Publius Ovid Naso: Roman Poet's Life and Enduring Literary Masterpieces

Publius Ovid Naso: Life and Literary Legacy

Publius Ovid Naso was born in Sulmona (central Italy) in 43 BC into a wealthy family of the equestrian class. He studied rhetoric in Rome and completed his training with a long journey through the Hellenic world.

When he returned to Rome, he initially pursued a judicial career, but soon left it to dedicate himself entirely to poetry. He frequented the circle of Messalla Corvinus. His work is a reflection of the life of Roman high society, of which he was undoubtedly an outstanding figure.

Major Poetic Works of Ovid

Ovid successively devoted himself to various poetic genres:

Heroides

A collection of imaginary letters written in elegiac verse by heroines to their absent husbands or lovers. Ovid also added three letters from male lovers.

Amores

Gathers together selections on the most common situations in an amorous relationship (e.g., early difficulties, gifts, jealousy, etc.).

Ars Amatoria (The Art of Love)

A didactic treatise distributed into three books, written in elegiac verse. The first two books present a technical conception of love, with Ovid explaining how to conquer a woman. The third book advises women on how to please men.

Medicamina Faciei Femineae (Cosmetics for the Female Face)

Offers women a list of beauty recipes.

Remedia Amoris (Remedies for Love)

Ovid advises men on how to free themselves from women and love. Examples include trying to forget, shunning jealousy, and avoiding certain situations.

Fasti

An unfinished poem that explains the origin and religious configuration of the Roman calendar, covering the months of January to June.

Tristia (Sorrows)

Poems in which the author laments his exile. He recalls its causes, expresses his longing, describes his sadness at leaving Rome, and details the difficulties of travel to Tomis.

Epistulae ex Ponto (Letters from the Black Sea)

Similar to Tristia, these letters are addressed to friends in Rome, pleading for the emperor to allow his return.

Metamorphoses

An extensive work of 12,000 hexameters, divided into 15 books, containing approximately 250 Greek and Roman myths and legends. The central theme is transformation, affecting characters, animals, plants, and more. It is structured into three parts:

• First: Primordial divinities.
• Second: Stories about heroes.
• Third: Figures considered historical in antiquity.

The work does not follow a strict chronological pattern, but rather gathers sometimes short epic compositions into a cohesive narrative.