Metamorphoses: The New, Annotated Edition

This book is wonderful. The Rolfe Humphries is THE translation. This printing is also very nice. The paper, the type, everything makes it a good book. When you turn the page, it turns nicely and lies flat; how refreshing. The stories of the Metamorphoses are, of course, wonderful. It's the book itself that I want to talk about. The beautiful Waterhouse painting on the cover spans the front and part of the back covers. The line numbers at the top of each text page are those of the Latin text in the Loeb edition; how many translators would go to that kind of trouble for you? Rolfe Humphries' introduction is light, funny, and enjoyable. His love of his work shines through. The last line of his intro is, "So - here he is [Ovid], and I hope you like him." The table of contents is annotated, making it easy to find any major story you are looking for. I also love the designs at the beginning of each book/chapter: such details enhance my enjoyment of reading this edition. If you have never read Ovid's Metamorphoses, don't be intimidated. It is a collection of mythology stories, and you will find much that is probably familiar to you (Echo and Narcissus, Jason, Pygmalion, and more). If you are at all serious about literature, this is a basic building block in your knowledge. And even if you're not, it's just a damn good book. The translation itself is so fluent and enjoyable. Just listen to the introduction: My intention is to tell of bodies changed To different forms; the gods, who made the changes, Will help me - or so I hope - with a poem That runs from the world's beginning to our own days. This is exciting, eloquent stuff! Please do yourself a favor and make sure you read this at some point during your lifetime.

Humphries translation of the Latin classic of Greek and Roman mythology is still contemporary, fresh, vibrant, and colorful more than a half-century after first publication. For readers unfamiliar with Ovid, the great Latin poet and lover of Transformations (i.e., Metamorphoses), we are simultaneously acquainted with the great classical myths, given their contemporary meaning and perennial revelance, through a masterful translation that is as modern as the stories are classical. For example, from Book III, "Echo and Narcissus," we read: Now Narcissus Was sixteen years of age, and could be taken for Either boy or man; and boys and girls Both sought his love, but in that slender stripling Was pride so fierce no boy, no girl, could touch him. To understand the pantheon of the classical gods, each was a projection of one (or maybe two) human attributes is a quasi-human, quasi-divine form. Rather than trying to make a single god into a possessive, jealous, xenophobic, and emotionally-unstable, homophobic male patriarchical "prick," the pantheon of Roman and Greek gods were merely the "objectification" of the worst and noblest human emotions, intelligence, vulnerabilities, and jealousies -- just as we find in ourselves, without crusty theology to cloud the oracles of human vice and virtue (versus human depravity, sin, and redemption). This is a book one can enjoy in "sprints," or luxuriate with on a weekend afternoon, and further, enjoy reading to your Beloved. We do. With Humphries exquisite translation, hearing the poetry read makes it even livelier to the ear and heart.

I don't know any Latin but I could tell how well of a poet Ovid was and how well of a translator Humphries was, simply reading this book. This was the first proper actual book from start to finish I'd read in a while, and I ended up far richer for it. The annotations were also great and helpful. The book contains some beautiful and also some of the disturbing content I've read in a while, but I think it's edge is memorable and meaningful ultimately, which is what's more important. I'd also say in that it seems to me in the context of its time, and even if quite briefly usually (and I'm going to tread lightly, this is merely my opinion) that it made a decent representation of social issues, the trauma of sexual assault and representation of power dynamics. Ultimately though, it is thought-provoking and will make you feel some sort of way, regardless of your identity. In any case, I highly recommend this edition of this book, and though it's not an easy read, few worthy books are.

my daughter appreciated receiving this book as a gift she enjoys reading a lot of books and this book arrived in very good condition

I bought this ancient classic because I am guiding in an art museum, and this work has inspired so many artists. It's full of drama of the same kind we see in special-effects movies aimed at thrill-seeking youngsters these days. Beautiful young women turn into trees, gods cheat on their goddesses, virile young men speed through the sky seeking vengeance — that sort of thing. Really, it reminded me that human folly and frailty don't change over the centuries. All a great storyteller like Ovid needs is a good translator like this one.

Whichever translation of Ovid's "Metamorphoses" you choose to read - and this is certainly one of the better ones - you cannot fail to appreciate the impact this book has had on Western culture in general. Elements of the many, many stories herein turn up in Western art, literature, music, and language, and it's only after you've read it do you realize how much influence Ovid has had. Despite being 2000-years old, it's as relevant today as it ever was, grimly reminding us that thousands of years of civilization have done little to change human behavior and morality. Love, lust, compassion, cruelty, devotion, incest, brutality, humor, sadness - it's all there in graphic language, and not just a book about myths for children but the nature of humanity for adults.

I bought this book because it kept being referenced in another book I was reading. I enjoy mythology so I thought it sounded interesting. After reading all the reviews from several translations, this seemed to be the one to buy. This i, as someone else said, a page turner! I loved it. This is a great book for even the casual reader..

Came on time - used for myth class (college)