IN A GREEK GYMNASIUM (VASE-PAINTING) SCYLLA (TERRA-COTTA RELIEF) 56 57 59 62 64 68 70 72 76 JASON OBTAINS THE FLEECE (VASE-PAINTING) FALL OF ICARUS (WALL-PAINTING) HERCULES AND GERYON (VASE-PAINTING) 79 80 82 90 EURYDICE (GEM) APOTHEOSIS OF HERCULES (VASE-PAINTING) HERCULES BINDING CERBERUS (GEM) DISCOBULOS (STATUE) THE BLINDING OF POLYPHEMUS (VASE-PAINTING) . 93 94 95 98 103 COTTAGE OF ROMULUS (ASH-URN FROM ALBA LONGA). WOMAN SPINNING (VASE-PAINTING) PENELOPE AT THE LOOM (VASE-PAINTING) SCYTHIAN IN BRACAE (RELIEF ON VASE) AUGUSTUS (FROM A STATUE). PAGE IIO 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 |