Loading...
Metamorphoses
Ovid
A narrative poem of transformations spanning from the creation of the world to the deification of Julius Caesar. Contains over 250 Greek and Roman myths.
Notable Academic Translations
A.D. Melville (1986)Charles Martin (2004)Stephanie McCarter (2022)
Recommended Reading Order
A.D. Melville's Oxford World's Classics translation (1986) is a reliable, readable entry point; Charles Martin's 2004 verse translation is a livelier modern alternative.
Canonical Figures in this Text
Key heroes and divinities who feature prominently across the chapters of this work
Heroes & Mortals
Key Dramatic Scenes
Pivotal passages and mythological turning points recorded in this canon
- I
Apollo and Daphne
(Book 1)Apollo's pursuit of the nymph Daphne ends with her transformation into a laurel tree.
- II
Perseus and Andromeda
(Books 4-5)Perseus rescues Andromeda from a sea monster and turns a rival suitor to stone with Medusa's head.
- III
Orpheus and Eurydice
(Books 10-11)Orpheus's underworld plea to reclaim Eurydice fails when he looks back too soon.
- IV
The Judgment of the Arms
(Book 13)Ajax and Ulysses (Odysseus) contest for Achilles' armor in speeches before the Greek leaders; Ajax loses and kills himself.
- V
The Deification of Aeneas
(Book 14)Aeneas's mother Venus secures his transformation into the god Jupiter Indiges after his death in Italy.
Stories Sourced from this Work
Cupid and Psyche
A mortal princess so beautiful that Venus grew jealous sent her son Cupid to punish her. Instead, Cupid fell in love. After betraying his trust and losing him, Psyche undertook impossible tasks set by Venus to win back her divine husband and gain immortality.
Perseus and Medusa
The hero Perseus, aided by divine gifts from the gods, undertakes a perilous quest to slay the Gorgon Medusa and uses her severed head to rescue the princess Andromeda.
Orpheus in the Underworld
The legendary musician Orpheus descends to the realm of the dead to rescue his beloved wife Eurydice, moving even the gods of the Underworld with his song, only to lose her at the final moment.
The Rape of Proserpina
Pluto, god of the underworld, abducts Ceres' daughter Proserpina and takes her to reign as his queen. Ceres' grief causes the earth to become barren until a compromise is reached, explaining the cycle of seasons.
The Twelve Labors of Hercules
Driven mad by Juno's curse, Hercules kills his own family. To atone, he must complete twelve impossible tasks for King Eurystheus, ultimately achieving redemption and immortality through his heroic labors.
Icarus and Daedalus
The master craftsman Daedalus and his son Icarus escape imprisonment in Crete by means of wings Daedalus constructs. But Icarus, ignoring his father's warnings, flies too close to the sun with fatal consequences.
Pygmalion and Galatea
The sculptor Pygmalion, disillusioned with mortal women, carves an ivory statue so beautiful that he falls in love with it. When Aphrodite grants his prayer and brings the statue to life, art and love unite.
Echo and Narcissus
The nymph Echo loves the beautiful youth Narcissus but is cursed to only repeat others' words. Narcissus, who rejects all love, falls fatally in love with his own reflection, and both are transformed in death.