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Ovid’s epic poem—whose theme of change has resonated throughout the ages—is one of the most important texts of Western imagination, an inspiration from Dante’s time to the present, when writers such as Salman Rushdie and Italo Calvino have found a living source in Ovid’s work. The text is accompanied by a preface, A Note on the Translation, and detailed explanatory annotations.
“Sources and Backgrounds” includes Seneca’s inspired commentary on Ovid, Charles Martin’s essay on the ways in which pantomimic dancing—an art form popular in Ovid’s time—may have been the model for Metamorphoses, as well as related works by Virgil, Callimachus, Hesiod, and Lucretius, among others.
From the enormous body of scholarly writing on Metamorphoses, Charles Martin has chosen six major interpretations by Bernard Knox, J. R. R. Mackail, Norman O. Brown, Italo Calvino, Frederick Ahl, and Diane Middlebrook.
A Glossary of Persons, Places, and Personifications in the Metamorphoses and a Chronology and Selected Bibliography are also included.
This new translation reproduces in modern idiom the graceful, fluent style of one of the great poets of classical antiquity.
Analytical Table of Contents
Introduction
Translator's Note
Note on the Text
Suggestions for Further Reading
Metamorphoses
Catalog of Transformations 446
Glossary of Names 461
Book 1
Invocation 1
Origin of the World 5
The Four Ages 90
The Giants 154
The Council of the Gods 167
Lycaon Zeus 216
The Flood 262
Deucalion and Pyrrha 324
Python 454
Apollo and Daphne 470
Io 602
Pan and Syrinx (as told by Mercury to Argus) 739
Phaethon and Clymene 803
Book 2
Phaethon and Phoebus 1
Epitaph for Phaethon 360
Callisto 445
Apollo and Coronis 593
The Crow and Minerva (as told by the Crow) 616
The Princess and the Sea God (as told by the Crow) 635
Nyctimene (as told by the Crow) 660
Ocyrhoe 709
Mercury and Battus 756
Mercury, Herse, and Aglauros 791
Jupiter and Europa 925
Book 3
Cadmus and the Earthborn People 1
Diana and Actaeon 148
Jupiter and Semele 268
Tiresias 343
Echo and Narcissus 371
Pentheus and Bacchus 562
Acoetes (as told by himself) 641
Book 4
The Daughters of Minyas 1
Pyramus and Thisbe (as told by a Daughter of Minyas) 65
Mars and Venus Leuconoe 189
Leucothoe and the Sun Leuconoe 212
Clytie and the Sun Leuconoe 262
Salmacis and Hermaphroditus Alcithoe 321
The Daughters of Minyas Become Bats 425
Athamas and Ino 454
Juno and the Theban Women 602
Cadmus and Harmonia 623
Perseus and Andromeda 669
Book 5
Perseus and Phineus 1
Minerva and the Muses 290
Pegasus and the Spring of the Muses Urania 296
Pyreneus and the Muses Urania 313
The Contest of the Muses and the Daughters of Pierus Urania 342
Song of Typhoeus (as sung by a Daughter of Pierus, as summarized by Urania) 373
Hymn to Ceres Urania 387
Arethusa and Alpheus Urania 659
Book 6
The Contest of Arachne and Minerva 1
"The Hill of Mars" Minerva 80
"The Rape of Europa" Arachne 115
Niobe and Latona 163
Thebes Responds to Niobe's Calamity 355
The Altar in the Pond Theban 361
Latona and the Lycians Theban 378
Marsyas and Apollo Theban 435
Pelops 458
Procne and Philomela 472
"The Rape of Philomela" Philomela 665
Boreas and Orithyia 781
Book 7
Jason and Medea 1
Hymn to Theseus Athenians 486
Minos' Embassy to Aegina 504
Cephalus' Embassy to Aegina 542
The Plague at Aegina Aeacus 570
The Origin of the Myrmidons Aeacus 670
Procris and Cephalus Cephalus 756
Book 8
Nisus and Scylla 1
Minos and the Minotaur 184
Daedalus and Icarus 221
Daedalus and His Nephew 279
Meleager and the Calydonian Boar 304
Tales from Achelous' Feast 626
Achelous and the Echinades Achelous 656
Achelous and Perimele Achelous 676
Philemon and Baucis Lelex 697
