Cupid and Psyche is a story from the Latin novel Metamorphoses, also known as The Golden Ass, written in the 2nd century AD by Apuleius. It concerns the overcoming of obstacles to the love between Psyche ("Soul" or "Breath of Life") and Cupid ("Desire"), and their ultimate union in a sacred marriage.

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In The Golden Ass, or Metamorphoses, Lucian is on a business trip to Greece when his curiosity gets the best of him and he finds himself accidentally transformed into a donkey. He then narrates his provincial odyssey in a world where old gods rule, myth informs life, Fortune is fickle, Thessalian witches are puissant, and a curious man seeking to learn their craft might well lament making an ass of himself. Apuleius was a second-century speaker and writer born in present-day Algeria who authors, narrates, and is the subject of this bawdy, picaresque, quasi-autobiographical story. He himself traveled extensively, studied philosophy, was initiated into mystery cults, and became a priest. He was also tried for witchcraft, accused of having betrothed his wife Pudentilla by charms other than those of his personality. The novel was translated into “Tudor prose” by Adlington in 1566 during the “golden age of translation,” and it was this version that was read by Shakespeare and influenced his work. The novel contains many digression, mythological references, and inset stories, the most significant being the story of Cupid and Psyche. This is the only complete Latin novel from antiquity that has survived to the present day, and has been called “a beginning of modern literature.” The Latin original was the one read by Augustine of Hippo who adapted Apuleius’ confessional style in his own writing—he even responded to Apuleius directly in his own philosophy. In its theology, The Golden Ass embodies an inclusive monotheism. From Kafka, to Pinocchio, to the motion picture The Fly, the influence of Apuleius and his Metamorphoses continues to be felt. This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks.

Eager to learn the rules of magic, Lucius agrees to participate in a shapeshifting spell that suddenly goes awry, transforming the man into a donkey. His life is abruptly upended as he is attacked, stolen and sold multiple times before finding relief through divine intervention. Lucius is enamored with witchcraft and begs a woman to transform him into a bird. Unfortunately, she fails, and he is immediately turned into an ass. This leads to a tumultuous journey that takes Lucius away from his friends and puts him into the hands of strangers. He is sold by thieves, cooks and farmers, forced to engage in strange and laborious tasks. With each owner comes a different set of obstacles and inevitable misunderstandings. A rare text stemming from Roman antiquity, The Golden Ass is infused with mythological elements. The story covers a wide range of topics from witchcraft to adultery and murder. This expansive narrative has enough twists to keep any reader on the edge of their seat. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Golden Ass is both modern and readable.

The Most Pleasant and Delectable Tale of the Cupid and Psyche is a classic Greek tale.