Nuptiae Iure Civili Congruae: Apuleius's Story of Cupid and Psyche and the Roman Law of Marriage

Social historians, despite showing great interest in Apuleius's Metamorphoses, have tended to ignore the novel's embedded tale of Cupid and Psyche on the grounds that it is purely imaginary. This paper demonstrates that Apuleius in fact refers throughout his story to real Roman practices, especially legal practices—most conspicuous are the frequent references to the Roman law of marriage. A careful examination of several passages thus shows how knowledge of Roman law, it turns out, enhances the reader's pleasure in Apuleius's story. The paper concludes by exploring the connections between Apuleius's fairytale and the account of his own marriage to Aemilia Pudentilla in his earlier work, the Apologia. Apuleius seems to be recalling, playfully, his own earlier legal success. At the same time, both works suggest that legal problems arose in Roman families not because of the actions of any official enforcers, but rather appeal to the law by particular family members.