The Metamorphoses of Publius Ovidus Naso in English blank verse Vols. I & II

A sweeping retelling of the ancient poet’s most famous mythic cycle, this translation renders Ovid’s epic in English blank verse that strives for both clarity and lyrical grace. The translator’s aim is to soften the original’s more indulgent language while preserving the vivid imagination behind each transformation, from gods shaping the world to mortals turned into stars, trees, and rivers.

The opening stretches back to the very birth of the cosmos, where chaos gives way to ordered elements—earth, sea, sky, fire—each finding its place through a symphony of elemental conflict. From this primeval tableau the narrative unfolds into a parade of legendary figures, their fates intertwined by love, loss, and the whims of deities. Listeners are invited to hear timeless tales of wonder, wonder that still resonate across centuries, delivered in a measured, rhythmic verse that feels both historic and surprisingly immediate.