
Apuleius' Platonism
The Impersonation of Philosophy
Richard Fletcher(Author)
Cambridge University Press
Published on 17. July 2014
Book
Hardback
332 pages
978-1-107-02547-9 (ISBN)
Description
Apuleius of Madauros, writing in the latter half of the second century CE in Roman North Africa, is best known to us today for his Latin fiction, the Metamorphoses aka The Golden Ass, about a man who turned into a donkey and back again. However, he was also a Platonic philosopher, who, even though many of his writings are lost, wrote a range of rhetorical and philosophical works which survive to this day. This book examines these works to reveal how Apuleius' Platonism is a result of his 'impersonation of philosophy', that is, a rhetorically powerful methodological tool that allows him to 'speak' on behalf of Plato and his philosophy. This book is the first exploration of the full scope of his idiosyncratic brand of Platonism across his multifarious literary corpus and is a major contribution to the study of the dynamic between literature and philosophy in antiquity and beyond.
Reviews / Votes
'Apuleius' Platonism is a thoughtful and thought-provoking addition to the libraries of scholars from several fields, including ancient rhetoric, the ancient novel, and those who work on the dynamic between philosophy and literature.' Sasha-Mae Eccleston, Bryn Mawr Classical ReviewMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 222 mm
Width: 145 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
550 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-107-02547-9 (9781107025479)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Book
03/2017
Cambridge University Press
€48.90
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Other
03/2015
Cambridge University Press
€153.47
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E-Book
07/2014
Cambridge University Press
€21.99
Available for download

E-Book
07/2014
1st Edition
Cambridge University Press
€24.99
Available for download
Person
Richard Fletcher is Associate Professor in the Department of Classics at Ohio State University.
Content
1. Introduction; 2. Becoming Plato, voicing Platonism; 3. Universal reading and daemonic interpretation; 4. Platonism on trial and philosophy on stage; 5. Conclusion (Metamorphoses).