Ovid's Metamorphoses: A New TranslationThis fresh translation revives the politics and power at play in classical mythology’s foremost source Centuries of conservative translators have robbed the Metamorphoses of its subversive force. In this boldly lyrical translation, C. Luke Soucy revives the magnum opus of Rome’s most clever and creative poet, faithfully matching the epic’s wit and style while confronting the sexuality, violence, and politics so many previous translations have glossed over. Soucy’s powerful version breathes new life into Ovid's mythic world, where canonical power dynamics are challenged from below to drain heroes of their heroism, give victims their say, and reveal an earth holier than heaven. Incorporating the latest scholarship alongside annotations, illustrations, and glossary, this edition brings fresh insights to both returning and new readers. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 21 | |
39 | 59 |
Phaëthon Part 2 The Heliads and Cygnus Callisto The Raven | 111 |
Book 5 | 138 |
Book 6 | 158 |
Arachne and Minerva Niobe Latona and the Lycians Marsyas | 180 |
Medea Theseus The War with Minos The Myrmidons Cephalus | 198 |
Book 12 | 300 |
The Greeks at Aulis The House of Rumor Achilles and Cygnus | 316 |
The Judgment of Arms The Sorrows of Hecuba Memnon | 345 |
Book 14 | 348 |
Scylla and Glaucus Part 2 The Sibyl of Cumae Polyphemus Ulysses | 370 |
Commentary | 401 |
Text and Translation Notes | 535 |
Acknowledgments | 585 |
Book 9 | 232 |
Acheloüs and Hercules Part 2 The Death of Hercules Lucina | 250 |
Book 11 | 277 |
About the Translator | 663 |
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Common terms and phrases
Acheloüs Achilles Acoetes Aeacus Aeneas Aeneid Aeolus Ajax ancient Apollo arms Bacchus beneath bird blood Book breast brother Byblis Cadmus Caeneus called Calydonian Hunt Cecrops centaur Ceres child Cinyras cried Cygnus daughter death Diana Diomedes divine Dryope earth epic eyes face fate father fear fell fight flames fled gift girl goddess gods gold grandson Greek grief hair hand heaven Hercules hero horns Iphis Jove Jove's Juno Jupiter killed king land Lapith Latin lines lover Metamorphoses mother myth narrator neck nymph Oeneus once Orpheus Ovid Ovid's Pallas Peleus Pentheus Perseus Phaëthon Phineus Phocus Phoebus Pirithoüs poem Procne rage rape river Roman Rome round Scylla shores shrine sire sister snake spear stone story stream sword tale Tarrant tears Tereus Thebes Theseus Thessaly Thracian town transformed translation tree Trojan Trojan War Troy turned Ulysses underworld Venus waves wife wings words wound youth