Books with author Apuleius

First recovered and published in the yaer 1997; the present novel 'The Golden Ass' was written by ancient fiction writer Lucius Apuleius. The novel contains lucid and descriptive narrative; hence falls in picaresque fiction genre. The plot revolves around the protagonist; Lucius's; curiosity (curiositas) and insatiable desire to see and practice magic.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

A fantastic novel combining the marvelous and the realistic, the Metamorphoses or The Golden Ass shows the narrative ability of Apuleius of Madaura (125-180 AD), who knew how to transform the magical adventure of its protagonist, the curious Lucio, into An extensive story of surprising rhythm and color that combines the fictional outline of the traveling adventures with the horror tales and the stories about female deceits. Satire and irony are combined with humor in the grotesque perspective of the ass, observer and martyr of a social reality revealed in his human sordidness. The comic pathos of this event with a happy ending, together with the grace of the interspersed stories (such as the famous one of Cupid and Psyche), gives the work a singular literary appeal.

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How Apuleius riding in Thessaly, fortuned to fall into company with two strangers, that reasoned together of the mighty power of Witches. As I fortuned to take my voyage into Thessaly, about certaine affaires which I had to doe ( for there myne auncestry by my mothers side inhabiteth, descended of the line of that most excellent person Plutarch, and of Sextus the Philosopher his Nephew, which is to us a great honour) and after that by much travell and great paine I had passed over the high mountaines and slipperie vallies, and had ridden through the cloggy fallowed fields; perceiving that my horse did wax somewhat slow, and to the intent likewise that I might repose and strengthen my self (being weary with riding) I lighted off my horse, and wiping the sweat from every part of his body, I unbrideled him, and walked him softly in my hand, to the end he might pisse, and ease himself of his weariness and travell: and while he went grazing freshly in the field (casting his head sometimes aside, as a token of rejoycing and gladnesse) I perceived a little before me two companions riding, and so I overtaking them made a third. And while I listened to heare their communication, the one of them laughed and mocked his fellow, saying, Leave off I pray thee and speak no more, for I cannot abide to heare thee tell such absurd and incredible lies; which when I heard, I desired to heare some newes, and said, I pray you masters make me partaker of your talk, that am not so curious as desirous to know all your communication: so shall we shorten our journey, and easily passe this high hill before us, by merry and pleasant talke. But he that laughed before at his fellow, said againe, Verily this tale is as true, as if a man would say that by sorcery and inchantment the floods might be inforced to run against their course, the seas to be immovable, the aire to lacke the blowing of windes, the Sunne to be restrained from his naturall race, the Moone to purge his skimme upon herbes and trees to serve for sorceries: the starres to be pulled from heaven, the day to be darkened and the dark night to continue still. Then I being more desirous to heare his talke than his companions, sayd, I pray you, that began to tell your tale even now, leave not off so, but tell the residue. And turning to the other I sayd, You perhappes that are of an obstinate minde and grosse eares, mocke and contemme those things which are reported for truth, know you not that it is accounted untrue by the depraved opinion of men, which either is rarely seene, seldome heard, or passeth the capacitie of mans reason, which if it be more narrowly scanned, you shall not onely finde it evident and plaine, but also very easy to be brought to passe.

This is an exclusive picaresque novel and the only Latin fiction that survived from antiquity. It avers the story of Lucius who suffers and humiliated for his evil deeds and becomes a donkey. It's a remarkable piece of fiction that encapsulates romantic ventures and religious authentication. The book has story within the stories that entangles reader till its end. Interesting!