Apparently this is the only ancient Roman novel (written in Latin originally) to survive in its entirety. It was probably written around 180 AD. For this reason alone it is interesting to read this novel, and to travel with it into the imagination of an author living in ancient Rome.

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Thankfully for us, it is also an enjoyable book to read. You will be surprised at how easily you can relate to a text written by a person - and about people - who lived more than 1800 years ago.

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The main character attempts to use magic to gain some benefit for himself but ends up turning himself into a donkey. Written in humorous style, the book tells of this character’s journey as he seeks to become human again. It is a fun story, it gives us a sense of the ancient Roman imagination, and it will introduce readers to various ancient myths, including the Ancient Greek tale of Cupid and Psyche.

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It is good, I believe, to read such old books. We learn a lot about the past, but mostly we see how similar we are to people who were so far away from us in time and culture. There are various editions of this book, just choose the one that is easily available to you.