Part 3 of this essay.
By Phin Upham
Apuleius also introduces us to many other lesser forms of slavery. In the very first tale Socrates is, in a sense a slave of magic and sex. The miser, who refuses to even buy furniture, seem to be a slave to money. Psyche is a slave to Cupid, her life means nothing to her except if she can find him. The numerous stolid husbands who work all day, only to be cuckolded by their clever wives and their wives lovers, seem to be some sort of slave to their spouses. But these tales suggest slavery only in a limited way. The only form of slavery that even comes close to physical slavery in importance is slavery to beauty and lust. “[I] stand here a slave. Freely fettered and enthralled – and all owing to your bright eyes, and your ruddied cheeks, and your glistening hair, and your open kisses, and your scented breasts … I see nothing beyond or above this night” (p81) moans Lucius to Fotis. This sexual slavery seems to be reserved for men towards women. Although many women take lovers, they are never depicted as needing them, or loving them in any significant way (except Psyche for a god). Lucius is reprimanded by the high priest of Isis, and his crime seems to be slavery to pleasure and sex. “Neither your high lineage, nor your pride of place, nor your learning, profited you one jot. You gave yourself to the slavery of pleasure in the lewdness of hot blooded youth; and you have reaped the reward of you unprospering curiosity” (p243). These powerful examples show a different form of slavery which is also harmful. It is the denial of the rational and the embracing of the sensual. This, according to Aristotle, would be the turning of one’s back to one’s humanity (since the highest end of humans includes the fulfillment of rational functions and a major part of this is the ability to suppress desires. See his Nicomachean Ethics). Perhaps, since the Romans certainly knew Aristotle well, the transformation into a mule signified on some level Lucius’ slavery to his senses and thus his denial of his humanity.
Part 4 of this essay available on the Academic Ledger.
