The Golden Ass · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Golden Ass by Apuleius.
Chapter 1
Dedication
The author dedicates the work to Stéphane Mallarmé, framing the novel as a metamorphosis of an ancient decadent text.
Chapter 2
Epistle Dedicatory
William Adlington dedicates his English translation of Apuleius's Metamorphoses to Thomas Earl of Sussex, explaining that despite the book's light and jesting matter, it contains virtuous morals and profitable lessons, as fables have historically been used to allure children to deeper studies and to covertly commend virtues and discommend vices.
Chapter 3
To the Reader
William Adlington addresses the reader, explaining his purpose in translating Apuleius's 'The Golden Ass'. He acknowledges the work's seemingly frivolous and jesting nature but argues that beneath its surface lies a profound moral allegory: the transformation of Lucius into an ass represents the degradation of man through sensual lusts, and his restoration by eating a rose symbolizes the recovery of reason and virtue through prayer and self-knowledge. Adlington compares this to the stories of Ulysses' companions and Nebuchadnezzar, and encourages the reader to use the tale not merely for amusement but as a pattern to regenerate their minds from brutish customs.
Chapter 4
The Preface of the Author to His Son, Faustinus
The author addresses his son Faustinus and the readers, introducing the book as a collection of joyous and wanton tales. He promises to tell the story of a man who lost his human form and lived as a beast, later restored to his original shape. The author reveals himself as the writer of his own Metamorphosis, describing his noble lineage from Greek cities and his later arrival in Rome where he mastered Latin. He asks pardon for any rudeness in his foreign speech and presents the work as a pleasant Grecian feast for the attentive reader.
Chapter 5
The Golden Ass
The novel begins with Lucius traveling to Thessaly, where he encounters tales of witchcraft and magic. He stays with Milo and becomes involved with Fotis, leading to his accidental transformation into an ass. The narrative weaves together stories of deception, transformation, and the consequences of curiosity.
Chapter 6
Book I
Lucius, traveling to Thessaly, encounters Aristomenus who tells the tale of Socrates and the witch Meroe. Lucius then arrives in Hypata and lodges with Milo, where he meets the maid Fotis and learns of the sorceress Pamphiles.
Chapter 7
I
Lucius, traveling to Thessaly on family business, encounters two companions arguing about the plausibility of witchcraft. One dismisses the other's tale as absurd, while Lucius defends the possibility of such wonders, urging the storyteller to continue.
Chapter 8
II
Aristomenus recounts finding his friend Socrates in a wretched state in Hypata, covering him and taking him to an inn, where he begins to tell his tale. He also describes a juggler in Athens who swallowed a sword and spear, and explains his own journey to Thessaly for cheese trading.
Chapter 9
III
Socrates recounts to Aristomenus how he was robbed by thieves on his way from Macedonia to Larissa, and then fell into the clutches of the witch Meroe, who seduced him and left him in a miserable state. Aristomenus rebukes Socrates for his folly, but Socrates warns him not to speak ill of Meroe, describing her as a powerful magician capable of controlling the heavens and the earth.
Chapter 10
How Meroe the Witch turned diverse persons into miserable beasts
Aristomenus recounts how the witch Meroe transformed her lover into a beaver, a wine-seller into a frog, an advocate into a ram, and caused a woman to remain pregnant for eight years. When the townspeople threatened to stone her, she used her enchantments to confine them in their houses for two days, then released them after they swore not to harm her. She also transported the house of the ordinance's author to a distant hilltop town. Socrates and Aristomenus, fearing Meroe's power, decide to flee before dawn.
Chapter 11
V
Aristomenus recounts the terrifying tale of how he and Socrates were attacked by the witches Meroe and Panthia in their chamber. After a night of horror, Aristomenus witnesses Socrates seemingly restored, only to have him die again when the sponge falls from his wound as he drinks from a river. Aristomenus buries Socrates and flees to Etolia.
Chapter 12
VI
Lucius arrives in Hypata and seeks lodging with Milo, an avaricious usurer, after being directed by an old woman. He presents letters from Demeas and is welcomed into Milo's frugal household, where he meets the maid Fotis.
Chapter 13
VII
Lucius goes to the market to buy fish for supper, where he meets his old friend Pithias, who is now the clerk of the market. Pithias scolds the fishmonger for overcharging Lucius, throws the fish on the ground, and has them trampled. Lucius then goes to the baths, returns to Milo's house without money or food, and is eventually persuaded by Milo to join him for a meager supper, after which he retires to his chamber.
