About this title: In the ancient world of Thessaly, a young adventurer betrays a priestess of the White Goddess and is turned into an ass. How he resumes human form makes up this tale abounding in lusty incident and bawdy wit. In all of literature, there are few books with the vitality of THE GOLDEN ASS. Here is Robert Graves's masterful translation from the original Latin.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Date Published: 1998-08-31
ISBN-13:9780374505325ISBN:0374505322
Description: Like New. May be shiny, in some instances dust jackets are not included, no missing pages, no damage to binding, may have a remainder mark. read more
Edition: Later Printing
Binding: S Paperback
Publisher: Noonday Press, New York, New York, U.S.A.
Date Published: 1976
ISBN-13:9780374505325ISBN:0374505322
Description: Good+ 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall Edgewear, soiling to wraps, some ink underlining. read more
Description: Like New. Trade paperback. Like new; no internal markings; has lost its "Brand New" shine but no obvious defects. In sealed plastic protection. 1998. Trade paperback. read more
Description: Like New. 2009-Paperback-May contain minor shelf-wear. Otherwise, volume un-read and in "As-New" condition. -Used-Like New-Hall Street Books proudly ships from Brooklyn, NY. All orders are processed and shipped within 24 hours, M-F. 100% money back No-Worry guarantee with expedited delivery and delivery confirmation available. read more
Edition: 3rd printing
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Pocket Library/Pocket Books, New York
Date Published: 1956
Description: Fine. No dust jacket as issued. (021106) Mass market paperback is in Fine condition with minute overall wear. 264 p. 4-1/4x6-1/2" mass market ppbk read more
"This book is stimulating. I wanted to throw it out the window a couple of times because of its hilarity that made me want to vomit at times. I also had to go back more times that I can count on both of my hands, as the syntax is rather advanced. I was never into mythology, but with Joseph Campbell and now this piece of laughter, I'm sure I'm going to want to read more books like these. What I disliked was the back and forth of the stories that the main character presents at the oddest times. Eventually I got the gist of his storytelling. Some of the things that happen to this poor ass, are simply unbelievable."
"Easier to read than most classics,funny and witty, it ends up with the beautifully moving-for a Pagan-conversion of lucius to his saviour, Goddess Isis, and with one of the most loving and beuatiful prayers ever written to the Goddess."
"This is not my translation - I have the Penguin edition. Anyways, dudes, this book is awesome and you must read it. You are probably thinking, "ugh, it was written like 2000 years ago, and its probably super boring". But no, you must read it. It is like an earlier version of The Canterbury Tales and it just as awesome as it. Just as much cuckolding happens, if you're into that sort of thing. Plus, it has the version of Cupid and Psyche as C.S. Lewis used to write Til We Have Faces. Just go read it."
"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 new and original religion -- 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 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 just as many pagans did during the thousands of years that passed before the Christian era.
So the whole truth is that all of Christianity was lifted from one or more of the pagan sects that proliferated before the Christian era. There was nothing new about Christianity, including the virgin birth, the miracles, the martyrdom, the resurrection, the ascension and the reappearance -- all of those pillars of the Christian faith figured in various 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."
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