The golden ass, being the metamorphoses of lucius apuleius. Metamorphoses the golden ass, vol 2, books 711 book. Despite the presence in it of the isisbook, or perhaps because of it, the extravagance. Religion and narrative in the metamorphoses of apuleius. It tells the story of the hero lucius, whose curiosity and fascination for sex and magic results in his transformation into an ass. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. Please note that, in spite of my updating, this is still an old translation. I just mentioned the golden ass has been specially popular since the. Kenney penguin books penguin books published by the penguin. Summary of the metamorphoses the spectacles of apuleius. To which are added, a metrical version of cupid and psyche, and mrs.
Apuleius article about apuleius by the free dictionary. In the metamorphoses of apuleius, also known as the golden ass, we have the only latin novel which survives entire. This is in the tradition of adlington, whose english is characterized in the. Apuleius was educated in carthage and athens, and then traveled around the mediterranean learning about religious cults. He was a poet, philosopher, and rhetorician from whom numerous works survive some of doubtful authenticity. A new, complete, english translation, of the metamorphoses of lucius apuleius kline, a. Featured translations include dante, ovid, goethe, homer, virgil and many others.
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. Acclaimed poet and translator sarah ruden brilliantly brings apuleiuss comic. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Apuleius metamorphoses or the golden ass, our only complete latin. 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. The author apuleius is discussed in the literary environment of the second century ad together with key themes of the first book and the novel as a whole. Apuleius the metamorphoses book 1 annotated edition edition. The plot revolves around the protagonists curiosity curiositas and insatiable. 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, metamorphoses the golden ass, volume i loeb. Klines open access poetry archive offering modern, highquality translations of classic texts by famous poets, original poetry and critical work. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 256 pages and is available in paperback format. Of course, each of the myths ovid tells has its own story, but, since there are over 200 of them, we cant really touch on them. Bryn mawr commentaries provide clear, concise, accurate, and consistent support for students making the transition from introductory and intermediate texts to the direct experience of ancient greek and latin literature. Occasionally i have added to the translation where adlington has omitted certain passages. The fortunes of apuleius and the golden ass princeton. The first edition of the novel was published in 158, and was written by apuleius.
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. Apuleius story of cupid and psyche, the relationship of the human soul with divine love, is one of the great allegories of world literature. Full text of apuleius the golden ass penguin classics. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. It forms an integral part of and profoundly illuminates the message of his novel metamorphoses or the golden ass, which relates the adventures of a young man and his spiritual fall and redemption. This is a literal wordforword translation of ovids metamorphoses books from the key to the classics series by rev. A search query can be a title of the book, a name of the author, isbn or anything else. There is plenty of room, as the text with notes is only 63 pages long. Being the metamorphoses of lucius apuleius ebook written by apuleius.
Augustine referred to as the golden ass asinus aureus is the only ancient roman novel in latin to survive in its entirety. The transformations of lucius apuleius, and the rites of isis. 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. Metamorphoses the golden ass, vol 2, books 711 by apuleius. Free download or read online the golden ass pdf epub book. It is brimming with slapstick humor and sexual escapades, and foreshadows later works by boccaccio, rabelais, cervantes, and chaucer, upon whom it was a. The mellon foundation provided support for entering this text. 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. 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. Julia gaisser follows apuleius racy tale from antiquity through the sixteenth century, tracing its journey from roll to codex in fourthcentury rome, into the medieval library of monte cassino, into the hands of italian humanists, into print, and, finally, over the alps and into translation in spanish, french, german, and english. Latin literature before the fourthcentury renaissance. Apuleius simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Its mainly just a normal translation into the american english of. Her books include a translation of vergils aeneid and paul among the. The main characters of this classics, fiction story are venus goddess, lucius. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the golden ass. 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 florida is a collection of flamboyant highlights from the speeches of apuleius, delivered in africa in the second century a. 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. Sarah rudens new translation of apuleius neoplatonist romp about a guy who magically turns into a donkey. Eugenio da venezia, in fact, has crossed nearly for entire, by now all our century, with one extraordinary coherence and linearity. A cep record for this book is available from the british library. But how can we be full of the book that has no plot. Apuleiuss golden ass is a unique, entertaining, and thoroughly readable latin novelthe only work of fiction in latin to have survived from antiquity. Nancy shumate in her book crisis and conversion in apuleius metamorphoses 1996 deals primarily with texts written after often well after the time of apuleius. It was of great benefit to read books 16 of apuleius in the magnificent translation of j. Apuleius was born in about 125, in madauros, numidia. I will probably read it, and enjoy doing so, but i give it three stars because i think the product would be greatly improved if an english translation were provided.
The thing is, just because the metamorphoses doesnt have a recognizable storyline doesnt mean it isnt jampacked with mythological goodies. 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. The reception hall, the atrium, was especially beautiful, with a column at each corner on which stood a statue of a palmbearing goddess, wings outspread, the motionless dewwet feet barely touching the polished surface of the spinning globe, so as to appear in flight not stationary. The latin is accompanied by a facing english translation, making the edition more accessible to students of comparative literature as well as to classicists. 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. Purser, the story of cupid and psyche as related by apuleius copious introduction, text, annotations, london 1910 repr.
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. 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. An intermediate latin reader cambridge intermediate latin readers book online at best prices in india on. Pdf the golden ass book by apuleius free download 256. Apuleius metamorphoses book 3 hackett publishing company. This edition of book i presents the latin text with a modern translation, substantial introduction and accompanying commentary. Apuleius the golden ass or metamorphoses translated with an introduction and notes by e. With an introduction, in which the meaning of the fable is unfolded.
Latin text, with facing translation, substantial introduction and. His curiosity about magic gets him changed into a donkey. The golden ass edition 1 by apuleius 9780253200365. 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. Adlingtons translation of 1566, but carver has a special interest in the english. At the end of the novel, he is revealed to be from madaurus, the hometown of apuleius himself. Readings of apuleius metamorphoses in honor of maike zimmerman ancient narrative supplelemtum 6. To enrich and deepen his basic plot, the origins of which. Book 2 a new complete downloadable english translation with comprehensive index, and other poetry translations including baudelaire, chinese, european. Apuleius was born in madauros, a colonia in numidia on the north african coast bordering gaetulia, and he described himself as halfnumidian halfgaetulian.
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