Ars Amatoria; or, The Art Of Love (eBook)

Publius Ovidius Naso, known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a prolific Roman poet whose work has had a lasting influence throughout the ages. Born on March 20, 43 BC, in Sulmo (modern-day Sulmona, Italy), his literary genius expressed itself from an early age. Ovid's education in rhetoric was directed towards a public career, but his love for poetry proved overriding. Works from his early canon include the 'Amores', a collection of love elegies that exhibited the wit and elegance characteristic of Ovid's style. He further established his reputation with the 'Ars Amatoria' or 'The Art of Love', a didactic elegy that humorously dissects the art of seduction and romance, reflecting the social mores and the sophisticated levity of the Roman elite. Ovid's works are notable for their exuberant playfulness and their subversive exploration of love, myth, and identity. His 'Metamorphoses', an ambitious epic, is a cornerstone of Western literature and has influenced countless artists and writers. In 8 AD, Ovid was abruptly exiled to Tomis by Emperor Augustus for reasons not entirely clear, but alleged to be connected to the licentious nature of his writings and a mysterious 'error'. It was there that he composed his sorrowful 'Tristia' and the 'Epistulae ex Ponto', letters in elegiac couplets which convey his profound grief and longing for Rome. The literary legacy of Ovid endures and his influence can be seen in the works of Dante, Chaucer, Shakespeare, and beyond. His flair for storytelling and his enduring insights into human nature continue to captivate readers and scholars alike.