Chapter 14
Book II
Lucius continues his stay in Hypata, enjoying the hospitality of Milo and the attentions of the servant Fotis. He encounters his cousin Byrrhena, who warns him about the sorceress Pamphiles. Lucius becomes increasingly obsessed with magic and witnesses Fotis's involvement in Pamphiles's witchcraft. The chapter culminates in a festival of laughter and a mock trial where Lucius is accused of murder, only to discover the 'corpses' are inflated bladders.
Chapter 15
VIII
Lucius awakens in Thessaly, consumed by a desire to witness sorcery and enchantment. While exploring the city, he encounters his cousin Byrrhena, who invites him to her home and warns him of the dangerous magical powers of Pamphiles, Milo's wife. Despite the warning, Lucius becomes even more determined to learn the art of witchcraft and sets his sights on the maid Fotis.
Chapter 16
IX
Lucius, captivated by Fotis's beauty and grace as she prepares a meal, engages in playful and flirtatious banter with her. He reflects on the importance of hair in female beauty, then kisses her and confesses his desire. Fotis promises to lie with him that night, warning him that his pleasure may turn to repentance.
Chapter 17
X
Lucius dines with Milo and Pamphiles, discusses divination and the fortune-teller Diophanes, then spends the night with Fotis in amorous revelry.
Chapter 18
XI
Lucius dines with his cousin Byrrhena, where a guest named Bellephoron tells a grotesque tale of witches who cut off his nose and ears. Lucius later returns home, kills three men he mistakes for thieves, and is subsequently put on trial for murder, only for the bodies to be revealed as bladders. The chapter also includes a comic interlude where a man hired to guard a corpse falls asleep and is beaten by the household.
Chapter 19
Book III
Lucius is put on trial for murder, but the bodies are revealed to be bladders, leading to laughter. He then witnesses Pamphiles transform into an owl and, after attempting the same, is accidentally turned into an ass. The chapter ends with thieves capturing Lucius and taking him to their den.
Chapter 20
XII
Lucius awakens in terror, believing he has committed a triple murder, and is arrested and brought before the judges in a crowded theater, where an old man begins his oration against him.
Chapter 21
How Apuleius was accused by an old man, and how he answered for himself.
Lucius is accused by the captain of the night watch of murdering three citizens. In his defense, he explains that he was returning home late, saw three thieves attempting to break into his host Milo's house, and fought them in self-defense. Despite his emotional plea, the crowd, including Milo, laughs at him.
Chapter 22
XIV
Lucius is put on trial for murder, but when he uncovers the bodies, they are revealed to be three blown bladders, causing great laughter. The judges explain it is a festival in honor of the god Risus, and they offer him honors. Lucius declines a statue, returns to Milo's house, and goes to bed.
Chapter 23
XV
Fotis confesses to Lucius that she inadvertently caused his earlier humiliation by substituting goat hair for the hair of a young man her mistress Pamphiles intended to enchant. She describes Pamphiles' powerful sorcery, which animated goat skins that Lucius mistakenly attacked. Lucius forgives her and asks to witness Pamphiles' magic, and they spend the night in amorous play.
Chapter 24
XVI
Fotis brings Lucius to secretly watch her mistress Pamphiles perform a sorcerous transformation into an owl. Lucius, enchanted by the spectacle, begs Fotis for the same ointment so he too can become a bird, but Fotis warns him of the dangers. Lucius insists and, after learning the remedy to reverse the transformation, anoints himself.
Chapter 25
XVII
Lucius, attempting to transform into a bird using Pamphiles' ointment, is mistakenly turned into an ass. Fotis reveals that eating a rose will restore him. He is beaten by a stable boy, then captured by thieves who loot Milo's house and load Lucius, another ass, and a horse with treasure. Lucius considers eating roses but refrains for fear of being killed by the thieves.
Chapter 26
Book IV
Lucius continues his adventures as an ass, witnessing the tragic tale of Charites and Lepolemus, and experiencing further misfortunes at the hands of thieves and cruel masters.
Chapter 27
XVIII
Lucius, still in ass form, is taken to a village where he is set to pasture but cannot eat with the other animals. He jumps into a garden to feed on herbs and searches for roses to break the spell. Mistaking laurel roses for true roses, he is attacked by a gardener, whom he kicks down, then is chased by dogs and townspeople, caught, bound, and beaten nearly to death before escaping further harm by defecating on his attackers.
