Apuleius: The Metamorphoses, Book 1 (Latin Edition) (Bk. 1)
...with its odd mixture of terrifying witches and slapstick comedy, this tale [in Book One] is typical of much of the Metamorphoses... Book One sets out several key thematic elements that can be followed throughout the story: the danger of curiositas, the changeability of fortune, and the connection between magic and sensual pleasure. --Stephen Nimis, from the ForewordThose who feel that Apuleius would make a good addition to their lineup will want to look carefully at James S. Ruebel's new edition of the first book of the Metamorphoses....there is no doubt that Ruebel makes the text far more accessible than the scholarly commentaries or that many of his notes are right on target....the introductory materials in this textbook are excellent; the text is spotless; the commentary has good and bad points, but the high points are higher than the low points are low, and the latter are remediable; the bibliography is all that one could ask......this edition is better than many others that are used in classrooms... --Stephen M. Trzaskoma, University of New Hampshire, Bryn Mawr Classical Review, Sept. 4, 2001