Metamorphoses: A New Verse Translation (Penguin Classics) [Paperback]

Ovid looked at the vast collection of Greco and Roman myths and understood the unifying factor to be metamorphosis. He therefore took on the monumental task of linking them together in one long continuous poem. The results are truly monumental.

I think Penguin editions can sometimes linger a little too much on the intellectual understanding of classics but I enjoyed and continue to enjoy this edition. A chronology of Ovid's life and works is included before the text as well as an introduction by Denis Feeney which is interesting and comprehensive whilst not being terribly preachy on how 'Metamorphoses' should be experienced. There is a page dedicated to further books of interest. The translator David Raeburn also writes a short note on his intentions, the format of the original and his new version, which I also found very interesting. The fifteen books of the 'Metamorphoses' follows. On the first reading I dutifully read the summaries at the beginning of each book for a while, but they add very little, instead they mainly catalogue what happens in each segment before it does, which can ruin it a bit. Still they are nice to read after as they can add to your understanding. I found the notes on background information, points of detail and cross references incredibly useful and fascinating. The index was also useful to keep track of all the characters and to be used as a guide as it tells you where each character appears in the text so you can flick to the right section. An historical map of the world Ovid lived in is also included.

Raeburn chose to compose the text in a metre which is closer to Ovid's dactylic hexameter - which in turns references the epic style of Homer and Virgil - as opposed to the traditional English metre for narrative poetry, which is iambic pentameter. He writes in his note that he has done this to reflect the relaxed flow of Ovid's narrative. Because of this I did find the rhythm a little tricky to pick up at first but after a few pages I had become immersed in the flow of the prose and found that the text is actually very easy to understand. Although Raeburn stresses how faithfully he has tried to reflect the original format and flavour (his 11,870 is very close to the originals 11,995) he also makes it clear that this is not a literal version of the original. To help with clarity and as he was working within the limits of idiomatic English he has altered the arrangement of some of the lines and compressed and expanded some also. For this I am grateful as I am not a student looking for an English translation to study alongside the original Latin and want the translation I read to be accessible. He also mentions that he has tried to stick to one name for most of the characters, whereas Ovid used many, he has still employed some of the better known equivalents though for others, if he didn't do this I would have likely been rather lost. As it was I was still got a little turned around, with the many names of Jupiter for example.

The poem itself begins before time and takes you on a strange and mesmerising journey that finishes in Ovid's then present. Every recognisable and many minor Greco-Roman myths has a place in the poem. Ovid was a devious fellow, the scope and arrangement of 'Metamorphoses' is amazing. This is not a traditional narrative, instead Ovid plays with structure and reader expectation. The stories are connected through associated themes and characters. The whole can also be divided into three sets of five books; the first third deals heavily with the exploits of the gods and this is possibly my favourite as their base motivations are fascinating, the next focuses on the heroes and then history. But these lines are blurred and you are always being surprised as Ovid throws yet another curve ball.

Sometimes the major recurring element of transformation links the stories ingeniously and other times it's tacked on. But most noteworthy is how these transformations and transitions encompass an extraordinary range of human experience. Ovid's understanding of human motivations and readers perceptions coupled with a philosophical richness and psychological intensity is something that can be seen in every part of the poem.

The reason 'Metamorphoses' is so gripping and effecting is the reason myths are in general. By dealing in base human motivations and epic reactions, the subsequent spark of recognition the reader experiences feels integral because it is. We are all fascinated by our own identity and a collective identity. Transformations and transitions are integral to myths and integral to our sense of identity.

You can also take immense pleasure in the many different forms of metamorphoses, the huge array of characters and the intensity of the themes. Compulsion and sexual desire are strong forces that power the sometimes shocking violence and grotesque gore. No matter how many times I read it I am always entranced by the magic, impassioned by the soaring speeches, excited by the epic battles and hunt scenes, sickened by the violence, devious and often demented behaviour, which is evident in the many rape scenes and violence against man, women and children but at the same time I'm still amused by the diabolical sense of humour and wit. Ovid's epic could be seen as sensational, it was after all meant to entertain the masses with the excessive violence and erotic lusty dark edge. But there is also such intelligence to Ovid's understanding of the human psyche and the way he plays with every element, the cruel and horrific is also mixed with justice and love, corruption with honour, true heroism with petty vengeance. I love this as it feels integral and powerful, it challenges how I see narrative, structure and most importantly myself and others.

For me this verse translation has become a delightful source of reference for Greek and Roman mythology, European literature, art, and opera. And, most importantly, the stories are a lot of fun and entertainment. I have continued to enjoy this book, using the excellent Contents and Glossary to look up my favourite tales and to refresh my memory on the numerous Gods, demi-Gods, kings, maidens, nymphs that populate the pages. First time round I read the poem from start to finish and soon realised it was going to be impossible for me to recall all the multiple plot progressions, people and places, family trees, the multifarious metamorphosing. So I keep coming back when I, for instance, want to remember the myth associated with a Bernini sculpture or reread the almost comic strip violence of the battle of the Lapiths and Centaurs. This edition has a useful introduction, which helped me understand the historical context and themes of Ovid's vivid descriptions of heroes, death, incest, rape, sensuality, love, obsession, beauty and the ever-present metamorphoses. I found the translation very accessible and benefits from a vocal reading.

This translation offers a concise and very useful set of explanatory notes and a glossary. Ovid's work is divided into legendary stories of the ancient world, each leading on from the other to give an epic poem of gods, monsters, heroes and cities. Ovid's poetic tone is engaging and its not hard to see why his work has captured the imaginations of so many great artists and writers. Some of the legends included are The Creation, Phaethon, Europa, Narcissus and Echo, Bacchus (and the cult of Dionysus), Pyramus and Thisbe, Perseus (and the Gorgon), the Rape of Proserpina, Medea and Jason, Orpheus, and so on. Each of the tales focus on the theme of transformation as indicated in the title-whether it be the gorgon's head turning its foes into marble or Daphne changing into a laurel tree.