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"Stanley Lombardo successfully matches Ovid's human drama, imaginative brio, and irresistible momentum; and Ralph Johnson's superb Introduction to Ovid's 'narratological paradise' is a bonus to this new and vigorous translation that should not be missed. Together, Introduction and text bring out the delightful unpredictability of Ovid's 'history of the world' down to his times."---Elaine Fantham, Giger Professor of Latin, Emerita, Princeton University" "Mercury was poised to tell the whole story, When he saw that all of the eyes had closed. He Stopped speaking and deepened Argus' slumber, By waving his wand over those languid orbs. And then he brought his sickled sword down, On that nodding head where it joined the neck, And sent it spattering down the steep rocks. Now you lie low, Argus, and all your lights are out, Those hundred eyes mastered by one dark night. (1.766-74)" "Ovid's Metamorphoses gains its ideal twenty-first-century herald in Stanley Lombardo's bracing translation of a wellspring of Western art and literature that is too often treated, even by poets, as a mere vehicle for the scores of myths it recasts and transmits rather than as a unified work of art with epicscale ambitions of its own. Such misconceptions are unlikely to survive a reading of Lombardo's rendering, which vividly mirrors the brutality, sadness, comedy, irony, tenderness, and eeriness of Ovid's vast world as well as the poem's effortless pacing. Under Lombardo's spell, neither Argus nor anyone else need fear nodding off." The translation is accompanied by an exhilarating Introduction by W. R. Johnson that unweaves and reweaves many of the poem's most important themes while showing how the poet achieves some of his most brilliant effects.
This new translation reproduces in modern idiom the graceful, fluent style of one of the great poets of classical antiquity.
Metamorphoses Preface Chronology Introduction Further Reading Translator's Note
Metamorphoses
Book 1
Prologue - The Creation - The Four Ages - The Giants - Lycaön - The Flood - Deucalion and Pyrrha - Python - Daphne - Io (1) - Interlude: Pan and Syrinx - Io (2) - Phaëton (1)
Book 2
Phaëton (2) - Callisto - The Raven and the Crow - Ocyrho#235; - Battus - Aglauros - Europa
Book 3
Cadmus - Actaeon - Semele - Teiresias - Narcissus and Echo - Pentheus and Bacchus (1) - Acotetes and the Lydian Sailors - Pentheus and Bacchus (2)
Book 4
The Daughters of Miniyas (1) - Pyramus and Thisbe - Mars and Venus - Leucotho#235; and Lyti#235; - Slmacis and Hermaphroditus - The Daughters of Miniyas (2) - Ino and Athamas - Cadmus and Harmonia - Perseus (1)
Book 5
Perseus (2) - Minerva and the Muses - Calliope's Song: The Rape of Proserpina; Arethusa; Triptolemus and Lyncus - The Daughters of Pierus
Book 6
Arachne - Niobe - The Lycian Peasants - Marsyas - Pelops - Tereus, Procne and Philomela - Boreas and Orithyia
Book 7
Medea and Jason - The Rejuvenation of Aeson - The Punishment of Pelias - Medea's Flight - Theseus and Aegeus - Minos and Aeacus - The Plague at Aegina - The Birth of the Myrmidons - Cephalus and Procris
Book 8
Scylla and Minos - The Minotaur and Ariadne - Daedalus and Perdix - Meleäger and the Calyydonian Boar - Acheloüs, the Naiads and Perimele - Philemon and Baucis - Erysichthon
Book 9
Acheloüs and Hercules - Hercules and Nessus - The Death of Hercules - Alcmena and Galanthis - Dryope - Iolaüs and Callirhoë's Sons - Miletus - Byblis - Iphis
Book 10
Orpheus and Eurydice - Cyparissus - Orpheus' Song: Introduction; Ganymede; Hyacinthus; The Cerastae and Propoetides; Pygmalion; Myrrha; Venus and Adonis (1) - Venus' Story: Atalanta and Hippomenes - Orpheus' Song: Venus and Adonis (2)
Book 11
The Death of Orpheus - The Punishment of the Maenads - Midas - Laömedon's Treachery - Peleus and Thetis - Peleus at the Court of Ceÿx (1) - Ceÿx's Story: Daedalion - Peleus at the Court of Ceÿx (2) - Ceÿx and Alcyone - Aesacus
Book 12
The Greeks at Aulis - Rumour - Cycnus - Achilles' Victory Celebration - Caenis - The Battle of the Lapiths and Centaurs - Periclymenus - The Death of Achilles
Book 13
The Judgement of Arms - Ajax's Suicide - The Fall of Troy - The Sufferings of Hecuba - Memnon - The Wanderings of Aeneas (1) - The Daughters of Anius - The Daughters of Orion - The Wanderings of Aeneas (2) - Acis, Galatea and Polyphemus - Glaucus and Scylla (1)
Book 14
Glaucus and Scylla (2) - The Wanderings of Aeneas (3) - The Sibyl of Cumae - Achaemenides' Story: Ulysses' Men in Plyphemus' Cave - Macareus' Story: Ulysses and Circe; Picus, Canens and Circe - The Wanderings of Aeneus (4) - The Mutinous Companions of Diomedes - The Apulian Shepherd - The Ships of Aeneus - Ardea - The Apotheosis of Aeneus - Aeneus' Descendants - Pomona and Vertumnus - Iphis and Anaxarete - Romulus - The Apotheosis of Romulus
Book 15
Myscelus - Pythagoras - Egeria and Hippolytus - Tages, Romulus' Spear, Cipus - Aesculapius - The Apotheosis of Julius Caesar- Epilogue
Notes Glossary Index Map of Ovid's Mediterranean World
Anonymous
Posted May 24, 2006
I have trouble with the 'endless poem' format used in so many classic translations. This is much much better. Miller's prose is FANTASTIC. I found myself going back over the text numerous times from being so impressed. Not to mention the timeless beauty of Ovid's mythology.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Publius Ovidius Naso was born in 43 B.C and died in 18 A.D.
