 2, books 711 by apuleius. Summary of the metamorphoses the spectacles of apuleius. Apuleius definition of apuleius by the free dictionary. A new, complete, english translation, of the metamorphoses of lucius apuleius. Cupids warning this wicked scheme greatly pleased the two wicked sisters. Occasionally i have added to the translation where adlington has omitted certain passages. After many adventures he is finally saved by the goddess isis, whose follower he becomes. 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.
I show how apuleius portrays lucius as an articulate, but ignorant ass in order to. Note that the numbers without brackets refer to the english text. A new complete downloadable english translation of the roman novel. Lucius wants the sensations of a bird, but by pharmaceutical accident becomes an ass. Please note that, in spite of my updating, this is still an old translation. 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. In the metamorphoses of apuleius, also known as the golden ass, we have the only latin novel which survives entire. Sarah rudens new translation of apuleius neoplatonist romp about a guy who magically turns into a donkey.
Lucius is discovered to be an extraordinary donkey, but his true story is not yet known. The classical radio plays jointly with amanda wrigley oup, 20, and of a commentary on apuleius metamorphoses xi. Apuleiuss golden ass is a unique, entertaining, and thoroughly readable latin novelthe only work of fiction in latin to have survived from antiquity. He was a numidian who lived under the roman empire and was from madauros now mdaourouch, algeria. They hid all the costly gifts, and tearing their hair and lacerating their cheeks, as they deserved to do, falsely renewed their lamentations. 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. Book viii reveals the story of charite, a girl who had suffered at the hands of the robbers. But it is a remarkable fact that all early translations into french, german, and english had become landmark events in the development of elegant writing. Religion and narrative in the metamorphoses of apuleius. The afterlife of apuleius school of advanced study. Youtube, youtube channel, video marketing, youtuber, igtv. In 158 he delivered a speech recorded as apologia apuleii. A search query can be a title of the book, a name of the author, isbn or anything else. 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 golden ass the metamorphoses of apuleiuslucius. Bibliography includes bibliographical references pages 567607 and indexes. I never thought id enjoy a 2,000 year old novel, but i. About halfway through book 11, though, the final third of the metamorphoses kicks.
Despite the presence in it of the isisbook, or perhaps because of it, the. Apuleius synonyms, apuleius pronunciation, apuleius translation, english. The chief question mark is that hanging over book 11 of the golden ass and lucius conversion. Apuleius the metamorphoses book 1 annotated edition. The internet classics archive metamorphoses by ovid. Latin, with introduction and commentary in english. Fifth international conference on the ancient novel houston, texas.