Introduction

they might have their revenge. Their first step was to win Pontianus and Pudens Apuleius's stepsons to their side. This they succeeded in doing, in spite of the generous treatment accorded by Apuleius to his step-sons. Pontianus fell sick and died before they could carry out their designs. He had, moreover, repented of his baseness to his former friend, though death prevented him from showing what his repentance was worth. Pudens, however, was completely under the thumb of Aemilianus and Rufinus, and a number of more or less serious charges were brought against Apuleius in his name.

He was accused of having won the heart of Pudentilla by sorcery, of being a man of immoral life, and of having married his elderly bride solely for the sake of her money. The trial took place at Sabrata (Apology original: "Apol." - referring to Apuleius's speech in his own defense 59), the modern Zowâra, lying on the coast some sixty miles west of Oea Modern Tripoli, Libya. The case was tried by the proconsul A high-ranking Roman provincial governor himself, Claudius Maximus. The date cannot be precisely fixed. But Claudius Maximus was probably proconsul at some time between the years 155–158 A.D. (see note on Apology 1), at any rate not later than 161 A.D., since Antoninus Pius is mentioned as the reigning princeps The first citizen or Emperor of Rome (died March 161 A.D.). Apuleius had no difficulty in disposing of the charges brought against him, and incidentally found an opportunity for a flamboyant display of the learning of which he was so proud. He may well on occasion have practised magic: his insatiable curiosity must assuredly have led him to experiment in this direction, and his subsequent reputation confirms these