Reviews

Metamorphoses by Ovid

magmaa's review against another edition

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4.25

"And now the work is done, that Jupiter’s anger, fire or sword cannot erase, nor the gnawing tooth of time. Let that day, that only has power over my body, end, when it will, my uncertain span of years: yet the best part of me will be borne, immortal, beyond the distant stars. Wherever Rome’s influence extends, over the lands it has civilised, I will be spoken, on people’s lips: and, famous through all the ages, if there is truth in poet’s prophecies, –vivam - I shall live"

Metamorphoses is a great body of art. Just as Ovid said himself, it made him live forever.

sidharthvardhan's review against another edition

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5.0

Best book ever. I don't know if I will every read anything better than this. It is a great and most diverse collection of stories - gods, voyages, love, war, woeing, incest, adultery, rape, revenge, unrequited love, jealousy, philosophy. You name it, Ovid has stories for them all told in most poetical manner (some of the poetical narration is still there despite the loss in translation) with only similarity that at least one thing changes form to be another in each of them.

As to crew of characters, we have Zeus, Apollo, Athena, Saturn, Neptune, Pluto, Muses, Aphrodite, Pygmalion, Cupid,Pythagoras,Hercules, Achilles, Ulysses, Narcissus - to name a few.

I have tried my best but this book is beyond the best of review I can give.

Must read.

asgard224's review against another edition

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Mi-a luat ceva timp să parcurg cele peste 200 de legende. Mai ales că a fost prima mea lectură de acest gen iar tot timpul apăreau personaje noi sau se făceau referiri la alte legende.

Câteva dintre ele:
- creația lumii, urmată de un potop pentru a pedepsi oamenii, porniți pe războaie (cartea 1)
- Phaeton cere pentru o zi să conducă carul soarelui pe bolta cerească. I se face frică iar întreg Pământul devine pârjolit (cartea 2)
- legenda ecoului și a lui Narcis (cartea 3)
- legenda lui Iason și a lânii de aur; conflictul dintre rațiune și pasiune ("Cupidon mă sfătuie una şi mintea alta"); tragedia Medeei (cartea 7)
- Învățăturile lui Pitagora despre transformări ("Corpurile noastre nu se schimbă și ele fără încetare? Mîine nu vom fi ce am fost ieri, sau ce sîntem azi.") și critica adusă celor ce consumă carne

La 50 de ani, Ovidiu este trimis în exil în Tomis, Constanța de astăzi, unde își va petrece restul zilelor.

theoissocool's review against another edition

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Not a fan of this translation

edwardscrowtown's review against another edition

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adventurous funny reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

babygreenbean's review against another edition

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emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

chasingredbirds's review against another edition

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adventurous
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

flowerbinsh's review against another edition

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lighthearted reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

Back in my freshman year of college, I read bits of this collection for my Ancient Lit class and immediately fell in love with Ovid's poetry. Reading this collection all the way through for the first time was such a beautiful time. Had so much fun picking out the themes and how Ovid uses his own experiences but disguised as myth.

mintxcore's review against another edition

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4.0

not to give any spoilers or nothin', but everyone turns into a bird or rock. seriously.

m4rtt4's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

like the Bible but more beautiful and poetic