The Golden Ass

Main Characters and Their Development

• Lucius — the main character, a young man who, due to his curiosity and recklessness, is transformed into a donkey. His journey in this form becomes the basis for numerous adventures and trials he undergoes. In the process, he learns humility and wisdom, ultimately leading to his salvation and return to human form through the intervention of the goddess Isis.
• Photis — a maid and Lucius's lover, who accidentally turns him into a donkey. She plays a crucial role at the beginning of his adventures, as it is her mistake that places Lucius in such an unusual predicament.
• Psyche — the heroine of one of the inserted tales told in the book. Her love story with Cupid and the trials she undergoes to reunite with him serve as an allegory of the human soul and its striving for the divine.
• Isis — the Egyptian goddess who ultimately saves Lucius, restoring him to human form. She symbolizes divine intervention and mercy, as well as the spiritual rebirth of the hero.