The Transformations of Lucius Apuleius, which was later renamed The Golden Ass (asinus aureus) by Saint Augustine, describes the protagonist Lucius' transformation from human to donkey form. The novel is full of earthly humour, comparable to the bawdy lyric of Chaucer. I have read the Robert Graves translation of this text and it is written in such down-to-earth prose that the modern reader will undoubtedly pick up on the farcical as well as the allegorical elements of the text.
The crux of the novel is: Apuleius falls in love with a slave girl after staying at a distinguished nobleman's house. He becomes acquainted with her and learns that the nobleman's wife is a witch capable of changing form. Lucius is interested in this magic and tries to change himself into a bird, but instead he mistakenly becomes an ass. A series of far-fetched events then occur, similar to that of Voltaire's Candide. Lucius is sold numerous times as a draught animal, he carries loot for thieves and crops for farmers. Each time he narrowly avoids death from beating or execution. An important part of this novel is Lucius' observations, as an animal he cannot intervene with human affairs but instead he listens and plans his escape from captivity.
It is revealed that the spell that keeps Lucius in the form of a donkey can only be broken by the ingestion of rose petals. Though he tries many times to find these flowers he is pulled away by his masters, this display of futility is deeply engaging and the reader develops sympathy for poor Lucius. The spell is finally broken after Lucius manages to escape his final master. He then beseeches the Egyptian goddess Isis. The goddess appears and breaks the spell, this is the end of the novel.
The Golden Ass is an example of Ovidian transformation, a theme that has captivated literature for centuries. Apuleius' comic tale is both witty and insightful, creating an interesting picture of the ancient slave trade as well as the value of morals and compassion.
Wednesday 24 October 2012
Sunday 7 October 2012
The Aeneid by Virgil
This, the greatest Latin epic, was written by Virgil over the course of many years. The influence of The Aeneid on western literature cannot be overstated, it is a story of war, exile and love. I could plunge into a lengthy essay about the historical context of the poem but Virgil's masterful narrative is such that the story explains itself.
I shall provide a basic outline of the plot; Aeneas, a citizen of Troy escapes from the invasion of the city by Greeks (c.f: The Trojan War). He embarks on a seven year journey to Carthage where he meets Queen Dido. The pair fall in love but as Aeneas is summoned by the gods to found a new city for the exiled Trojans, he must leave her behind. This is the tragic element of The Aeneid, Dido's suicide due to unrequited love and Aeneas' guilt and fear of his own fate, this is later mirrored by the death of Pallas and the cost of war, as discussed in Book 12. The poem continues with Aeneas visit to the underworld under the guidance of the Sibyl of Cumae, as well as further battles and encounters with Greek and other civilizations.
It is important to note here that Virgil wrote The Aeneid as a response to Homer's Odyssey. There are many parallels between the two texts and there is an abundant supply of commentary and criticism that aims to highlight this, however, The Aeneid does not require extensive knowledge of Greek and Latin texts, certainly the Penguin classics edition has a large glossary of Latin terms. The opening line 'I sing of arms and the man' is true of the text, Virgil gives reportage of Aeneas' adventures but maintains an exquisite poetic voice that is unwavering in its portrayal of the beauty of love and the horror of war.
The Aeneid is essential reading for those interested in the epic poem as, arguably, it is the source of all other epic poems, the very archetype of later works such as Dante and Longfellow. By reading The Aeneid, one can grasp at a vision of war that is both enthralling and reflective.
I shall provide a basic outline of the plot; Aeneas, a citizen of Troy escapes from the invasion of the city by Greeks (c.f: The Trojan War). He embarks on a seven year journey to Carthage where he meets Queen Dido. The pair fall in love but as Aeneas is summoned by the gods to found a new city for the exiled Trojans, he must leave her behind. This is the tragic element of The Aeneid, Dido's suicide due to unrequited love and Aeneas' guilt and fear of his own fate, this is later mirrored by the death of Pallas and the cost of war, as discussed in Book 12. The poem continues with Aeneas visit to the underworld under the guidance of the Sibyl of Cumae, as well as further battles and encounters with Greek and other civilizations.
