Apollonius’ performance of lyre-playing, comedy and pantomime in Hist. Apoll. 16 symbolises his s... more Apollonius’ performance of lyre-playing, comedy and pantomime in Hist. Apoll. 16 symbolises his status, past and hopes for the future. Not merely an emulation of Nero’s dramatic performances, it uniquely includes comedy. Apollonius’ lack of masks invites the association of his roles with his own life. Especially the unusual comedy performance, possibly intertextually linked to Diphilus and Plautus’ Rudens, allows for his identification as a young man who lost everything in a shipwreck but hopes for an improvement of his fortunes and possibly a love affair. Apollonius’ symposium clothes lend themselves to this kind of identification between role and actor, and his consummate performance suggests that there is a somewhat understated erotic attraction between him and the king’s daughter. The mix of Greek and Roman attitudes to dramatic performances by noblemen seems to suggest our text may have a Greek background but is directed at Roman readers.
This paper discusses the blurring of the differences between necro-mancy and resurrection from ap... more This paper discusses the blurring of the differences between necro-mancy and resurrection from apparent death in Apuleius' works, focusing on the necromantic tales of Socrates and Thelyphron in Metamorphoses 1 and 2, and two episodes where doctors wake supposed corpses from coma (Met.10.5–12 and Florida 19, on Asclepiades of Prusa). The necromancers and the doctors are portrayed similarly, while verbal allusions between all four Apuleian episodes enhance the confusing effect. The behaviour of the comatose and the necroman-tically revived dead is similar, too, and their appearance is often undistinguish-able, mystifying their audience as to their exact nature. Surprisingly, the biaio-thanatoi Thelyphron and Socrates both speak, but the two comatose patients do not, although they are alive. Other contemporary texts (Philostratus VA 4.45; Historia Apollonii Regis Tyri 26–27) do not blur this boundary and use speech to mark revived comatose patients as alive. Apuleius' boundary-blurring is unsur-prising in a novel featuring Isis, a goddess who herself crosses the border of life and death in her myth. During his Isiac mystery initiations, Lucius, too, experiences death and rebirth and keeps mystical silence about the initiation process. This cross-over of miracles and medicine is therefore Apuleius' preparation of his readership for the end of the novel.
Apuleius' tale of Cupid and Psyche is shown to feature detailed knowledge of ancient magic integr... more Apuleius' tale of Cupid and Psyche is shown to feature detailed knowledge of ancient magic integrated into the plot, especially the magic of the so-called 'Sword of Dardanus' spell and of other papyri with Middle Platonic content. A recently published gemstone from Perugia testifies to the wide distribution of the 'Sword'. Apuleius' allusion to the erotic spell involves both Cupid and Venus torturing Psyche. Although Venus' intentions are to prevent the bond between the lovers, her actions inadvertently echo those depicted in the 'Sword' and contribute to the couple's eternal union. Ancient magic is therefore shown to be potent and effective, despite Venus' plans. This is a methodology Apuleius is known to use widely, for example in his obvious allusions to, and adaptations of, Hellenistic poetry in the story. Magic joins poetry and philosophy as a category of texts shown to be playfully integrated into Apuleius' construction of the plot of Cupid and Psyche.
