to Julia, daughter of the emperor. It is probable that the
proximity of these two events tended to intensify the imperial
displeasure, and when some time later there was made public the intrigue
of the emperor's granddaughter, the indignation of Augustus gave itself
vent in the banishment of Ovid.

The writings of Ovid consist of the _Amores_ in three books; the _Heroic
Epistles_, twenty-one in number; the _Ars Amatoria_; the _Remedia
Amoris_; the _Metamorphoses_, in fifteen books; the _Fasti_, in six
books; the _Tristia_, in five books; the _Epistles_, in four books, and
a few minor poems. In the following pages will be found a translation of
the _Metamorphoses_.

THE METAMORPHOSES.

BOOK THE FIRST.

THE ARGUMENT. [I.1-4]

My design leads me to speak of forms changed into new bodies.[1] Ye
Gods, (for you it was who changed them,) favor my attempts,[2] and bring
down the lengthened narrative from the very beginning of the world,
{even} to my own times.[3]

[Footnote 1: _Forms changed into new bodies._--Ver. 1. Some
commentators cite these words as an instance of Hypallage as being
used for 'corpora mutata in novas formas,' 'bodies changed into
new forms;' and they fancy that there is a certain beauty in the
circumstance that the proposition of a subject which treats of the
changes and variations of bodies should be framed with a
transposition of words. This supposition is perhaps based rather
on the exuberance of a fanciful imagination than on solid grounds,
as if it is an instance of Hypallage, it is most probably quite
accidental; while the passage may be explained without any
reference to Hypallage, as the word 'forma' is sometimes used to
signify the thing itself; thus the words 'formae deorum' and
'ferarum' are used to signify 'the Gods,' or 'the wild beasts'
themselves.]

[Footnote 2: _Favor my attempts._--Ver. 3. This use of the word
'adspirate' is a metaphor taken from the winds, which, while they
fill the ship's sails, were properly said 'adspirare.' It has been
remarked, with some justice, that this invocation is not
sufficiently long or elaborate for a work of so grave and
dignified a nature as the Metamorphoses.]

[Footnote 3: _To my own times._--Ver. 4. That is, to the days of
Augustus Caesar.]

FABLE I. [I.5-31]

God reduces Chaos into order. He separates the four elements, and
dis