He was banished for unknown reasons to Tomi, a barren place near the coast of the Black Sea. A few scholars believe that this was a literary hoax created by Ovid himself. It would enable him to write the 'Tristia' and 'Letters From The Black Sea'.
'Metamorphoses' is his main achievement. It contains 250 stories from the Greek Mythology and they all have in common that the principal character changes into another form. Most of the time they turn into an animal or a tree but also in a river, a constellation of stars, a rock or a flower and other pleasant surprises.
If you read this book you won't find many happy endings. The ancient Greeks didn't know the meaning of that expression.
It's not an easy read but if you persist it will be a rewarding literary experience.
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted June 3, 2008
One of the most beautiful pieces of literature ever written, in my opinion. This translation was perfect, fluid, and what I believe to be easy for all to fall in love with.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 3, 2002
Barnes and Noble puts the same review and description on most of the translations of Ovid's Metamorphoses. I only just got my copy of this book so I won't rank it but please do not rely on Barnes and Noble's review and commentary.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Aston
Posted June 16, 2012
I highly recommend this book. It's a great way to experience a large compilation of stories about the greek gods. It is extremely entertaining, even if you're just reading it for school.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted November 10, 2011
The translation of the book is actually not that bad of a translation, but why is the ebook slightly different from the regular text - cover included?
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.wendlz23
Posted May 6, 2010
I Also Recommend:
Ovid wrote this when people still believed in the stories of the gods. Whether its was good story telling or the true beliefs this is a book to add to your collection. The writing is a little different. It is concidered poetry but in this particular barnes and noble classic it is written more like a novel. I say definetly worth the reading.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted November 17, 2006
Publius Ovidius Naso was born in 43 B.C and died in 18 A.D. He was banished for unknown reasons to Tomi, a barren place near the coast of the Black Sea. A few scholars believe that this was a literary hoax created by Ovid himself. It would enable him to write the 'Tristia' and 'Letters From The Black Sea'. 'Metamorphoses' is his main achievement. It contains 250 stories from the Greek Mythology and they all have in common that the principal character changes into another form. Most of the time they turn into an animal or a tree but also in a river, a constellation of stars, a rock or a flower and other pleasant surprises. If you read this book you won't find many happy endings. The ancient Greeks didn't know the meaning of that expression. It's not an easy read but if you persist it will be a rewarding literary experience
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 28, 2004
A friend recommended this book and though the stories are sad they are also short. I do not enjoy them as before-sleeping reading. The notes at the end of the book are good because they explain where Ovid takes liberties and is creative.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 6, 2001
It was that i came to hear of Ovid thru Stanely Kubrick's film 'Eyes wide shut':his name is dropped in the opening Christams party scene by a man who's trying to put the moves on a woman. Forget that anyways:I wondered who he was, i found out he was a writer and i wanted to read something by him, someone told me that i should start with 'The Metamorphoses'. They were correct. It's a wonderful book, most of the myth i am already aware of. Ovid's words and storytelling ability are a truly great thing, there is so much heart in this book. I think it is an eternal classic!!
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 24, 2009
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Posted July 5, 2011
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Posted December 30, 2010
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Posted October 28, 2008
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Posted August 15, 2011
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Posted June 1, 2011
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Overview
"Stanley Lombardo successfully matches Ovid's human drama, imaginative brio, and irresistible momentum; and Ralph Johnson's superb Introduction to Ovid's 'narratological paradise' is a bonus to this new and vigorous translation that should not be missed. Together, Introduction and text bring out the delightful unpredictability of Ovid's 'history of the world' down to his times."---Elaine Fantham, Giger Professor of Latin, Emerita, Princeton University" "Mercury was poised to tell the whole story, When he saw that all of the eyes had closed. He