by Ovid
First published 2004
This translation of Ovid's ancient epic follows no single hero through a conventional quest. Instead, it weaves together tales of gods, mortals, and creatures caught in webs of power and desire. Beautiful young women find themselves trapped by the lustful gazes of more powerful beings. When Jupiter pursues Io, when Apollo chases Daphne, when countless other predators hunt their prey, the victims face rape or assault. Their trauma manifests as physical change. Bodies become trees, stones, birds, lakes. What begins as visual objectification becomes sexual violation, then literal transformation into objects. Around fifty stories center on rape or attempted rape. Previous English translations softened this violence, making assault appear consensual. McCarter refuses such euphemisms. Her translation exposes the brutal reality Ovid described two millennia ago. The epic reveals how power corrupts those who wield it and destroys those who suffer under it. These ancient stories illuminate struggles with sexuality, gender, violence, and identity that continue today.
Genres: classics, mythology, ancient, epic
Vibes: dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, transformation
Period: Ancient
608 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics
Content warnings: rape, sexual-assault, violence