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Metamorphoses

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Metamorphoses

By: Ovid
Narrated by: David Horovitch
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About this listen

The Metamorphoses by Publius Ovidius Naso (43 B.C. - A.D. 17) has, over the centuries, been the most popular and influential work from our classical tradition. This extraordinary collection of some 250 Greek and Roman myths and folk tales has always been a popular favorite, and has decisively shaped western art and literature from the moment it was completed in A.D. 8.

The stories are particularly vivid when read by David Horovitch, in this new lively verse translation by Ian Johnston.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2012 Naxos AudioBooks Ancient, Classical & Medieval Literature Classics Collections

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An excellent performance in a beautiful voice, spoken with clarity, enthusiasm, & requisit grandeur.

Metamorphoses itself is a cornucopia of stories & myths brought together in the time of Augustus to entertain, enrapture, provoke, explore, & inform listeners, in beautiful verse, using the framework of a history of the world & a recurrent theme of transformations (normally of humans to animals or plants). It is rambling, in one sense, being one long narrative, undivided in any meaningful ways; it is epic in another, tackling issues of great importance & even philosophical positions alongside telling well-known or patently metaphorical tales. Fascinating.

Superb!

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A good performance and lively translation. The stories themselves are timeless but many of the references, particularly to genealogies, are lost on the modern reader.

Well Read

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Even though I didn't really enjoy the narration, I at least tried to get into each story and see how it resonated with me on a personal level. It was a new experience for me to listen to such audio content, in the sense that I hadn't been exposed to 'spiritual' audio books before, having only read and listened to Dante's 'Divine Comedy'. Overall, I enjoyed the tales and they definitely got me thinking about some things.

Thoughtful stories to reflect on

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I really enjoyed this from beginning (creation of Graeco-Roman universe) to end (Augustus in power in Rome). This poem beautifully and entertainingly tells stories about Roman myths throughout that period, in a way which is wonderfully nuanced, detailed and interesting. Ovid imbues his subjects with both the spectacular details of beauty, intelligence and senses of mischief; and also with very human wants, needs and physicalities.
Horovitch reads this really well, and it was mostly easy to follow. He doesn’t have a great variety in “doing the voices” so occasionally I got a little muddled as to who was speaking etc, but the vast majority of the time this was a terrifically atmospheric reading which made this even more accessible and enjoyable.

Very enjoyable and entertaining

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Enjoyed every minute, but want to read it again! this time taking notes! beautifully narrated.

Thought provoking.

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I had always assumed that this classic would be dry and inaccessible, and only bought this on a whim because a credit was about to expire. I am so glad I did. The audio book is like having a really interesting stranger tell you a long fascinating rambling story, full of characters that you have heard of but never really paid attention to. It was a really refreshing way of hearing a story, or rather a family of stories, without the usual scene setting and incidental mood narrative of modern fiction, somehow the stories are stronger for being recounted almost as hearsay.
I presume that this is a fairly modern translation, because it never sounded dated or obscure. David Horovitch's reading is spot on, soft or forceful, whiny or enthusiastic, to fit the need.
I really wish that someone had read this to me when I was very young, it would have given me an insight into many of the classic characters that tend to get wielded by intellectuals when they are bragging, safe in the knowledge that you never had a classical education: this story is the foundation for that education, and this audiobook is no more challenging than a great fairytale.
There are some real gems in here, I will listen to it again and again, and enjoy it every time - I wonder if that is why it has survived for over 2000 years?

Not at all what I was expecting.

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Ovid explains vividly the classic explanation of the origins of many creatures and things. Enchanting tales from the ancient world.

Tales of Women Gods and Men

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An absolute plethora of myths. Language a bit old fashioned and difficult and there is a lack of separation of the stories. Had to look up a few which is actually a good thing as you see associated artwork but some wonderful descriptions.

Myths, myths and more myths

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