London: Jacob Tonson at Shakespear's-Head over-against Katharine Street in the Strand, 1717. Hardcover. A folio edition of Ovid's Metamorphoses. The Metamorphoses is a Latin narrative poem from 8 CE by the Roman poet Ovid. It is considered his magnum opus. The poem chronicles the history of the world from its creation to the deification of Julius Caesar in a mythico-historical framework comprising over 250 myths, 15 books, and 11,995 lines. Ovid took inspiration from the genre of metamorphosis poetry. Although some of the Metamorphoses derives from earlier treatment of the same myths, Ovid diverged significantly from all of his models. It is one of the most influential works in Western culture. It has inspired such authors as Dante Alighieri, Giovanni Boccaccio, Geoffrey Chaucer, and William Shakespeare. [Wikipedia]
From a review of this edition of Metamorphoses by Richard Morton titled From The English Enlightenment Reads Ovid by Richard Morton: "Publisher Jacob Tonson’s 1717 edition of Ovid’s Metamorphoses is a masterpiece of English book modish, uncluttered, and glamorous, stately in size and choice of typeface, gloriously illustrated with immensely detailed and realistic engravings. Though popularly referred to as “Dryden’s Ovid,” Tonson’s edition, titled Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Fifteen Books , was not the work of Dryden alone but a rather a collection, as its subtitle announces, Translated by the Most Eminent Hands , bringing together many now-forgotten figures with such eminent writers as Alexander Pope, Joseph Addison, John Gay, William Congreve, Nicholas Row, and Nahum Tate. Yet, despite the translators’ varying degrees of talent and their sometimes sharp political differences, Tonson’s volume is remarkably consistent in style and tone. Morton analyses how Dryden and his fellow translators adapted Ovid to suit their historical and cultural milieu, resolving the apparent disjunction between Ovid’s dispassionate narrative style and the grotesqueness he describes by foregrounding recognisable motivations and responses in the characters, whether mortal or divine. The translators lent plausibility to the tales, facilitated readers’ sympathies, and transformed Ovid’s sophisticated ironies into naturalistic stories." [Amazon review]
Folio volume in a handsome modern binding. Unfortunately, the book has not been well taken care of over its long life. Pages are torn, stained, and browned, although the plates (sculptures) are generally in about very good condition, and the texts are quite legible despite browning to pages. Modern binding is in three quarter black leather with striking marbled papercovers in red, black, and cream. Title in gilt in one of the spine's seven compartments. New paper pastedowns and free endpapers. Despite flaws and condition issues, still an opportunity to own this important book. Folio measuring 11 x 18 inches. 547 pages. POET/030624. Good +. More