Description
Book SynopsisApuleius’ Golden Ass and the Lucianic Loukios, or the Ass depend on and play with readers’ familiarity with the clear patterns of Greek and Roman stories of metamorphosis. The formulaic nature of these stories suggests that the appearance of a god at the end of the Golden Ass is unsurprising and that the end of the Loukios is more innovative. This context also sheds new light on the function of the Cupid and Psyche story, the meaning of these works’ titles, and the lost Metamorphoseis on which they are both based and of which the Golden Ass is a translation.
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1 The Versions of the Ass-Story 2 The Patterns of Metamorphosis Narratives 3 Metamorphosis and the Asinus 4 Metamorphosis and the Onos 5 Organization 1 Metamorphosis Literature and the Patterns of Metamorphosis Narratives 1 Patterns of Metamorphosis Myth 2 The Existence of Metamorphosis Literature 3 Conclusion 2 Prelude to Metamorphosis 1 The Asinus Prologue 2 The Onos Prologue 3 Events Preceding Lucius’ Initial Metamorphosis in the Asinus 4 Events Preceding Loukios’ Initial Metamorphosis in the Onos 5 Conclusion 3 The Initial Metamorphosis and Failed Attempts at its Cure 1 Lucius’ Initial Metamorphosis in the Asinus 2 Loukios’ Initial Metamorphosis in the Onos 3 On the Choice of the Ass 4 The Connection Between Roses and the Gods in the Asinus 5 Roses in the Onos 6 Conclusion 4 Anamorphosis and Aftermath 1 Anamorphosis in the Asinus 2 Anamorphosis in the Onos 3 Conclusion 5 Cupid and Psyche as Metamorphosis Narrative 1 Context 2 Echoes of Metamorphosis Literature at the Beginning of Psyche’s Story 3 Hints at Psyche’s Metamorphosis and the Motivations for her Transformation 4 Roses in Cupid and Psyche 5 Transformed Figures in Cupid and Psyche 6 Conclusion 6 The Relationship Between Versions of the Luciad and Their Titles 1 The Accuracy of Photius’ Description of the Metamorphoseis and Onos 2 Objections to Using Photius 3 Relationship Between Versions of the Luciad 4 How the Three Works Fit Together 5 Titles of the Versions of the Luciad 6 Conclusion Bibliography Index Locorum Index Nominum et Rerum
