Apuleio - Opera - 1688

The Golden Ass of the Sun King: Metamorphosis of the Visionary Apuleius, into a courtier
This edition of the complete works of Apuleius, printed in Paris in 1688 by Frédéric Léonard, the official printer of the King, the Dauphin, and the Gallican clergy, fully belongs to the great cultural project of the Delphinianae editions. The text of one of the most ambiguous and fascinating authors of Latin antiquity is here absorbed into the courtly classical canon, transformed from an initiatory and visionary tale into a tool for linguistic, moral, and political education. The volume reflects the moment of full maturity of the Grand Siècle, when philology, typography, and monarchical power converge in the construction of an ideal library for the future sovereign. Metamorphosis, a central theme of Apuleius's work, thus also becomes an editorial metaphor: ancient knowledge disciplined, organized, and made functional to the ideology of the state.
Market value
For the Paris edition, Frédéric Léonard, 1688, in contemporary decorated binding with complete apparatus, the current market value is approximately between 1,200 and 1,500 euros. Particularly fresh specimens, with well-preserved gilding and impeccable collation, can reach the upper end of this range or surpass it in favorable auction settings.

Physical description and condition
Contemporary full brown leather binding, richly decorated spine with gold tooling, compartments, and floral motifs; boards with double gold fillet. Typographic frontispiece with a large engraved vignette; includes a preface and preliminary apparatus. Some yellowing and browning of the paper. In ancient books with a multi-century history, some imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. Pages (4); 48 preliminary leaves; 564; (4).

Full title and author
Works of the Platonic Philosophers
In Paris, at Frederic Leonard's, 1688.
Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis

Context and Significance
Apuleius is a key figure of late Latin antiquity: a Platonic philosopher, refined orator, and author of one of the most complex and symbolic narrative texts of classical literature, the Metamorphoses. In the Delphiniana project, the author is removed from his traditional magical ambiguity and reinterpreted as a 'useful' classic, functional for the education of the prince. This edition represents an advanced phase of the educational program promoted by Louis XIV, in which the control of the text and its typographical presentation reflect a precise idea of order, authority, and cultural continuity. The volume is therefore not only a Latin classic but also a political and symbolic document of the court culture of the late Seventeenth century.

Biography of the Author
Lucius Apuleius was born in Madaura, in Numidia, around 125 AD. He was a Platonic philosopher, rhetorician, and writer of extraordinary versatility. He studied in Athens and traveled extensively in the Mediterranean. Accused of magic, he produced a diverse body of work that includes speeches, philosophical treatises, and the famous novel of Metamorphoses, also known as The Golden Ass. His work had a profound influence on medieval and modern literature, inspiring symbolic, allegorical, and esoteric interpretations.

Printing history and circulation
The works of Apuleius have been printed since the dawn of printing, but in the 17th century they gained new popularity thanks to court editions. The Delphiniana, produced under the direct control of the French monarchy, were intended for the education of the Dauphin and for selective circulation among aristocratic and institutional libraries. The Léonard edition of 1688 represents one of the final and most stable phases of this publishing project, characterized by high typographic quality and strong symbolic value.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Apuleius, Complete Works Remaining, Paris, Frédéric Léonard, 1688.
Catalogues of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Edizioni Delphiniana.
S.J. Harrison, Apuleius: A Latin Sophist.
P.G. Walsh, The Roman Novel.
WorldCat, censuses of the Paris editions of Apuleius in the 17th century.