LUCIUS, a Platonic philosopher, well known by his performance entitled the Golden Ass. He lived in the second century, under the Antonines, and was born at Madaura, 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 master of eloquence, and of a subtile genius, many considerable causes were trusted to him. But he benefited himself more by marrying a rich widow named Pet-

dentilla. This marriage, however, drew upon him a troublesome law-suit. His wife'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 found no great difficulty in making a successful defence. His Apology, which is still extant, contains some very curious details. Apuleius was indefatigable in his studies, and composed many works, 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 applause. The citizens of Carthage erected a statue to him, and several other cities did him the same honour. There have been upwards of forty editions of his works; of which the first and rarest was published at Rome in 1469, the last and best at Leyden in 1786-1823, in 3 vols. 4to. This edition was begun by Oudendorp, and published after his death by Ruhkemius and Bosscha. His principal pieces, besides the celebrated fiction of the Golden Ass, are his Apology, entitled Oratio de Magia; fragments of speeches, entitled Florida; three books of philosophy, entitled De Habitudine Doctrinarum et Nativitate Platonis; and a curious treatise, De Doce Socratis.