I have been utterly engrossed in this book. It honestly is a brilliant read. Written around 8AD I think it is fair to say that some of the themes are a bit…ummm.. unacceptable in the 21st century to put it mildly. Let’s just say that women do NOT have an easy time in this. But it is super easy to read and a lot of fun despite that.

I preferred the first 80% of the book, where Greek myths are told in easy chunks with helpful notes of all the names. I wasn’t so interested in the more Roman story of Aeneas, which makes me dubious now to pick up the Aeneid by Virgil.

As described in the summary on GoodReads the Metamorphosis is about transformation. But I think it is also about being silenced.. so many of the stories end with someone being unable to speak or communicate. It is really interesting… for example

Echo and Europa are not allowed to have a voice.

Battus, (the chatterer) was turned to stone for talking

Other quotes are:

‘The passage for words had gone; her neck was encased in stone’

‘His tongue was suddenly split in two like a fork. The words he wanted to utter failed to come out’

‘His final words were cut off as he said them… the sounds couldn’t find a way through’

‘Much as she wanted to tell it, her lips and her tongue were gone and she had no means of expression.’

‘Now I can say no more’

‘The voice went silent, the voice was lost and the words wouldn’t follow’


This is just a small example. I think this is interesting considering Ovids later life in exile where he too was effectively silenced. The frequency of this theme lessens towards the end of the book, where it transforms itself into almost a different book.


Philémon and Baucis is a wonderful story, an elderly couple who are content with what little they had and treated guests (gods in disguise) with generosity and curtesy. They are rewarded but remain humble.

Of course Orpheus and Eurydice who are separated by the death of Eurydice but found each other in the Elŷsian Fields after Orpheus too died.