The Itchy Tweed

As we wrap up the Ovid class, here are some recommendations and links for exploring areas we have looked at in this class, whether as a central part of our discussions or as tangents that can lead you off to whole other worlds.

Further Exploration

Roman Myth

If there's one book I would highly recommend checking out after this class, it is Peter Wiseman's Myths of Rome. (Ideally, through a library or in a used copy— it's not a cheap book right now.) Lavishly illustrated and with much to offer both general and scholarly audiences, it is a fascinating read that will provide much fodder for any area you may be interested in. review here

More Roman Poetry

If you'd like to read more Roman poetry, then you can of course start with some more Ovid: 1. The Heroides are probably the most interesting for the myth-minded. An old translation is here and there are many modern translations. 2. Amores: Nothing wrong with a bit of love poetry. 3. The Fasti: old translation online here but this one is very much worth reading with some aids, e.g. in the Oxford World's Classics series

If you'd prefer a break from Ovid, then the options are vast. 1. Propertius: Ovid's near contemporary in elegy, for those who are curious about the genre. There are decent translations in most major publisher series. 2. Vergil (aka Virgil), Aeneid: A work vastly different in tone and in a nature, the bedrock (for those who won't accept my claim that Ovid is the greatest poet ever) of Roman literature. I am partial to Fagles' translation, but there are good translations by many others. 3. Seneca, Tragedies: If you want more myth in a Roman package, then you will find these of interest. Sometimes gruesome but always entertaining, Seneca's works may have been composed primarily for small recitation rather than performance. Emily Wilson has a translation of Seneca, as does the always inventive (if not “literal”) David Slavitt in his Complete Roman drama series.

Ancient Roman culture, history, etc.

If you've had enough poetry for now, then that's fine too. There's always more to find out about the Roman empire and the like. Among good starting points here are entries in the Oxford Very Short Introductions Series, any of the Routledge Ancient History Series, and, for everything in one package, Mary Beard's SPQR. Incidentally, for more on Mary Beard, see, among many things this and of course her column.

For all things classical

There are many places to go to get a classical fix these days. One of the more comprehensive listings (and up to date news feeds) for such things is Rogue Classicism. Links to blogs, podcasts, and all manner of things are there. Of particular interest may be the page on Classical Podcastery.

Another place to look is Classics for All.

Finally, I highly recommend finding out about anything classical by simply doing a search of BMCR: https://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/

Modern retellings

You can of course re-read Ovid, but you may also be interested in others' rereadings.

Wake, Siren is a retelling of Ovid from the point of view of its women. See also here. For more on the recent confronting of Ovid's rape scenes, see, among many other items, this, this, or this.

From recent classes

There are many links and paths available in the slides. In addition, a few last items:

Wally Reinhardt, mentioned today, has devoted all his artistic work since the 1980s to Ovid's Metamorphoses: https://greyartgallery.nyu.edu/exhibition/wally-reinhardt-pages-ovids-metamorphosesjanuary-9-april-6-2019/

Ovid's engagement with Virgil is more or less bread and butter for Latin scholars. For Ovid and Homer, Barbara Boyd's book is a recent approach

In closing

A mashup of Economics and Ovid through Britten's musical Metamorphoses (Narcissus). Why? How? Is this Ovidian?

P.S.

can anyone explain to me why ovid.com is a trademarked medical research platform?