The Erotic Poems, by Ovid (TPB, 1982, $2)
Romans are not boring people. Ovid, the Roman poet, is even less boring. His first wife was "neither worthy or useful" and the marriage was of short duration. His second wife provided him with a daughter, but then died. Meanwhile, Ovid was writing poetrywhile working his way toward a career as a Senator. To his father's dismay, the public career never came about, but since Ovid's book of poems, Amores, was well received, the father had to accept his son's decision. What of these poems is autobiographical, and what is fiction, will never be know, but some of it had to come from his own experiences. After his second wife died, Ovid certainly took pleasure in everything that Rome had to offer.
Eventually Ovid's poems took a radical turn to the more traditional. "After all, by AD 1 Ovid had reached his mid-forties and could hardly go on writing exclusively about sex for the rest of his life", says the introduction. His change of direction happened at the same time as his father's death and his third marriage. Ovid's change of writing style, though, came too late. Augustus Caesar had had enough of sexual immorality, especially adultery. His reforms left Ovid vulnerable, and he was banished. Oops.
These poems are remarkable modern in their sexuality, but offending in their portrayal of women as objects. But hey, read them for yourself. You can find this book in the Greek and Roman section, avail. on 11/29.
