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Metamorphoses

By Ovid
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( 76,913 ratings, 3,089 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 by Ovid is a classical masterpiece that weaves various mythological tales centred around the theme of transformation. The work features gods, humans, and mythical creatures experiencing dramatic changes, infused with themes of love, revenge, and power. Its storytelling reflects on the fluid nature of existence and captures the essence of change in mythological narratives.
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Format: Hardback
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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?

You might enjoy this classic if you're fascinated by ancient mythology and transformation stories, as it weaves together a tapestry of myths involving gods, heroes, and the mystical with poetic grace and universal themes. This work brilliantly explores the human condition through imaginative tales that blend the magical with the real, making it a captivating read for lovers of literature and arts.

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Metamorphoses

Beginning with the creation of the world and ending with the deification of Augustus, this book interweaves many of the best-known myths and legends of Ancient Greece and Rome, including Daedalus and Icarus, Pyramus and Thisbe, Pygmalion, Perseus and Andromeda, and the fall of Troy.

Erudite but light-hearted, dramatic yet playful, the Metamorphoses has influenced writers and artists throughout the centuries from Shakespeare and Titian to Picasso and Ted Hughes.

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

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 creation of the world and ending with the deification of Augustus, Ovid interweaves many of the best-known myths and legends of Ancient Greece and Rome, including Daedalus and Icarus, Pyramus and Thisbe, Pygmalion, Perseus and Andromeda, and the fall of Troy.

Erudite but light-hearted, dramatic yet playful, Metamorphoses has influenced writers and artists throughout the centuries from Shakespeare and Titian to Picasso and Ted Hughes.

Series: Penguin Clothbound Classics

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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?

Reviews of Stephanie McCarter's translation of Metamorphoses by Ovid highlight her skillful use of poetic form and a fresh, vivid approach to iambic pentameter, capturing both Ovid's wit and more serious elements. Her translation is praised for confronting challenging themes with clarity and nuance while revitalizing Ovid's original language and themes. Critics have commended her ability to breathe new life into the text, making it highly accessible and relevant for contemporary audiences.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141394619

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 03 April 2014

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by David Raeburn
  • Introduction by Denis Feeney

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 45.0mm

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 205.0mm

Weight: 887g

Pages: 768

About the Author

Ovid (43BC-18AD) was born at Sulmo (Sulmona) in central Italy. Coming from a wealthy Roman family and seemingly destined for a career in politics, he held minor official posts before leaving public service to write, becoming the most distinguished poet of his time. His works, all published in Penguin Classics, include Amores, a collection of short love poems; Heroides, verse-letters written by mythological heroines to their lovers; Ars Amatoria, a satirical handbook on love; and Metamorphoses, his epic work that has inspired countless writers and artists through the ages. David Raeburn is a lecturer in Classics at Oxford, and has also translated Sophocles' Electra and Other Plays for Penguin Classics. Denis Feeney is Professor of Classics at Princeton.

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