Apuleius: A Latin Sophist [Hardcover]

S. J. Harrison (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 16, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0198140533 | ISBN-13: 978-0198140535

This book is a response to the literary pleasures and scholarly problems of reading the texts of Apuleius, most famous for his novel Metamorphoses or Golden Ass. Living in second-century North Africa, Apuleius was more than an author of fiction; he was a consummate orator and professional intellectual, Platonist philosopher, extraordinary stylist, relentless self-promoter, and versatile author of a remarkably diverse body of work, much of which is lost to us. This book is written for those able to read Apuleius in Latin, and Apuleian works are accordingly quoted without translation (although where they exist suitable translations have been indicated). In this book Dr Harrison has provided a literary handbook to all the works of Apuleius as well as the Metamorphoses, and has set his works against their intellectual background: not only Apuleius' career as a performing intellectual, a sophist, in second-century Roman North Africa, but also the larger contemporary framework of the Greek Second Sophistic. While focusing primarily on the texts as literature and literary-historical, the book also deals with Apuleius' works of didactic philosophy and his consequent connection with Middle Platonism.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`Not all intending readers will be delighted by Harrison's portrait of a writer "to whom breadth and rapid composition must have often been more important than depth and elaborate literary craftsmanship" (209). But even those who disagree will be stimulated by this book, easily the best study to date of thie curious and perplexing author. [7].' Gregory Hays

`One shrinks at applyring the word "radical" to such a painstaking level-headed, and lucidly argued book. Yet its conclusion is indeed a radical one. Paradoxically, Harrison argues, we can better appreciate Apuleius's real achievement by taking him less seriously' Gregory Hays

`the discussion is clearly laid-out and well-documented: this is a good introductory reading for an Apuleius seminar' Gregory Hays

`The opening chapter outlines succinctly and accurately the known facts of Apuleius's life and briefly reviews the extant works ascribed to him.' Gregory Hays

`Not all intending readers will be delighted by Harrison's portrait of a writer "to whom breadth and rapid composition must have often been more important than depth and elaborate literary craftsmanship" (209). But even those who disagree will be stimulated by this book, easily the best study to date of thie curious and perplexing author.' Gregory Hays, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

`One shrinks at applyring the word "radical" to such a painstaking level-headed, and lucidly argued book. Yet its conclusion is indeed a radical one. Paradoxically, Harrison argues, we can better appreciate Apuleius's real achievement by taking him less seriously' Gregory Hays, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

`the discussion is clearly laid-out and well-documented: this is a good introductory reading for an Apuleius seminar' Gregory Hays, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

`The opening chapter outlines succinctly and accurately the known facts of Apuleius's life and briefly reviews the extant works ascribed to him.' Gregory Hays, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

About the Author

S. J. Harrison is at Corpus Christi College, Oxford.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 296 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (March 16, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198140533
• ISBN-13: 978-0198140535
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,455,801 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.