THE METAMORPHOSES,

OR THE GOLDENThe following remarks regarding this title are from Dr. Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography: "The epithet 'aureus' (golden) is generally supposed to have been bestowed in admiration of this tale; being considered the most excellent of its kind, it was compared to the most excellent of metals. Warburton, however, ingeniously argues that 'aureus' was the common title for all Milesian tales, because they were rehearsed by traveling storytellers for a fee, in the fashion of oriental narrators. He bases this on an expression in Pliny's Epistles (ii. 20): 'Assem para, et accipe auream fabulam'—'Give me a copper coin, and receive in return a story worth a gold one' (or 'precious as gold'), which brings us back to the original explanation." ASS OF APULEIUS.

PREFACE.

IN the following MilesianThe people of Miletus were famous for their love of mirth and luxury; hence, stories of an amatory or humorous nature were generally known as 'Milesian stories.' narrative, I will string together various stories and regale your listening ears with some merry whispers, if only you will not disdain to look upon this Egyptian papyrus, written with the subtle point of a Nilotic reed. I will proceed to astonish you with the adventures of men changed into different shapes and, after various trials, restored to their original forms. Who I am, I will tell you in a few words:
Hymettus of Attica, the Isthmus of Ephyre,The ancient name of Corinth. and TænarusThis is a preferred reading over Tenedos. of Sparta, famous lands immortalized in books still more famous,