Book · 1469 · Translations into English
The golden asse of Lucius Apuleius
Why people recommend it
The golden asse of Lucius Apuleius by Ovid, Lucius Apuleius, and numerous editors and translators is a classic ancient Roman novel that follows a protagonist who is accidentally transformed into a donkey and embarks on a series of misadventures throughout greater Greece. Tyler Cowen mentioned this ancient work of prose fiction during an episode of Conversations with Tyler titled Shadi Bartsch on the Classics and China, which aired on April 21, 2021. Discussing classical literature and narrative traditions, Tyler Cowen brought up the whimsical and transformative plot of Apuleius's ancient story, wherein the main character encounters various troubles and escapades while wandering in animal form. Although the mention was brief, it served to illustrate the enduring nature of ancient storytelling and the fantastic elements present in early Mediterranean literature. Tyler Cowen utilized the colorful premise of the novel to engage his guest in a broader discussion regarding the classics, demonstrating how foundational ancient texts continue to resonate in contemporary intellectual conversations about narrative structure, myth, and the human condition across centuries of literary history.
Who recommended it
- Tyler Cowen Recommended
Tyler Cowen — 1 mention
“and ditto for um epileus's golden ass in which a guy gets turned into a donkey and goes wandering around um greater grease getting into all sorts of trouble”