The Golden Ass

A witty, fairly smutty, surprisingly good read for a book written approximately 1850 years ago. ( )

I really enjoyed this earliest of novels right up till the end. The preposterous scenes, the ribald stories, and the beautiful Cupid and Psyche story- it's one of those books that made me grin time after time. I'm sure if I were a better Classics scholar it would be an even richer experience, as the notes after the text give me to understand.

That being said, the last chapter made me think of those early Weekly Reader pictographs of 6 things, 5 of which belonged together in some way, and 1 of which did not. Maybe after I go to class today, I will learn more about why this odd appendage hangs on the end of the book. I suspect it's more my lack of scholarship than the book's fault.

Recommended. ( )

a masterpiece ,so interesting and entertaining as a read. for beneath the humorous and the sharp ironies lay a religious and philosophical thoughtful mind.
Amusing tales within tales, recollections of characters of various misadventures and misfortunes ....
Lucius A wandering spirit Suffering in his heedless traveling over the world in order to work out his salvation.

Interesting how magic plays a prominent role in the everyday life.

His deep love of life with his eager and curiosity , and mocking personality,And interest on magic transmogrifications,leads him to asks his new mistress to apply one of the forbidden magic spells on him. He aimed to become a bird, flying everywhere...

She applies the wrong potion and Lucius turns into an ass.

And here begins a series of adventures from which Lucius repeatedly changes masters while still an ass. The masters are invariably cruel, abusing Lucius , He is eternally beaten and degraded, and threatened with death and castration more than once .


The novel serves a window into Roman society, one sees every level and division of society, which produces a more accurate view of life for the common man.the problems of misused power ,and wives whom cheat on husbands, and husbands who many times kill their wives' lovers.

The importance of religion, especially for Lucius, comes to light upon Lucius rebirth into his human form by the work of the goddess Isis. After this rebirth Lucius seems to find his final and ultimate purpose for his life and realizes how the events that have taken place, leads him to what he was searching for..

The myth of Psyche and Cupid is what I admired most in the novel
A fascinating and exciting love story that can overcome all barriers and be blind to faults.
Psyche’s beauty gives her no pleasure, but separates her from others. Her father, unable to find a husband for her, goes to the oracle for advice.
Cupid falls in love with Psyche but conceals his identity from her, visiting her only at night. Fearing he is an evil person, she looks at him, although forbidden to do so. Cupid then abandons her.




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رواية كلاسيكية رائعة وشيقة ممتعة الى اقصى درجة تشع​ر و كانك تقرا الف ليلة وليلة اليونانية​
هو عمل رائع , استثنائى ,آسر , تحفة فنية​
مسلي في أي وقت ولأي ثقافة
فهو كتاب ترفيهى ويقدم نقد لاذع للمجتمع فى ذلك الو​

اجمل ما فى الرواية هو قصة حب كيوبيد وبسايكي, أحب ​كيوبيد بسايكي الفتاة الجميلة حبا شديد ولكنه لم يكن​ يريد أن تعلم هي بحبه لها بسبب خوفه من غضب أمه فأم​ر والدها أن يذهب بها إلى جزيرة بعيدةو على اعلى صخر​ةعالية فى الجبل ، يتخلى عن ابنته و اخبره أنها هناك​ ستتزوج ,و قال لها أنها ستتزوج شخص لن يظهر لها إلا​ في المساء وأنها لن ترى منه غير طيفه وحذرها من محا​ولة رؤية زوجها ولكن فضولها دفعها لمعرفة من هذا الذ​



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Edition: // Descr: xxiv, 608 p. : ill. (1) 17 cm. // Series: The Loeb Classical Library Call No. { 878 A9-L 1 } Series Edited by T.E. Page With an English Translation by W. Adlington Contains Latin and English Versions, Bibliography, and Index. // //