ious but highly affected, and in general perfect
examples of the sophistical art of saying nothing with emphasis. They
deal with the most varied subjects, and are intended to exemplify the
author's versatility. The pleasing little tract _On the God of Socrates_
expounds the Platonic doctrine of beneficent daemons, an intermediate
class between gods and men. Two books on Plato (_De Platone et Ejus
Dogmate_) treat of his life, and his physical and ethical philosophy; a
third, treating of logic, is generally considered spurious. The _De
Mundo_ is an adaptation of the [Greek: Peri kosmou] wrongly attributed
to Aristotle. Apuleius informs us that he had also composed numerous
poems in almost all possible styles, and several works on natural
history, some in Greek. In the preparation of these he seems to have
attended more closely to actual anatomical research than was customary
with ancient naturalists. Some other works--dealing with theology, the
properties of herbs, medical remedies and physiognomy, are wrongly
attributed to him.

The character of Apuleius, as delineated by himself, is attractive; he
appears vehement and passionate, but devoid of rancour; enterprising,
munificent, genial and an enthusiast for the beautiful and good. His
vanity and love of display are conspicuous, but are extenuated by a
genuine thirst for knowledge and a surprising versatility of
attainments. He prided himself on his proficiency in both Greek and
Latin. His place in letters is accidentally more important than his
genius strictly entitles him to hold. He is the only extant example in
Latin literature of an accomplished sophist in the good sense of the
term. The loss of other ancient romances has secured him a peculiar
influence on modern fiction; while his chronological position in a
transitional period renders him at once the evening star of the
Platonic, and the morning star of the Neo-Platonic philosophy.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.--Complete works: Editio princeps, ed. Andreas (1469);
Oudendorp (1786-1823); Hildebrand (1842); Helm (1905 et seq.); P.
Thomas (vol. iii. 1908). _Metamorphoses_, Eyssenhardt (1869), van der
Vliet (1897). _Psyche et Cupido_, Jahn-Michaelis (1883); Beck (1902).
_Apologia_, I. Casaubon (1594); Kruger (1864); (with the _Florida_),
van der Vliet (1900). _Florida_, Kruger (1883). _De Deo Socratis_,
Buckley (1844), Lutjohann (1878). _De Platone et ejus Dogmate_,
Goldbacher (1876) (including _De Mundo_ and _De De