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Very Short Introductions #653
Ovid: A Very Short Introduction
"Vivam" is the very last word of Ovid's masterpiece, the "I shall live." If we're still reading it two millennia after Ovid's death, this is by definition a remarkably accurate prophecy. Ovid was not the only ancient author with aspirations to be read for eternity, but no poet of the Greco-Roman world has had a deeper or more lasting impact on subsequent literature and art than he can claim. In the present day no Greek or Roman poet is as accessible, to artists, writers, or the general Ovid's voice remains a compellingly contemporary one, as modern as it seemed to his contemporaries in Augustan Rome. But Ovid was also a man of his time, his own story fatally entwined with that of the first emperor Augustus, and the poetry he wrote channels in its own way the cultural and political upheavals of the contemporary city, its public life, sexual mores, religion, and urban landscape, while also exploiting the superbly rich store of poetic convention that Greek
literature and his Roman predecessors had bequeathed to him.
This Very Short Introduction explains Ovid's background, social and literary, and introduces his poetry, on love, metamorphosis, Roman festivals, and his own exile, a restlessly innovative oeuvre driven by the irrepressible ingenium or wit for which he was famous. Llewelyn Morgan also explores Ovid's immense influence on later literature and art, spanning from Shakespeare to Bernini. Throughout, Ovid's poetry is revealed as enduringly scintillating, his personal story compelling, and the issues his life and poetry raise of continuing relevance and interest.
ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
literature and his Roman predecessors had bequeathed to him.
This Very Short Introduction explains Ovid's background, social and literary, and introduces his poetry, on love, metamorphosis, Roman festivals, and his own exile, a restlessly innovative oeuvre driven by the irrepressible ingenium or wit for which he was famous. Llewelyn Morgan also explores Ovid's immense influence on later literature and art, spanning from Shakespeare to Bernini. Throughout, Ovid's poetry is revealed as enduringly scintillating, his personal story compelling, and the issues his life and poetry raise of continuing relevance and interest.
ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
144 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2020
29 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 14, 2021
Even as a teacher of Ovidius, this short introduction is very good. For novices I can imagine this is great.
September 14, 2023
Morgan takes us through the poems, mixing close reading and context to highlight how Ovid plays with contemporary genres.
January 2, 2021
The thing with the Very Short Introduction series is that although they are very short they're dense with information. Morgan's book on Ovid does a fantastic job of dipping you into Ovid's work. It's harder to talk about his life because the information is scant.
Even the reason for his exile isn't clear, although the general consensus is Augustus didn't like his flippant approach to sexual mores, but would that have been enough to get him exiled? After all, Ars Armatoria had been published well before he was exiled. Ovid himself talks of an 'error', but never expands on what that error is.
I have read some Ovid. I read bits of the Metamorphoses and Ars Armatoria while doing Latin at GCSE and A-Level. I read the Penguin translation of the Metamorphoses in full a few years ago so I found this an interesting read.
It definitely made me want to read more of Ovid's work and perhaps re-read Metamorphoses with a slightly more informed mind. Morgan does a great job of pushing the case for Ovid's 'generic instability'. The way he twists stories in interesting ways or uses styles of poetry in unusual ways.
I always felt that Ovid's influence on later writers was the most significant of the Roman poets. Horace and Virgil perhaps but not necessarily into the late-20th and 21st century. But here there is a thing. Except for those who do Latin and academics are we losing touch with the ancient poets? Who now reads Horace, Catullus, Virgil, or Ovid? The plays perhaps have a longer life because they can still be performed. Homer too still seems 'immortal', but who except those who have to read these poets? It would be a shame to lose them and Morgan's book makes me think that Ovid in particular is a writer whose poetry must be read.
Interesting, well-researched, and with a decent bibliography if you want to read further.
Even the reason for his exile isn't clear, although the general consensus is Augustus didn't like his flippant approach to sexual mores, but would that have been enough to get him exiled? After all, Ars Armatoria had been published well before he was exiled. Ovid himself talks of an 'error', but never expands on what that error is.
I have read some Ovid. I read bits of the Metamorphoses and Ars Armatoria while doing Latin at GCSE and A-Level. I read the Penguin translation of the Metamorphoses in full a few years ago so I found this an interesting read.
