The metamorphoses of Apuleius : a romance of the second century

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TII Metamorphoses of Apuleius is a mota singularos iis ind, a genuine ancient romanee, Writtena the egimis of the second centu , replete illi graphi and characteristic descriptions Scenes an inci- donis, exhibiting, in infinite varioty the habit8, man- nerS, and cuStom prevallis among the eopte in the province subjecto the Roman empire. Unde thesormis a persona narrative, interspersed illi episodes, are collecte interesting, instruetive, and musing Shetines relatin to popular Superstitions religious

of law dramati spectacles of the amphitheatres, hordes of ro erS, C., c., c. Nevertheless, although the dotat of marvollous and sabulous adventures, in gled With the common occurrenoes of Very-da lis at uehan early period must naturali be a species of ight readi g, calculato above ali hing to engag the attentio of the genera public there is perhaps nowork of the ancient riter With hiel the are solites acquainted. In orde to account sor a saet hicli at si si stulit

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v1 TRANSLATOR S PREFACE.Would 00m incompatibie illi the natur os a per sormane os extraordinar merit, it must be ahen into

consideration stat the or in question os Apuleius a uars es ore the orti in the singula predicamentos a production ritton ita Latin is a Gree an aforeignor For Apuleius in land of his birin havingbeeome a Roman colony, ad himself master of thelangvage of the mollier count illi ut the id os preceptor, and composed in Latin the etamorphoses, an ali ther of his orks that avo desconde to posteri W. Theres ore although ovea Where throughout his riting there is mos olea and abundant testimonyof the varie knowledge he possessed, as ei as Ofti fertile imagination, acute understanding, and peculiarsacilit os dosoription his angvago is deficient inelegant purit os Latini 'O such a de eo that despite of the ab dano os quaint humorous sanetes, stat in easy, familiar, and frequently eloquent diction

Tho impersectio of tho Latinit of the Metamorphoses ere a circumstance alone Sufficiendit aeCOunt, to

great extent, sor it limited circulation among classical studenis, and thene sor iis no acquirin a dii meedos onerat celebrity though thoro have boon hithortoother more serious obstacles in iis Way that require ob mentioned. Although Apuleius as a latonio philosopher, and notWithstandin that the etamor-