Hunink's commentary on Apuleius' fragmentary rhetorical pieces, the Florida, is the first ever co... more Hunink's commentary on Apuleius' fragmentary rhetorical pieces, the Florida, is the first ever commentary in English, and as such will find many grateful readers and open a hitherto unjustly neglected text to a wider audience. It includes a revised text, a comprehensive bibliography, and is a good companion piece to both Hilton's recently published introduction to and translation of the text (in S. Harrison (ed.), Apuleius, Rhetorical Works: Translated and Annotated by Stephen Harrison, John Hilton, and Vincent Hunink (2001)), and Hunink's own commentary on Apuleius' Pro se de magia (Apologia) (1997) (review JRS 89 (1999), 245f., by S. Harrison), thus closing a large gap in Apuleian scholarship. The Florida is an anthology of twenty-three purple passages, selected from a larger corpus of Apuleian oratory (lost), sometimes complete speeches, sometimes only small excerpts. Little is known about them, and H. accumulates all available material and discusses it in his introduction to the commentary (11-22): the problematic textual transmission, dates and circumstances, the possible reasons for selection of the pieces from their larger source, the exuberant rhetoric of some of these pieces, or their larger context within the literary and cultural texture of the second century. The themes and interests displayed in the Florida, H. argues, fall within the typical rhetorical interests of the Second Sophistic: some pieces are undoubtedly typical Sophistic prolaliae. Furthermore, H. analyses some thematic links between the single pieces, e.g. stories on Presocratic and Stoic philosophers (Fl. 9, 15, 18), animals (Fl. 2, 6, 10, 12), or the ring compository effect of the theme of 'slowing down and incurring a delay' (Fl. 1 and 21, p. 17), and thus takes the Florida out of the purely philosophical or rhetorical contexts they have been analysed in before, and treats them as pieces of literature, carefully ordered within the collection instead of being randomly accumulated. Each passage receives an introduction of its own, a summary in English, and discussion of its main problems. Fl. 6, the passage on India and its gymnosophists, for example, receives a thorough treatment as to the factual knowledge Apuleius displays: H. lists Apuleius' manifold sources (mainly traditional), and further discusses the passage's exuberant diction; rhetorical issues (priamel-style) are mentioned as well as possible literary references and parallels, whilst also the geographical passages are explained. Further literature especially on the Realienkunde is provided, and the commentary serves as a good starting-point for any further studies. Occasionally, a more stringent analysis of the passages' problems and scholarly judgement rather than doxography only would have been desirable, since H.'s approach may result in contradictions. In his introduction to Florida 16, for example, the perhaps complete speech on the comic playwright Philemon, H. states that 'declamatory performance of New Comedy is unattested' (154), but he then quotes the statement of Demetr., Eloc. 193 (= Philemon test. 22 K.-A.) on Fl. 16.6 (157), namely that Menander is usually performed, whilst Philemon is recited. Although Demetrius' date is uncertain, this quotation is more important than H. makes out: Apuleius may follow a trend of contemporary literary theory in his passage, which might also explain his problematic classification of Philemon as a playwright of 'Middle' rather than New Comedy, a problem stated, but not really analysed in H.'s commentary. All in all, this commentary offers a good and serviceable tool for scholars of Apuleius and the second century, with a new text freshly collated against the manuscripts, thorough bibliographical referencing, and a discussion of the problems the particular passages offer, and a fair representation of the standpoints modern scholarship has reached. The commentary is excellent in integrating the Florida into the larger field of Apuleian studies, and as such hopefully will spark a new interest in an undeservedly understudied text of both literary and factual interest.
Preface Introduction Bibliography Metamorphoses or The Golden Ass Book 1 (Text and Translation) C... more Preface Introduction Bibliography Metamorphoses or The Golden Ass Book 1 (Text and Translation) Commentary Index
Apollonius’ performance of lyre-playing, comedy and pantomime in Hist. Apoll. 16 symbolises his s... more Apollonius’ performance of lyre-playing, comedy and pantomime in Hist. Apoll. 16 symbolises his status, past and hopes for the future. Not merely an emulation of Nero’s dramatic performances, it uniquely includes comedy. Apollonius’ lack of masks invites the association of his roles with his own life. Especially the unusual comedy performance, possibly intertextually linked to Diphilus and Plautus’ Rudens, allows for his identification as a young man who lost everything in a shipwreck but hopes for an improvement of his fortunes and possibly a love affair. Apollonius’ symposium clothes lend themselves to this kind of identification between role and actor, and his consummate performance suggests that there is a somewhat understated erotic attraction between him and the king’s daughter. The mix of Greek and Roman attitudes to dramatic performances by noblemen seems to suggest our text may have a Greek background but is directed at Roman readers.
This paper discusses the blurring of the differences between necro-mancy and resurrection from ap... more This paper discusses the blurring of the differences between necro-mancy and resurrection from apparent death in Apuleius' works, focusing on the necromantic tales of Socrates and Thelyphron in Metamorphoses 1 and 2, and two episodes where doctors wake supposed corpses from coma (Met.10.5–12 and Florida 19, on Asclepiades of Prusa). The necromancers and the doctors are portrayed similarly, while verbal allusions between all four Apuleian episodes enhance the confusing effect. The behaviour of the comatose and the necroman-tically revived dead is similar, too, and their appearance is often undistinguish-able, mystifying their audience as to their exact nature. Surprisingly, the biaio-thanatoi Thelyphron and Socrates both speak, but the two comatose patients do not, although they are alive. Other contemporary texts (Philostratus VA 4.45; Historia Apollonii Regis Tyri 26–27) do not blur this boundary and use speech to mark revived comatose patients as alive. Apuleius' boundary-blurring is unsur-prising in a novel featuring Isis, a goddess who herself crosses the border of life and death in her myth. During his Isiac mystery initiations, Lucius, too, experiences death and rebirth and keeps mystical silence about the initiation process. This cross-over of miracles and medicine is therefore Apuleius' preparation of his readership for the end of the novel.
