Spring Mountain Spring Moon
My friend Tom Crane pointed out that yesterday was my buddy Ovid’s birthday. Don’t know how I missed that, but thanks, Tom.
“Ovid was born on March 20, 43 BC. After holding brief judicial posts as a young man, Ovid turned to writing poetry. His work was well received, but for reasons that remain mysterious today, emperor Augustus banished him to Tomis in 8 BC. Ovid wrote two poetry collections while there, Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto. He died at Tomis in 17 AD. His most famous works are Ars amatoria and Metamorphoses.” biography.com
I’m debating devoting even more time to Ovid, his poetry, especially Metamorphoses, and his times, the Augustan era. It seems like I’ve finally reached a fulcrum point in my learning of Latin where I’m about to tip over from student to scholar. As an amateur classicist, I’ll need considerably more study to get ready to contribute in any meaningful way, but I believe I have the capacity and I know I have the desire.
A year from now, on Ovid’s next birthday, his 2058th, if I count correctly, I’ll let you know how far I’ve gotten. It did just occur to me that Ovid’s two millennia death anniversary is exactly 2 years away. Hmm.