Ovid:

Who is Ovid-

-poet living under the reign of Augustus

-perfected the elegiac couplet

-Wrote Metamorphoses

-Wrote Arms amatoria-highly controversial by augustan standards,translates to the art of love

-Exiled by augustus in 8 AD

Highly educated

rhetoric-ability to speak persuasively

Ars Amatoria:

Best understood as a “how too” guide for romans in terms of dating as well as a satrirical social commentry on roman life

3 books-1st is about advice for men in terms of women,2nd is on how to keep a lover once one is found,3rd on advice to women regarding men-covers fashion,hairstyle etc-importannt to note he did note bound this poem by books

Ovid often portrays his advice in a comic way,treating dating and love like no more than a game or a millitary campaign:

-calls it the “warfare of love”

-deeply witty and ironic

“Ovid often has his tounge in his cheek”-grant

“submersive to the moral attitudes of the augustan regime”

Love can be a learnable skill/is an art form-ovid takes pleasure in teaching

Augustus moral reforms-

Augustus believes in monogamy,chastity and piety-think aeneid

Augustus published a series of legal reforms-with aims of restoring moral character of roman citizens-Encouraged legitimate children bearing and discourages adultery

Augustus gave political and fininial benefits to familys with three or more children

men who werent married by 38 were taxed more

adultury is a crime against the state-banished his own duaghter for adultury

much harder to divorce

Syme says augustan rules were to -”restore civic virtue”

‘to bring the family under the protection of the state.”-syme also

Moz maiorium-ways of ancestors

Ars amatorium book 3:Part 1

Ovid argues its only fair to give women “weapons” to fight in the war of love-calls men “greeks” and women “amazons”-presents himself as an arms dealer working for both sides of the war

Ovid shuts down the male protestor that may be annoyed with his advice-as it is not fair to “batlle with naked girls”

Calls women she-wolves and venemous snakes-playful tone

“Let the merits of each girl be seen”-supportive (feminist),but also reductionist of women to just their bodies

Ovid then shows of his knowledge by naming literary figures lines 11-22, “menelaus had helen and agamemnon had clytemnestra”,good women and bad women exist,he also contrasts senecas histroical/mythological references by being light hearted with it

Ovid dissmisses stoicsism-stoicism goes againsts ovids lusty impulses 23-32

Ovid uses mythological figures to demonstrate men can be bad behavved just like women 33-40-jason,theseus and aeneas-saying aeneas is entirely at fault for didos death,opposite of what virgil argues,as well as subversing augustan propaganda due to it being anti-piety

Ovid recalls talking to Venus and being order to teach women 43-52 in a very egotistical manner

Ovid STRESSES the orders he is going to give are in accordance with modesty-”subversive of the moral attitudes of augustan regime”-ormand

Ovid talks about the fleeting nature of beauty and how it would be a shame to squander it when it fades-OPPOSITE to seneca as seneca is focused on the mental

Ovid talks about vaginas and how they should not be treated like perishable goods-BUT is careful to aviod vulgarity,this goes against augustan rule of chastity,therefore cheating is not deep-women should not be afraid to act on desire

Part 3 of book 3

Ovid talks about hairstyles-References hectors wife,laodamia,loves the idea of purposley messly hairstyles,hair can be a weapon in the war of love

hair represnsts basline physical beauty-says choose the one that suits you best

He then talks about clothing choices-he displacys his knowlegde through desricbing colours avilable to a women,the coulour chosen by a women is of key importance,uses brieseas to demonstrate this

ovid uses hyperbolic similies

Part 4-Ovid dislikes armpits for some reason

Ovid lists cosmetic/makeup routnites that must be done to be successful in love-however must be done privatley

Part 5-

Ovid insults playfully his audience,saying attractive women already dont need his advice calling them “not-so-good”

Defects are common but must be hidden

laughter gets attention-must be soft and measured to aviod face looking bad