LUCIUS, a Platonic philosopher, universally known by his performance of the Golden As. He lived in the second century, under the Antonines; and was born at Madura, a Roman colony in Africa. He studied first at Carthage, then at Athens, and afterwards at Rome, where he learned the Latin tongue without the help of a master. He was a man of a curious and inquisitive disposition, especially in religious matters: this prompted him to take several journeys, and to enter into several societies of religion. He spent his whole fortune almost in travelling; so that, at his return to Rome, when he was about to dedicate himself to the service of Osiris, he had not money enough to defray the expense attending the ceremonies of the reception, and was obliged to pawn his clothes to raise the necessary sum. He supported himself afterwards by pleading causes: and as he was a great matter of eloquence, and of a subtle genius, many considerable causes were trusted to him. But he availed himself more by a good marriage than by his pleadings; a widow, named Pudentilla, who was neither young nor handsome, but wanted a husband and was very rich, took a great fancy to him. This marriage drew upon him a troublesome law suit. The lady's relations, pretending he made use of sorcery to gain her heart and money, accused him of being a magician before Claudius Maximus proconsul of Africa. Apuleius was under no great difficulty of making his defence. As Pudentilla was determined, from considerations of health, to enter upon a second marriage, even before she had seen this pretended magician, the youth, deportment, pleasing conversation, vivacity, and other agreeable qualities of Apuleius, were charms sufficient to engage her heart. He had the most favourable opportunities too of gaining her friendship, for he lodged some time at her house: Pudentilla's eldest son having Apuleius having a great friendship for him, was likewise desirous of the match, and solicited him in favour of Pudentilla. "Do you make a wonder (said Apuleius, in his defence) that a woman should marry again, after having lived a widow 13 years? It is much more wonderful that she did not marry again sooner. You think that magic must have been employed to prevail with a widow of her age to marry a young man; on the contrary, this very circumstance shows how little occasion there was for magic." He offered to prove by his marriage-contract, that he got nothing of Pudentilla but a promise of a very moderate sum, in case he survived her and had children by her. He was also obliged to make such confessions in court as Pudentilla would gladly have excused. He said he was neither handsome nor young, nor such as could any ways tempt him to have recourse to enchantments: moreover, he added, that Pontianus her son proposed the marrying his mother to him only as a burden, and the action of a friend and philosopher. He also took notice of many inconveniences which attend the marrying of widows, and spoke highly of the advantages of a maid above a widow: "A handsome virgin (said he), let her be ever so poor, is abundantly portioned; she brings to her husband a heart quite new, together with the flower and first fruits of her beauty. It is with great reason that all husbands set so great a value upon the flower of virginity: all the other goods which a woman brings her husband are of such a nature, that he may return them again, if he has a mind to be under no obligation to her: that alone cannot be restored, it remains in the possession of the first husband. If you marry a widow, and she leaves you, she carries away all that she brought you." Upon which passage Mr Bayle makes a very coarse remark, viz. "That this good which is never taken back out of the hands of a husband, is very chimerical; and that there is never a baker nor a butcher, who would lend sixpence upon this unperishable possession." The apology is still extant, and is reckoned a very fine piece. Apulius was extremely indefatigable in his studies: and composed several books, some in verse, and others in prose; but most of them have been lost. He took great pleasure in declaiming, and was heard generally with great applause: When he declaimed at Oeoa, the audience cried out with one voice, that they ought to confer upon him the honour of citizen. The citizens of Carthage heard him with great satisfaction, and erected a statue to him; and several other cities did him the same honour. Several critics have published notes on Apuleius's Golden As, and there have been translations of it into different languages.