It definitely made me want to read more of Ovid's work and perhaps re-read Metamorphoses with a slightly more informed mind. Morgan does a great job of pushing the case for Ovid's 'generic instability'. The way he twists stories in interesting ways or uses styles of poetry in unusual ways.
I always felt that Ovid's influence on later writers was the most significant of the Roman poets. Horace and Virgil perhaps but not necessarily into the late-20th and 21st century. But here there is a thing. Except for those who do Latin and academics are we losing touch with the ancient poets? Who now reads Horace, Catullus, Virgil, or Ovid? The plays perhaps have a longer life because they can still be performed. Homer too still seems 'immortal', but who except those who have to read these poets? It would be a shame to lose them and Morgan's book makes me think that Ovid in particular is a writer whose poetry must be read.
Interesting, well-researched, and with a decent bibliography if you want to read further.
December 16, 2023
Wow, wat een hoop informatie in zo’n klein boekje! Ondanks dat ik veel over Ovidius weet, toch nog wat nieuws geleerd!
October 7, 2024
Certainly some interesting background information, but nothing to write home about.
December 11, 2020
Incredibly poorly written, with some mildly interesting information and analysis sprinkled here and there. Morgan develops no structure, no sense of narrative for his introduction.
If he writes introductions this shittily, I would hate to see what he is like as a prof.
If he writes introductions this shittily, I would hate to see what he is like as a prof.
July 25, 2023
This is a deeper dive (and broader) into Ovid, and augments my reading the introductions (and the footnotes) to both McCarter’s and Raeburn’s translations of Metamorphoses.
I really enjoyed how Morgan explains Ovid’s word choices, his word play, and how Ovid often echoes or plays on Virgil’s or other’s writings, and Morgan explains the paradoxes that underlie Ovid’s playfulness. This section on Metamorphoses makes Morgan’s book worth reading.
“The crow explains (Book 2) how, when still a mortal woman, she had been chased by the god Neptune, ‘When, as is my habit, I was pacing over the beach with leisurely steps on the surface of the sand.’ Ovid here connects the character both pre- and post- metamorphosis by recalling a line in Virgil’s ‘Georgics’ where a crow is described ‘and paced alone and by itself on the dry sand.’ the crow’s high-stepping manner beautifully captured. It is a typically sophisticated moment in Ovid’s text, a human’s behavior foreshadowing the essence of themselves that will be their metamorphosed shape (her ‘as is my habit,’ ut soleo, betrays an awareness of the continuity of the crow’s part, in fact).” (p 59)
“A similar impulse draws the narrative repeatedly toward paradoxical…the figure Inuidia, Envy, who ‘gnaws and is gnawed all at once / and is her own punishment.’ (Book 2) Ovid managing there to be both contradictory and and psychologically accurate.” (p 60)
“Mestra, gifted with the power by Neptune to take any shape is delighted ‘to be asked herself / about herself’ when her master inquires of her, in her new form as a fisherman, whether she has seen anyone like herself (Book 8)
“Another hero illustrates a different way, a particularly delightful one, in which the inherently masculine ethos of the epic might be punctured.” Morgan goes on to discuss how Ovid glosses over Hercules “labors” to focus on his mother, in labor, giving birth to him. And Galanthis metamorphosis into a weasel, which “had the domestic status in antiquity, as mousers, that cats or dogs do today. ‘She is busy about my house,’ Alcmene concludes, ‘just as she was before’ and the shift of perspective from the heroic to the small-scale and domestic is complete.” (Book 9) (p 69)
And I liked his discussion of, and comparison of, Ovid and James Joyce, their playfulness and word play, and the critics finding them “immature, childish: the ‘schoolboy silliness.” (p 70)
I really enjoyed how Morgan explains Ovid’s word choices, his word play, and how Ovid often echoes or plays on Virgil’s or other’s writings, and Morgan explains the paradoxes that underlie Ovid’s playfulness. This section on Metamorphoses makes Morgan’s book worth reading.
