Ovid: Metamorphoses Book XIII

Book XIII of Ovid’s Metamorphoses presents a wide variety of brilliant episodes, from the rhetorically charged contest between Ulysses and Ajax over the arms of Achilles, to the tragic tale of Hecuba and her gruesome revenge, to the amusing story of Polyphemus’ unrequited love for Galatea and its bloody conclusion. This edition discusses in detail Ovid’s treatment of his sources and sets out the ways in which he has adapted earlier literature as material for his novel work. Guidance is offered on points of language and style, and the Introduction treats in general terms the themes of metamorphosis and the structure of the poem as a whole.

• The first English commentary of Metamorphoses Book XIII • Provides a thorough introduction to the sources, and an up-to-date literary appraisal • Neil Hopkinson is the author of A Hellenistic Anthology in the same series which has sold over 3000 copies

Introduction: 1. Metamorphosis; 2. Structure and themes; 3. Lines 1-398: the Judgment of Arms; 4. Lines 408-571: Hecuba; 5. Lines 576-622: Memnon; 6. Lines 632-704: Anius and his daughters; 7. Lines 13.730-14.222: Acis, Galatea and Polyphemus; Scylla, Glaucus and Circe; The text and apparatus criticus; P. OVIDI NASONIS METAMORPHOSEON LIBER TERTIVS DECIMVS; Commentary.

‘This is a volume of which both Hopkinson and Cambridge can be proud.’

– The Classical Review

‘Metamorphoses Book XIII, one of the most ‘Greek’ books of the Ovidian poem, has received a commentary by a distinguished Hellenist, a commentary which turns out to be one of the best Latin examples in the Cambridge ‘green-and-yellow’ series … a fresh, exciting and perceptive reading of this important book. It will be a precious tool for all Ovidian scholars.’

– Journal of Roman Studies