The Golden Ass by Apuleius holds the distinction of being the only novel from Classical Rome to have survived completely to the modern day. This classic translation by William Adlington preserves the original spirit of the text, which is filled with adventurous whimsy. The protagonist, Lucius, has an obsession with magic and wishes above all else to perform and demonstrate his abilities. However one day, during an attempt to turn himself into a bird, Lucius instead turns himself into an ass, or donkey. After this transformation Lucius must journey from place to place, seeking to reverse his fate. What follows are a series of adventures wherein fellow characters, and the ensuing escapades and misfortunes, must be endured by Lucius in spite of his animal form. Facing accusations of murder, almost being cooked for his meat, finding himself under the ownership of a Roman Legionary and meeting the Goddess Isis are just a few of the events that transpire around Lucius.

The Golden Ass by Apuleius holds the distinction of being the only novel from Classical Rome to have survived completely to the modern day. This classic translation by William Adlington preserves the original spirit of the text, which is filled with adventurous whimsy. The protagonist, Lucius, has an obsession with magic and wishes above all else to perform and demonstrate his abilities. However one day, during an attempt to turn himself into a bird, Lucius instead turns himself into an ass, or donkey. After this transformation Lucius must journey from place to place, seeking to reverse his fate. What follows are a series of adventures wherein fellow characters, and the ensuing escapades and misfortunes, must be endured by Lucius in spite of his animal form. Facing accusations of murder, almost being cooked for his meat, finding himself under the ownership of a Roman Legionary and meeting the Goddess Isis are just a few of the events that transpire around Lucius.

This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic, timeless works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Contents Include: Adlington's Translation - The xi Bookes of the Golden Asse, Conteininge the Metamorphosie of Lucius Apuleius - The Golden Ass of Apuleius with an Introduction by Charles Whibley - The Golden Ass, Introduction by Thomas Seccombe - The Golden Ass, Adlington's Translation revised by S. Gaselee