In his Metamorphoses, Ovid (43 BC-AD 17) draws on Greek mythology, Latin folklore, and legend from even further afield, to create a series of narrative poems, ingeniously linked by the common theme of transformation. A chaotic universe is subdued into harmonious order; animals turn to stone; men and women become trees, stones, and stars. Ovid is a master of variation: his understanding of human nature knows no bounds; style is elegantly tailored to fit the subject; and the gentle vein of humour which runs through his work is exploited with subtlety, sympathy and delightful self-irony. In this prose translation by Mary M. Innes, a skillful balance is struck between faithfulness and fluency. Both the classicist and the non-specialist will appreciate the sophisticated charm of Ovid's influential masterpiece.