It is important to note here that Virgil wrote The Aeneid as a response to Homer's Odyssey. There are many parallels between the two texts and there is an abundant supply of commentary and criticism that aims to highlight this, however, The Aeneid does not require extensive knowledge of Greek and Latin texts, certainly the Penguin classics edition has a large glossary of Latin terms. The opening line 'I sing of arms and the man' is true of the text, Virgil gives reportage of Aeneas' adventures but maintains an exquisite poetic voice that is unwavering in its portrayal of the beauty of love and the horror of war.
The Aeneid is essential reading for those interested in the epic poem as, arguably, it is the source of all other epic poems, the very archetype of later works such as Dante and Longfellow. By reading The Aeneid, one can grasp at a vision of war that is both enthralling and reflective.
Monday 1 October 2012
The Metamorphoses by Ovid
This collection of stories told in hexametric epic verse is perhaps the defining work of all other tales of transformation and divine supernatural influence. Ovid was born circa 43 B.C in a small village near Rome, this was about the same period as the murder of Julius Caesar and the subsequent fall of Rome. The Metamorphoses are a re-telling of Greek and Roman myths and legends, Ovid describes humans being changed into animals as punishment for their sins or hubris against the gods. It is not necessary for the modern reader to have encyclopedic knowledge of ancient Rome to get a good understanding of what this work is about. Many of the books (or chapters) of the Metamorphoses are comparable to fables in which characters receive their just deserts as consequence for their actions.
One of my favourite stories is that of Narcissus and Echo (book III). A vain sixteen year old boy is obsessed with his looks, hence the term narcissism, he chases a young nymph called Echo, who he finds particularly attractive. She calls to him and her voice echoes but he cannot find her, he rests by a pool. One of Narcissus' jilted lovers than prays to Nemesis (goddess of revenge) that: 'may he himself love as I have loved him, without obtaining his beloved' (lines 521-22, book III). This prayer is answered, Narcissus stares at his reflection in the pond and falls in love with himself while Echo departs. Out of grief, he dies and his body is transformed into a flower which is, of course, the Narcissus daffodil.
The text is filled with curious stories like these which impart morals and common ideas which will be familiar to the modern reader. Not only this, but Ovid's fluid style and unerring narrative make for great reading, the hexameter verse is the perfect fit for the smooth rhythm and the language is both common and understandable yet filled with brilliant metaphor and colourful imagery.
Ovid has inspired a myriad writers of all genres, from Dante's epic verse to the magical realism of Salman Rushdie and of course James Joyce's epic Ulysses. The relevancy of the Metamorphoses cannot be understated, read this work if you ever wish to write a poem about transformation or magic.
One of my favourite stories is that of Narcissus and Echo (book III). A vain sixteen year old boy is obsessed with his looks, hence the term narcissism, he chases a young nymph called Echo, who he finds particularly attractive. She calls to him and her voice echoes but he cannot find her, he rests by a pool. One of Narcissus' jilted lovers than prays to Nemesis (goddess of revenge) that: 'may he himself love as I have loved him, without obtaining his beloved' (lines 521-22, book III). This prayer is answered, Narcissus stares at his reflection in the pond and falls in love with himself while Echo departs. Out of grief, he dies and his body is transformed into a flower which is, of course, the Narcissus daffodil.
The text is filled with curious stories like these which impart morals and common ideas which will be familiar to the modern reader. Not only this, but Ovid's fluid style and unerring narrative make for great reading, the hexameter verse is the perfect fit for the smooth rhythm and the language is both common and understandable yet filled with brilliant metaphor and colourful imagery.
Ovid has inspired a myriad writers of all genres, from Dante's epic verse to the magical realism of Salman Rushdie and of course James Joyce's epic Ulysses. The relevancy of the Metamorphoses cannot be understated, read this work if you ever wish to write a poem about transformation or magic.
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