Religion and Apuleius' Golden Ass

The Sacred Ass

Warren S. Smith (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA.)

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English

Routledge
28 October 2024

Classical history & classical civilisation; Church history; Judaism: sacred texts; Ancient religions & mythologies

Series: Routledge Monographs in Classical Studies

This volume examines Apuleius’ comic donkey novel, The Golden Ass, within the context of the popular beliefs and Jewish and Christian writings that were part of the intellectual culture of his own day in 2nd century C.E. North Africa, a culture which can also be glimpsed in some early Arabic writings.

The novel was written against a cultural and religious background in which the donkey had various connotations, both positive and negative, but tended to be admired in Jewish, Christian, and later, in Muslim writings. Smith explores the influence of such popular opinions on The Golden Ass and how Apuleius presented Isis and Osiris as desirable alternatives to the claims of both Christianity and magic, offering hope of spiritual renewal partly modelled on contemporary religious apocalyptic literature. Complemented by images of contemporary art, including amulets and terra cotta figures, this volume gives readers a better understanding of how Apuleius, ostensibly a Platonist and member of the Roman establishment, could maintain an intellectual independence in a North African milieu while still drawing on hope in the salvation of the gods.

Religion and Apuleius’ Golden Ass provides a fascinating new approach to this much disputed novel, of interest not only to students and scholars of Apuleius and Roman literature, but also scholars interested in Christian and Jewish literature and beliefs of the early centuries of the first millennium C.E.

By: Warren S. Smith (University of New Mexico Albuquerque USA.)
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
Weight: 380g
ISBN: 9781032192826
ISBN 10: 1032192828
Series: Routledge Monographs in Classical Studies
Pages: 194
Publication Date: 28 October 2024
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Warren S. Smith is Professor Emeritus of Classics at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, and has also taught in Kenya and the Philippines. He has edited Erasmus’ Annotations on Romans and Satiric Advice on Women and Marriage From Plautus to Chaucer.

Reviews for Religion and Apuleius' Golden Ass: The Sacred Ass

""Smith presents a coherent set of arguments...he has shown surprising, often compelling, correspondences between these texts and the Metamorphoses, and this book will form a valuable addition to our studies of Apuleius’ elusive novel."" - Bryn Mawr Classical Review ""S.’s book is the fruit of a life-long study of The Golden Ass and it is an excellent read. Moreover, it offers a new perspective not only on the relationship between Apuleius and early Christianity, but also on how the pagan elite was perceiving the new religion and reacting to it."" - Censurae Librorum