The Metamorphoses of Apuleius

Micah ROSS18 April 2013HIST 404/504: Civilization of Ancient Rome

ReviewIntroduction to ApuleiusThe StoryMagic

A Brief ReviewPolitics

Year of Four Emperors (69)Instability

Vespasian (69—79)Destruction of Temple (70)

Domitian (81—96)Assassinated by court

Hadrian (117—138)Temple of Jupiter in Jerusalem

Social BackdropRoman Religion

Animism(Middle) Platonism “Scientific”

AnthropomorphicOlympiansNot Near East

State ReligionWhose state?Is do ut des scientific?

Social BackdropRoman Religion

Animism(Middle) Platonism “Scientific”

AnthropomorphicOlympiansNot Near East

State ReligionWhose state?Is do ut des scientific?

Social BackdropRoman Religion

Animism(Middle) Platonism “Scientific”

AnthropomorphicOlympiansNot Near East

State ReligionWhose state?Is do ut des scientific?

Historical BackdropApuleius (c. 120 –180)Biography

From Numidia (Algeria)Resembles “Lucian” of the MetamorphosesStudied in Carthage, Alexandria, Rome

MagicInitiate of Dionysius; priest of AesculapiusMarried a rich widow: charged with love spell

Literary careerSpeeches (including legal defense)Explanation of Plato; “demon” of SocratesParit enim conversatio contemptum, raritas conciliat admirationem

Apuleius and his MetamorphosesWhy you should care

Literary historyOnly complete Roman novel Pattern of Story-telling: Frame Story, PicaresqueFolklore, Pinocchio, and Kafka

Social historyMagicLower ClassesReligion

Bawdy, Lurid, Filthy

The Structure of MetamorphosesWhat to expect

Author travels to ThessalyReports the tales of travelling companions Role of family and friends in business and travel

In Thessaly, aunt objects to his friends“Befriends” a slave-girlPlaced on trial (similar to an initiation)

Slave-girl accidentally transforms narrator

Spell undone by eating rosesSearch for salvation

The Happy EndingMetamorphoses, not Metamorphosis

Syncretism of GodsRoman Civilization II:546

Procession of IsisRoman Civilization II:544

SalvationSpell undone by eating rosesEnables a happy lifeComparison with Salvation of Augustine

First Quote

Speech of Moon GoddessEmphasizes similarities of cultures

Who would oppose that?Promoted by Ptolemy I (Soter – “the saviour”)

In Rome by 286 B.C.Augustus : Sexually immoral!

Or did he just oppose Anthony?Tiberius crucified Isis worshippers

JosephusCaligula was an adherent

Dressed in women’s clothes?Opposition ended with Julio-Claudians

Focus on Judaism and Christianity

Second Quote

Not anthropomorphicNot state religionSecrets and silence

Historical Lessons

Isis Temple at PompeiiVisited by Mozart (The Magic Flute)

Archaeological recordFunerary inscription

Moral LessonsPaganism vs. Christianity

Emperor as “God”Common in Near EastDifferent conception of gods

Misfortune as contagionLittle sympathy“Good Samaritan”

Jokes based in humiliationHow common were foreign religions in Rome?

Immoral LessonsWhat kinds of magic are in Apuleius?

Types of magicTransformations (beauty, animals)Murder (heart, poison)Necromancy (talk with dead)Strange foreign religions (multi-cultural)

Magical connotationsOften inverts power structure (women, slaves)Object of magic open to ridicule

Appropriate Magic

Cato “On Farming”Roman Civilization I:474—479“Magic Words” – Oscan, Umbrian, Etruscan?Ignotum per ignotius

What is missing from Apuleius ?What kinds of magic are not in Apuleius?

Oneiromancy, various divinationsCurse tablets (defixiones)Magic wordsAstrology

Magic or science?Expelled from Rome in 33 B.C.Expelled from Italy in A.D. 16, 69, 89

Why?Upsets power structureIndefensible goals

Mystery Object

Horoscopes

Positions of 7 planets and the horizonPositions = zodiacal signs

No astrological interpretationAstronomical document, not divination