| linguae |
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APULEIUS
Part of the cover illustration, from an 1895 French original, for a modern edition of Thomas Taylor's 1822 translation
https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Ass-Apuleius-ebook/dp/B07THF49QB
https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Ass-Apuleius-ebook/dp/B07THF49QB
Apuleius (c.124 - after 170 AD) was born at Madauros (modern M'Daourouch in Algeria) in what was then the province of Africa Proconsularis. On the basis of his birthplace and the forename of the narrator and protagonist of his most famous work, he is sometimes referred to as Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis but there is no proof that he styled himself that way. He was of Berber origin and his mother-tongue could have been a Berber dialest or Punic (the Semitic language of Carthage), but he was fluent in Latin and Greek and his reputation in his lifetime was as a Latin orator and Platonic philosopher. He spent time in Athens and Rome and eventually served as official priest for his native province,
His successful speech in his own defence against a charge of bewitching a wealthy woman into marriage is extant, but he is best-known as the author of the only Latin novel from the classical period to have survived in its entirety. Probably based on a lost Greek original, it is known either as Metamorphoses (`Transformations') or as Asinus Aureus (`The Golden Ass'); the former is perhaps the original title, but the latter, used by St. Augustine, is more convenient as it avoids confusion with Ovid's compendium of Greek myths. The novel is narrated by `Lucius', who attempts to transform himself ito a bird through magic but is instead changed into a donkey and, after many misadventures, finally restored to human form by the goddess Isis. The book also contains many side stories, the most elaborate being that of Cupid and Psyche. The combination of witchcraft, sex scenes and farce make for an entertaining read, but his Latin , characterised by archaic or esoteric vocabulary, abundant use of rhyming phrases and constant striving after effect, can be challenging. My own slowly progressing on-line edition, which has now (May 2026) reached chapter 20 in the second of the work's eleven books, aims to ease the task with glossing of all but the commonest words and explanatory notes, relying heavily for Book I on James Reubel's published commentary and for Book II on Chamberlain's draft, on-line edition, which is available for download below. I have also consulted Keulen's highly detailed commentary on Book I. which is part of the authoritative Groningen series covering the whole of the novel.
Asinus Aureus has been frequently translated, the most accessible version being that by A.S. Kline on his Poetry in Translation site, which is very readable but in places rather loose. There is also a useful synopsis of the work in the Wikipedia `Golden Ass' article.
The word files below include text, commentary and illustrations, the PowerPoints an introduction to the author and his work and the pdf file is Chamberlain's commentary on Book II.
His successful speech in his own defence against a charge of bewitching a wealthy woman into marriage is extant, but he is best-known as the author of the only Latin novel from the classical period to have survived in its entirety. Probably based on a lost Greek original, it is known either as Metamorphoses (`Transformations') or as Asinus Aureus (`The Golden Ass'); the former is perhaps the original title, but the latter, used by St. Augustine, is more convenient as it avoids confusion with Ovid's compendium of Greek myths. The novel is narrated by `Lucius', who attempts to transform himself ito a bird through magic but is instead changed into a donkey and, after many misadventures, finally restored to human form by the goddess Isis. The book also contains many side stories, the most elaborate being that of Cupid and Psyche. The combination of witchcraft, sex scenes and farce make for an entertaining read, but his Latin , characterised by archaic or esoteric vocabulary, abundant use of rhyming phrases and constant striving after effect, can be challenging. My own slowly progressing on-line edition, which has now (May 2026) reached chapter 20 in the second of the work's eleven books, aims to ease the task with glossing of all but the commonest words and explanatory notes, relying heavily for Book I on James Reubel's published commentary and for Book II on Chamberlain's draft, on-line edition, which is available for download below. I have also consulted Keulen's highly detailed commentary on Book I. which is part of the authoritative Groningen series covering the whole of the novel.
Asinus Aureus has been frequently translated, the most accessible version being that by A.S. Kline on his Poetry in Translation site, which is very readable but in places rather loose. There is also a useful synopsis of the work in the Wikipedia `Golden Ass' article.
The word files below include text, commentary and illustrations, the PowerPoints an introduction to the author and his work and the pdf file is Chamberlain's commentary on Book II.
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| metamorphoses-book-ii-chamberlain.pdf |
Vale of Thessaly viewed from Meteora
Aristomenes mourning the death of Socrates (Antoine-Denis Chaudet 1763-1810)
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2008.374
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2008.374
Wall painting in a cubiculum at the House of the Centenary in Pompeii
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Pompeii_-_Casa_del_Centenario_-_Cubiculum_2.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Pompeii_-_Casa_del_Centenario_-_Cubiculum_2.jpg
Lucius becomes a donkey
https://apuleiusmetamorphosesbystockton.wordpress.com/2017/05/04/the-cast-of-characters/
https://apuleiusmetamorphosesbystockton.wordpress.com/2017/05/04/the-cast-of-characters/
Charite hears the tale of Psyche and Cupid (Perino del Vaga, c.1546)
https://apuleiusmetamorphosesbystockton.wordpress.com/the-golden-ass/
https://apuleiusmetamorphosesbystockton.wordpress.com/the-golden-ass/
