100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

🏆Don't forget Father's Day this Sunday! Auckland Bookstore open 8:30am-5:00pm Sat & Sun 🎉

Metamorphoses

By Ovid
Series: Hackett Classics
0.0 (0 reviews)
4.1 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 79,454 ratings, 3,348 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Metamorphoses is a masterful verse translation of Ovid's classic poem, vividly retelling a vast array of Greek and Roman myths unified by the theme of transformation. This edition, translated by the acclaimed Virgil and Homer translator Stanley Lombardo, is enriched by Ralph Johnson's insightful introduction that places the work in its historical, intellectual, political, and literary contexts. A comprehensive glossary and an index of transformations enhance the reader’s experience.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Metamorphoses. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This edition is ideal for students and educators of classical literature, mythology enthusiasts, and readers interested in a readable, modern take on a foundational mythological text.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A compelling new verse translation of Ovid's masterpiece by the award-winning translator of Homer's Iliad (1997) and Odyssey (2000), Virgil's Aeneid (2005), and Dante's Inferno

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A compelling new verse translation of Ovid's masterpiece by the award-winning translator of Homer's Iliad (1997) and Odyssey (2000), Virgil's Aeneid (2005), and Dante's Inferno (2008).

This edition of Metamorphoses is accompanied by a brilliant introduction that sets the poem in its historical, intellectual, political, and literary contexts. The book also includes a glossary and an index of transformations, making it an indispensable resource for readers seeking to delve deeper into Ovid's enduring work.

Series: Hackett Classics

View all
  • Second Treatise of Government
    The Second Treatise of Government is one of the most important political treatises ever written and one of the most far-reaching in its influence. In his provocative 15-page introduction to this edition, the late eminent political theorist C. B. Macpherson examines Locke's arguments for limited, conditional government, private property, and the right of revolution. He also suggests reasons for the...
    By John Locke
    Paperback
    $1699
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Trials of Socrates
    This unique and expertly annotated collection of the classic accounts of Socrates left by Plato, Aristophanes, and Xenophon features new translations of Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and the death scene from Phaedo by C. D. C. Reeve, Peter Meineck's translation of Clouds, and James Doyle's translation of Apology of Socrates.
    By Xenophon and Plato and Aristophanes
    Paperback
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Republic
    Since its publication in 1974, scholars throughout the humanities have adopted G M A Grube's masterful translation of Republic as the edition of choice for their study and teaching of Plato's most influential work. In this brilliant revision, C D C Reeve furthers Grube's success both in preserving the subtlety of Plato's philosophical argument and in rendering the dialogue in...
    By Plato
    Paperback
    $1699
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Leviathan
    This new edition of Hobbes's masterpiece is uniquely suited to meet the needs of both student and scholar. It offers a brilliant introduction by Edwin Curley, modernised spelling and punctuation of the text, and a key annotative feature found in no other edition: the inclusion, along with historical and interpretive notes, of the most significant variants between the English version...
