Superficially, this is a silly book, written to entertain the reader with its farce, spectacle, tragedy, myth, and the various digressions into other brief stories with little obvious relevance to the main plot, other than that the author heard them told and wants to recall them for our pleasure. If the reader is attentive though, as he is told to be in the preface, then there are moral messages, philosophical reflections, and theologising also. The main theme that runs throughout the story concerns the penalties of indulging curiosity, which may be severe, but often in the end can lead to reward, if the character is strong enough to struggle through his difficulties. Not only is this in the main plot of the story, but also features in at least one of the small stories contained within it, illustrated in a slightly different way. Although Platonic theory is mentioned only once during the novel, the whole story is meant, I believe, to represent the searching for higher ideas above the earthly representations which we commonly see. This is compounded with some mystic religious stuff at the end, but in those days philosophy, knowledge, and religion, were all confused together by most people and not easily separated, but I suspect to some extent that the author was deliberately using allegories that could be easily understood to illustrate his more abstract reflections. Still, the book is amusing enough even if all the edifying stuff in it is ignored or not understood, and is surprising readable considering it was written nearly two thousand years ago. I have perhaps either not done the book justice in my reading of it, or alternatively have read things into it which are not there, but I'm sure it would stand up to a second reading, as it is short enough, for all to become clear. ( )

One of the earliest novels to survive, a hilarious and bawdy story of a young man turned into an ass and the adventures that follow. Gives the author a chance to chronicle different aspects of Roman society, and the characters you encounter certainly have their modern day counterparts. Graves' translation is extremely readable. Things slack off a little toward the end, but overall this is one book from Roman times that you can easily read for pleasure, and not just out of a sense of historical curiosity, in the 21st century. ( )

The Golden Ass is a bildungsroman. Lucius as a young man uses women like toilet paper. They are disposable objects. They are good for sex and useful as domestic appliances until they become inconvenient or he tires of them.

By and by his behavior offends The Goddess. She teaches him his lesson by transforming him into an ass, in which manifestation he is used by all and sundry in every conceivable manner. People steal him, work him nearly to death, starve him, buy him, sell him, you get the picture. Lucius learns what it is to be nothing but a convenience, and the experience is not pleasant.

After a whole series of terrifying, madcap adventures, Lucius learns his lesson and The Goddess changes him back into human form. As a man again, now having experienced his epiphany, he becomes a pillar of The Goddess's temple and a virtuous man -- by pagan lights.

Bible bangers who think Christianity is some kind of original sect -- if they think about what's actually happening in The Golden Ass (and most probably don't read at that level) -- are properly shocked by the story of Lucius. He sins. He is punished. He repents. He is reborn. He is baptized. He becomes a useful servant of The Goddess, and he does all of these things without the assistance of Mr. Jesus Christ.

So the whole truth is that all of 'Christianity' was lifted from one or another of the pagan sects that proliferated before the Christian era. There is nothing new or extraordinary about Christianity, including the virgin birth, the miracles, the martyrdom, the resurrection, the ascension, the trinity, and the rebirth -- those foundation stones of the Christian faith figured in pagan sects for many centuries before the birth of Christ.

Aside from its entertainment value (which is considerable), then, the true worth of 'The Golden Ass' today should be obvious to any modern reader. 'The Ass' is great stuff and we are lucky it survived an era in which so many other great books passed out of all knowledge. ( )

Transformations of Lucius, translated by Robert Graves. Limited to 2000 copies, in slip case Call No. PC 1.3 ( )

An incredible story that continues to entertain even after nearly 2000 years. Lucius's adventures and stories are the epitome of the storytelling art! If only we had more novels from this era survive, I can only wonder what incredible tales we have missed out on. The story about Cupid and Psyche is moving, so much tragedy yet with a happy ending and his conversion to Isis and Osiris worship incredibly interesting to read. Do not let this book pass you by without giving it a chance!! ( )