Ass of the Gods: Apuleius' Golden Ass, the Onos Attributed to Lucian, and Graeco-Roman Metamorphosis Literature

K.F.B. Fletcher, Ph.D. (2005), University of Michigan, is Associate Professor of Classics at Louisiana State University and the author of Finding Italy: Travel, Nation, and Colonization in Vergil’s Aeneid and co-editor of Classical Antiquity in Heavy Metal Music.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1 The Versions of the Ass-Story2 The Patterns of Metamorphosis Narratives3 Metamorphosis and the Asinus4 Metamorphosis and the Onos5 Organization1 Metamorphosis Literature and the Patterns of Metamorphosis Narratives1 Patterns of Metamorphosis Myth2 The Existence of Metamorphosis Literature3 Conclusion2 Prelude to Metamorphosis1 The Asinus Prologue2 The Onos Prologue3 Events Preceding Lucius’ Initial Metamorphosis in the Asinus4 Events Preceding Loukios’ Initial Metamorphosis in the Onos5 Conclusion3 The Initial Metamorphosis and Failed Attempts at its Cure1 Lucius’ Initial Metamorphosis in the Asinus2 Loukios’ Initial Metamorphosis in the Onos3 On the Choice of the Ass4 The Connection Between Roses and the Gods in the Asinus5 Roses in the Onos6 Conclusion4 Anamorphosis and Aftermath1 Anamorphosis in the Asinus2 Anamorphosis in the Onos3 Conclusion5 Cupid and Psyche as Metamorphosis Narrative1 Context2 Echoes of Metamorphosis Literature at the Beginning of Psyche’s Story3 Hints at Psyche’s Metamorphosis and the Motivations for her Transformation4 Roses in Cupid and Psyche5 Transformed Figures in Cupid and Psyche6 Conclusion6 The Relationship Between Versions of the Luciad and Their Titles1 The Accuracy of Photius’ Description of the Metamorphoseis and Onos2 Objections to Using Photius3 Relationship Between Versions of the Luciad4 How the Three Works Fit Together5 Titles of the Versions of the Luciad6 ConclusionBibliographyIndex LocorumIndex Nominum et Rerum