While paying my first visit to the local library since moving towns, I did myself a favor and picked up the essential pocket handbook for the dedicated Roman frolicker. Wouldn't really suggest that anyone take the advice given here, especially seeing how much of it is, as you'd expect, senselessly dated and dusty, but it does provide a pretty hilarious romp of a read. The poet Ovid, self-described master craftsman of Love, wielding words like warriors wield battle-arms, outlines all the advice needed for men and women who find themselves stalwartly intent on saucy escapades and marital infidelity. A how-to of courtship for shameless cajolers, filled with worship for the fiery thrill of the hunt, which is to be carried out wherever one can, in banquets, circuses, markets and theaters sprayed with sweet wine and saffron. Apart from its bawdy charms, one finds that, if nothing else, at least the appeal for personal hygiene is still pretty relevant today.

The art of the translation is so difficult. When I was at the high-school I studied Latin. One day we had an extract of this book to translate. I remember my incredulity to know if I had well understood : "Remove the dust of her chest even if there does not have dust". I'm still remember. That changed us from Cicéro.For teenagers, it was exciting. It was like erotic to discover the signification. So I read the book but it was not the same pleasure to discover the text by translation.

Dear Ovid,

You made me look like a sex pest.

I was visiting a city for the day with a friend of mine; it was cold outside and we’d taken refuge in this really quaint bookstore. It wasn’t one of the chain ones, but a really quirky independent bookstore that had shelves packed with tomes and all sorts of literary marvels.

I spent a large amount of money in there Ovid. I bought things at random without really paying attention to what they were: I just wanted them all, you know how it is. I saw this nice big slip cased edition of your poetry so, naturally, I thought I’d have that. When I took it to the cash register the woman behind the till was smirking at me. I had no idea why at the time. I thought she was laughing at the amount of books I bought not the book I bought.

This is where it gets really awkward Ovid. During the train journey back home my friend asked me what books I bought. So I innocently showed her. I got all my books out of my bag and we sat there looking at them. She opened my new explicitly illustrated copy of The Art of Love that showcased instructional images and poetry about the pleasures of oral sex. Our friendship has never been quite the same since. You could have warned me Ovid. I honestly thought we were pals.

I can’t put pictures in this letter, but you know the type they are: they are essentially pornography albeit that of a colourful and artistic variety. Just the sort of thing you like. They’re not the type you show your friends on a public train (if at all).

So thanks Ovid for making me look like a weird sex pest that day with my big book of poetry porn. Speaking of which, I found it quite bland. I’m sure it would be fun for those who have little imagination.

All the best from your extremely embarrassed former friend,
Sean

2.5/5
przeraża mnie aktualność tej książki momentami.

This is such a witty and funny book if you take Ovid in a sarcastic way. But when you actually consider the advice, the sexism just makes you want to pull out your hair . So yay ! Metamorphoses being one of my all time favorite books, I expect more from you Ovid. ( The writing is gorgeous though )

I was drawn in by the title and I feel cheated, so let me give you some title suggestions that will give you a truer idea of what this book is about:

1 - The Cheater's Guide To Cheat Some More

2 - A Thousand Ways To Deceive

3 - How To Make Fools Out Of Women

4 - The Liar's Step By Step Manual

5 - Cheating For Dummies

6 - Bros Code

7 - Cheating, said The Love Guru

8 - Seduction Tips For Men (And Slutty Women Too)

And the list could go on and on.

I know one needs to have in consideration the time period in which the book was written when reading it, but The Art Of Love is just one gigantic mess.

Ovid thinks he's some great expert of love, when in truth, he's only talking about lust and teaching men how to be big fat liars, cheaters and huge bastards altogether.

I don't know how women could possibly fall for all that fake crap, but the Lord knows it happens.

This is the definition of misoginy and the male gaze
hated it

I think I understand why Ovid got exiled. On a separate note, I'll keep Book 3 in mind when pursuing potential partners — especially his advice for short girls. Who know Ovid was a beauty guru too?

Obegripligt!

To było ciekawe doświadczenie, księga III mnie zaskoczyła, nie spodziewałam się takiej zmiany grupy odbiorczej, do której Owidiusz kieruje swoje rady :O

Ovid is just hilarious. Period.

After reading the Metamorphoses, it is interesting to see this side of Ovid which, on one hand, initially brought him fame but, on the other hand, made critics disregard him for centuries. Seeing roman society from his eyes is fascinating. My edition included some Heroides too (besides Amores, Ars Amatoria, Remedia Amores, and Medicamina…), which really emphasized the gender dynamics in more ways than one - I mean even the concept of writing letters from the mythological woman’s perspective adds depth to Ovid as a writer and the whole patriarchal society in which he participated and lived.

Now I’m gonna write a bit in Romanian about my edition since I read a Romanian verse translation.
Ediția de la Editura Gunivas (trad. Maria Valeria Petrescu) a fost… o experiență. Multe părți  din originalul latinesc sunt omise. Ceea ce m-a frustrat mai tare e că niciunde nu au specificat asta în afară de o linie punctată și ambiguă între versuri din ultima carte din Arta Iubirii(secvență despre obiceiurile sexuale ale unor personaje mitologice, dar nimic prea vulgar), numerotarea versurilor continuând de parcă nimic nu ar lipsi. Nu se găsește nici elegia în Amoruri despre impotență… Multe Heroide lipsesc și ele, habar nu am de ce. (Probabil este vorba de autenticitatea disputată a poemelor?). Ceea ce mă amuză e că una din scurtele și puținele note mă trimite la un text din Heroide care nu există (înnebunesc). Mă gândesc că poate apărea în ediția originală a Editurei Minerva din 1977 (?) Dacă apărea, atunci de ce l-au scos? Foarte multe enigme în legătură cu această cărțulie. Sincer aș fi cumpărat o ediție în engleză dacă știam ce haotică va fi asta. Sau măcar pe cea din 1977. Traducerea în sine a fost chiar bună.