The Metamorphoses of Ovid: A New Verse Translation [Hardcover]

Ovid (Author), Allen Mandelbaum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1993

A new verse translation of the most famous work of a witty, irreverent Roman poet captures the mischievous spirit of this man of letters who wrote candid poems about love and suffered a death in exile.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Publius Ovidius Naso, whom we know as Ovid, was already established as a writer when The Metamorphoses was published in A.D. 8, when he was 52 years old. It had taken him a decade to compose his great poem, during which time he published little, but the Roman world was still abuzz with excitement over his richly erotic Art of Love. So, unfortunately, was the court of Augustus Caesar, and the emperor banished the poet to what is now Romania. Augustus may have taken exception to the poet's turn to the impolite realm of the body--or he may have objected to a rumored affair between Ovid and the emperor's nymphomaniacal daughter Julia, who figures so prominently in Robert Graves's Claudius novels. The poet who had declared Rome to be his only home could have found no worse punishment than exile, but no amount of pleading could sway Augustus, and Ovid died on the shores of the Black Sea a decade later. Full of veiled political and historical references, The Metamorphoses lived on to become a permanent fixture in the canon of European literature. In Allen Mandelbaum's hands, it lives on for a new generation. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Mandelbaum, whose translation of The Aeneid won the National Book Award, has rendered Ovid's compilation of classical myths into verse. And the poem is as flowing and metamorphic as the gods and heroes who fill its pages. For example, Book IV tells the story of Bacchus, who was spurned by the daughters of Minyus. They sit weaving and telling stories of the gods, the better to ignore a Bacchic orgy: "Some sisters said such things could never be, / while others were convinced that anything / was in the power of true deities-- / but surely Bacchus was not one of these." When their incredible stories are done, they themselves metamorphose into bats. Mandelbaum's blank verse, which sometimes breaks into rhyme for emphasis or ironic effect as above, is stately without being either precious or dull. It recalls the wit of neoclassical English poetry, as when Envy looks upon the glory of Athens: "it is hard for Envy not to weep, / since there is nothing there that calls for tears." Other passages show a romantic realism; borne off by Jove in the shape of a bull, Europa "turns to glance / back at the shore, so distant now. Her robes / are fluttering--they swell in the sea breeze." The obsession with metamorphosis so evident in Ovid reflects the Greek cosmos, in which chaos and order forever struggle and "discordant concord is the path life needs."
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 559 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt; 1st edition (October 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0151705291
• ISBN-13: 978-0151705290
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 7.4 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,364,675 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

81 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something everyone must read, especially if you love myth, January 14, 2000

By 

KTB "KTB" (NYC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Metamorphoses of Ovid (Paperback)

On Ovid: This is one of the best poems ever written. Period. I'm a big mythology buff and many of the Greek and Roman myth versions we know today come from this work. It also tells a compelling story. Shakespeare thought it was great, enough said.

On Mandelbaum: I've read about 4 different translations of this work and Mr. Mandelbaum's is my favorite. He remains precise without being choppy. He keeps it poetic, which I like. There is a fine line translators must walk, being true to the original text while making the english understandable and keeping the imagery, flow, music and intent intact. This version does all of those.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An invaluable piece of Literature!, January 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Metamorphoses of Ovid: A New Verse Translation (Hardcover)

For any one interested in truly understanding the development of literature, no book except the Bible, has had more influence. The profoundly entertaining tales of Adonis, Midas, Apollo, Icarus, and many others come to life in this illustrious translation. At first, I was a little indifferent and disinterested in the topic; but I thought of all of those references to Ovid in Dante, Chaucer, and Shakespeare and figured go ahead read it. Well, it was the best decision in long time for me. Before I had finished reading half of the tales, I opened creative doors and answered literary questions that I had never knew existed. If you are interested in the classics of Homer, Virgil and many others, I highly recommend this translation!!

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully translated, poetic, absorbing, January 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Metamorphoses of Ovid (Paperback)

A marvelous translation of the Metamorphoses, difficult to put down, very poetic and evocative, leading one into one's own personal associations to the myths while being true to Ovid. I recommend reading it aloud....