    By Thomas Hobbes
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Tao Te Ching
    Tao Te Ching
    Deftly introduced and enriched by the remarkable ink paintings of Stephen Addiss, this new translation of Tao Te Ching captures the terse and enigmatic beauty of the ancient original while resisting the tendency toward interpretive paraphrase found in many other editions. Along with the translation of the complete work, Lombardo and Addiss provide the reader with a measure of interaction...
    By Lao Tzu
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Plato: Five Dialogues
    The second edition of Five Dialogues presents G. M. A. Grube's distinguished translations, as revised by John Cooper for Plato, Complete Works. A number of new or expanded footnotes are also included along with an updated bibliography.
    By Plato
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge
    Kenneth Winkler's esteemed edition of Berkeley's Principles is based on the second edition (London, 1734), the last one published in Berkeley's lifetime. Like other members of Hackett's philosophical classics series, it features editorial elements found to be of particular value to students and their teachers: an analytical table of contents, a chronology of the author's life, a selected bibliography, a...
    By George Berkeley
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Satyricon
    This new Satyricon features not only a lively, new, annotated translation of the text, but also fresh, and accessible commentaries that discuss Petronius' masterpiece in terms of such topics as the identity of Petronius, the transmission of his manuscript, literary influences on the Satyricon, and the distinctive literary form of this work. Additionally, it explores hallmarks of Roman life such...
    By Petronius
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • The Classical Utilitarians
    This volume includes the complete texts of two of John Stuart Mill's most important works, Utilitarianism and On Liberty, and selections from his other writings, including the complete text of his Remarks on Bentham's Philosophy. The selection from Mill's A System of Logic is of special relevance to the debate between those who read Mill as an Act-Utilitarian and those...
    By John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Considerations on the Causes of the Greatness of the Romans and their Decline
    Republication of David Lowenthal's elegant translation of Montesquieu's neglected study of the Romans—an indispensable source for understanding the philosopher's treatment of Rome in The Spirit of the Laws—makes the book available to a new generation of English-language readers. Lowenthal's perceptive introduction and useful notes also deserve the attention of those who can read Montesquieu in the original French. --James W....
    By Montesquieu
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Mengzi
    This new translation of Mengzi (Mencius) is accurate, philosophically nuanced, and fluent. Accompanied by selected passages from the classic commentary of Zhu Xi—one of the most influential and insightful interpreters of Confucianism—this edition provides readers with a parallel to the Chinese practice of reading a classic text alongside traditional commentaries.
    By Mengzi
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • The Secret History
    By exposing the perversion, repression, corruption, and injustice at the heart of Justinian's regime, Prokopios' The Secret History destroyed forever that emperor's reputation as the great and benevolent ruler of a vast Byzantine state. Faithfully rendered here in blunt and idiomatic English, Prokopios' tell-all is as shocking today as it was in the sixth century. Kaldellis' substantial introduction addresses, among...
    By Prokopios
    Paperback
    Sold Out

