How Long Does It Take To Read The Golden Ass?

2025-11-27 01:44:46 43

3 Answers

Yara
Yara
2025-11-29 05:41:20
I picked up 'The Golden Ass' after binging Greek myths and craving something weirder—boy, did it deliver. Clocking in at roughly 80,000 words, it’s shorter than 'the odyssey' but denser than your average Penguin Classic. My first attempt took me 10 days, reading 30–40 pages daily between work. The episodic structure (Lucius bumbling through curses, bandits, and witches) makes it easy to dip in and out, though some sections—like cupid and psyche—are so gorgeous you’ll reread them immediately.

For context, I tried comparing it to medieval romances like 'The Decameron,' but Apuleius’ voice is uniquely chaotic. If you’re used to breezy modern fiction, brace yourself for nested tales and archaic jokes. Audiobooks can help; a narrated version took me 7 hours, but I missed the footnotes. Pro tip: Keep a mythology reference handy—those random allusions to Bacchus or Hecate hit differently when you catch them.
Uma
Uma
2025-11-29 07:43:52
Ever tried reading 'The Golden Ass' while commuting? That’s how I did it—three weeks of subway rides, laughing at Lucius’ donkey antics while strangers side-eyed me. The book’s pacing is uneven; some chapters fly by (the bawdy inn scenes), while others, like the lengthy Cupid and Psyche allegory, slow you down. My edition had 11 books totaling 230 pages, but the archaic language made me read at half my usual speed.

Funny thing: I initially mistook it for a straightforward comedy, but the spiritual climax with Isis hit me like a ton of bricks. If you’re a slow reader or annotate like me, budget a month. Skip the Latin if you’re not a classics major—modern translations keep the spirit alive without the headache.
Henry
Henry
2025-11-30 12:37:51
Reading 'The Golden Ass' feels like embarking on a wild, ancient road trip—you never know exactly how long it’ll take, but you’ll savor every detour. As one of the few surviving Latin novels from antiquity, it’s packed with bawdy humor, transformations, and mythology. The length isn’t monstrous (around 200–250 pages in modern editions), but the prose can be dense if you’re unfamiliar with classical style. I spent about two weeks with it, pacing myself to appreciate Apuleius’ wordplay and digressions. If you’re a fast reader or skimming for the plot (hello, Lucius turning into a donkey), you might finish in a week, but I’d recommend lingering. The cult of Isis section alone deserves contemplation.

What surprised me was how modern it felt—like a proto-fantasy novel with erotic mishaps and divine interventions. Comparing it to shorter ancient works like 'The Satyricon,' 'The Golden Ass' demands more patience but rewards it with richer storytelling. If you’re reading a translation with footnotes (e.g., Robert Graves’ version), add extra time for rabbit holes about Roman rituals. Honestly, rushing through this would feel like gulping fine wine. Let it breathe.
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