INTRODUCTION I. LIFE AND WRITINGS OF OVID OVID's full name in Latin is Publius Ovidius Naso. He was born at Sulmo (now Solmona) in the country of the Peligni on the 21st day of March, 43 B.C. He was the son of a wealthy Roman knight of old and distinguished lineage. His father brought him, while yet a boy, to Rome to be educated, and he was placed under the care of Porcius Latro and Arellius Fuscus, two of the most eminent rhetoricians then living. Rhetorical study did not, however, appeal to Ovid, who felt within himself a true poetic instinct. This instinct his father despised, and sedulously strove to crush out, while he made use of every means to force his son to become a lawyer. Ovid, however, was born a poet, and the nature of the boy was too strong to be overcome. He did, indeed, try to gratify his father's wishes and actually declaimed, but we are told that his oratorical efforts were merely poems couched in the language of prose. As was the custom of wealthy young Romans of his time, Ovid went to Greece to complete his studies; while abroad, he also travelled in Asia Minor, ever adding to his store of knowledge of mythology, whence he was to draw so much for future poems. When he returned to Rome, he entered public life, in accordance with his father's wishes, and filled some of the lower offices, but politics became daily more distasteful to him. Having given up all political aspiration, he joined himself to a coterie of poets about Rome, and became especially intimate with the great elegiac poet, Propertius. Ovid was thrice married. His first and second marriages were unfortunate, and resulted in divorce. His third marriage was more fortunate. This time he married a noble widow with high connections at court; she seems to have been very fond of him and to have had a great deal of influence over him, and she clung closely to him in his bitterest misfortune. Ovid was certainly very much attached to her, and speaks of her in terms of the highest praise and tenderest affection. He was also very fond of his daughter, Perilla, who inherited her father's poetic talent, and to whom he wrote the letter which is given in this selection of his poems. His life was passing in tranquil happiness when suddenly, without a word of warning, he was banished by Augustus to Tomi on the Black Sea, near the mouth of the Danube, a most dreary place for one who was so utterly dependent upon the luxurious society of Rome for his every pleasure. Ovid tells us his banishment was due to an error on his part, but to no crime. He and his friends begged incessantly for his pardon, but the emperor was inexorable; and even after the death of Augustus, Tiberius could not be prevailed upon to |