Editing Apuleius (section)

== Life ==
[[File:Apuleius-Kontorniat-2.jpg|thumb|left|Imagined portrait of Apuleius on a medallion of the 4th century.]]
[[File:Apuleius, Opera omnia, 1621 - BEIC 9468424.tiff|thumb|''Apuleii Opera omnia'' (1621)]]
Apuleius was born in Madauros, a ''[[Colonia (Roman)|colonia]]'' in [[Numidia (Roman province)|Numidia]] on the [[North Africa]]n coast bordering [[Gaetuli]]a, and he described himself as "[[Berbers|half-Numidian half-Gaetulian]]."<ref name="Apuleius, Apology, 24">Apuleius, ''Apology'', 24</ref> Madaurus was the same ''colonia'' where [[Augustine of Hippo]] later received part of his early education, and, though located well away from the [[Romanization (cultural)|Romanized]] coast, is today the site of some pristine Roman ruins. As to his first name, no ''[[praenomen]]'' is given in any ancient source;{{sfn|Walsh|1999|p=xi}} late-medieval manuscripts began the tradition of calling him ''Lucius'' from the name of the hero of his novel.<ref>{{citation |first=Julia Haig |last=Gaisser |year=2008 |title=The fortunes of Apuleius and the Golden Ass: a study in transmission and Reception |page=69 |publisher=Princeton University Press}} {{isbn|0691131368|9780691131368}}</ref> Details regarding his life come mostly from his defense speech (''[[Apology (Apuleius)|Apology]]'') and his work ''[[Florida (Apuleius)|Florida]]'', which consists of snippets taken from some of his best speeches.

His father was a municipal magistrate (''[[Duumviri|duumvir]]'')<ref name="Apuleius, Apology, 24" /> who bequeathed at his death the sum of nearly two million [[sesterces]] to his two sons.<ref>Apuleius, ''Apology'', 23</ref> Apuleius studied with a master at [[Carthage]] (where he later settled) and later at [[Athens]], where he studied Platonist philosophy among other subjects. He subsequently went to [[Rome]]<ref>Apuleius, ''Florida'', 17.4</ref> to study Latin [[rhetoric]] and, most likely, to speak in the law courts for a time before returning to his native North Africa. He also travelled extensively in Asia Minor and Egypt, studying philosophy and religion, burning up his inheritance while doing so.

Apuleius was an initiate in several [[Greco-Roman mysteries]], including the [[Dionysian Mysteries]].{{refn |group=note|As he proudly claims in his ''Apologia''.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Winter |first=Thomas Nelson |year=2006 |url=http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=classicsfacpub |title=Apology as Prosecution: The Trial of Apuleius |journal=Faculty Publications, Classics and Religious Studies Department |issue=4}}</ref>}} He was a priest of [[Asclepius]]<ref>Apuleius, ''Florida'' 16.38 and 18.38</ref> and, according to Augustine,<ref>Augustine, ''Epistle'' 138.19.</ref> ''sacerdos provinciae Africae'' (i.e., priest of the province of Carthage).

Not long after his return home he set out upon a new journey to [[Alexandria]].<ref name="Apuleius, Apology, 72">Apuleius, ''Apology'', 72.</ref> On his way there he was taken ill at the town of [[Oea]] (modern-day [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]]) and was hospitably received into the house of Sicinius Pontianus, with whom he had been friends when he had studied in Athens.<ref name="Apuleius, Apology, 72" /> The mother of Pontianus, Pudentilla, was a very rich widow. With her son's consent&nbsp;– indeed encouragement&nbsp;– Apuleius agreed to marry her.<ref>Apuleius, ''Apology'', 73</ref> Meanwhile, Pontianus himself married the daughter of one Herennius Rufinus; he, indignant that Pudentilla's wealth should pass out of the family, instigated his son-in-law, together with a younger brother, Sicinius Pudens, a mere boy, and their paternal uncle, Sicinius Aemilianus, to join him in impeaching Apuleius upon the charge that he had gained the affections of Pudentilla by charms and magic spells.<ref>Apuleius, ''Apology'', 53, 66, 70, etc</ref> The case was heard at [[Sabratha]], near Tripoli, c.&nbsp;158&nbsp;AD, before [[Claudius Maximus]], [[proconsul]] of [[Africa (Roman province)|Africa]].<ref>Apuleius, ''Apology'', 1, 59, 65</ref> The accusation itself seems to have been ridiculous, and the spirited and triumphant defence spoken by Apuleius is still extant. This is known as the ''Apologia (A Discourse on Magic)''.<ref name="GTUApo" />

Apuleius accused an extravagant personal enemy of turning his house into a brothel and prostituting his wife.<ref>Apuleius, ''Apology'', 75–76</ref>{{sfn|Flemming|1999|p=41}}

Of his subsequent career, we know little. Judging from the many works of which he was author, he must have devoted himself diligently to literature. He occasionally gave speeches in public to great reception; he had the charge of exhibiting gladiatorial shows and wild beast events in the province, and statues were erected in his honour by the senate of Carthage and of other senates.<ref>Apuleius, ''Apology'', 55, 73</ref><ref>Apuleius, ''Florida'', iii. n. 16</ref><ref>Augustine, ''Ep. '' v.</ref>

The date, place and circumstances of Apuleius' death are not known.<ref name="Gollnick2006">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X1g9DgAAQBAJ&pg=PA17 |title=The Religious Dreamworld of Apuleius' Metamorphoses: Recovering a Forgotten Hermeneutic |last=Gollnick |first=James |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press |year=1999 |isbn=978-0-88920-803-2 |page=17}}</ref><ref name="Apuleius2004">{{cite book |author=Apuleius |title=The Golden Ass, Or, The Metamorphoses |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iRwMi58gjdMC&pg=PR13 |year=2004 |publisher=Barnes & Noble Publishing |isbn=978-0-7607-5598-3 |page=13 |via=Google Books}}</ref> There is no record of his activities after 170, a fact which has led some people to believe that he must have died about then (say in 171), although other scholars feel that he may still have been alive in 180 or even 190.<ref name="LondeyJohanson1987">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kZ03AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA11 |title=The Logic of Apuleius: Including a Complete Latin Text and English Translation of the Peri Hermeneias of Apuleius of Madaura |last1=Londey |first1=David George |last2=Johanson |first2=Carmen J. |publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] |year=1987 |isbn=90-04-08421-5 |page=11 |name-list-style=amp}}</ref>