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The Golden Ass (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

by Apuleius (Author) "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..." (more)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
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Product details

  • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Classics; New Ed edition (27 May 2004)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0140435905
  • ISBN-13: 978-0140435900
  • Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 13 x 2.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 107,403 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #86 in  Books > Poetry, Drama & Criticism > Essays, Journals & Letters > Classical, Early & Medieval
    #92 in  Books > Fiction > World > German

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Product Description

Product 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.

About the Author

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.
Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
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. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Funny and gripping, 7 Oct 2005
By A Customer
The whole book is very amusing - the highlight for me, however, was the story of Cupid and Psyche. This translation is always pacey and exciting - unexpectedly I found the book a real page-turner. I can really only recommend 'The Golden Ass' - you will read it very, very quickly because it is so entertaining. Lucius' character is excellently drawn too, and many readers will be able to sympathise with his constant curiosity, often leading to disaster!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Sublime, 11 Mar 2008
By M. Dowden (London, UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
When Apuleius wrote 'Give me your ear, reader: you will enjoy yourself', I don't expect that he thought people would still be enjoying his book centuries later. The story that he gave us has inspired Shakespeare, Boccaccio and Cervantes, amongst countless others.

This story of a man becoming magically transformed into an ass by accident is full of comedy, from slapstick through to satire. Full of incidents with stories in the story, Apuleius takes us through bawdiness to thriller. We hear of sex, fron hetero to gay, to bestiality. We hear of crime from robbery and kidnap, to murder. What we are have is a book that revels exuberantly in life.

Kenney's excellent and lively translation gives to us a book that is like a just published novel. If you thought that books from antiquity were dry and boring you will have to think again after reading this. This book is a must have, and will be enjoyed by teenagers upwards.
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