Throughout ancient Roman and Greek literature, famous writers ranging from Aeschylus to Thucydides demonstrated the major character flaws of mortals and the effects of their failures on their lives and well-being. Although the outcome of each protagonist is different in each of these works, the dangers of curiosity are highlighted in the stories of Lucius and Pentheus, who allow their anxiety to overcome them. Drawn to the mystery of magic, Lucius blindly follows his desires in The Golden Ass, exploring dark corners that many others would avoid. In the Bacchae there are no tales of magic; instead, Pentheus is absorbed in his interest in the crazy women of the city and in the god who created them that way, Dionysus. With deeper analysis, however, the similarities between the curiosity of Lucius and Pentheus begin to fade, revealing that the most important aspect of these comparable texts is precisely in how they differ: their consequences. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Shown through the dialogue and action of the narrative, both characters' curiosity takes center stage, exposing their true natures for all to see. From the beginning Apuleius illustrates Lucius' naivety? as he begs to hear new stories and see inexplicable things, “thirsty as ever for novelty” (The Golden Ass, 1.2). As noted by Alexander Kirichenko, both Lucius and Pentheus are punished for their transgressions, proving that mortals are not meant to examine “forbidden religious knowledge” (Kirichenko). When given the opportunity to observe the Bacchae women, Pentheus jumps at the chance, exclaiming “Of course. I would give a lot of money for that." (Bacchae, 812). Despite Dionysus' vague warnings, Pentheus continues, far more intrigued by the mysteries of women than his own livelihood. Likewise, Lucius is consumed by the magic surrounding Pamphile , so paralyzed with amazement simply by this extraordinary scene that I felt like I was anything but Lucio. I was completely out of my mind, shocked with amazement, I didn't know if I was awake or dreaming... "Please." while we have the chance,... let me enjoy this great and unique proof of your love: give me some of that ointment (The Golden Ass, 3.22) As Kirichenko pointed out, a particularly achievement insidious comes from those who dig too deeply into religious matters, as seen by the actions of both Pentheus and Lucius Ignoring the power of the gods, Pentheus forbids the worship of Dionysus in Thebes and allows his curiosity about Dionysus' spells to overshadow him. his judgement. Dionysus sees Pentheus' actions as disrespectful to the gods and punishes him for his failure to recognize Dionysus' true identity and beg for forgiveness. Likewise, Lucius' transformation into a donkey was the direct result of his blind investigation into the secrets of magic. Mortal curiosity about the unknown workings of immortals and their actions can only lead these characters down a dangerous path where they will ultimately have to pay for their crimes. In the same way that characters are punished for investigating forbidden religious matters, Euripides and Apuleius seem to suggest that questioning socially accepted norms is yet another form of unacceptable curiosity that must be taken into account. Well known throughout the regions of mainland Greece, the city Lucius finds himself in Book 1, Thessaly, is rich in magic, often considered similar to Egypt in its mysterious "occult tradition" (Kirichenko). However, when Lucius arrives,neglects to use this knowledge as a warning for what might happen, deciding instead to learn all he can about the city's supernatural happenings: being an all-too-passionate student of the extraordinary and miraculous anyway, and reminding myself that I was now in the heart of the Thessaly, known throughout the world as the cradle of magical arts and enchantments, and where the story of my friend Aristomenes had begun in this very city, I carefully examined everything I saw, on edge with lively anticipation. (The Golden Ass, 2.1) Although he recognizes the rumors surrounding the city, Lucius is drawn to its emotions, concerned only with quenching his thirst for knowledge. Breaking the accepted idea that people shouldn't inquire about the town's spells and witches, Lucius dives into his childhood desires and is transformed into a farm animal as a result. Likewise, Pentheus breaks the socially accepted norms of traditional male and female roles by slipping into classic clothing for women, “A dress. Full length. And a band around [her] hair” purely to be able to get close to the Bacchae women and observe their mysterious ways (Bacchae, 833). In ancient Greece, where men were considered much more influential than their female counterparts, Pentheus' dressing as a woman went against all cultural norms of the time, especially due to his status as king of Thebes. As a result, he paid for his transgressions with the ultimate price, his life. Both Lucius and Pentheus broke the social conceptions of their society, ignoring what their family and friends considered fact in a selfish attempt to delve into the unknown. By exemplifying the actions of the protagonists of their writings, Euripides and Apuleius suggest that we should all follow the standards accepted by our peers, providing exact cases of this type of wrongdoing and the consequences that arise from it. Although Lucius and Pentheus are both punished for two of the same forms of curiosity, it is crucial to pay attention to exactly how both characters pay for their actions. After covering himself in Pamphile's ointment, Lucius expected to be transformed into a bird just as Pamphile had done, but neither down nor feathers appeared; instead my hair became rough and bristly, my soft skin hardened to leather, my fingers and toes lost their separate identity and coalesced into hooves, and from the end of my spine protruded a long tail . My face became huge and my mouth widened; my nostrils dilated and my lips hung down; and my ears became monstrously long and hairy. (The Golden Ass, 3.24) Instead of transforming into a beautiful flying creature, Lucius transformed into a donkey, an animal known for its stupidity. Symbolic of Lucius' poor decisions, his transformation into a farm animal, while still unfavorable, was much more pleasant than Pentheus' outcome. Falling from a fir tree, the women discovered his presence and attacked "his mother... the first in the killing" (Bacchantes, 1114). Pentheus, who received a much crueler punishment than Lucius, was brutally murdered by the mad Bacchae, who tore him to pieces with their bare hands: one walked away with his forearm, another took his food with his hunting boot. And his ribs were stripped, the flesh torn away. They all had blood on their hands. They tossed Pentheus' flesh like balls in a game of catch. (Bacchantes, 1133-1136). Killed because of his actions, Pentheus suffered a very different fate than Lucius, even in the form of a donkey. Furthermore, Lucius was granted the opportunity to reconcile his mistakes, finally resolving his curiosity by promising to worship the Egyptian goddess