The Golden Ass Book

Lucius ( loosely based on the author ) is a very curious young man, interested in black magic, witchcraft, potions and spells, that can cause real damage , even mystery cults, being the mid second century , during the Roman Empire, in ancient Greece, people believe in the supernatural...A traveler visiting Hypata, the heart of the occult center, in Thessaly, so the public thinks , with a letter of introduction from a friend, to a rich man, Milo , a miser, though living in squalor, counting his money but not spending it. Given a tiny room in the ramshackle house, no food, he will have to get it himself, yet Pamphile the stingy man's wife, is a powerful witch, so informs the slave Photis in the household and soon lover of Lucius, she is very attractive and eager. He goes to the home of his wealthy Aunt Byrrhena, invited to stay he desires his freedom more than comfort, and is warned to keep away from witches, which he doesn't obey, Lucius wants excitement in his dreary, dull life and anxious to see them perform their evil. One cold night while the intoxicated Lucius, is walking back to the miser's house, and not seeing too well, three ruffians attack the noble citizen, but knowing how unsafe these streets are , he has his trusted sword and defends himself ably, but is arrested for murder, luckily it was not what it seems...Later Photis, tells him that tonight the witch Pamphile, in secret, will turns herself into a bird and fly, in order to spy on a would- be young lover, while her husband Milo is away, just what he has been so looking forward to, for such a long time. Things do not go as planned, the nervous Photis, gives him the wrong box containing a different ointment , after the witch was observed and left, turning poor, foolish Lucius, into an Ass (in more ways than one) instead of a fowl, not to worry his love says she will get him roses, to consume, which will turn him back to a man in the morning. But a gang of treacherous robbers invade the home, stealing anything valuable in sight and taking the unfortunate Lucius, now just the dumb animal they need , to carry their loot, beaten badly, the heavy load causes painful bruises and wounds, quickly into the high mountains , they go up. The dusty roads are dismal but passable, the dizzy sights below , endurable, the tired criminals finally transverse the distant path, from where their thefts occurred, to the hideout . No sanctuary for the beleaguered ass though, threaten again to be slaughtered there , by cutting his throat, or thrown off a cliff by the cruel, unfeeling thieves, Lucius has to escape and does, running like a horse to salvation, but everywhere he arrives, the local people treat him with malice, work him almost to death, he suffers constant abuse, and cunningly fights back ( he gets his kicks in), can the ass survive until the roses spring up again ? The only Roman novel found in its complete form, quite funny but rather gruesome too, the Roman gods are not kind . For anyone interested in ancient civilizations, particularly the Empire of Rome, this book is about as close as a modern reader can get...feel the joys and barbarism of the era; and laugh too...