Chapter 28
XIX
Lucius, as an ass, is forced to continue the journey with the thieves after another ass feigns death and is killed. They arrive at the thieves' den, a naturally fortified hideout. The thieves berate an old woman caretaker, then wash and feast. A second group of thieves arrives with plunder, and a dispute arises over their respective exploits. One recounts the failed robbery of Chriseros, resulting in the death of their captain Lamathus, and the subsequent death of Alcimus during another robbery, before they moved on to Platea where Demochares's bears were dying.
Chapter 29
XX
The thieves recount the story of their comrade Thrasileon, who disguised himself in a bear's skin to infiltrate the house of Demochares. The plan succeeds initially, but Thrasileon is discovered and killed by dogs and servants. The thieves escape with treasure, lamenting their loss. Lucius, as an ass, feeds on barley and bread.
Chapter 30
XXI
The thieves return to their den with a captive gentlewoman, who laments her abduction and the disruption of her wedding. Lucius, now an ass, observes her sorrow and is moved to tears. The old woman tries to comfort her and promises to tell a pleasant tale.
Chapter 31
The Marriage of Cupid and Psyche
This chapter recounts the divine wedding of Cupid and Psyche, celebrated with a grand feast among the gods. Psyche is granted immortality and officially welcomed into the celestial realm, symbolizing the ultimate union of love and the soul.
Chapter 32
Chapter XXII
Venus is enraged at Cupid's love for Psyche and seeks revenge. Psyche wanders seeking her husband, enters a temple of Ceres, and is refused refuge. Her sisters persuade her that her husband is a serpent and urge her to kill him. Psyche prepares to do so but instead discovers Cupid's divine beauty. Jupiter intervenes, makes Psyche immortal, and marries her to Cupid in a grand celestial feast.
Chapter 33
Book VI
Psyche, abandoned by Cupid, wanders in search of him and is forced by Venus to complete a series of impossible tasks. With divine aid, she succeeds, but ultimately fails by opening a forbidden box. Cupid rescues her, and after Jupiter's intervention, Psyche is made immortal and marries Cupid. Meanwhile, Lucius, still in ass form, is captured by thieves and witnesses the tragic story of Charites and Lepolemus.
Chapter 34
XXIII
The thieves debate the punishment for the captive maiden and the ass, devising a gruesome death. Lucius, in his ass form, carries the maiden away in an escape attempt, but they are recaptured by the thieves and returned to the den, where the old woman is found hanged.
Chapter 35
Book VII
Lucius, still in ass form, is captured by thieves who bring him to their den. The thieves recount tales of their exploits, and Lucius overhears a plan to kill him. He manages to escape with the help of a maiden named Charites, whom he carries away to safety.
Chapter 36
XXIV
A thief returns to the cave and reports that Lucius Apuleius has been accused of robbing Milo's house. Lucius, now an ass, laments his transformation and the injustice of fortune. A new recruit, Hemus the Thracian, joins the band of thieves, recounting his exploits and presenting stolen gold.
Chapter 37
XXV
After supper, the thieves discuss the fate of the captive gentlewoman and the ass. One thief argues against killing them, proposing instead to sell the virgin to bawdy merchants for profit. The others agree, and the maiden is unbound. She smiles at the mention of brothels, which leads Lucius (as the ass) to reflect bitterly on the fickleness of women.
Chapter 38
XXVI
Lepolemus, disguised as the thief Hemus, gains the trust of the thieves and orchestrates their downfall by plying them with wine and food until they fall into a deep sleep, revealing his true identity to Charites.
Chapter 39
XXVII
After the thieves fall asleep from heavy drinking, Lepolemus places the maiden Charites on Lucius's back and rides home. The city celebrates her return, and Lucius brays loudly in joy. Lepolemus and citizens return to the thieves' cave, kill or imprison the thieves, and seize their treasure. Charites marries Lepolemus and rewards Lucius with abundant feed, calling him her 'little camel.' However, Lucius is soon handed over to a horse-keeper whose cruel wife works him as a mill-ass, feeding him only filthy bran. When let out to pasture, Lucius is attacked by jealous stallions, recalling the Thracian king who fed men to his horses.
Chapter 40
XXVIII
Lucius, now an ass, is forced to haul wood from a high hill daily, tormented by a cruel boy who beats him relentlessly, loads him with excessive burdens, and even sets his load on fire. Lucius escapes the fire by plunging into a puddle, but the boy lies to the neighbors, claiming the ass deliberately jumped into the fire.
