The Golden Ass

3-4.27

Book 3• Kills three men and is arrested for it• “believed that I would not merely

escape punishment, but would also win public praise” (42)

• Once torture devices were brought in the old woman tells them to uncover the bodies, when Lucius does, they are inflated wineskins with cuts matching those he inflicted on the bodies

• They honor him for bringing the city laughter and say he is their patron and that they will build a statue of bronze of him

Book 3 cont.

• Pamphile is a witch, “She next held a long and private conversation with the lamp” (51)

• Lucius rubs all the ointment on his skin and flaps his arms, but instead of growing feathers he grows coarse hair

• Robbers take Lucius and use him as a pack mule to carry their stolen wealth

Book 4

• Eats a farmer’s vegetables and subsequently gets a beating by the towns people

• Bandits recounting their conquests in Thebes and Plataea

• Dressed as a bear to get the other bandits into their target house

• Chronicalling all of the men who died along their travels

Themes

• Animals• Food• Women and their role in

Magic– All the people who control

magic seem to be women• Metamorphosis– Wine skins– Pamphile into an owl– Lucius into a donkey