Apuleius' tale of Cupid and Psyche is shown to feature detailed knowledge of ancient magic integr... more Apuleius' tale of Cupid and Psyche is shown to feature detailed knowledge of ancient magic integrated into the plot, especially the magic of the so-called 'Sword of Dardanus' spell and of other papyri with Middle Platonic content. A recently published gemstone from Perugia testifies to the wide distribution of the 'Sword'. Apuleius' allusion to the erotic spell involves both Cupid and Venus torturing Psyche. Although Venus' intentions are to prevent the bond between the lovers, her actions inadvertently echo those depicted in the 'Sword' and contribute to the couple's eternal union. Ancient magic is therefore shown to be potent and effective, despite Venus' plans. This is a methodology Apuleius is known to use widely, for example in his obvious allusions to, and adaptations of, Hellenistic poetry in the story. Magic joins poetry and philosophy as a category of texts shown to be playfully integrated into Apuleius' construction of the plot of Cupid and Psyche.
Hunink's commentary on Apuleius' fragmentary rhetorical pieces, the Florida, is the first ever co... more Hunink's commentary on Apuleius' fragmentary rhetorical pieces, the Florida, is the first ever commentary in English, and as such will find many grateful readers and open a hitherto unjustly neglected text to a wider audience. It includes a revised text, a comprehensive bibliography, and is a good companion piece to both Hilton's recently published introduction to and translation of the text (in S. Harrison (ed.), Apuleius, Rhetorical Works: Translated and Annotated by Stephen Harrison, John Hilton, and Vincent Hunink (2001)), and Hunink's own commentary on Apuleius' Pro se de magia (Apologia) (1997) (review JRS 89 (1999), 245f., by S. Harrison), thus closing a large gap in Apuleian scholarship. The Florida is an anthology of twenty-three purple passages, selected from a larger corpus of Apuleian oratory (lost), sometimes complete speeches, sometimes only small excerpts. Little is known about them, and H. accumulates all available material and discusses it in his introduction to the commentary (11-22): the problematic textual transmission, dates and circumstances, the possible reasons for selection of the pieces from their larger source, the exuberant rhetoric of some of these pieces, or their larger context within the literary and cultural texture of the second century. The themes and interests displayed in the Florida, H. argues, fall within the typical rhetorical interests of the Second Sophistic: some pieces are undoubtedly typical Sophistic prolaliae. Furthermore, H. analyses some thematic links between the single pieces, e.g. stories on Presocratic and Stoic philosophers (Fl. 9, 15, 18), animals (Fl. 2, 6, 10, 12), or the ring compository effect of the theme of 'slowing down and incurring a delay' (Fl. 1 and 21, p. 17), and thus takes the Florida out of the purely philosophical or rhetorical contexts they have been analysed in before, and treats them as pieces of literature, carefully ordered within the collection instead of being randomly accumulated. Each passage receives an introduction of its own, a summary in English, and discussion of its main problems. Fl. 6, the passage on India and its gymnosophists, for example, receives a thorough treatment as to the factual knowledge Apuleius displays: H. lists Apuleius' manifold sources (mainly traditional), and further discusses the passage's exuberant diction; rhetorical issues (priamel-style) are mentioned as well as possible literary references and parallels, whilst also the geographical passages are explained. Further literature especially on the Realienkunde is provided, and the commentary serves as a good starting-point for any further studies. Occasionally, a more stringent analysis of the passages' problems and scholarly judgement rather than doxography only would have been desirable, since H.'s approach may result in contradictions. In his introduction to Florida 16, for example, the perhaps complete speech on the comic playwright Philemon, H. states that 'declamatory performance of New Comedy is unattested' (154), but he then quotes the statement of Demetr., Eloc. 193 (= Philemon test. 22 K.-A.) on Fl. 16.6 (157), namely that Menander is usually performed, whilst Philemon is recited. Although Demetrius' date is uncertain, this quotation is more important than H. makes out: Apuleius may follow a trend of contemporary literary theory in his passage, which might also explain his problematic classification of Philemon as a playwright of 'Middle' rather than New Comedy, a problem stated, but not really analysed in H.'s commentary. All in all, this commentary offers a good and serviceable tool for scholars of Apuleius and the second century, with a new text freshly collated against the manuscripts, thorough bibliographical referencing, and a discussion of the problems the particular passages offer, and a fair representation of the standpoints modern scholarship has reached. The commentary is excellent in integrating the Florida into the larger field of Apuleian studies, and as such hopefully will spark a new interest in an undeservedly understudied text of both literary and factual interest.