“The crow explains (Book 2) how, when still a mortal woman, she had been chased by the god Neptune, ‘When, as is my habit, I was pacing over the beach with leisurely steps on the surface of the sand.’ Ovid here connects the character both pre- and post- metamorphosis by recalling a line in Virgil’s ‘Georgics’ where a crow is described ‘and paced alone and by itself on the dry sand.’ the crow’s high-stepping manner beautifully captured. It is a typically sophisticated moment in Ovid’s text, a human’s behavior foreshadowing the essence of themselves that will be their metamorphosed shape (her ‘as is my habit,’ ut soleo, betrays an awareness of the continuity of the crow’s part, in fact).” (p 59)
“A similar impulse draws the narrative repeatedly toward paradoxical…the figure Inuidia, Envy, who ‘gnaws and is gnawed all at once / and is her own punishment.’ (Book 2) Ovid managing there to be both contradictory and and psychologically accurate.” (p 60)
“Mestra, gifted with the power by Neptune to take any shape is delighted ‘to be asked herself / about herself’ when her master inquires of her, in her new form as a fisherman, whether she has seen anyone like herself (Book 8)
“Another hero illustrates a different way, a particularly delightful one, in which the inherently masculine ethos of the epic might be punctured.” Morgan goes on to discuss how Ovid glosses over Hercules “labors” to focus on his mother, in labor, giving birth to him. And Galanthis metamorphosis into a weasel, which “had the domestic status in antiquity, as mousers, that cats or dogs do today. ‘She is busy about my house,’ Alcmene concludes, ‘just as she was before’ and the shift of perspective from the heroic to the small-scale and domestic is complete.” (Book 9) (p 69)
And I liked his discussion of, and comparison of, Ovid and James Joyce, their playfulness and word play, and the critics finding them “immature, childish: the ‘schoolboy silliness.” (p 70)
May 13, 2025
I read this book in preparation for reading Metamorphoses by Ovid. Overall, I think the book did a good job in introducing Ovid and his works.
Ovid was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus, writing poetry around the beginning of the common era. He's influenced literature ever since, including Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dante, and writers into the present time.
Morgan gives a good overview of the limited amount of biographical material we have about Ovid and most of the book is an introduction to his major works. Ovid wrote mostly in the elegiac style, which has a certain structure, and a lot of his work is associated with love poetry. But he constantly played with the literary conventions of the style he was working in. I think Morgan did a good job in giving an overview of the style and themes of the works as well as setting them in the context in which they were written.
Ovid was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus, writing poetry around the beginning of the common era. He's influenced literature ever since, including Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dante, and writers into the present time.
Morgan gives a good overview of the limited amount of biographical material we have about Ovid and most of the book is an introduction to his major works. Ovid wrote mostly in the elegiac style, which has a certain structure, and a lot of his work is associated with love poetry. But he constantly played with the literary conventions of the style he was working in. I think Morgan did a good job in giving an overview of the style and themes of the works as well as setting them in the context in which they were written.
April 21, 2022
In the fall of 1994, I was a sophomore in college, studying English literature. One of my favorite professors was excited with a new translation and publication of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Alas, I did not have the time then to read it. Suddenly, several weeks ago, I was struck with the desire to read this particular translation. I have found a copy of the book, but I thought a brief introduction to the poet would be helpful since I knew nothing.
This brief survey of what little is known of Ovid's life and his major works was very helpful. Morgan often shared the cleverness of the Latin composition that we English readers will miss. I'm sure he hopes his readers would learn the Latin of antiquity so as to be able to read Ovid in his native tongue, but I don't expect that to happen on my case.
No I've only to start the book itself!
This brief survey of what little is known of Ovid's life and his major works was very helpful. Morgan often shared the cleverness of the Latin composition that we English readers will miss. I'm sure he hopes his readers would learn the Latin of antiquity so as to be able to read Ovid in his native tongue, but I don't expect that to happen on my case.
No I've only to start the book itself!
October 31, 2024
Ovid wrote a book called The Metamorphosis. It is mostly about god and humans transforming into animals and plants. Often women are transformed as they try to escape from male gods. The Metamorphosis is also a short story by Franz Kafka, and probably his most well known work. Gregor Samsor wakes up one morning and discovers that he has been transformed into an insect. Just as the Bible never tells us what kind of fruit Adam and Eve ate, we don’t know what kind of insect Gregor became. From details later in the story it could have been a beetle.
There are a handful of stories that have become part of our collective modern mythology. They often include element of transformation. They include Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Count Dracula by Bram Stoker, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wild and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.
There are a handful of stories that have become part of our collective modern mythology. They often include element of transformation. They include Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Count Dracula by Bram Stoker, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wild and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.
