JOURNAL ARTICLE

Apul. Met. 1.4: Spear Swallower, Pole Dancing, and the Miraculous Boy.

  • Published In: Philologus -- Zeitschrift für Antike Literatur und Ihre Rezeption, 2025, v. 169, n. 2. P. 276 1 of 3

  • Database: Humanities Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Shumilin, Mikhail 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on a textual criticism of a passage from Apuleius' *Metamorphoses*, specifically Book 1, where Lucius recounts a miraculous anecdote involving a spear swallower and a boy performing a dance. The author highlights the difficulties in interpreting the text, particularly the ambiguous description of the boy and his dance, which seems disconnected from the main theme of swallowing. The article proposes a conjectural approach that suggests the boy is not an independent character but rather a comparison to the spear swallower, thereby creating a more coherent narrative that aligns with the overarching theme of transformation and swallowing in the story. This interpretation aims to resolve the textual issues while maintaining the integrity of Apuleius' style. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Philologus -- Zeitschrift für Antike Literatur und Ihre Rezeption. 2025/11, Vol. 169, Issue 2, p276
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Biography
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:00317985
  • DOI:10.1515/phil-2024-0061
  • Accession Number:189573081
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Philologus -- Zeitschrift für Antike Literatur und Ihre Rezeption is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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