Ovid

Hermes Books Series

by Sara Mack

In this book, the author introduces Ovid to the general reader. After considering Ovid's modernity, Mack surveys his poetry chronologically. Next she examines his most influential poems, finally she explores Ovidian wit, concluding with a look at Ovid's influence on the arts.

Genres: Classics

180 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1988

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, clear introduction to one of the most important Latin poets of any age. There is a mix of literary history, literary interpretation, and even some close reading of the Latin poems themselves. But you don’t need Latin to enjoy this book. It toes the line between accessible and scholarly very well. It begins with a picture of the man, his works, and his place in Roman history and literary history. The next chapter gives a brief overview of the various texts that Ovid authored in his life. The Love Poems and the Metamorphoses get their own chapters. There is not as much about the Fasti, and only a couple representative poems of the Heroides. This is a successful general introduction to this poet and his importance in ancient and modern literature. I’m ready to start digging deeper now. Sadly the further reading section is pretty thin and there are not any foot or endnotes to give citations for deeper investigation of particular issues. It’s a small invonveince. But after reading Mack’s close readings of Ovid’s Latin and the metrical appendix, I do feel confident about digging into Ovid’s poetry itself.