Chapter 41
XXIX
The boy accuses Lucius the ass of lechery and violent behavior towards women, leading the shepherds to debate whether to kill or geld him. Lucius, understanding their speech, is horrified at the prospect of castration and contemplates suicide.
Chapter 42
How the boy that led Apuleius to the field, was slain in the wood
Lucius, still in ass form, is led by a boy to a hill where he is tied to an oak. A bear emerges from a cave, frightening Lucius into breaking his halter and fleeing. A stranger finds him and rides him away, but shepherds searching for a lost cow recognize Lucius and accuse the stranger of stealing the ass and killing the boy. Despite the stranger's protests, the shepherds find the boy's torn body, blame the stranger, and plan to accuse him of murder.
Chapter 43
XXXI
Lucius, still in ass form, is beaten by the mother of the slain boy, who blames him for her son's death and tortures him with a firebrand until he defends himself by defecating on her.
Chapter 44
Book VIII
Lucius, still in ass form, witnesses the tragic aftermath of Charites and Lepolemus's deaths, is subjected to cruel treatment by new masters including a group of priests of the Syrian goddess, and endures further hardships as he is passed from owner to owner.
Chapter 45
XXXII
A young man from Charites' household arrives at midnight to recount the tragic deaths of Lepolemus and Charites. He tells how Thrasillus, a rejected suitor, feigned friendship and murdered Lepolemus during a boar hunt. Charites, after a prophetic vision from her husband, feigned consent to marry Thrasillus, then drugged him, blinded him with a needle, and stabbed herself at Lepolemus' tomb. Thrasillus later sealed himself in the tomb to starve to death. The servants, fearing new masters, prepare to flee.
Chapter 46
How Apuleius was led away by the horsekeeper: and what danger he was in.
Lucius, still in ass form, is loaded with baggage and led away by the horsekeeper along with other horses. They travel through dangerous territory, warned of wolves, but the covetous drivers press on at night. Lucius runs among the other horses for protection. They are attacked not by wolves but by fierce mastiffs set upon them by villagers who mistake them for thieves, and stones are hurled from windows. A woman riding Lucius is struck, and her husband pleads with the villagers, who eventually cease the attack. The group continues, all wounded or bitten.
Chapter 47
XXXIV
The shepherds stop in a wood to tend their wounds. An old shepherd warns them away, then a second old man tricks them into sending a young man into a thicket, where he is devoured by a dragon. The shepherds flee the cursed place.
Chapter 48
XXXV
The travelers lodge in a village where a servant's adultery leads to his wife killing herself and their child, and the servant is subsequently punished by his master by being tied to a fig tree and devoured by ants.
Chapter 49
XXXVI
Lucius, still in ass form, is sold to the priests of the Syrian goddess, led by Philebus. He witnesses their fraudulent and debauched practices, including self-flagellation, extortion, and sexual abuse. When Lucius brays in protest, he nearly exposes them, but they escape and later plot to kill him. A cook's wife suggests killing Lucius to cover up a stolen venison, but the chapter ends with Lucius being sold again.
Chapter 50
Book IX
Lucius, still in ass form, endures a series of misadventures as he is passed from owner to owner, witnessing tales of adultery, murder, and deception, including the story of a baker's wife and the tragic fate of a man named Socrates, before finally being sold to a gardener.
Chapter 51
XXXVII
Lucius, still in ass form, narrowly escapes being killed by a treacherous cook by breaking his halter and running into a dining room where his master and priests are feasting. He is locked in a chamber after causing chaos, but a false alarm about a mad dog leads the household to suspect he is rabid. They test him with water, and he drinks calmly, proving his sanity. The next day, he is laden again with the goddess Syria's trumpery and continues begging through villages, eventually arriving at a town built on an ancient city's foundation.
Chapter 52
XXXVIII
A poor man returns home early to find his wife with her lover. The wife hides the lover under a tub and tricks her husband into cleaning it while she and the lover continue their affair, ultimately selling the tub to the lover for seven pence.
Chapter 53
XXXIX
The priests of the Syrian goddess are arrested for stealing a gold cup, and Lucius, still in ass form, is sold to a baker. He is forced to work in a mill, where he observes the brutal conditions of the slaves and horses, reflecting on his former life as a man and finding some solace in his ability to understand human speech.