Preface Introduction Bibliography Metamorphoses or The Golden Ass Book 1 (Text and Translation) C... more Preface Introduction Bibliography Metamorphoses or The Golden Ass Book 1 (Text and Translation) Commentary Index
a listing. A glossary of common terms allows E. to avoid some of Graves’s oddities of translation... more a listing. A glossary of common terms allows E. to avoid some of Graves’s oddities of translation. In addition, a number of serviceable maps and a helpful world chronology from 100 ... to the death of Hadrian will also be of considerable assistance to general readers and students. E.’s introduction marks a major improvement over Grant’s brief foreword. As well as the traditional brief treatment of Suetonius’ own life, there is a detailed examination of his biographical method in comparison with Plutarch’s, and consideration of the ways in which they both varied from traditional historical approaches. While Grant speaks of Suetonius’ ‘relatively high degree of objectivity’, E. makes it clear that this impression is the result of a rhetorical strategy by an author who organizes his material to illustrate the ways in which individual emperors followed or varied from the Augustan model. Sections on Suetonius’ written style and his in·uence bring into sharp focus the e¶ectiveness of his plain art. While, a century ago, Mackail could characterize The Lives of the Caesars as the μrst sign of barbarians crossing the literary frontier, the television adaptation of Graves’s own I Claudius has more recently μxed many a Suetonian anecdote in the public imagination. Still, it is in her translation and accompanying notes that E. most obviously excels. Graves translates Julius 1 as follows: ‘During the next consulship, after being nominated to the priesthood of Jupiter, he broke an engagement, made for him while he was still a boy, to marry one Cossutia; for, though rich, she came of only equestrian family.’ Contrast E: ‘In the following consulate, when he was Flamen Dialis elect, he divorced Cossutia, whose family was of equestrian rank but very wealthy, and to whom he had been betrothed before assuming the toga of manhood.’ E. retains the technical term Flamen Dialis (deμned as a priest of Jupiter in the Glossary). She also more accurately translates ‘divorced’ and o¶ers an explanatory note that Caesar cannot have entered o ̧ce, since the Flamen both needed to be married and was forbidden to divorce his wife. The numerous modern commentaries on the Lives listed in E.’s useful select bibliography, which were not available to Graves or Grant, may have contributed to this increased accuracy. But other factors may also be involved. While Graves attributes the separation to snobbery (‘though rich, she came of only equestrian family’), E. more perceptively sees that the original marriage was arranged with monetary ends in view: the μnancial position of the Julii encouraged them to marry beneath their rank. Later in this chapter Graves has Caesar, in Orwellian circumstances, needing to ‘bribe householders to protect him from Sulla’s secret police’. E., more aware of the methods of the proscriptions, translates his predicament as ‘having to buy o¶ his pursuers’ (seque ab inquisitoribus pecunia redimeret). Indeed, apart from missing an ‘almost’ (prope), E.’s translation is here, as elsewhere, a substantial improvement on her predecessor’s. The almost sixty pages of explanatory notes following the translation, but helpfully cross-referenced to the text pagination, are also incomparably superior to the occasional footnotes o¶ered by Grant. Graves’s translation remains a signiμcant literary achievement. His version of the death of Vitellius (Vit. 17), for instance, is fast ·owing and vivid, a war correspondent’s dispatch. E.’s is much more crabbed, following the grammatical structure of Suetonius’ description with its lengthy sentences extended by parentheses, asides, and modiμers. There are often times throughout E.’s translation when the reader might wish that there were more English nouns and fewer verbal forms echoing the Latin original. But to read the Lives in English, it is to the Oxford World’s Classics edition, not the Penguin, that the reader will in future turn.
15 The Metamorphosis of Pantomime: Apuleius' Judgement of Paris (Met. 10.3034) Regine M... more 15 The Metamorphosis of Pantomime: Apuleius' Judgement of Paris (Met. 10.3034) Regine May INTRODUCTION We have no text that was certainly composed as a pantomime libretto (although see Part II of this volume), and only very few extended or detailed descriptions ...
Uploads
Books by Regine May
Papers by Regine May