The Golden Ass (Penguin Classics)

A classic tale combining mythological and religious imagery, Apuleius’ The Golden Ass recalls the story of Lucius, a young man whose interest in the occult and witchcraft leads him to believe that he can transform himself into a bird. In an amusing turn of events, he becomes a donkey instead. What’s more, he is then kidnapped by robbers and forced to follow them through the countryside as an animal. Fortunately, he experiences a religious epiphany, and returning to his faith allows him entry into the cult of the goddess Isis. Both dramatic and amusing, Apuleius’ myth is at its core, a discourse on the importance of adhering to faith in the face of evil and temptation. 268 pages.