Apuleius’ Metamorphoses, better known as the Golden Ass, is the only Latin novel to come down to us complete, and it is a riot: a wild, funny, sometimes bawdy, sometimes eerie tale of Lucius, a curious young man who meddles with magic, is accidentally transformed into a donkey, and passes through a long chain of misadventures before the goddess Isis at last restores him. Set at the centre of the book is its most famous episode, the fairy tale of Cupid and Psyche, the god of love and the mortal girl so beautiful that Venus herself grows jealous. Apuleius writes an exuberant, ornate, playful Latin unlike anything else in the language. In this course, we will read the opening of the novel, the tale of Cupid and Psyche, and its conclusion, and discuss them in Latin.
Course details:
- Sessions last 1.5 hours
- 1 session per week
- Course lasts 14 weeks
- Term runs Aug. 30, 2026 – Dec. 12, 2026
How ALI courses work:
- ALI courses are live, online classes run by ALI Latin professors. Learn Latin from anywhere.
- Classes run on a trimester basis.
- Fall: September – December
- Spring: January – April
- Summer: May – August
- We want to make sure you’re completely satisfied. If you don’t love your first Latin class, we guarantee a 100% refund. After that, in weeks 2 – 4, refunds will be made on a pro rata basis, based on however many class sessions you’ve attended. We cannot issue refunds after the fourth week of classes.
- Read more on our FAQ page and check out our academic calendar page to see a more detailed schedule
