CLAS 357
The Golden Ass (cont.)
April 22, 2024

R: Man Feeding Donkey (mosaic floor, Istanbul, ca. 500 CE)

Response #3 Topics (due May 1, 11:59pm in D2L)

Study Guide for Final examination (Monday, May 6, 10:30am-12:30pm)

Apuleius, The Golden Ass 3-5

• Festival of Laughter (Risus): provincial Roman trial in theater-spectacle in Hypata ("the crowd demanded that a trial so abundantly attended be transferred to the theater", 3.2)
  
  
• Lucius’ hyperbolic & theatrical defense (3.4-7): e.g. "Their battle line was arrayed against me. The leader and standard bearer launched a powerful attack, seizing my hair in both hands, wrenching my head back, and eagerly seeking to strike me dead with a rock . . ." (3.6); threat of torture & crucifixion > unveiling of goatskin bag "corpses" (Roman imperial government as cruel spectacle?)
  
  
• Lucius declines offer of statue – insight/change from public humiliation?
  
  The Golden Ass 3.15 (Photis further inflames Lucius's interest in Pamphile's magic)
  You are about to learn about our household and the wondrous mysteries of my mistress. With these arts, she causes dead souls to mind her, scrambles the stars, marshals divinities, enslaves nature. And she never places greater reliance on this compelling skill when she has cast a glad eye on some cute youth . . .
  
  
• Lucius as a (psychological) slave: magic, sex, appearances
  
  The Golden Ass 3.19 (Lucius' continuing infatuation with Photis)
  I've always rejected even ladies' embraces, but those glittering eyes of yours, and your blushing cheeks, flashing hair, open-mouthed kisses and sweet-smelling bosom have reduced me to a slave you've won at auction—but I'm happy for you to own me.
  
  
  The Golden Ass 3.22 (Lucius's overwhelming desire to follow Pamphile as an owl)
  Let me have just a dab of that ointment. I'm asking it in the name of your own precious breasts, my little honey pot. Bind me to you, use this favor to make me your slave forever, as I'll have a debt I can never repay.
  
  
  
• Pamphile on house's roof, botched magic & metamorphosis
  
  The Golden Ass 3.24-26 (Lucius' earthbound transformation)
  Then I extended my arms, executed some practice flaps, and did my best to make like a bird. But fluff there was none, and feathers nowhere. Instead, my hair thickened into bristles, and my tender skin hardened into hide. On the edges of my palms, I saw the countable digits disappearing and melding into solid hooves. At the end of my spine, a big tail came forth. My face was already huge, with an elongated mouth, gaping nostrils, and dangling lips. Likewise, my ears covered themselves with spiky hair and reached a size beyond all reason. I could feel no comfort in my wretched metamorphosis, except that my endowment grew as well—beyond what would allow me to embrace Photis. Helplessly surveying my new body, I saw I was not a bird but a donkey. I wanted to complain to Photis, but human voice and gesture had been taken from me . . . though I was an ass from head to hoof, a beast of burden instead of the man called Lucius, I still had my human awareness.
  
  The Golden Ass 3.29 (transformed/slavish Lucius stolen by the robbers; lost Roman citizenship as beast of burden)
  I could have recourse to my civil rights, invoking the revered name of the emperor to free myself from this anguish . . . I tried to call, in my native Greek tongue, on the august name of Roman Caesar. Well, the "O" I shouted was powerful and eloquent, but Caesar's name—that I couldn't pronounce. The bandits, in their contempt for my raucous blaring, bashed my miserable hide from all sides and left it unsuitable even for making sieves.
  
  
  
• psychologically appropriate metamorphosis into an ass?
  
  
• Lucius/Ass-man suffers "inhumanity" of his fellow beasts (3.26); blurred line between human & beast & search for roses commences
  
  Bear mosaic (Villa Fortunatus, Spain, 4th century CE )
  
  
• Golden Ass 4: Ass-man's transition to new role as ass-narrator (author/actor?), "At this point in the story, it is incumbent on me to give a description of the cave where the robbers lived, and its surroundings. This will be a challenge to my literary talent, and at the same time I'll be giving you the means to judge whether at the time I was a genuine ass as far as intellect and sensitivity to my surroundings went" (4.6); cf. end of Cupid & Psyche, "Standing close by and listening, I was sorry, by Hercules, that I didn't have a notebook and pen so that I could take down such a charming little yarn” (6.25)

