Ovid translations posted on june 30, 2003 by admin because ovids verse is relatively easy to translate compared to horace, say, let alone catullus, theres a tendency to undervalue his ability as a poet. His two other myththemed works were the fasti and the heroides ovid. Whats the best english translation of ovids metamorphoses. Book the first 79k book the second 81k book the third 66k book the fourth 85k book the fifth 76k book the sixth 83k book the seventh 87k book the eighth 98k. The way a book one wants to keep for a lifetime should be, and makes it worth the extra cost. Book 14 a new complete downloadable english translation with comprehensive index, and other poetry translations including. Ovids metamorphoses is one of the most influential books ever written. The original title of ovids book was metamorphoseon libri xv, or fifteen books of metamorphoses.
I think it makes the version of aeneid less orderly. I personally have some of these texts for some of ciceros works and they are really nice in that way, and the translation provided is not so literal where it sounds mechanical, but literal enough where you can follow along. It begins with the creation of the world and continues on to the founding of rome and to. The three extracts do not have to be read and studied in any particular order, as each is selfcontained. Arachne and minerva summary of the story minerva, the roman embodiment of athena the greek goddess of war and wisdom, was the inventor and patron deity of weaving and embroidery, skills which women in classical antiquity learned and practiced in the home. Book a new complete downloadable english translation with comprehensive index, and other poetry translations including baudelaire, chinese, european. Metamorphoses book, 14, 15 metamorphoses 15 in books. Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9 book 10 book 11 book 12 book book 14 book 15 card. What do you think is significant about ovid breaking up the story with digressions across two books. Comprising 11,995 lines, 15 books and over 250 myths, the poem chronicles the history of the world from its creation to the deification of julius caesar within a loose mythichistorical framework. King picus was the young ruler of latium, and his heart belonged to his wife, canens. She created the illusion of a boar running into the thick woods, and he followed the mirage. Comprising 11,995 lines, 15 books and over 250 myths, the poem chronicles the history of the world from its creation to the deification of julius caesar within a loose mythicohistorical framework. The second book is nearly 600 lines long, a single pleading elegy written in the poets own defense, addressed to emperor augustus.
Title page on volume i is loose and reads, ovids metamorphoses. Then she made the sky dark and presented herself to him. The death of orpheus here, while the thracian bards enchanting strain sooths beasts, and woods, and all the listning plain, the female bacchanals, devoutly mad. There, vulcan, the god of fire and technology, had created a picture of the world through metalworking. Ovid was a latin poet who flourished in rome in the late c1st b. Well, back in ovids day, some romans tried to get the same effect by speaking greek. Title page on volume i is loose and reads, ovid s metamorphoses. Which translation of ovid s metamorphoses should i read. Aurora is occupied with grief for the death of her xiv son memnon, from whose. The metamorphoses of ovid is probably one of the best known, certainly one of the most influential works of the ancient world. Metamorphoses ovid, roman poet best known for the metamorphoses 43b. The palace of the sun turns out to be made entirely of precious metals, and far superior to anything featured on mtvs cribs ovid tells us that what was most stupendously awesome, however, was the artwork on the doors. You know how some people think things sound smarter or classier if theyre said in french.
Ive not cracked any of the old greekroman english translations pre1800 but if i did id probably start with popes iliad in an old hardback with a slipcase. Sewells translations went on to sell in three editions total. Consistent with the worldcat entry for this set, the titlepage. Ovid is not about staying focus, and more antiepic, and antiunity. A late work in hughess oeuvre, it was greeted with popular and critical acclaim, winning the 1997 whitbread book of the year and. Comprising fifteen books and over 250 myths, the poem chronicles the history of the world from its creation to the deification of julius caesar within a loose mythicohistorical framework. It consists of a narrative poem in fifteen books that describes the creation and history of the world through mythological tales, starting with a cosmogony and finishing with the deification of julius caesar. Tales from ovid is made up of twentyfour passages from ovids metamorphoses and grew out hughess translation of four tales for after ovid, new metamorphosis1996, which was edited by m. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. A literal interlinear translation of the first book on the plan recommended by. Metamorphoses has been divided into the following sections.
Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of metamorphoses and what it means. There are also poems of hate, to give the proper shading to the narrative. Book 14 a new complete downloadable english translation with comprehensive index, and other poetry translations including baudelaire, chinese, european. Internet archive bookreader the first book of ovids metamorphoses, with a literal interlinear translation, and illustrative. Metamorphoses project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Composed in latin in the early years of the first century by the roman poet ovid, the metamorphoses presents a collection of amazing tales of transformation based on greek mythology and roman legend. The internet classics archive metamorphoses by ovid. The metamorphoses the complete 15 books the metamorphoses is a latin narrative poem by the roman poet ovid, considered his magnum opus. Metamorphosespygmalion and galatea wikisource, the free. Not only is ovids metamorphoses a collection of all the myths of the time of the roman poet as he knew them, but the book presents at the same time a series of love poemsabout the loves of men, women, and the gods.
Mar 02, 2011 for those interested in the intricacies of ovids native tongue, it seems theres an 1889 trot for several selections from the metamorphoses by george w. Locke, was published in 1839, which had been already preceded by a selection from the metamorphoses of ovid, adapted to the hamiltonian system, by a literal and interlineal translation, published by james hamilton, the author of the hamiltonian system. It also reveals the origin of amber 39, the swan cygnus, cousin of phaethon, and certain constellations ursa major and minor a bear and arcusarctic sonhunter. Which translation of ovids metamorphoses should i read. Ovid was the most gifted storyteller of his age, and the metamorphoses is his masterpiece. Comprising fifteen books and over 250 myths, the poem chronicles the history of the world from its creation to the deification of julius caesar within a loose mythicohistorical framework although meeting the criteria for an epic, the. Books of transformations is a latin narrative poem by the roman poet ovid, considered his magnum opus. Circe saw the king hunting one day and desired his love. His most celebrated work is the metamorphoses, a poem in 15 books recounting stories from greek and roman myth. Translated by sir samuel garth, john dryden, et al. There are many competent and workmanlike modern english translations of ovid, but his tone is incredibly difficult to capture, and translators generally and understandably fail to convey its peculiar magic. From wikisource book 1 lines 1519, book 2 lines 156, 199297, 469566.
The vulgate commentary on ovids metamorphoses, book 1. Consistent with the worldcat entry for this set, the titlepage to vol. Well, back in ovids day, some romans tried to get the same effect by. A new verse translation penguin classics paperback 29 jan 2004. Here are the links to ovid s metamorphoses, which comes in two volumes. Translated by ian johnston, vancouver island university, nanaimo, british columbia, canada. The metamorphoses is a latin narrative poem by the roman poet ovid, considered his magnum opus. The national endowment for the humanities provided support for entering this text. Ovid, metamorphoses 10 theoi classical texts library.
1408 419 1397 1230 206 1547 899 431 617 830 844 664 706 1380 1184 990 448 1447 249 1373 220 61 1319 1471 694 532 1493 473 1150 476 1268 1494 1031 1305 1239 403 347 926 1203 208 849 1296 161 1227 1066 731