The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Golden Asse, by Lucius Apuleius

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Title: The Golden Asse

Author: Lucius Apuleius

Translator: William Adlington

Release Date: February 21, 2006 [EBook #1666]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Produced by Donal O'Danachair and David Widger

THE GOLDEN ASSE

by Lucius Apuleius "Africanus"

Translated by William Adlington

First published 1566 This version as reprinted from the edition of
1639. The original spelling, capitalisation and punctuation have been
retained.

Dedication

To the Right Honourable and Mighty Lord, THOMAS EARLE OF SUSSEX,
Viscount Fitzwalter, Lord of Egremont and of Burnell, Knight of the most
noble Order of the Garter, Iustice of the forrests and Chases from
Trent Southward; Captain of the Gentleman Pensioners of the House of the
QUEENE our Soveraigne Lady.

After that I had taken upon me (right Honourable) in manner of that
unlearned and foolish Poet, Cherillus, who rashly and unadvisedly
wrought a big volume in verses, of the valiant prowesse of Alexander the
Great, to translate this present booke, contayning the Metamorphosis of
Lucius Apuleius; being mooved thereunto by the right pleasant pastime
and delectable matter therein; I eftsoones consulted with myself, to
whom I might best offer so pleasant and worthy a work, devised by
the author, it being now barbarously and simply framed in our English
tongue. And after long deliberation had, your honourable lordship came
to my remembrance, a man much more worthy, than to whom so homely and
rude a translation should be presented. But when I again remembred the
jesting and sportfull matter of the booke, unfit to be offered to any
man of gravity and wisdome, I was wholly determined to make no Epistle
Dedicatory at all; till as now of late perswaded thereunto by my
friends, I have boldly enterprised to offer the same to your Lordship,
who as I trust wil accept the same, than if it did entreat of some
serious and lofty matter, light and merry, yet the effect thereof
tendeth to a good and vertuous moral, as in the following Epistle to the
reade