Erysichthon Achelous 818
Book 9
[Tales from Achelous' Feast (continued)]
Achelous and Hercules Achelous 1
Nessus and Deianeira 95
The Death of Hercules 147
The Grief of Alcmena and Iole 305
Alcmena and Galanthis Alcmena 316
Dryope Iole 366
Iolaus and the Bickering of the Gods 446
Byblis and Her Brother 519
Iphis and Ianthe 765
Inscription for Iphis 912
Book 10
Orpheus and Eurydice 1
Cyparissus and the Stag 110
The Songs of Orpheus 149
Jupiter and Ganymede Orpheus 162
Apollo and Hyacinthus Orpheus 170
The Cerastae Orpheus 234
The Daughters of Propoetus Orpheus 259
Pygmalion Orpheus 266
Myrrha and Cinryas Orpheus 332
Venus and Adonis Orpheus 594
Atalanta and Hippomenes Orpheus 645
Book 11
The Death of Orpheus 1
Midas 92
Laomedon 221
Peleus and Thetis 261
Peleus and the Wolf of the Marsh 314
Daedalion and Chione Ceyx 341
Ceyx and Alcyone 481
The Bird Sightings 863
Aesacus and Hesperia (as told by an Observer of birds) 867
Book 12
The Greeks at Aulis 1
The House of Rumor 51
Cygnus and Achilles 81
Tales from the Truce 173
The Origin of Caeneus Nestor 198
The Battle of the Lapiths and the Centaurs Nestor 247
Hercules and Periclymenus Nestor 617
The Death of Achilles 664
Book 13
The Contest for Achilles' Arms 1
Ajax's Speech 6
Ulysses' Speech 148
The Fall of Troy 481
Polydorus and Polyxena 516
Hecuba 576
Memnon 694
Aeneas Comes to Delos 752
The Daughters of Anius Anius 774
"The Daughters of Orion" Alcon 814
Aeneas Comes to Scylla and Charybdis 848
Galatea and Polyphemus Galatea 899
Polyphemus' Song to Galatea Galatea 945
Glaucus' Transformation Glaucus 1069
Book 14
Glaucus, Circe, Scylla 1
Aeneas Comes to Cumae 81
Phoebus and the Sybil of Cumae Sybil 150
Two of Ulysses' Crewmembers Reunite 178
Stranded on the Isle of the Cyclopes Achaemenides 194
Aeolus, The Lastrygonians, and Circe Macareus 254
Picus (as told by an attendant of Circe, as relayed by Macareus) 369
Epitaph for Caieta 514
Aeneas Comes to Latium 521
Acmon Diomedes 540
The Apulian Shepherd 595
Aeneas' Ships 613
Ardea 652
The Death of Aeneas 671
Pomona and Vertumnus 716
Iphis and Anaxarete Vertumnus 804
The Sabines 891
Romulus 928
Hersilia 954
Book 15
Numa 1
The Founding of Croton Croton 13
The Teachings of Pythagoras 69
Hippolytus and Egeria 516
Hippolytus (as told by himself) 529
Cipus 603
Aesculapius 683
The Deification of Caesar 828
Envoi 981
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.
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.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.
4 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.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.
3 out of 3 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 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 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.
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 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?
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.
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!!
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Overview
Ovid’s epic poem—whose theme of change has resonated throughout the ages—is one of the most important texts of Western imagination, an inspiration from Dante’s time to the present, when writers such as Salman Rushdie and Italo Calvino have found a living source in Ovid’s work. The text is accompanied by a preface, A Note on the Translation, and detailed explanatory annotations.
“Sources and Backgrounds” includes Seneca’s inspired commentary on Ovid, Charles Martin’s essay on the ways in which pantomimic dancing—an art form popular in Ovid’s time—may have been the model for Metamorphoses, as well as related works by ...