Between 1514 and 1517, Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) composed

(

), an eight-chapter satirical poem in

that

mimics (or, perhaps, mocks) the structure of Dante’s

and is inspired by—if not a direct parody of—

(

), also commonly referred to as

, by the classical Latin prose writer Apuleius (125-170). Apuleius’s protagonist, characterized by

and a fascination for magic, is turned into a donkey in a failed attempt at performing a spell, and after a long journey finds salvation and recovers his human form with the help of the goddess Isis. In Machiavelli’s refashioning, the anonymous protagonist narrates his vicissitudes in Circe’s realm after his escape from Florence…

1572 words

Citation: Palanti, Alessia. "L'asino d'oro". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 27 September 2018 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=34870, accessed 25 November 2024.]

• View recommended reading for this article