Apuleius The Golden Ass

Apuleius: Life and Works Born at Madaurus in Numidia (Modern Algeria) ca. 125 CE – Father was a duumvir (town magistrate) Born at Madaurus in Numidia (Modern Algeria) ca. 125 CE – Father was a duumvir (town magistrate) Native language Phoenician; studied Latin and Greek Native language Phoenician; studied Latin and Greek Schooled in Carthage, Greece, and Rome Schooled in Carthage, Greece, and Rome Studied the philosophy of Plato in Athens – Gained a reputations as a good philosopher and orator Studied the philosophy of Plato in Athens – Gained a reputations as a good philosopher and orator 156 CE - Married Pudentilla, widowed mother of a colleague 156 CE - Married Pudentilla, widowed mother of a colleague 158 CE – Accused of witchcraft by Pudentilla’s family, stood trial, and was acquitted (wrote his own defence, the Apologia) 158 CE – Accused of witchcraft by Pudentilla’s family, stood trial, and was acquitted (wrote his own defence, the Apologia) 160s - After his trial, Apuleius became a priest of the imperial cult and a devotee of Isis 160s - After his trial, Apuleius became a priest of the imperial cult and a devotee of Isis The Golden Ass is about a conversion to the mysteries of Isis The Golden Ass is about a conversion to the mysteries of Isis

The surviving (and lost) works of Apuleius 1.Apologia (Defense speech against charge of witchcraft), 2.De Deo Socratis (Speech on the Daemon of Socrates), 3.Florida (Excerpts of speeches), 4.Metamorphoses ( =The Golden Ass), 5.De Dogmate Platonis (On the teaching of Plato), 6.De Mundo (On the Universe – Aristotelean work of natural science) 1.Apologia (Defense speech against charge of witchcraft), 2.De Deo Socratis (Speech on the Daemon of Socrates), 3.Florida (Excerpts of speeches), 4.Metamorphoses ( =The Golden Ass), 5.De Dogmate Platonis (On the teaching of Plato), 6.De Mundo (On the Universe – Aristotelean work of natural science) Lost Works: 1.De Arboribus, 2.De Medicinalibus, 3.De Proverbiis, 3.De Republica, 4.Epitome Historiarum, 5.Eroticus, 6.Hermagoras, 7.Ludicra, 8.Phaedo, 9.Quaestiones Conviviales Lost Works: 1.De Arboribus, 2.De Medicinalibus, 3.De Proverbiis, 3.De Republica, 4.Epitome Historiarum, 5.Eroticus, 6.Hermagoras, 7.Ludicra, 8.Phaedo, 9.Quaestiones Conviviales

Structure of The Golden Ass The story of Lucius’ journey from ignorance to religious salvation The story of Lucius’ journey from ignorance to religious salvation Series of stories within stories (which is also reflection of oral society in which story-telling is the dominant form of ‘literature’) Series of stories within stories (which is also reflection of oral society in which story-telling is the dominant form of ‘literature’) Stories: 1.Aristomenes and Socrates, 2.Thelyphron, 3.Robbers’ Tales, 4.Cupid and Psyche Stories: 1.Aristomenes and Socrates, 2.Thelyphron, 3.Robbers’ Tales, 4.Cupid and Psyche

The Purpose of The Golden Ass Has a serious purpose: describing transformations of human life – i.e. from ignorance to self-discovery and salvation Has a serious purpose: describing transformations of human life – i.e. from ignorance to self-discovery and salvation Also supposed to be funny and entertaining Also supposed to be funny and entertaining Prologue: “Now, what I propose in this Milesian discourse is to string together for you a series of different stories and to charm your ears, kind reader, with amusing gossip - always assuming that you are not too proud to look at an Egyptian book written with the sharpness of a pen from the Nile; and to make you marvel at a story of men’s shapes and fortunes changed into other forms and then restored all over again. So, I’ll begin. But who is this? In brief: Attic Hymettus, the Isthmus of Corinth, and Spartan Taenarus, fruitful lands immortalized in yet more fruitful books, these make up my ancient ancestry. “ Prologue: “Now, what I propose in this Milesian discourse is to string together for you a series of different stories and to charm your ears, kind reader, with amusing gossip - always assuming that you are not too proud to look at an Egyptian book written with the sharpness of a pen from the Nile; and to make you marvel at a story of men’s shapes and fortunes changed into other forms and then restored all over again. So, I’ll begin. But who is this? In brief: Attic Hymettus, the Isthmus of Corinth, and Spartan Taenarus, fruitful lands immortalized in yet more fruitful books, these make up my ancient ancestry. “

The Principal Themes In The Golden Ass, I-VI Magic and Religion Magic and Religion Nothing is really as it appears to be Nothing is really as it appears to be transformations transformations Belief and Unbelief Belief and Unbelief Morality Morality Finding Salvation Finding Salvation

What else does the novel provide us with? The setting in which story takes place provides realistic historical glimpses into the world of the Roman empire of 2 nd century AD: the wide variety of religious practices, cults, beliefs in and practice of witchcraft and magic. The setting in which story takes place provides realistic historical glimpses into the world of the Roman empire of 2 nd century AD: the wide variety of religious practices, cults, beliefs in and practice of witchcraft and magic. Many individuals of various social and economic status: wealthy, the poor, bandits, criminals, business people, priests, farmers, bakers, millers, slaves, and many more; Many individuals of various social and economic status: wealthy, the poor, bandits, criminals, business people, priests, farmers, bakers, millers, slaves, and many more; also reflects many literary traditions also reflects many literary traditions

Magic in The Golden Ass Magic predominates the first six books Magic predominates the first six books Lucius has gone to Thessaly, a region renowned for magic and witchcraft Lucius has gone to Thessaly, a region renowned for magic and witchcraft Most of the female characters in books 1-6 are witches Most of the female characters in books 1-6 are witches Witchcraft appears to be a gendered crime tied to notions of female sexuality Witchcraft appears to be a gendered crime tied to notions of female sexuality Oedipal element also present in the characterization of witches Oedipal element also present in the characterization of witches

The Witches Meroe: Meroe: Pamphile: 2.5 Pamphile: 2.5 The corpse hags 2.22 The corpse hags 2.22 Photis 3.19 Photis 3.19

Mother Meroe (Apuleius, Golden Ass “The moment they had gone the door reverted to normal: the hinges flew back into position, the bars returned to the doorposts, and the bolts shot back into the slot. As for me, I remained where I was, grovelling on the floor, fainting, naked, cold and drenched in piss, just like a new-born child..” “The moment they had gone the door reverted to normal: the hinges flew back into position, the bars returned to the doorposts, and the bolts shot back into the slot. As for me, I remained where I was, grovelling on the floor, fainting, naked, cold and drenched in piss, just like a new-born child..”

Witches and Sexuality All Witches are sexually aggressive All Witches are sexually aggressive Threat of castration Threat of castration Book 1.9 Book 1.9 Book 1.13 Book 1.13