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A review by neilers17
Metamorphoses: A New Translation by Ovid
3.0
Ah, Ovid. It took me almost three months to get through this book, but that was mostly because of the school work I had to do. However, it did not help that Ovid does not make it easy to pick the work back up.
I read Metamorphoses to gain more knowledge of mythology and increase my reference points on "the classics." I guess I accomplished that. There are definitely several interesting myths to find here, and a few of them are beautiful. There are also many pedestrian myths about people I'd never heard of and don't care about. Thus, I found myself alternately enthralled and uninterested.
Here are some things I learned from Ovid:
1. All the gods have lust and self-control problems.
2. If you're a female in Greece, it's best to be ugly or plain; all the hot women suffer from the lust of the gods. If you're a lovely lady with a lustful god around, you'll either be raped or turned into something else.
3. If you're going to undergo a metamorphosis at the hands of the gods, you'll most likely be a bird or a tree. They apparently don't have lively imaginations when it comes to transformations.
4. Ovid thinks extended, bloody scenes are very funny. They are not.
5. Do not defy the gods. You will lose. Even when you win, you lose (cf. Arachne).
6. If you're going to fly Phoebus' chariot, listen to his advice and stay on the beaten track for heaven's sake!
7. Don't challenge the muses to a singing contest. I mean, come on; they're the muses.
8. The Orpheus myths are amazing.
There are other things I'm sure, but it's a long book. I'm glad I read it, but I don't plan on reading it again anytime soon.
I read Metamorphoses to gain more knowledge of mythology and increase my reference points on "the classics." I guess I accomplished that. There are definitely several interesting myths to find here, and a few of them are beautiful. There are also many pedestrian myths about people I'd never heard of and don't care about. Thus, I found myself alternately enthralled and uninterested.
Here are some things I learned from Ovid:
1. All the gods have lust and self-control problems.
2. If you're a female in Greece, it's best to be ugly or plain; all the hot women suffer from the lust of the gods. If you're a lovely lady with a lustful god around, you'll either be raped or turned into something else.
3. If you're going to undergo a metamorphosis at the hands of the gods, you'll most likely be a bird or a tree. They apparently don't have lively imaginations when it comes to transformations.
4. Ovid thinks extended, bloody scenes are very funny. They are not.
5. Do not defy the gods. You will lose. Even when you win, you lose (cf. Arachne).
6. If you're going to fly Phoebus' chariot, listen to his advice and stay on the beaten track for heaven's sake!
7. Don't challenge the muses to a singing contest. I mean, come on; they're the muses.
8. The Orpheus myths are amazing.
There are other things I'm sure, but it's a long book. I'm glad I read it, but I don't plan on reading it again anytime soon.