January 10, 2021
When I was an undergraduate We were introduced to Ovid’s Fasti and it was virtually incomprehensible and perhaps the hardest book I’ve ever tried to grapple with. Had I had access to this wonderful little book I think I’d have been able to get a grasp of Ovid a lot quicker than I did. These little introductions to books are really enjoyable and a new exiled Roman poet is a lovely and welcome addition. The level of knowledge of the author is of course a huge factor in its usefulness and his prose makes the book bounce along for academics and the general public. His obvious love of Ovid shines through and does display the very genius of Ovid who is rightly seen as one of the ancient worlds most accomplished poets.
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August 9, 2023Una biografía y una introducción a la obra de un poeta, eso es lo que logra Morgan. Para lo cual no solo da noticias de la vida de Ovidio sino de la Roma tardorepublicana y de principios del imperio —a fin de cuentas ,fue Augusto, nada menos, quien condenó al exilio al poeta—. Una introducción a la amplia obra poética que a un tiempo es innovadora y seguidora de diversas tradiciones, la erudición de Morga a este respecto no es pedante y, al contrario, permite un informado acercamiento a la producción ovidiana.
December 11, 2023
Ovid is so important for flower lore, I felt I wanted to know more about him. This short intro delivered, but was rather out of kilter if I was the audience they were going for. While it is an introduction, really understanding it requires/ assumes a reading knowledge of Latin that I do not have. Things were translated, but the focus on verse forms etc seemed very specialized. I kept thinking that the people who would understand and benefit by such detailed analysis would not need this introduction.
January 27, 2024
Good brief overview of Ovid
Over the pandemic I alternates read and listen to (via audible) the metamorphoses (in English, plus a few of the stories in a renaissance italian in ottava rima). I was curious about his life and other works: so much survives. This covers it well, ending with his exile hundreds of miles from Rome, on the black sea. I think the chapter on exile and his exile poetry was my favorite. I'll seek out a translation now.
Over the pandemic I alternates read and listen to (via audible) the metamorphoses (in English, plus a few of the stories in a renaissance italian in ottava rima). I was curious about his life and other works: so much survives. This covers it well, ending with his exile hundreds of miles from Rome, on the black sea. I think the chapter on exile and his exile poetry was my favorite. I'll seek out a translation now.
April 2, 2021
I often think the problem with Very Short Introductions is exactly that they are too short. The limited space compels a choice between covering a vast terrain quickly, like rushing through Uffizi, or selecting some representative themes to dwell on detail. This Ovid book leans towards the former. It was fun but left me wanting more, but alas I need to leave the Romans now...
July 23, 2021
(audiobook)
Very good but very dense. Audio version goes quick, so hold on. I would worry for anyone without at least a basic familiarity with founding of Rome and the ancient myths. I only have a small bit of both and was able to comprehend prob 80% of it and enjoyed the picture that was painted. I have a much better feel of who this titan of roman poetry was from it.
Very good but very dense. Audio version goes quick, so hold on. I would worry for anyone without at least a basic familiarity with founding of Rome and the ancient myths. I only have a small bit of both and was able to comprehend prob 80% of it and enjoyed the picture that was painted. I have a much better feel of who this titan of roman poetry was from it.
November 24, 2025
‘the first piece of advice Ovid gives an aspirant lover: “select someone to tell “You’re the only one for me!”’ an exquisite collision of rational choice and passionate impulse.’ P30
“what before was impulse, is now rational science”
“what before was impulse, is now rational science”
November 19, 2020
Excellent short intro to Ovid, successfully balancing close reading of the Latin with context. Highly recommended.
April 25, 2021
Wasn't bad. Learned a lot. Did the job of a Very Short Introduction book admirably.
July 19, 2021
A perfectly fine whirlwind tour through Ovid’s work.
October 19, 2021
A fantastic introduction to Ovid. Made me want to read everything Ovid wrote, and also to learn Latin so I can fully appreciate it.
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December 22, 2021good context
January 14, 2022
It is indeed very short.
But is it an introduction? Does it excite and inspire people with no knowledge of Ovid to dip into his work?
It’s informative … but fails on that critical point.
But is it an introduction? Does it excite and inspire people with no knowledge of Ovid to dip into his work?
It’s informative … but fails on that critical point.
August 24, 2022
Anything cracked will shatter at a touch
January 16, 2023
Very helpful to this non-classicist in providing biographical, historical and literary context for Ovid.
May 24, 2025
Not my cup of tea.
April 7, 2023
Informative but dreadfully dull.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews