The Metamorphoses of Publius Ovidus Naso in English Blank Verse Vols. I & II

Ovid's monumental epic, rendered in English blank verse by J.J. Howard, traces the entire history of the world from creation to the deification of Augustus, all through the lens of metamorphosis. Here, gods meddle cruelly, lovers transform into rivers and stars, and prideful mortals are remade into flowers and stones. The golden age gives way to silver, bronze, and finally iron, each era marked by moral decline, as Ovid weaves together hundreds of myths into a dazzling continuum of change. From Daedalus soaring too close to the sun to Orpheus descending into the underworld for Eurydice, from Narcissus drowning in his own reflection to Pygmalion breathing life into marble, these tales pulse with erotic wit and暴力 elegance. Howard's early 19th-century translation captures the roll and thunder of Latin hexameter, preserving Ovid's playful sophistication while rendering the ancient myths accessible. The result is both a portal to Roman antiquity and a mirror for every age that has reshaped itself. This is the work that taught Shakespeare his plots, Titian his nudes, and every artist since that beauty and brutality are inseparable twins.