Unsolicited advices on the art of love, mixed with lots of mythological references (often irrelevant). Might be progressive for its time but comes off misogynistic inevitably at times. The insight into the upper crust of the roman society is the most interesting part.

This is a difficult book to give a rating to. Ovid's poems have a number of themes that are difficult to digest as a modern reader (e.g. domestic violence, sexual assault) and for the most part women are reduced to simply objects for men's pleasure. Furthermore, Ovid consistently portrays women as being vain, jealous and promiscuous.

However, that being said, Melville's translations are excellent and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book (much more so than when I was dissecting every line in a Roman Lit module). I found the Ars Amatoria to be a bit dull in comparison to the Amores and the Cures for Love but all were interesting in their own way.

The fact Ovid weaves allusions of myths, with fundamental truths, spraying zany humour into the bargain, has me in thrall. These poems are entertaining, with elements of eroticism, though most is conveyed through instructional satire. Ovid was doubtless a wit of the drollest calibre.

Funny and then nasty and then awful. Definitely has some rape fantasy in it. Important for thinking about 'homosociality'.

To quote my professor: "Great poet, terrible person. Never do anything Ovid tells you to do."

Not recommended literature, Ovid just describes our modern day life. To be honest, a very bleak view on the world

posso ter perdido minha paixão pela literatura clássica mas minha admiração por Ovídio ainda se mantém

caralho que homem

Selections of Ovid's hexameter and pentameter monologues. Easy to picture this Roman wordsmith stood on the boards of Pompey's theatre, delighting the Palatine glitterati with his Amores.
I wonder at the translation from the original Latin that maintains the syllable count and the rhyme into modern English after two thousand years.
'The Love Poems' are accompanied with informative Notes to explain all the Greek and Roman references.

Mischevious, witty and deceptively deep. The question is, what to read now? Propertius? Martial? Juvenal? or Horace? Ah, I'll probably just read another SPQR mystery.

[Note: read introductory material and "Amores"; did not read "The Art of Love"]

I had to read this for a class. I'm giving this two stars purely because Ovid is a complete misogynist, and it shows in these poems. I can't bring myself to give this a higher rating. As fuel for an intellectual discussion... these poems are interesting, I won't lie. And I know misogyny was very much the norm for Roman civilization. However, I still can't get past his constant treatment of women as objects, as prizes to be won, as things to be conquered. (I will say, though, that Amores 1.1 is one of the funniest poems I've ever read.)

I am just worn slick on Greek mythology. If there was ever a society to adopt relationship practice from it would definitely not be the ancient Greeks. Somewhat eloquent, at times engaging, but I resist calling it classic.