• robbers' sub-narratives: comic misadventures in underbelly of Roman imperial "order" (mock-tragic suicide of Lamachus, 4.11; Alcimus & poor widow, 4.12; Thrasyleon & absurd world of "real-life" spectacle entertainments, 4.13-21)
  
  
  
• man/beast line in Thrasyleon story
  
  Golden Ass 4.13 (Demochares' preparations for a Roman spectacle in Platea, Greece)
  There, we found, the talk in the street was all about a certain Demochares, who was about to put on a gladiatorial show. This scion of the first of families, with his unbeatable wealth, was noted for his generosity: he furnished public recreations with a splendor worthy of his patrimony. Who would have the talent, who the eloquence to unfold in fitting words the whole colorful program of this new variety production? It would include gladiators of legendary strength, hunters of attested agility, and—a show in themselves—condemned men with the daring of despair, feasts for the beasts to stuff themselves full with. There was also a multistory prefab structure with towers resting on piles, a sort of movable house, with bright paintings covering the outside. It was a fine-looking set of lairs for objects of the hunt. But what a throng, what a spectacle of wild beasts! Demochares had been particularly keen in this regard, even importing foreign ones to become noble tombs for the condemned men. Along with the other provisions for these spendid games, he was exhausting his inherited means to amass a large contingent of immense bears . . .
  
  
  
• robbers' plan: Thrasyleon, committed theatrical bear, faithful to role in spectacle of his own death
  
  Golden Ass 4.21 (Thrasyleon's death)
  Thrasyleon's stiff resistance was not overcome; rather, the breath (deserving immortality!) of our company's greatest hero was plundered from his body. He didn't betray his sacred oath with a shout or even a half-human howl—no, even while he was being mangled by their teeth and mutilated on their blades, he kept up a determined, rumbling, bestial roar. Enduring with noble strength the disaster he could not escape, he stored up glory for himself yet surrendered his life to destiny. The terror and confusion in that crowd was such that, up to the break of day—actually until broad daylight—not a soul dared lay a finger on the animal as it sprawled there. At last, a butcher (who was a little less daunted) slowly and cautiously cut the belly open and despoiled our eminent bandit of his bear. Thus, Thrasyleon is lost to us but will live forever in heroic legend.
  
  
• new plot wrinkle: aristocratic Charite captured, tipsy old lady's story = Cupid ("Desire/Love") & Psyche ("Soul") fairy tale/philosophical & spiritual allegory (4.28-6.24)
  
  
• Cupid's task from angry Venus ("someone . . . whom Fortune has mulcted of his standing and inheritance and even of basic civil rights and freedom from assault on his person", 4.31)?
  
  Canova, Psyche Revived by the Kiss of Cupid (1787-93)
  

• setting: Cupid's mansion straddling divine/mortal worlds: "It really looked like an imperial residence, a celestial one built for Jove, but for socializing with human beings" (5.1): magical extravagance, disembodied slaves, music & choir (ominous voice: "Everything belongs to you", 5.2)
  
  
• conditions of Psyche's secret & mysterious communion with husband?
  
  
• Cupid's warnings (sisters, viewing; their offspring?), "If your silence protects our secrets, that child will be divine, but if you profane them, it will be mortal" (5.11); cf. ancient mystery religions
  
  
• jealous sisters: lamp & razor? Psyche & Lucius?
  
  
  The Golden Ass 5.23 (Psyche's violation of Cupid's prohibitions)
  Psyche, in her heart's insatiability (and her considerable curiosity), examined these objects, amazingly handling her husband's armaments. She dispensed an arrow from the quiver and, making hazard of the point with her fingertip, pricked clear in, as she was trembling and lost control of the pressure the digit was exerting. On the skin's surface, tiny drops of rosy blood left their dew. Thus Psyche accidentally (but at the same time voluntarily) stumbled into love with Love. Then, as her desire for the god of desire burned hotter and hotter, she mooned desperately over him and huried to heap on open-mouthed, wanton kisses, out of fear that his slumber might end soon.
  
  
• Cupid's flight: Psyche dropped to earth (cf. Lucius?); revenge on her sisters; Cupid healing with Venus (dysfunctional relationship, 5.29-30)
  
  
• Psyche's journey in search of Cupid as runaway slave ("the worst slave that ever was", 6.8) – to be returned to her master (Venus) for punishment
  
  L: Bouguereau, Cupid & Psyche (1889); R: David Beckham's Cupid & Psyche tattoo