Customer Reviews

Ovid: The Art of Love and Other Poems (Loeb Classical Library No. 232)

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I read this book as a part of a review of Roman Literature. I have to say, of almost all I have, Ovid's "The Art Of Love" gives the most insight into life in ancient Rome. It is also extremely funny, with jokes that still make you laugh after all these years. Of course the advice given is hardly usable today, but it is so well written, it deserves to be read by anyone interested in the art of love.

The Loeb editions are known for their facing page translations. I prefer them for when I am reading Latin for fun or on my own because if I get stuck I don't have to agonize over a tough line or obscure vocab word, I can just take a quick glance at the translation to get an idea of what a word means or what a line said. This might not be the best idea if you are in a Latin class where you have to know the translation well and be able to parse it out. That brings me to the translations themselves. They are still readable, but very outdated and getting more so by the day. They're not bad by any stretch of the imagination just very much an artifact of their time. I also wish the editor had given more notes to the references Ovid makes throughout the Ars. Some of them had me reaching for my OCD.

You get a pretty good value with this particular edition. Ars Amatoria can be fun to read at points and Ovid's mythological references are rich an varied. It paints a unique picture of Roman social life, even if the advice itself is of debatable usefulness (maybe this was Ovid's intention). In addition to the Ars you get 5 other works: Remedia Amoris, Ibis, Nux, Haleutica, and Consolatio Ad Liviam. I haven't looked at these other works but I'm sure if you enjoy Ovid they will be to your liking.

The book itself is sturdily bound and looks like it will last awhile. Chances are if you are considering buying an Ovid text you know what you'll be getting with a Loeb. Buy it. You won't be disappointed.