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The Golden Ass
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The Golden Ass

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Description

Written towards the end of the second century AD, The Golden Ass tells the story of the many adventures of a young man whose fascination with witchcraft leads him to be transformed into a donkey. The bewitched Lucius passes from owner to owner - encountering a desperate gang of robbers and being forced to perform lewd 'human' tricks on stage - until the Goddess Isis finally breaks the spell and Lucius is initiated into her cult. Apuleius' enchanting story has inspired generations of writers such as Boccaccio, Shakespeare, Cervantes and Keats with its dazzling combination of allegory, satire, bawdiness and sheer exuberance, and remains the most continuously and accessibly amusing book to have survived from Classical antiquity.show more

Product details

  • Paperback | 320 pages
  • 127 x 190.5 x 25.4mm | 204.12g
  • Penguin Books Ltd
  • PENGUIN CLASSICS
  • London, United Kingdom
  • English
  • Revised ed.
  • maps
  • 0140435905
  • 9780140435900
  • 115,987

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  1. Categories:
  2. Literary Essays
  3. Literary Studies: Classical, Early & Medieval
  4. Contemporary Fiction
  5. Classic Books & Novels

About Apuleius

Lucius Apuleius (2nd Century AD) North African fubulist, who Latinized the Greek myths and legends. He travelled widely, visiting Italy, Asia &c and was there initiated into numerous religious mysteries. The knowledge which he thus acquired of the priestly fraternities he drew on for his Golden Ass. E.J. Kenney is Emeritus Kennedy Professor of Latin in the University of Cambridge. His publications include a critical edition of Ovid's amatory works. He is a Fellow of the British Academy.show more

Review Text

The greatest magical-realist novel was written in the second century AD. It's a rollicking tale of a hero turns into a donkey containing everything from cheerfully obscene, farcical episodes to an exquisitely poetic rendering of the legend of Cupid and Psyche. People call it 'modern', but that is to flatter ourselves. Review by Nicci French, whose books include 'Killing Me Softly' (Kirkus UK)show more

Rating details

9,086 ratings
3.87 out of 5 stars
5 31% (2,825)
4 36% (3,240)
3 25% (2,229)
2 7% (648)
1 2% (144)
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