The Art of Love (Modern Library Classics) [Paperback]

Ovid (Author), James Michie (Translator), David Malouf (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: Modern Library Classics | Publication Date: October 8, 2002

In the first century a.d., Ovid, author of the groundbreaking epic poem Metamorphoses, came under severe criticism for The Art of Love, which playfully instructed women in the art of seduction and men in the skills essential for mastering the art of romantic conquest. In this remarkable translation, James Michie breathes new life into the notorious Roman’s mock-didactic elegy. In lyrical, irreverent English, he reveals love’s timeless dilemmas and Ovid’s enduring brilliance as both poet and cultural critic.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Every age probably regards itself as unique in its sexual sophistication, and if we take Ovid as a typical spokesman we should have to conclude that the keynote of his age was elegance. . . . Ovid could not possibly have taken himself, nor be taken for, an Ancient.”—Rolfe Humphries

Language Notes

Text: English, Latin (translation)
Original Language: Latin

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Modern Library; Modern Library edition (October 8, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375761179
• ISBN-13: 978-0375761171
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.4 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #257,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Just have fun with it., June 14, 2009

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Sergio (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of Love (Modern Library Classics) (Paperback)

A seemingly tongue-in-cheek imitation didactic poem on seduction and love-making. The poem reads like an instruction manual, but Ovid uses the form of a love poem and numerous digressions to enhance the humour. However, he does make some strong points about how both sexes use deception in courtship (a woman's pleasure adds to the overall enjoyment of love-making, etc.) making one think that he wanted to educate while deflecting criticism by taking the humourous approach. It didn't work, apparently, as he was soon aftewards exiled.

Regarding James Michie's translation - this is an excellent form for this work. The translation respects the form of the original poem without adhering so strictly as to loose the free-wheeling fun of the message. A highly desirable English edition of this ancient work.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars And there is nothing new under the sun..., May 15, 2009

By 

Othon Leon "Othon Leon" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Art of Love (Modern Library Classics) (Paperback)

Or at least, put it in a very positive way, that's what the smile on my face meant when I finished reading this beautiful piece written by Ovid during the first century A.D.; perhaps the "step by step" seduction handbook then and now, is even more remarkable by the fact that its wisdom applies the same in today's "complex" world.

The Art of Love or "Ars Amatoria" is no doubt the result of the life of a very well traveled and educated man, for he is one of those few who understands the ways (and mistery) of the feminine soul... by the same token, Ovid gives us both sides of the coin in this Roman's elegy: the ways of the male spirit in order to seduce women, and the step by step guide for women to seduce and keep men... in other words, there's nothing new under the sun, BUT, the ways we perceive and apply knowledge...

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant and witty, July 10, 2003

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Steve Zitrin (Seattle, Wa United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of Love (Modern Library Classics) (Paperback)

I read the Duane Humphries translation. His preface is superbly written, so one would hope that his translation possesses similar flair. Since I don't read Latin, I cannot attest to his accuracy.

He observes in his preface the commonalities between Ovid's scene and that of our contemporary world. You will get a strong sense of a society that was very similar to that of our own.