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Critics praise Lombardo's translation for its lively, accessible language and faithful capture of Ovid's dramatic and imaginative spirit. Elaine Fantham highlights the successful match of human drama and momentum, while others commend the clarity and usefulness of the glossary and introduction. This edition is highly recommended as a teaching text and for readers seeking a vibrant entrance into classical mythology.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781603843072

Publisher: Hackett Publishing Co, Inc

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 24 September 2010

Country: United States

Imprint: Hackett Publishing Co, Inc

Illustration: Illustrations

Contributors:

  • Translated by Stanley Lombardo
  • Introduction by W. R. Johnson
  • Translated by Stanley Lombardo

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 23.0mm

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 624g

Pages: 538

Collections

Arts & Culture Non-Fiction Ovid Poetry Series: Hackett Classics

About the Author

Stanley Lombardo is Professor of Classics, University of Kansas.

W. R. Johnson is Professor of Classics and Comparative Literature, Emeritus, University of Chicago.

Also by Ovid

View all
  • Metamorphoses
    Metamorphoses by Ovid is a deliciously clever and exuberant epic, presented in a gorgeous new clothbound edition. Ovid's sensuous and witty poetry brings together a dazzling array of mythological tales, ingeniously linked by the idea of transformation—often as a result of love or lust—where men and women find themselves magically changed into new and sometimes extraordinary beings. Beginning with the...
    By Ovid
    Hardback
    $5500
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Metamorphoses
    Winner of the 2023 Academy of American Poets Harold Morton Landon Translation Award "The best translation of a work of ancient literature that I read this year" - Emily Wilson The first female translator of the epic into English verse in over sixty years, Stephanie McCarter addresses accuracy in translation and its representation of women, gendered dynamics of power, and...
    By Ovid
    Paperback
    $3499
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Metamorphoses
    "I think this version is terrific. The light enjambed English hexameters are a great success. The effect is properly propulsive." - Prof A D Nuttall, Oxford Ovid's deliciously witty and exuberant epic starts with the creation of the world and brings together a series of ingeniously linked Greek and Roman myths and legends in which men and women are transformed,...
    By Ovid
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2300
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Golden Age
    Seventeen of Ovid’s enduring stories stunningly illustrated. Known the world over, Ovid’s canonical work has spanned centuries, never losing its relevance. Retold by award-winning Austrian author Heinz Janisch with transcendent illustrations by Ana Sender, this collection includes some of Ovid’s most popular and potent stories—sure to reach new hearts and minds. From The Story of the Origin of the World...
    By Ovid and Ana Sender  and Ana Sender
    Hardback
    $5300
    Elsewhere:
    $5799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Metamorphoses
    Golding makes Ovid both dreamy and robust. Here we can listen to the English language as it moves confidently into the highest eloquence - Tom Paulin Bringing together a series of ingeniously linked myths and legends, Ovid's deliciously witty and poignant Metamorphoses describes a magical world in which men and women are transformed—often by love—into flowers, trees, animals, stones, and...
    By Ovid
    Paperback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Erotic Poems
    The Erotic Poems by Ovid explores the multifaceted nature of sexual desire through a collection of poems that range from passionate declarations of eternal love to light-hearted justifications for promiscuity. In the Amores, Ovid expresses his feelings through a series of elegies dedicated to Corinna, his captivating and elusive mistress. These early poems reveal an intimate and vulnerable side of...
    By Ovid
    Paperback
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • How to Get Over a Breakup
    A modern translation of the ancient Roman poet Ovid's Remedies for Love—a witty and irreverent work about how to fall out of love. Breakups are the worst. On one scale devised by psychiatrists, only a spouse's death was ranked as more stressful than a marital split. Is there any treatment for a breakup? The ancient Roman poet Ovid thought so....
    By Ovid
    Hardback
    $5000
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Metamorphoses
    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. 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....
    By Ovid
    Paperback
    $3899
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Metamorphoses
    Ovid's Metamorphoses, an epic poem whose theme of change has resonated throughout the ages, is one of the most important texts of Western imagination. It has been an inspiration from Dante's times to the present day, with writers such as Salman Rushdie and Italo Calvino finding a living source in Ovid's work. Charles Martin combines a close fidelity to Ovid's...
    By Ovid
    Paperback
    $3399
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Ovid: Amores I
    This edition of the first book of Ovid's Amores was first published in 1973 by OUP. It has been kept in print by BCP because it remains an outstandingly useful volume. It was one of two editions (the other being Gordon Williams' Horace 'Odes' III) in which OUP pioneered a new kind of continuous running commentary particularly suited to short...
    By Ovid
    Paperback
    $6299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Ovid’s Metamorphoses
    This fresh translation revives the politics and power at play in classical mythology’s foremost source Centuries of conservative translators have robbed the Metamorphoses of its subversive force. In this boldly lyrical translation, C. Luke Soucy revives the magnum opus of Rome’s most clever and creative poet, faithfully matching the epic’s wit and style while confronting the sexuality, violence, and politics...
    By Ovid and C. Luke Soucy
    Paperback
    $3399
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Heroides
    Heroides
    What would Greek and Roman myth look like if women had written the stories? asks Tara Welch in her illuminating Introduction to this volume. Stanley Lombardo and Melina McClure's faithful translation of Ovid's famous letters, purportedly written by heroines of classical antiquity to their absent lovers, offers an inkling of one intriguing possibility. This compelling translation brings the voices of...
    By Ovid
    Paperback
    $3299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

