Lucius, a Platonic philosopher, well known by his performance entitled Metamorphoses, or the Golden Ass. He was born at Madaura, a Roman colony in Africa, about the year 128, and died probably about the end of the reign of the second Antonine. 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 various religious societies. He spent almost his whole fortune in travelling; so that on 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 at the courts; and being a great master of eloquence, and of a sublime genius, he was entrusted with many important causes. But he benefited himself more by marrying a rich widow named Pudensilla. This marriage, however, drew upon him a troublesome lawsuit. His wife's relations, pretending that he had 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.

The editions of his works have been very numerous; the first and rarest was printed at Rome in 1469, and an excellent one was published at Leyden in 1786-1823, in 3 vols. 4to. This edition was begun by Oudendorp, and published after his death by Ruhnkenius and Bosscha. A very elaborate edition of his whole works was published at Leipzig in 1842, by G. F. Hildebrand. 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 Deo Socratis.