Further Reading

The following list is severely selective and is restricted to works in English. The secondary literature on Apuleius and the ancient novel is large and constantly growing. Most of the books listed here contain bibliographies; those in the Groningen commentaries of Hijmans et al. are particularly ample.

TRANSLATIONS

Adlington, W., The xi bookes of the Golden Asse, conteininge the Metamorphosie of Lucius Apulelius with the Mariage of Cupid and Psiches (London, 1566 and frequently reprinted).
-- id., revised by S. Gaselee, Loeb Classical Library (New York and London, 1915).
Butler, H. E., The Metamorphoses or Golden Ass of Apuleius of Madaura,2 vols. (Oxford, 1910). (Expurgated.)
Graves, R., The Transformations of Lucius otherwise known as The Golden Ass by Lucius Apuleius (Harmondsworth, 195O).
-- id., revised with a new Introduction by M. Grant (Hammondsworth, 1990).
Hanson, J. A. See below, A Note on the Text.
Walsh, P. G., Apuleius. The Golden Ass (Oxford, 1994; World's Classics, 1995).

For the Onos see the text and translation by M. D. Macleod in vol. VIII of the works of Lucian in the Loeb Classical Library (Cambridge, Mass. and London, 1967).

COMMENTARIES

Scobie, A., Apuleius Metamorphoses (Asinus Aureus) I. A Commentary (Meisenheim am Glam, 1975).
van der Paardt, R. T., L. Apuleius Madaurensis. The Metamorphoses. A Commentary on Book III With Text & Introduction (Amsterdam, 1971).
Hijmans, B. L., et al., Apuleius Madaurensis Metamorphoses. Book IV 1-27. Text, Introduction and Commentary (Groningen, 1977).
-- Books VI 25-32 and VII (Groningen, I98I).
-- Book VIII (Groningen, 1985).
-- Book IX (Groningen, 1995).
-- Book X (forthcoming) .
Gwyn Griffiths, J., Apuleius Of Madauros. The Isis-Book (Metamorphoses, Book XI) (Leiden, 1975).
Purser, L. C., The Story of Cupid and Psyche as related by Apuliius [IV 28-VI 24] (London, 1910; repr. New Rochelle, I983).
Kenney, E. J., Apuleius. Cupid and Psyche [IV 28-VI 24], Cambridge Greek and Latin Classics (Cambridge, 199O).

MONOGRAPHS

Hagg, T., The Novel in Antiquity (Oxford, 1983).
James, Paula, Unity in Diversity. A study of Apuleius' 'Metamorphoses' with particular reference to the narrator's art of transformation and the metamorphosis motif in the tale of Cupid and Psyche (Hildesheim -Zurich-New York, 1987).
Krabbe, Judith K., The Metamorphoses of Apuleius (New York-Bern-Frankfurt am Main-Paris, 1989).
Perry, B. E., The Ancient Romances. A literary-critical account of their origins (Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1967).
Schlam, C. C., Cupid and Psyche. Apuleius and the monuments (University Park, Pa., I976).
-- The Metamorphoses of Apuleius. On making an ass of oneself (London, 1992).
Shumate, Nancy, Crisis and Conversion in Apuleius' 'Metamorphoses' (Ann Arbor, Mich., 1996).
Stephens, Susan A., and Winkler, J. J., Ancient Greek Novels: the Fragments (Princeton, N.J., 1995).
Tatum, J., Apuleius and 'The Golden Ass' (Ithaca and London, 1979).
Walsh, P. G., The Roman Novel. The 'Satyricon' of Petronius and the 'Metamorphoses' of Apuleius (Cambridge, 1970).
Winkler, J. J., Auctor & Actor. A narratological reading of Apuleius's 'Golden Ass' (Berkeley-Los Angeles-London, I985).

A Note on the Text

The text of The Golden Ass depends on a manuscript written at Monte Cassino in Italy in the eleventh century and now in the Biblioteca Mediceo-Laurentiana at Florence, Laurentianus 68. 2 (F). From it all other extant copies derive. Where its original readings have been defaced by wear and tear or correction, they can often be restored from another Florentine manuscript of the twelfth or thirteenth century, Laurentianus 29. 2 (ф), which was copied from F when it was more legible than it is now. As to how faithfully F transmits what Apuleius wrote, scholars are divided. Some, most notably the Groningen commentators, adopt a highly conservative approach; others, of whom the present translator is one, believe that correction is needed in a good many places. Fortunately it is not often that the sense is seriously in doubt, however editors may disagree about the form of the expression; and textual comment in the Notes has been kept to a minimum.

The most important critical editions are those of

van der Vliet, J., Bibliotheca Teubneriana (Leipzig, 1897).
Helm, R., 3rd edn. with supplement, Bibliotheca Teubneriana (Leipzig, 1992).
Robertson, D. S., 3 vols., Collection Bude (Paris, 1940-45). With French translation by P. Vallette.
Hanson, J. A., 2 vols., Loeb Classical Library (Cambridge, Mass. and London, 1989). With English translation.

The Groningen commentaries include a text which generally follows that of Helm, with occasional variations. They also incorporate in the commentary a paragraph-by-paragraph English translation.

This translation in the main follows the text of Robertson, but the readings of other editors and critics have been occasionally preferred. The book divisions are authorial. The chapter divisions given in the margin of the text, to which the notes are keyed, are editoria1 and modern, designed primarily to facilitate reference. The paragraphing is the translator's.

John Price (Latinized as Pricaeus) was born of Welsh parents in London in 1600. He was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, though as a Roman Catholic he was ineligible to matriculate or graduate. He spent much of his life abroad, living and working at various times in Paris, Vienna, Florence and Pisa, where he was for a time Professor of Greek. He died in about 1676 and was buried in the Augustinian monastery in Rome. His commentaries on Apuleius and the New Testament gained him a high reputation among his contemporaries; and his edition of The Golden Ass, published at Gouda in 1650, is still a valuable resource.

Contents

BOOK I

Prologue in which the author introduces himself -- Lucius follows suit  -- on the way to Thessaly -- Aristomenes' story -- arrival at Hypata and reception by Milo -- a puzzling experience in the market -- hungry to bed
7

BOOK 2

In quest of witchcraft -- meeting with Byrrhena -- warned against his hostess the witch Pamphile -- makes love to the maid Photis instead -- dinner with Byrrhena -- Thelyphron's story -- promises to contribute to the Festival of Laughter -- encounters and slays three desperate robbers
22

BOOK 3

Tried for murder -- all a joke which he does not appreciate -- Photis explains -- watches Pamphile change herself into an owl and tries to follow suit -- is turned into an ass instead -- inhospitable reception in the stable -- frustrated in attempt to break the spell -- carried off by robbers
40

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