More from Arts & Culture

View all
  • Dylan's Pick
    Bold Types
    A tribute to 32 truly independent bookshops throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, from north of Auckland down to Dunedin, and coast to coast. Jane Ussher's photographs show every bookstore in its unique nature - including behind the counter, smoko rooms, the mess which tells the hardworking story behind the joy of matching books with customers. Jemma Moreira's careful editing has crafted...
    By Jane Ussher
    Hardback
    $5999
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Shirl's Pick Shirl's Pick
    Home Again
    Join rock-legend, former Shihad frontman and lead singer of The Adults, Jon Toogood in this unflinching and no-holds-barred memoir Home Again.This is more than a rock story. Toogood looks back on a 37-year career that helped define New Zealand rock music, and the personal cost that came with it. From a music-obsessed childhood in Wellington to the deafening roar of international stages, this...
    By Jon Toogood
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    New Release
    Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    Embark on a culinary adventure with Moana of Motunui with Pacific recipes inspired by Moana and Moana 2! After a long day of sailing to see how far you’ll go or keeping the demigod Maui out of trouble with Te Fiti, catch a break with the delicious dishes in Moana: The Official Cookbook! Featuring more than 50 recipes spanning the...
    By Monique Fiso
    Hardback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $5299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    By Layne Staley
    Hardback
    $7299
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Did I Ever Tell You This?
    In this unexpected memoir, written in a creative burst of just a few months in 2022, Sam Neill tells the story of how he became one of the world’s most celebrated actors, who has worked with everyone from Meryl Streep to Isabel Adjani, from Jeff Goldblum to Sean Connery, from Steven Spielberg to Jane Campion. By his own account, his...
    By Sam Neill
    Paperback
    $3799
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • They Bloom Because of You
    Bestselling author and Instagram sensation Jessica Urlichs returns with a new collection of beautifully observed poems about the ever-evolving journey of motherhood - the hard, the magic and the fleeting. ‘A raw and honest read that makes you feel seen and understood in a way that will bring you to tears.’ - Hilary Swank ‘A book to keep close and...
    By Jessica Urlichs
    Paperback
    $3000
    Elsewhere:
    $3600
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Odyssey
    Composed at the rosy-fingered dawn of world literature almost three millennia ago, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty and power; about marriage and family; about travellers, hospitality, and the yearning for home. This fresh, authoritative translation captures the beauty of this ancient poem as well as the drama of its narrative....
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3599
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • On Sale
    14% off
    Leaves of Grass
    A collectible new Penguin Classics series offers beautiful, slim, clothbound editions of ten favourite poets. In 1855, Walt Whitman published his first collection of poetry, Leaves of Grass. The volume received great praise from leading Transcendentalist poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. This encouragement led to what would become a lifelong project, as Whitman expanded and rewrote the volume until his death...
    By Walt Whitman
    Hardback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • On Sale
    37% off
    Great Writers and the Cats who Owned Them
    Throughout history, cats and writers have bonded together in a magical combination of comfort, companionship and inspiration. The famous authors featured here range from Samuel Johnson, whose cat Hodge dined on oysters, and Edward Lear, whose charismatic cat Foss was missing half his tail, to Margaret Mitchell, L. M. Montgomery and Dorothy L. Sayers, who rescued her kitten Blitz from...
    By Susannah Fullerton
    Hardback
    $2500
    Usually:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Vagabond
    The outrageous, riotous memoir from the cult actor and star of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Clue, and IT. Actor, rock 'n' roll singer, the prince of Halloween, confusing sex symbol. Many labels have been given to the inimitable Tim Curry over the years. All are true, and yet none are quite right. Here, for the first time, Curry reveals...
    By Tim Curry
    Hardback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Beautiful Chaos
    The Instant Sunday Times Bestseller Selected poems from bestselling author and Instagram poet, Jessica Urlichs. 'These words awaken the magic of life by celebrating the ordinary.' - Giovanna Fletcher Motherhood is messy and beautiful, and hard and humbling. We adore our children and sometimes we miss ourselves. Beautiful Chaos is a collection of raw, honest poems about motherhood, capturing everything...
    By Jessica Urlichs
    Paperback
    $2900
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Odyssey
    The Odyssey by Homer is a monumental epic that has enthralled readers for centuries with its rich tapestry of adventure and human struggle. It chronicles the perilous journey of Odysseus, the cunning King of Ithaca, as he strives to return home after the fall of Troy. During this ten-year odyssey, Odysseus confronts myriad dangers, both natural and supernatural, that test...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Arts & Culture lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all