Complete Works of Apuleius, Vol. IV

would he have divided it, when he had pronounced it in one continuous flow before the Proconsul? According to what example? Or for what reason? Was it because the book would have been longer? Nonsense: as if many longer works of both Greek and Roman orators do not exist today. Then, who does not see that the entire context of the oration is contained in one proposition and closed by one epilogue? Therefore, that τομὴ cut/division was not the author's, which we have rightfully removed for this reason; especially since we can defend our action by the authority of the supreme man, Aurelius Augustine, who calls this book a "most copious oration." Certainly, in his age, that race of clever men had not yet arisen who, partly through ignorance and partly through intolerable περιεργίᾳ curiosity/meddling, have long been encroaching upon good authors. We must credit such men with this partition, who also, with no less disgrace, divided the first book of the Florida into two; for not four, but only three books of the Florida were left by Apuleius. These same people have also poorly arranged the philosophical writings of this author: for although these three books—On the Dogma of Plato, On Philosophy, and Περὶ ἑρμηνείας On Interpretation—are one work and ought to form one body, today they are published differently, no differently than if they were separate and individual books. Yet that the matter stands as we have said is witnessed by Apuleius himself, who, not far from the beginning of the book On the Dogma of Plato, writes thus while speaking of Plato: "Since he was the first to maintain that the three parts of philosophy agree with one another, we also shall speak separately about each, making our beginning from natural philosophy." He promises that he will write three books about the three parts of philosophy, according to the Platonic discipline. Ask those who have compiled the editions of Apuleius for us until now where those three books are: they will deny, I suspect, that the entire work has come down to us; but it has indeed come down to us, and exists today; no one will deny that we certainly have those three books.

The first is that very one which comprises τὸν φυσικὸν τόπον the natural place/topic: the second is that which today has the index On Philosophy, in which ὁ ἠθικὸς τόπος the moral place/topic is contained. Its beginning is: "The head of moral philosophy is..." Do not doubt that the third is that which is accustomed to hold the last place in the common editions and is titled περὶ ἑρμηνείας On Interpretation. For in it, the author has comprised τὸν λογικὸν τόπον the logical place/topic. Its beginning is thus: "The study of Wisdom, which we call Philosophy, seems to many to have three species: Natural, Moral, and, about which I have now proposed to speak, Rational." But I return to the Roman edition; from which I wish the reader to know that almost all corrections are prepared, the reason for which will not be rendered in this book. Furthermore, we do not know for certain who it was who first admitted such a disgrace and produced so many monsters for us after that edition. I think, however, it was Bernardus Philomathes of Pisa, who oversaw that edition which appeared in Florence in the year 1522: which one may easily understand from the dual letter of his prefixed to that edition. Nevertheless, we owe to that man, however deserving he may be in other respects, quite a few Greek passages which he was the first to transcribe and publish from his own books. Casaub. A. M. P. Oration on his own behalf regarding Magic before the distinguished man Claudius Maximus, Proconsul] Thus the Roman and Aldine editions; the Florentine membranes display such a title: The Book of Apuleius the Platonist of Madaura on his own behalf before the distinguished Maximus, Proconsul, concerning Magic: as if Apuleius had written that oration, not pronounced it before the judges. In all other published and handwritten codices, it is divided into two limbs separately. Entirely wrongly, as learned men have long since demonstrated, and as is sufficiently clear from St. Augustine, who calls it a most copious and eloquent oration in The City of God, Book VIII, ch. 19. Elmenh. Apuleius of Madaura on his own behalf before Claud. Maximus, Apology or Concerning...