# Charites — The Golden Ass character guide

> Charites in The Golden Ass by Apuleius.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0035-book-vii

## Snapshot

A young noblewoman who mourns her murdered husband so fiercely that his killer mistakes her grief for a door he can walk through.

## Who they are

Charites is a new bride whose world collapses when her husband Lepolemus is carried home gored, and she keeps his image dressed as Bacchus before her day and night. When his cousin Thrasillus presses for marriage before her tears have dried, she refuses, then learns from a dream that the boar's tusks were a lie. Her quiet decision to feign consent while plotting revenge makes her the story's sharpest study of grief that has learned to calculate.

## Relationships

### [Thrasillus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se/characters/thrasillus)

_psychological_

Thrasillus manipulates and obsesses over Charites, ultimately betraying her trust with violent intent.

### [Lepolemus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se/characters/lepolemus)

_romantic_

Charites and Lepolemus are devoted lovers who marry, but their happiness is destroyed by Thrasillus's treachery.

### [Thrasillus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se/characters/thrasillus)

_psychological_

Thrasillus manipulates and obsesses over Charites, ultimately betraying her trust with violent intent.

## In the story

### [Book IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se/chapters/book-iv)

A captive maiden rescued by Lucius, whose tragic fate is recounted.

### [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se/chapters/xxi)

The captive gentlewoman who laments her abduction and the murder of her husband in a dream.

### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se/chapters/xxiii)

The captive maiden who escapes on Lucius's back, pleading with the gods and promising rewards, but is recaptured.

### [Book VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se/chapters/book-vii)

A captive maiden rescued by Lucius from the thieves' den.

### [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se/chapters/xxv)

The captive gentlewoman who is unbound and smiles at the mention of brothels.

### [XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se/chapters/xxvi)

The captive maiden who is comforted by Lepolemus and accepts his secret gestures of affection.

### [XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se/chapters/xxvii)

Rescued by Lepolemus, rides Lucius home, marries Lepolemus, and rewards Lucius with barley and hay.

### [Book VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se/chapters/book-viii)

Her tragic death is recounted after her husband Lepolemus is killed.

### [XXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se/chapters/xxxii)

The young woman who, after being rescued from thieves, avenges her husband Lepolemus by blinding Thrasillus and then committing suicide at her husband's tomb.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se/characters/charites
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_golden_ass_se/characters