Chapter 54
XL
The baker's wife, a woman of extreme vice, mistreats Lucius the ass and forces him to grind in the mill. Lucius overhears a conversation between the wife and an old bawd, who compares her current lover unfavorably to the young man Philesiterus, then begins to tell a story about Philesiterus and the senator Barbarus.
Chapter 55
XLI
Barbarus, jealous of his wife, entrusts her to his servant Myrmex, who is eventually bribed by the adulterer Philesiterus. The husband returns unexpectedly, but the lover escapes. Later, a baker's wife uses sorcery to kill her husband after he divorces her for adultery. The baker's ghost appears to his daughter. The chapter also includes a tale of a fuller's wife caught with a lover, and the baker's own wife is exposed when the ass Lucius reveals her hidden lover.
Chapter 56
XLII
Lucius is sold to a poor gardener and describes his harsh service. The gardener visits a friend, where a series of dreadful portents occur, including a hen laying a live chick, a fountain of blood, and other omens. A tale is told of a rich tyrant who kills three brothers with dogs and a spear, leading to the deaths of the tyrant and the last brother. The gardener, hearing these sorrowful tidings, cuts his own throat, depriving Lucius's master of his hope.
Chapter 57
XLIII
The gardener, carrying Lucius in his donkey form, is accosted by a soldier who demands the ass for military service. After a violent struggle, the gardener overpowers the soldier and flees to a friend's house for refuge. The soldier later returns with comrades to search for the gardener, and Lucius inadvertently reveals their hiding place when his shadow is spotted from a window, leading to the gardener's capture and giving rise to the proverb 'the shadow of the ass.'
Chapter 58
Book X
Lucius, still in ass form, endures a series of brutal and degrading performances, including a public sexual display with a condemned woman. He is eventually saved from a bestiality charge and, after a final escape, prays to the goddess Isis for deliverance.
Chapter 59
XLIV
The soldier takes Lucius to a captain's house, where a tragic tale unfolds of a stepmother's illicit love for her stepson, her failed attempt to poison him, the accidental death of her own son, and the subsequent trial that reveals the truth through a physician's testimony about a sleeping draught.
Chapter 60
XLV
Lucius, now an ass, is sold to a baker and a cook who feed him well. He secretly eats their fine foods, growing sleek. They discover his theft through a hole, laugh, and their master joins in amusement. The master buys Lucius for four times the price and gives him to a freedman, Thiasus, who teaches him tricks like sitting at table, dancing, and nodding. Lucius's fame spreads, and Thiasus prepares for public games in Corinth.
Chapter 61
XLVI
Lucius, now an ass, is ridden by his master Thiasus to Corinth, where he becomes a spectacle. A noble matron, inflamed with desire, pays to spend the night with him, and they have sexual relations. The matron arranges another night, and Thiasus, amused, plans a public show where Lucius will mate with a condemned woman. The chapter also recounts the tragic story of that woman, who was tricked by her jealous husband's wife into killing her own sister-in-law.
Chapter 62
Book XI
Lucius, still in the form of an ass, prays to the goddess Isis for deliverance. Isis appears to him in a vision and instructs him to eat roses from her priest's garland during a festival. Lucius obeys, is restored to human form, and becomes a devoted follower of Isis. He undergoes initiation into her mysteries and later into those of Osiris, finding spiritual redemption and a new purpose in life.
Chapter 63
XLVII
Lucius, still in the form of an ass, awakens at midnight and prays fervently to the goddess Isis for deliverance. She appears to him in a vision, instructing him to attend her festival and seize a garland of roses from her priest. He obeys, eats the roses, and is restored to human form. The priest welcomes him, and Lucius joins the procession, later being initiated into the mysteries of Isis.
Chapter 64
XLVIII
Lucius's family and friends learn he is alive and come to see him. He becomes a devoted worshipper of Isis, hesitates to take religious orders, but after visions and guidance from the priest, he undergoes initiation into the mysteries of Isis. Later, he travels to Rome, continues his devotion, and is called to receive further initiations into the cults of Osiris and Serapis.
Chapter 65
Endnotes
The endnotes discuss the origins of the metamorphosis theme in Greek romances, comparing the works of Lucius of Patrae and Lucian, and note that the extant 'Lucius or the Ass' is likely by neither author but provides the skeleton for Apuleius' 'The Golden Ass'. It also lists early English editions and related works.
